East Baton Rouge Parish School Board

Regular Meeting Minutes

Thursday, January 19, 2023

 

 

A. Meeting Opening

1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

The Invocation will be led by School Board Member Michael Gaudet, and the Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Brian Bonilla, Broadmoor High School accompanied by Army Instructor, Sergeant First Class (Retired) Les Miller.

 

2. Call to Order and Roll Call

The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM by School Board President Dadrius Lanus.

 

Members present were Dadrius Lanus, Carla Powell, Shashonnie Steward, Cliff Lewis, Nathan Rust, Michael Gaudet, Katie Kennison, and Patrick Martin.

Mark Bellue was absent.

 

Others present were Sito Narcisse, Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Caron Smith, Chief of Staff; Michael Robinson, Chief Academic Officer; Monique Scott-Spaulding, Chief Operations Officer; Arcelius Brickhouse Jr., Chief of Schools; Letrece Griffin, Chief Communication/Public Relations; Andrea O’Konski, Chief Officer for Accountability and Assessments; Amy Jones, Chief Technology Officer; Shenoa Warren, Interim Chief of Literacy; Kelly Lopez, Chief Financial Officer; James Crochet, Chief Business Operations Officer; and Randy Morales II, Chief of Plant Operations.

 

B. Minutes

1. Meeting Minutes

Approval of the School Board minutes of the December 15, 2022, Regular Board meeting, and January 5, 2023, Special Board meeting, as published in the Official Journal.

 

Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Cliff Lewis.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin

 

C. Information Only

1. Monthly Financial Report

 

2. Personnel Changes

 

3. Public Records Request Monthly Report

 

D. Receive As Information

1. Update from Superintendent

 

E. Resolutions

1. Resolution "National School Counseling Week"

Adoption of a Resolution proclaiming February 6-10, 2023, as “National School Counseling Week.”

 

Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Patrick Martin.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin

 

F. Reports from Board Appointees to Committees/Agencies

1. Board Appointees

 

G. Unfinished Business

1. Service Agreement

Approval of an agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Dr. David K. Lerch, Educational Consulting, Inc. in the amount of $36,200 to review district documentation, monitor academic and financial progress for 2022-2023 MSAP Grant. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: MSAP Grant

 

Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Cliff Lewis.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin

Nay: Kennison

 

2. Professional Services Contracts: General Fund

Approval of a professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Kids Orchestra in the amounts of $65,000 and $45,000 to provide services for the Kid's Orchestra after-school program for 2022-2023. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund/ESSER & Fine Arts (General Fund)

 

Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Katie Kennison.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin

 

H. Consent Agenda

1. Consent Vote

The following items are to be approved as part of the Consent Agenda.

 

Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Shashonnie Steward.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin

 

2. Cooperative Endeavor Agreement

Approval of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Louisiana Department of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana in the amount of $50,000 for Act 170 of the 2022 Regular Legislative Session-State Aid to Local Government Entities to provide internship opportunities for 12th-grade internship workforce development pilot program. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement

3. Professional Services Contracts: Federal

Approval of professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following: a) ResourceFull Consulting, LLC in the amount of $90,000 for implementation of a comprehensive year one plan to expand access to early childhood education to children under five. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER II (Ms. Webb) b) District Management Group, LLC in the amount of $48,210 to provide services to improve literacy development. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) CIR/UIR 0-5

 

4. Internet/WAN RFP Selection

Approval of the recommendation of the committee for the selection of COX Communication as the provider for internet/WAN services and to authorize the Superintendent and General Counsel to negotiate and execute a contract. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: General

 

5. CMAR Selection: Brownfields Project

Approval of the recommendation of the CMAR selection committee of Womack-NRK Construction, LLC to provide construction management at risk (CMAR) services for the Brownfields project. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: Tax Plan

 

6. Professional Services Contract: Domain Architecture

Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Domain Architecture in the amount of $50,708 such amount to be adjusted based on state contract fees, for the CTEC culinary project. Strategic Alignment: Exemplary Customer Services/Funding Source: CTEC General Fund

 

End of The Consent Agenda Items

 

I. New Business

1. Superintendent Contract Negotiation

The item was pulled from the agenda by Board Member Gaudet at the beginning of the meeting.

 

J. Organizational Items

1. Announcement of Meetings

 

There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.

 

________________________________             

Sito J. Narcisse, Ed.D.

Secretary/Treasurer to the Board