East Baton Rouge Parish School Board

Regular Meeting Minutes

Thursday, May 15, 2025

A. Meeting Opening

1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

The Invocation was led by School Board Member Cliff Lewis, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Cadet Corporal Isabela McMorris, Northeast High School, accompanied by Senior Army Instructor, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Shirley D. Sutton.

2. Call to Order and Roll Call

President Steward called the meeting to order at 5:03 PM.

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

Carla Powell Lewis and Michael Gaudet were absent.

Others present were LaMont Cole, Superintendent; Adam Smith, Deputy Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Catasha Edwards, Chief Academic Officer; Amy Jones, Chief Technology Officer; Andrea O’Konski, Chief of Accountability and Assessments; James Crochet, Chief Business Operations Officer; John McCann, Interim Chief Operations Officer; Kelly Lopez, Chief Financial Officer; Laura Williams, Chief of Schools; Kwesi Gilbert, Chief of Plant Operations; Stacey Dupre, Chief of Support and Special Projects; and Lisa Smothers, Chief Officer-Human Resources.

B. Minutes

1. Meeting Minutes

Approval of the School Board minutes of the April 3, 2025, Committee of the Whole meeting. April 17, 2025, Regular Board meeting, the April 28, 2025, Special Board meeting, and as published in the Official Journal.

Motion by Emily Soulé, second by Cliff Lewis.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

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. 2024-2025 General Fund Revised Budget

Approval of the Revised 2024-2025 General Fund Budget for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.

Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Dadrius Lanus.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Steward, Lewis, Rust, Soulé, Patrick Martin

G. Consent Agenda

1. Consent Vote

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

Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Cliff Lewis.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

2. Professional Services Contracts: Exceptional Student Services

Approval of professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following: a) Deaf Resource Center of Greater Baton Rouge, LLC, in the amount of $80,000 to provide qualified sign language interpreter services to students. Funding Source: IDEA Part B b) Dr. Kashunda L. Williams, LP, BCBA-D, NCSP, Sundry Behavioral Services in the amount of $60,000, to provide applied behavior analysis (ABA) services. Funding Source: IDEA Part B c) Egan Healthcare Corporation d/b/a Egan-Ochsner HCBS River Parishes in the amount of $298,350 to provide nursing services to students with disabilities. Funding Source: IDEA Part B d) Turner, LLC, in the amount of $1,211,600, to provide nursing services to students with disabilities. Funding Source: IDEA Part B e) Pediatric Services of America, LLC d/b/a Aveanna Healthcare in the amount of $932,000 to provide nursing services to students with disabilities. Funding Source: IDEA Part B

3. Demolition of Eden Park

Authorize staff to advertise, accept the low bid, meeting specifications, and make the award of contract for demolition of Eden Park, 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.

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

4. Grant

Approval of the FCC Cyber Security Program Grant agreement award, including release of a request for proposals, selection of a proposal, and authorize of the Superintendent and staff to execute a contract to provide equipment and services to enhance network and data security and related matters.

End of the Consent Agenda Items

H. New Business

1. Professional Service Contract: Prismatic

Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Prismatic in the amount of $245,000 to provide for strategic and operational planning as it relates to transportation efficiencies and consolidation of routes, reduction of transfer buses and other matters related to the realignment of schools and a school start time pilot at identified schools. Funding Source: General Fund

Motion by Patrick Martin, second by Nathan Rust.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

2. Student Expulsion

No motion, the expulsion will be upheld.

3. Student Expulsion

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

Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Cliff Lewis.

The appeal will be heard at the June Regular Meeting.

I. Presentations

1. Foundation for East Baton Rouge School System

J. Organizational Items

1. Announcement of Meetings

K. Adjournment

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