East Baton Rouge Parish School Board
Regular Meeting Minutes
Thursday, November 16, 2023
A. Meeting Opening
1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
The Invocation will be led by School Board Member Shashonnie Steward, and the Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Cadet Captain Taylin Carr, Woodlawn High School, accompanied by Senior Army Instructor, Colonel (Retired) Eric B. Keys.
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 Mark Bellue, Dadrius Lanus, Carla Powell Lewis, Shashonnie Steward, Cliff Lewis, and Michael Gaudet.
Nathan Rust, Emily Chatelain, and Patric Martin were absent.
Others present were Sito Narcisse, Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Arcelius Brickhouse Jr., Chief of Schools; 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; Kelly Lopez, Chief Financial Officer; James Crochet, Chief Business Operations Officer; Randy Morales II, Chief of Plant Operations; Vickey Silas, Deputy Chief of Policy and Implementation; and Ben Lemoine, Administrative Director-Communications Division.
B. Minutes
1. Meeting Minutes
Approval of the School Board minutes of the October 19, 2023, Regular Board meeting, and the October 5, 2023, and November 2, 2023 Committee of the Whole Meeting as published in the Official Journal.
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Carla Powell Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
C. Information Only
1. Monthly Financial Report
2. Personnel Changes
D. Receive As Information
1. Update from Superintendent
E. Reports from Board Appointees to Committees/Agencies
1. Board Appointees
F. Unfinished Business
1. Professional Services Contract
Motion to defer the consideration of a request 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 December Committee of the Whole.
Motion by Carla Powell Lewis, second by Cliff Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
2. RFP/Purchase of Printer
Motion to defer 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 a date not certain.
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
3. Cooperative Endeavor Agreement: YWCA
Motion to defer 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 December Committee of the Whole.
Motion by Carla Powell Lewis, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
G. Consent Agenda
1. Consent Vote
The following items were approved as part of the Consent Agenda, excluding items #4, 5, and 6.
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Mark Bellue.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
2. 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
3. Test Security Policy
Approval of the 2023-2024 East Baton Rouge Parish School System's Test Security Policy.
7. RFP-Redistricting
Authorize 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.
End of the Consent the Agenda Items
4. 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: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
5. Professional Services Contract: EveryDay Labs, Inc.
Approval to accept the following:
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 Carla Powell Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
6. Contract: Center for High School Excellence
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 Carla Powell Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
H. New Business
1. Demolition of Glen Oaks Middle
Authorize staff to advertise, accept the low bids meeting specifications and make the award of contract for demolition of Glen Oaks Middle School, or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law. Funding Source: Tax Plan
Motion by Cliff Lewis, second by Shashonnie Steward.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
2. Suspension of Rules
Motion to suspend the rules to reconsider the approval of the HES contract amendment.
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Carla Powell Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Carla Powell Lewis, Shashonnie Steward, Cliff Lewis, Michael Gaudet
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 Cliff Lewis, second by Carla Powell Lewis.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Lewis, Gaudet
Abstain: Steward
3. Student Expulsion
Motion to enter into executive session.
Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Mark Bellue.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet
Motion to affirm the expulsion decision of the Hearing Officer.
Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Cliff Lewis.
Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis
Not Present at Vote: Gaudet
I. Organizational Items
1. Announcement of Meetings
There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.
_______________________________ _______________________________
Sito J. Narcisse, Ed.D. Dadrius Lanus, M.Ed. JD
Secretary/Treasurer to the Board School Board President