East Baton Rouge Parish School Board
Committee of the Whole
Thursday, September 7, 2023
A. Meeting Opening
1. Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 6:10 PM by School Board Vice-President Carla Powell-Lewis.
Members present were Mark Bellue, Carla Powell-Lewis, Shashonnie Steward, Cliff Lewis, Nathan Rust, Michael Gaudet, and Patrick Martin.
Dadrius Lanus and Katie Kennison were absent.
Others present were Sito Narcisse, Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Caron Smith, Chief of Staff; Monique Scott-Spaulding, Chief Operations Officer; Arcelius Brickhouse Jr., Chief of Schools; Andrea O’Konski, Chief of Accountability and Assessments; Amy Jones, Chief Technology Officer; Shenoa Warren, 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.
Dr. Narcisse requested item 12. Professional Services Agreement: Ernst & Young LLP
to be pulled.
Mr. Gaudet and Dr. Narcisse requested presentations be taken out of order with no objections from the Board.
C. Presentations
1. Transportation Update
2. LEAP Report
B. Items for Consideration
1. LDOE Stipend Distribution
Approval of the distribution of the LDOE certified and support staff stipends for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
Not Present at Vote: Steward
2. Grant-State of Louisiana, Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health
Approval of the acceptance of a grant from the State of Louisiana, Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health in the amount of $1,505,000 to expand, train, and sustain a response-ready public health workforce and related matters.
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
Not Present at Vote: Steward
3. Grant-Louisiana Kids Matter Campaign
Approval of the acceptance of a literacy grant from the Louisiana Kids Matter Campaign in the amount of $700,000 to receive tutoring through Booknook for the 2023-2024 school year and related matters.
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
4. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Open Health Care Clinic
Approval of an MOU between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and HIV/AIDS Alliance for Region Two, Inc. (HAART) dba Open Health Care Clinic (OHCC) to provide on-site health and behavioral health services and mobile clinical health services to students and staff at mutual agreed upon EBRPSS sites. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence
Motion by Cliff Lewis, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
5. Professional Services Contract: Nearpod, Inc.
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Nearpod, Inc. in the amount of $206,450 to provide an interactive digital platform. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Mark Bellue.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
6. Professional Services Contract: Notable, Inc. (Kami)
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Notabel, Inc. (Kami) in the amount of $76,822 to provide an online annotation system.
Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
Abstain: Lewis
7. Professional Services Contract: Capital Area Human Services District
Approval of the professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the Capital Area Human Services District in the amount of $280,000 to provide behavioral health and support services. Strategic Alignment: Academic Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER III Incentive
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Mark Bellue.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
8. Professional Services Contract: Board of Supervisors of LSU and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College on behalf of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in the amount of $68,875 to provide professional learning services for specialized supports and services for students with disabilities. Strategic Alignment: Employee Development/Funding Source: Redesign IDEA 611
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet
Not Present at Vote: Martin
9. Professional Services Contract: District Management Group, LLC
Approval of a professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the District Management Group, LLC for the following:
a) Breakthrough Results (BTR) Program for 25 elementary school-based teams to focus on improving proficiency in early literacy in the amount of $245,875. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement and Employment Development/Funding Source: General Fund (Ms. Warren)
b) Breakthrough Results (BTR) Program to focus on improving culture and climate in the amount of $49,375. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement, Operational Excellence, and Employee Development/Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
10. Professional Services Contract-Studyville
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Studyville in the amount of $75,000 to provide tutoring services. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund.
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
Abstain: Lewis
11. Professional Services Contract
A friendly amendment to defer the consideration of a request to authorize the Superintendent to enter into a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and an appropriate and qualified firm in an amount not to exceed $95,000 to provide a review of the board’s fiscal policies and practices for both the general fund and the special funds (to include interviews with board members and key stakeholders, a board workshop focused on the FY ‘23 budget and collection of public input) and make recommendations to streamline the board’s operating procedures in such a way as to increase financial transparency, accountability, meaningful public engagement, and long-range budget planning, as well as, to the extent possible, assist with the initial implementation of those policies and procedures such that may be approved and adopted by the board to the full Board without recommendation. Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
Motion to extend the meeting for 30 minutes.
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Michael Gaudet.
Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
13. Policy and Policy Revisions
Motion to bifurcate the request for the approval of the following policies and policy revisions:
a) BCAD - Teleconference/Remote Participation in School Board Meetings
b) BCB - School Board Meeting Rules of Procedure
c) DJD - Expense Reimbursement
e) EDCB - Carpool and Bus Line Safety
f) IDCJ - Continuous Learning
g) JB – Attendance
h) JBD - Student Absences and Excuses
excluding item d) EBBB - School and Student Safety
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Nathan Rust.
Motion Carries
Yea: Powell-Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
Approval of the following policies and policy revisions:
a) BCAD - Teleconference/Remote Participation in School Board Meetings
b) BCB - School Board Meeting Rules of Procedure
c) DJD - Expense Reimbursement
e) EDCB - Carpool and Bus Line Safety
f) IDCJ - Continuous Learning
g) JB – Attendance
h) JBD - Student Absences and Excuses
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Nathan Rust.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Mark Bellue, Shashonnie Steward, Cliff Lewis, Nathan Rust, Michael Gaudet, Patrick Martin
Not Present at Vote: Carla Powell-Lewis
Approval of the following policies and policy revisions:
d) EBBB - School and Student Safety
Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Powell-Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Martin
The superintendent requested to move the remaining items to the September Regular Meeting.
14. Human Resources Policies
15. Prorated Transportation Stipends
16. Cooperative Endeavor Agreement: Housing Authority of East Baton Rouge Parish
17. Litigation
18. Litigation
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