East Baton Rouge Parish School Board
Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes
Thursday, May 4, 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 School Board Member Nathan Rust.
2. Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM by School Board Vice-President Carla Powell.
Members present Mark Bellue, Dadrius Lanus, Carla Powell, Shashonnie Steward, Cliff Lewis, Nathan Rust, Michael Gaudet, Katie Kennison, and Patrick Martin.
Others present were Sito Narcisse, Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Caron Smith, Chief of Staff; Michael Robinson, Chief Academic 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; Stacey Dupre, Chief Officer for Support and Special Projects; Kelly Lopez, Chief Financial Officer; James Crochet, Chief Business Operations Officer; and Randy Morales II, Chief of Plant Operations.
B. Receive as Information
1. Notice of Public Meeting for Levying Millages
Board member Nathan Rust would like to pull item #14-Policy: KF-Use of School Facilities for further study to next month.
There was no objection from the Board.
C. Items for Consideration
1. Attendance Zone: High Schools
Approval of a change in the attendance zones for incoming 9th graders for SY 23-24, and thereafter, for Broadmoor High School, Istrouma High School, and Tara High School as a result of the required attendance zone for incoming 9th grade students at Capitol High School.
Motion by Cliff Lewis, second by Dadrius Lanus.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
2. McKinley Elementary
Approval of the following:
a) Closure of University Terrace Elementary
b) Closure of Buchanan Elementary
c) Opening of McKinley Elementary with a new attendance zone encompassing the combined area of the former attendance zones for Buchanan Elementary and McKinley Elementary School.
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
3. Revised Budget
Approval of the Revised 2022-2023 General Fund Budget for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Michael Gaudet.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
4. Postlethwaite & Netterville Proposal Auditing Services
Approval to accept the proposal from Postlethwaite & Netterville to provide auditing services for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System for three years, with an additional two-year renewal option at the cost of $163,000 for 2023, $167,000 for 2024, and $171,000 for 2025. Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
5. Resolution-Millage
Adoption of the Resolution, for the purpose of levying millages effective on the 2023 Assessment Roll as required by law by June 1, 2023.
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
6. Oversight
Consideration of a request for the approval of Tax Plan Proposition 1 - Budget Supplement Recommendation which was approved by the Tax Plan Oversight Committee on May 1, 2023.
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Nathan Rust.
Substitute motion to send the consideration of a request for the approval of Tax Plan Proposition 1 - Budget Supplement Recommendation which was approved by the Tax Plan Oversight Committee on May 1, 2023 to the full Board without recommendation.
Motion by Katie Kennison, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Rust, Kennison, Martin
Nay: Lewis
Abstain: Gaudet
7. Naming of the JK Haynes Site
Accept the committee recommendation for the naming of the new school to be located at JK Haynes Site as JK Haynes Teacher Prep and Leadership Academy.
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
8. Bid-CTEC Culinary
Authorization for staff to advertise, accept the low bids meeting specifications and make the award of a contract for the construction of CTEC Culinary Kitchen or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statute, Title 38; Chapter 10. Strategic Alignment: Exemplary Customer Service/Funding Source: General Fund (Facilities/CTEC)
Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
9. Bid: BRFLAIM
Consideration of a request to accept the low bid from Sienna Construction for the BRFLAIM four-classroom addition project. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund (Physical Plant)
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Dadrius Lanus.
Substitute motion to send the consideration of a request to accept the low bid from Sienna Construction for the BRFLAIM four-classroom addition project to the full Board without recommendation to allow for a meeting to take place. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund (Physical Plant)
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Katie Kennison.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Kennison
Nay: Bellue, Gaudet, Martin
10. Contract: Otis Elevator
Approval of a contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Otis Elevator in the amount of $45,300 per year for five years for maintenance and repairs on district elevators. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: General Fund (Operations
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Mark Bellue.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
11. Professional Services Contracts: Exceptional Student Services
Approval of professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following:
a) Dr. Kashudra L. Williams, LP, BCBA-D, NCSP, Sundry Behavioral Services, in the amount of $60,000, to provide applied behavior analysis services.
b) Adaptive Solutions and Sherry Hollingsworth in the amount of $20,000 to provide assistive technology assistance services.
c) Deaf Resource Center of Greater Baton Rouge, LLC, in the amount of $80,000 to provide qualified sign language interpreter services to students.
d) Audio Optical Systems of Austin, Inc. in the amount of $51,684 to provide a comprehensive, text-to-speech integrated literacy solution.
e) Allied Instructional Services, LLC, in the amount of $25,000, to provide orientation and mobility services to students.
f) Turner, LLC, in the amount of $847,000, to provide nursing services to students with disabilities.
g) Chase Healthcare in the amount of $77,000 to provide nursing services to students with disabilities.
h) Pediatric Services of America, LLC d/b/a Aveanna Healthcare in the amount of $539,000 to provide nursing services to students with disabilities.
i) Egan Healthcare Corporation d/b/a Egan-Ochsner HCBS River Parishes in the amount of $166,000 to provide nursing services to students with disabilities.
Funding Source: IDEA Part B/Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
12. Professional Services Contract: Non-Public
Approval of professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following:
a) Catapult Learning in the amount of $30,000 for the 2023 Catholic Schools Teacher Summer Institute.
b) Inspir-ED Consulting, LLC, in the amount of $64,000 for the 2023 Diocese of Baton Route Summer Leadership Summit.
Funding Source: Title II Non-Public
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Nathan Rust.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
13. Professional Services Contract: ANET
Approval of the professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following:
a) ANET in the amount of $93,478.40 to provide benchmark assessments for grades 9-11. Funding Source: General Fund
b) ANET in the amount of$192,678.40 to provide benchmark assessment for grades 3-8. Funding Source: Federal Funds
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
15. Policy: JGBA-Recess
Defer Policy: JGBA-Recess for 30 days for further study, feedback and information.
There was no objection from the Board.
16. 2023-2024 Board Meeting Calendar
Approval of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board meeting schedule for the 2023-2024 school year.
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Mark Bellue.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
17. Litigation
Approval of the recommendation from Gwynn Shamlin, General Counsel, EBRPSB, in the following matter:
a) Ryeshia Washington v. Cynthia Anderson and East Baton Rouge School Board, Docket No. 703574, Section 22, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana and related matters.
b) Trish Trang Huynh v. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, et al, Suit No. 639052, Section 27, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana and related matters
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Kennison, Martin
D. Presentation
1. Development of a Calendar and Bell Schedule
E. Next Meeting Dates/Announcements
1. Announcement of Meetings
There being no further business, the Committee of the Whole adjourned by acclamation.
______________________________
Sito J. Narcisse, Ed.D.
Secretary/Treasurer to the East Baton
Rouge Parish School Board
Committee of the Whole