East Baton Rouge Parish School Board

Regular Meeting Minutes

Thursday, May 23, 2024

A. Meeting Opening

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

The Meeting was called to order at 7:18 PM by School Board President Carla Powell-Lewis.

Members present were Mark Bellue, Dadrius Lanus, Carla Powell Lewis, Shashonnie Steward, Cliff Lewis, Nathan Rust, Michael Gaudet, Emily Soulé, and Patrick Martin.

Others present were Adam Smith, Interim Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Laura Williams, Interim 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; Kelly Lopez, Chief Financial Officer; James Crochet, Chief Business Operations Officer; John McCann, Interim Chief Operations Officer; Randy Morales II, Chief of Plant Operations; and Marlon Cousin, Interim Administrative Director-Communications and Public Relations.

B. Minutes

1. Meeting Minutes

Approval of the following School Board minutes as published in the Official Journal:

a) April 25, 2024, Regular Board Meeting
b) May 8, 2024, Superintendent Search Ad Hoc Meeting
c) May 9, 2024, Special Board Meeting
d) May 9, 2024, Operations Committee Meeting
e) May 9, 2024, Academics, Accountability, Curriculum, Instruction & Student Services Committee Meeting
f) May 9, 2024, Budget and Finance Committee Meeting
g) May 10, 2024, Superintendent Search Ad Hoc Meeting

Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Cliff Lewis.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Soulé, Martin

President Powell Lewis asked to take items out of order (A, B, F, G, H, C, D, E, I, J) with no objections from the Board.

F. Unfinished Business

1. Professional Services Contract: Simpson Educational Consulting

Approval of a professional services contract extension between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Simpson Educational Consulting LLC in the amount of $198,000 over three years to serve as the Project Director/Ed Liaison. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: 21st Century Grant

Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Nathan Rust.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Soulé, Martin

2. ITEP: Honeywell International Inc.

Approve the application from Honeywell International Inc. (20190394-ITE) for an Industrial Tax Exemption and related matters.

Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Michael Gaudet.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Soulé, Martin

G. Consent Agenda

1. Consent Vote

The following items are to be approved as part of the Consent Agenda excluding item G5.

Motion by Shashonnie Steward, second by Nathan Rust.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Soulé, Martin

2. Grants: Early Childhood

Approval of the following 2024-2025 Early Childhood grants: a) Cecil J. Picard Early Childhood (LA4) in the amount of $8,040,780. b) Nonpublic Schools Early Childhood Development (NSECD) in the amount of $1,277,820. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement

3. Revised Budget

Approval of the Revised 2023-2024 General Fund Budget for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.

4. Professional Services Contract: Varsity Tutors for Schools LLC

Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Varsity Tutors for Schools LLC in the amount of $ 210,000 to provide tutoring services to elementary students in literacy. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: Real-time Early Access to Literacy (REAL)

5. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Health Care Centers in Schools, Inc.

Approval of an MOU between the East Baton Rouge Parish School and Health Care Centers in Schools, Inc. to provide comprehensive school-based medical and behavioral health care services and provide virtual and mobile health services at mutually agreed upon EBRPSS sites. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence

6. 2024-2025 Board Meeting Calendar

Approval of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board meeting schedule for the 2024-2025 school year.

End of Consent Agenda Items

5. Charter Surrender: IDEA University Prep

Motion to accept the surrender of a charter by IDEA University Prep.

Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Nathan Rust.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Soulé, Martin

H. New Business

1. Amended Policy: BBC and BCB

Approval of the following amended School Board policy and related matters: BBC-Committees and BCB-School Board Meeting Rules of Procedure.

Motion by Cliff Lewis, second by Dadrius Lanus.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lanus, Powell Lewis, Steward, Lewis, Gaudet

Nay: Bellue, Rust, Soulé, Martin

2. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

No motion was received; therefore, the expulsion will be upheld.

3. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

No motion was received; therefore, the expulsion will be upheld.

4. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

No motion was received; therefore, the expulsion will be upheld.

5. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

No motion was received; therefore, the expulsion will be upheld.

6. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

No motion was received; therefore, the expulsion will be upheld.

7. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

No motion was received; therefore, the expulsion will be upheld.

8. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

No motion was received; therefore, the expulsion will be upheld.

9. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

No motion was received; therefore, the expulsion will be upheld.

10. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

No motion was received; therefore, the expulsion will be upheld.

11. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.* (Mr. Shamlin)

Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Cliff Lewis.

The appeal will be heard at the June Regular Board Meeting.

12. Appeal Hearing-Student Expulsion

No motion received

13. Appeal Hearing-Student Expulsion

No motion received

14. Appeal Hearing-Student Expulsion

No motion received

Motion to suspend the rules to hear public comment on items H2 and H7.

Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Patrick Martin.

No comment or vote was taken with no objection from the Board. Comments were allowed.

2. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Nathan Rust.

The appeal will be heard at the June Regular Board Meeting.

7. Student Expulsion

Discussion/Consideration of a request to appeal a student expulsion.

Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Dadrius Lanus

The appeal will be heard at the June Regular Board Meeting.

C. Information Only

1. Monthly Financial Report

2. Personnel Changes

3. Cognia-EBR Board Stakeholder Engagement Report

D. Receive As Information

1. Update from Superintendent

I. Organizational Items

1. Announcement of Meetings

J. Adjournment

There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.