East Baton Rouge Parish School Board
Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes
Thursday, November 2, 2023
A. Meeting Opening
1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
The Invocation was led by School Board Member Mike Gaudet, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by School Board Member Emily Chatelain.
2. Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM by School Board Vice-President Carla Powell Lewis.
Members present were Dadrius Lanus, Carla Powell Lewis, Shashonnie Steward, Cliff Lewis, Nathan Rust, Michael Gaudet, and Emily Chatelain.
Patrick Martin came in after the roll call.
Mark Bellue was absent.
Others present were Sito Narcisse, Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Caron Smith, Chief of Staff; Arcelius Brickhouse Jr., Chief of Schools; Andrea O'Konski, Chief of Accountability and Assessments; Amy Jones, Chief Technology Officer; Shenoa Warren, Chief of Academics and Literacy, Stacey Dupre, Chief of Support and Special Projects; Nichola Hall, Chief of Human Resources; James Crochet, Chief Business Operations Officer; and Randy Morales II, Chief of Plant Operations.
B. Unfinished Business
1. Policy Revision: EBBI–Public Health Emergency
Consideration of a request for the approval of policy revision EBBI – Public Health Emergency. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Dadrius Lanus.
Substitute motion to defer the consideration of a request for the approval of policy revision EBBI – Public Health Emergency to a date not certain.
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Chatelain
2. Professional Services Contract
Motion to authorize the Superintendent and staff to issue an RFQ to provide for budget consulting services.
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Nathan Rust.
Substitute motion to forgo the RFQ and authorize the Superintendent to negotiate and execute a contract with the Council for Great City Schools to provide for budget consulting services.
Motion by Cliff Lewis, second by Shashonnie Steward.
A friendly amendment by Mr. Rust to send the substitute motion to forgo the RFQ and authorize the Superintendent to negotiate and execute a contract with the Council for Great City Schools to provide for budget consulting services to the full Board without recommendation.
Motion by Cliff Lewis, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Chatelain, Martin
C. Items for Consideration
1. Oversight Committee
Approval of the Semi-Annual Financial Tax Plan Update and the 2022-2023 Preliminary Actual Results for propositions 1, 2, and 3. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Rust, Gaudet, Chatelain, Martin
2. Test Security Policy
Approval of the 2023-2024 East Baton Rouge Parish School System's Test Security Policy
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Chatelain, Martin
Not Present at Vote: Gaudet
3. McKinley High Tax Plan Project
Authorize the Superintendent and staff to:
a) Issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for both Architectural Design Consulting and Construction Manager at Risk Services for McKinley High School, and
b) Upon completion of the RFQ process, authorize the Superintendent and selection committee to select an Architectural Design Consulting firm, and
c) Upon completion of the RFQ process, authorize the Superintendent and selection committee to select a Construction Manager at Risk, and prior to final design criteria provide a CMaR presentation to the Board
d) Upon completion of pre-construction services by the selected Construction Manager at Risk, to further authorize the program manager to negotiate a final guaranteed maximum price (GMP) with the Construction Manager at Risk within the project's budget, and
e) Award the contract to the selected CMaR for completion at the negotiated GMP or, should an acceptable GMP not be reached, bid the project in accordance with Louisiana public bid law (La. Revised Statute Title 38, Chapter 10). Funding Source: Tax Plan
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Chatelain, Martin
4. RFP/Purchase of Printer
Consideration of a request to accept the recommendation from the RFP committee and authorize the Superintendent and staff to negotiate and execute a contract with Screen and related matters. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence, Student Achievement, and Exemplary Customer Service/Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Cliff Lewis, second by Emily Chatelain.
Substitute motion to send the consideration of a request to accept the recommendation from the RFP committee and authorize the Superintendent and staff to negotiate and execute a contract with Screen and related matters to the full Board without recommendation.
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Nathan Rust.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Chatelain, Martin
5. Professional Services Contract: EveryDay Labs, Inc.
Approval to
a) accept the LDOE ESSER III Incentive allocation of $982,804
b) approve a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and EveryDay Labs, Inc. in the amount of $369,000 to support student attendance through its evidence-based approach to absence intervention.
c) authorize the district to serve as the fiscal agent to distribute additional ESSER funds to identified school districts.
Strategic Alignment: Exemplary Services/Funding Source: ESSER III Incentive
Motion by Cliff Lewis, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Chatelain, Martin
6. Contract: Center for High School Excellence
Consideration of a request for the approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Center for High School Success (SCLC) in the amount of $242,309 to provide training, support, and resources. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Substitute motion to defer the consideration of a request for the approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Center for High School Success (SCLC) in the amount of $242,309 to provide training, support, and resources to the full Board without recommendation.
Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Nathan Rust.
Final Resolution: Motion Fails
Yea: Powell Lewis, Rust, Chatelain, Martin
Nay: Lanus, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Center for High School Success (SCLC) in the amount of $242,309 to provide training, support, and resources.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet, Chatelain
Nay: Rust
Abstain: Martin
7. Contract Addendum: HES Facilities Management
Approval of the contract amendment between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and HES Facilities Management. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second NONE.
Motion dies for a lack of a second.
8. Cooperative Endeavor Agreement: YWCA
Motion to send the consideration of a request for the approval of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the YWCA of Greater Baton Rouge in the amount of 1,500,000 to provide support services for students to the full Board without recommendation. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Michael Gaudet.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Chatelain, Martin
Not Present at Vote: Lanus
9. RFP-Redistricting
Consideration of a request for the authorization of the Superintendent and staff to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide for the development of a Board reapportionment and redistricting plan such authority conditioned upon the dismissal of the lawsuit entitled 'Singleton, Kees, Nyman, and Finney versus East Baton Rouge Parish School' and captioned Number C-719057, Division 30, 19th Judicial District Court, and to provide for related matters.
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Dadrius Lanus.
Motion to enter to into executive session.
Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Patrick Martin.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Chatelain, Martin
Nay: Powell Lewis
Not Present at Vote: Lanus
The Board entered into an executive session.
The Board returned from executive session.
Authorization of the Superintendent and staff to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide for the development of a Board reapportionment and redistricting plan such authority conditioned upon the dismissal of the lawsuit entitled 'Singleton, Kees, Nyman, and Finney versus East Baton Rouge Parish School' and captioned Number C-719057, Division 30, 19th Judicial District Court, and to provide for related matters.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Chatelain, Martin
D. 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. Dadrius Lanus, M.Ed. JD
Secretary/Treasurer to the East Baton School Board President
Rouge Parish School Board
Committee of the Whole