East Baton Rouge Parish School Board
Regular Meeting Minutes
Thursday, June 15, 2023
A. Meeting Opening
1. Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 6:33 PM by Vice-President Carla Powell.
Members present were Mark Bellue, Carla Powell, Shashonnie Steward, Cliff Lewis, Nathan Rust, Katie Kennison, and Patrick Martin.
Member absent were Dadrius Lanus and Michael Gaudet.
Others present were 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 of Accountability and Assessments; Amy Jones, Chief Technology Officer; Shenoa Warren, Interim Chief of Literacy, Stacey Dupre, Chief of Support and Special Projects; Nichola Hall, Chief of Human Resources; 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 May 18, 2023, Regular Board meeting, and the May 4, 2023, and June 1, 2023, Committee of the Whole meetings as published in the Official Journal.
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Kennison, Martin
C. Information Only
1. Monthly Financial Report
2. Personnel Changes
3. Public Records Request Monthly Report
D. Receive As Information
F. Unfinished Business
1. Policy: JGBA-Recess
Approval of policy JGBA-Recess.
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Nathan Rust.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Kennison, Martin
2. Professional Services Contract: Achieve 3000
Consideration of a request for the approval of the professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Achieve 3000 in the amount of $1,391,090 to provide a literacy web-based supplemental program and professional development. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER III, Action 2
Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Nathan Rust.
A friendly amendment by Mr. Martin to defer the request for the approval of the professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Achieve 3000 in the amount of $1,391,090 to provide a literacy web-based supplemental program and professional development to the July Regular Meeting. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER III, Action 2
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Martin
Nay: Kennison
3. Professional Services Contract: Amplify
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Amplify in the amount of $22,200 to support the implementation of DIBELS assessments and related services for 2023-2024. Strategic Alignment: Academic Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell, Lewis, Rust, Martin
Nay: Kennison
Abstain: Steward
4. Professional Services Contracts: Workforce Development
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following:
a) Defined Careers in the amount of $250,650 to provide a digital work-based learning platform that supports student career exploration lessons, activities, and experience reflections in grades 4-12. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: Career Development Funds (CDF)
b) YouScience Seamless WBL in the amount of $24,734.20 to provide a digital work-based experience platform to document student work-based experience and coordinate business partnerships. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: Career Development Funds (CDF)
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Mark Bellue.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell, Lewis, Rust, Martin
Nay: Kennison
Abstain: Steward
G. Consent Agenda
1. Consent Vote
The following items are approved as part of the Consent Agenda, excluding items # 7, 8, and 9.
Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell, Lewis, Rust, Martin
Nay: Kennison
Abstain: Steward
2. Advertising of Bids: 2023-2024
Authorize staff to advertise, receive, and award bids for materials, equipment, supplies, and services, through June 30, 2024, to the lowest responsible bidder/proposer meeting specifications and all state and federal requirements for quotes and formal invitations to bid.
3. Advertising in Official Journal: 2023-2024
Approval to select "The Advocate" as the Official Journal (newspaper advertising) of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System for the fiscal year 2023-2024.
4. 2023-2024 Risk Management Program
Approve the following Risk Management Program recommendations: a) to authorize the administration to approve the most cost effective Property and Casualty Insurance Program Policy Renewal package for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System for the 2023-2024 fiscal year and to provide for related matters. b) to approve a resolution authorizing the Board President and the Superintendent to execute and sign all documents to reject Uninsured Motorist Coverage in connection with the East Baton Rouge Parish School System's automobile liability coverage and its Self-Insured Retention Program for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. c) authorize the district staff to issue an RFQ for an independent third-party review of our entire risk management program to be completed by December 31, 2023. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence
5. Early Childhood Grade Expansion
Approval of the following: a) Crestworth and Westminster Microcenter expansion to serve infants to two-year-olds. b) Open a microcenter at Northeast Elementary School to serve infanst to 3-year-old students in partnership with high-performing, licensed childcare providers in the EBR Early Childhood Community Network.
6. Grants: Early Childhood
Approval of the following 2023-2024 Pre-K grants: a) Cecil J. Picard Early Childhood (LA4) in the amount of $7,248,420. b) Nonpublic Schools Early Childhood Development (NSECD) in the amount of $814,680. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement
10. Professional Services Contract: National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET)
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and NIET in the amount of $427,500 to provide professional development on school improvement best practices. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: Redesign
11. Contract Renewal: Unemployment Compensation Control Systems, LLC
Approval of the contract renewal between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Unemployment Compensation Control Systems, LLC (UCCS) in the amount of $144,00 per year for a period of three (3) years beginning July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2026. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Sources: Disbursement Clearing
12. Contract Agreement: Beable
Approval of a two-year contract renewal between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Beable Education, Inc. in the amount of $121,652 for a career-based literacy platform, for the following MSAP schools: Villa del Rey Elementary, Park Forest Elementary, Park Forest Middle and Belaire High schools. Strategic Alignment/Funding Source: MSAP Grant
13. Policy: DJED-Bid & Quotations
Approval of policy DJED-Bid & Quotations.
14. Semi Annual Financial Tax Plan Update
Approval of the Actual December 2022 Semi-Annual Financial Tax Plan Update and the 2022-2023 Revised Budgets for propositions 1, 2, and 3. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence
15. Bid-Woodlawn High Classroom Addition
Authorize staff to design, advertise, accept the low bid meeting the contract documents, and to make the award of a contract for construction of the Woodlawn High School Classroom Addition & Renovation project as specified in the A Plan to Improve Facilities/Technology, Discipline, and Compensation in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System (the “Plan”) as revised through February 22, 2018 or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statute, Title 38; Chapter 10.
16. Litigation
Approval of the recommendation from Gwynn Shamlin, General Counsel, EBRPSB, in the matter of: Traian Bowie, Individual, and o/b/o the minor child (name redacted) v. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, et al Docket No. 705,665, Section 29, 19th JDC.
End of the Consent Agenda Items
7. RFP Selection: Blended Learning Software
Accept the recommendation from the RFP committee and authorize the Superintendent and staff to execute the contract with Imagine Learning – Edgenuity. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Martin
Nay: Kennison
8. Professional Services Contract: AVID
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and AVID Center in the amount of $76,591 to provide Individual Graduation Planning support and professional learning opportunities. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement & Employee Development/Funding Source: Redesign
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell, Lewis, Rust, Martin
Nay: Kennison
Abstain: Steward
9. Professional Services Contract: Dreambox
Consideration of a request for the approval of a professional services contract in the amount of $544,000 to provide a digital mathematics program. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER III, Action 2
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Cliff Lewis.
Extend Meeting
Motion to extend the meeting.
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Nathan Rust.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Martin
Not Present at Vote: Kennison
Friendly amendment by Mr. Martin to defer the request for the approval of a professional services contract in the amount of $544,000 to provide a digital mathematics program to the July Regular meeting. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER III, Action 2
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Martin
Not Present at Vote: Kennison
H. New Business
1. Student Expulsion
Dismiss the expulsion hearing with no objections from the Board.
I. 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