Aug 19, 2021 School Board

WE NOW MOVE TO ITEM C ONE MINUTES APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES OF THE JULY 22ND, 2021 REGULAR BOARD MEETING AND THE AUGUST 8TH, 2021 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING AS PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL.

WE NOW MOVE TO ROLL CALL MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL DISTRICT.

NINE PRESIDENTS ADMIN PRESENT DISTRICT FOUR, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS PRISON DISTRICT ONE.

MR. BLUE DISTRICT TWO, MR. LANA'S DISTRICT THREE, MR. HOWARD, PRESENT DISTRICT FIVE.

MS. WARD JACKSON HERE, DISTRICT SIX, MS. DYSON DISTRICT SEVEN, MR. DISTRICT EIGHT, MS. BERNARD, WE HAVE A CORE OF,

[C. Minutes]

DO I HAVE A LOTION MOVED BY MS. BERNARD AND SECONDED BY MR. HOWARD.

I SEE NO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THE MINUTES SEEING NONE BACK TO THE BOARD, MADAM SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.

[00:05:10]

CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL MR. DELL FOR THIS ITEM? THERE WAS A LITTLE SLOW COMING UP.

YOU DO YOU NOT HAVE? I HAVE TO STILL NOT IN, BUT I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING LOGAN ISSUES.

YOU WANT TO, UM, JUST DO THE, DO A QUICK ROLL CALL.

TO ITEM D ONE RECOGNITIONS RECOGNITION OF JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, AND THERE ARE INCREASED WORK WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE POWER SCHOOL SYSTEM.

YEAH, DISTRICT SEVEN.

THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

WE MOVE NOW

[D. Recognitions]

WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT TADEMAN VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS BOARD MEMBERS AND DR.

NARCISSISTS.

I AM SHARON WILLIAMS, YOUR CHIEF OF SCHOOLS.

I'M EXCITED TO INTRODUCE OUR PARTNERS FROM JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, ACTUALLY JUST ONE PARTNER FROM JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT THIS EVENING.

WE'RE EXCITED TO PARTNER ON SEVERAL PROGRAMS THIS YEAR, AND I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH MS. DAWSON OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS TO PLAN THOSE AND PUT THOSE IN PLACE IN OUR SCHOOL.

AS A TEACHER IN PRINCIPAL, I FOND MEMORIES OF WELCOMING JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT VOLUNTEERS INTO MY CLASSROOM IN SCHOOL.

AND WE'RE EXCITED FOR OUR SCHOLARS TO HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES THIS YEAR.

MS. DAWSON WILL TAKE A FEW MOMENTS NOW TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES OUR SCHOLARS WILL HAVE THIS YEAR.

GOOD EVENING.

AND THANK YOU, DR.

WILLIAMS. I APPRECIATE THE INTRODUCTION.

MY NAME IS PAULA DAWSON.

I'M PRESIDENT OF JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AND ALSO TO WORK WITH EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOLS IN SUCH A PHENOMENAL WAY.

THIS YEAR.

I WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING OUR BOARD MEMBER FOR JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, SHIEL DYSON, AND, UM, DR.

NARCIS FOR YOUR BELIEF IN JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND BRINGING THE VISION TO LIFE AND BELIEVING IN US TO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE STUDENTS IN OUR GREAT PARISH.

UM, SO WE HAVE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY HERE.

AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, WE INSPIRE AND PREPARE YOUTH FOR THE GLOBAL ECONOMY.

WE FOCUS ON FINANCIAL LITERACY, WORK READINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ALL SKILLS THAT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN EBR PARISH WILL RECEIVE.

SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, WE DEVELOPED A PARTNERSHIP WITH DR NARCIS AND HE HAD A GRAND REQUEST FROM US TO OFFER EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRADE K THROUGH FIVE J IN A DAY, WHICH IS A HALF DAY LESSON TAUGHT BY A MENTOR FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

AND THAT MENTOR COMES IN AND REALLY DOES SOME ROBUST CURRICULUM THAT ALIGNS WITH THE STATE STANDARDS THAT THE TEACHERS ARE ALREADY UTILIZING.

SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

IT'S VERY ENGAGING, HAS LOTS OF GAMES AND CERTAINLY FOCUSES ON THOSE ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILLS.

SO WE WILL BE SERVING EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL IN EBR PARISH THAT J AND A DAY, UH, FOR GRADES K THROUGH FIVE AND ACTUALLY ALREADY HAVE THOSE ON THE BOOKS, WHICH IS EXCITING.

UM, SO IF YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF LITTLE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU IN THE JIA IN A DAYS, AND WE MAKE IT EXTREMELY SIMPLISTIC.

THE SECOND WAY THAT WE ARE PARTNERING WITH EBR IS THROUGH OUR LEADING LADIES EVENT AND WHAT THIS IS.

IT'S A HALF DAY MENTOR OPPORTUNITY WHERE FEMALE BUSINESS LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER WITH NINTH GRADE STUDENTS OFFSITE UP TO 900 STUDENTS WILL ATTEND FROM EDR FEMALES AND COME FOR THE DAY AND REALLY ENVISION WHAT THEY WANT THEIR FUTURE TO LOOK LIKE.

UM, CREATE A VISION BOARD, TALK TO MENTORS, FIND OUT WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE WANTED TO KNOW.

UM, THE MENTORS ARE GONNA SHARE THEIR ADVICE AND IT'S GOING TO BE A HALF DAY A REALLY EXPLORING WHAT THEIR FUTURE CAREERS COULD LOOK LIKE.

SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST OUR FINANCE PARK VIRTUAL, WHICH IS GOING TO BE OFFERED TO THE FINANCIAL MATH CLASSES IN ABR AND WHAT THIS IS IS, UM, 12 LESSONS OF FINANCIAL LITERACY STUDENTS COME IN TO THE CLASSROOM.

THEIR TEACHERS ARE TEACHING THE CURRICULUM AND THEY FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE FOR THE DAY, WHAT THEIR CREDIT SCORE IS, WHAT KIND OF HOUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE, WHAT KIND OF JOB, ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS, HOW MANY, UH, HOW MANY KIDS THEY HAVE IF THEY'RE MARRIED OR SINGLE.

SO THEY GET A LIFE SCENARIO AND GO THROUGH AN ACTUAL SIMULATION THAT'S VIRTUAL AND JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT

[00:10:01]

PROVIDES THE CURRICULUM AS WELL AS THE SIMULATION.

SO WITH THAT SAID, WE'LL, YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY SEE WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT PLANS AHEAD FOR US.

UM, WE DO HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP CALLED KING OF SWINGS IN OCTOBER THAT SUPPORTS THE CURRICULUM.

THAT'S GOING INTO THE CLASSROOMS FOR JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT.

THAT EVENT IS OCTOBER 28TH, FROM FIVE TO EIGHT AT TOP GOLF.

SO IF YOU OR ANY OF YOUR COUNTERPARTS ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING US, WE'D ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT.

SO I KNOW JILL HAD SHARED SOME INFORMATION WITH ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, SO YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME INTEREST THERE.

UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, WE ARE LOOKING FOR FEMALE, UH, LEADERSHIP VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT JIA LEADING LADIES.

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS IN THE FINANCE PARK AND THE JIA AND A DAY.

ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS I WANT TO THANK, UH, UH, I'LL GO AHEAD.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

AND OF COURSE, JUNIOR, ACHIEVEMENT'S ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER WITH EBR.

YOU HAD ME WITH THE NAME KING OF SWING.

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING, I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BE DANCING.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT WE COULD DANCE AT TOP GOLF.

THEY JUST MIGHT THROW US OUT.

RIGHT.

BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, MS. .

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND PARTNERSHIP, MS. DYSON, MS. DAWSON FOR COMING AND SHARING WITH US TODAY, I HAVE JUST, UM, APPRECIATED THE, UM, UH, INCREASED KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE ABOUT JIA NOW THAT I AM SERVING WITH YOUR BOARD.

AND, UM, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT'S, UH, A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND IT'S, UH, IT'S, UH, UM, EXCITING TO SEE THAT THE CURRICULUM IS ALIGNING WITH THE STATE STANDARDS.

UM, I THINK THE TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE WELCOMING YOU AS, AS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO REACH THE STUDENTS, UM, AND UNDERSTANDING, AND KIND OF IN REAL LIFE TERMS ON, ON WHAT, HOW, WHY THEY WILL NEED THIS GOING FORWARD.

UM, A LOT OF TIMES IN MATH CLASSES, THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, I'LL NEVER NEED THIS EVER AGAIN.

AND YOU HAVE A WAY WITH YOUR PROGRAM OF SHOWING STUDENTS HOW RELATIVE IT IS TO THEIR FUTURE LIVES.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.

AND, UM, UH, I HAVE, UM, ALREADY VOLUNTEERED FOR, UM, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN MY AREA, UH, IN MY DISTRICT.

AND I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND ANY ADMINISTRATION THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE SO WE CAN GET IN THERE FIRSTHAND OURSELVES.

AND SO SOME OF YOU I'LL RESEND THE EMAIL AND SOME OF YOU MAY WANT TO SIGN UP, UM, FOR A DAY IN ONE OF YOUR SCHOOLS AS WELL.

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

THANK YOU, MS. DYSON, UM, W MIKE RECOGNIZED MS. UH, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.

I AM, UH, AS I USUALLY DO EACH MONTH MENTIONING, UH, LIFT UP THE CULTURE AND DIVERSITY READER SELECTIONS FOR THE MONTH.

AND THIS MONTH IS ABOUT HOW LAW AND POLICY, UH, SHAPE, UM, DIFFERENT CLASSES.

AND, UH, SO WHEN I SAY CLASSES, I MEAN, UH, SOCIOECONOMIC CLASSES.

SO WHAT I HAVE TWO BOOKS THAT I'M RECOMMENDED FOR THIS MONTH, THE COLOR OF LAW AND FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF HOW GOVERNMENT SEGREGATED AMERICA BY RICHARD ROTHSTEIN.

UH, THE AMAZING CHRIS TYSON, UH, ALSO KNOWN AS PROFESSOR TYSON AT LSU LAW.

UH, HE DID A SPECIAL SERIES ON THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK, AND I FOUND IT TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY INFORMATIVE.

UH, SO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

UH, IT SHOWS SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT TODAY MEANS WHEN THEY LOOK AT DIFFERENT OUTCOMES AND DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, ET CETERA.

AND THIS GIVES A VERY IN-DEPTH, UM, REVIEW OF THAT PURELY ON FACTS, NOT SPECULATION.

THE LAW WAS THIS, THE OUTCOME WAS DIRECTLY THIS, OKAY.

AND THEN SUPREME INEQUALITY, THE SUPREME COURTS, 50 YEAR BATTLE FOR A MORE JUST AMERICA, ADAM COHEN, A LITTLE MORE ON THE LIBERAL SIDE, I AM LIBERAL, BUT IT'S A GOOD READ.

UH, AND HOW, AS A LAW SCHOOL STUDENT, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS AS WELL BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE THINK THAT THINGS ARE SO LIBERAL NOW, BUT HE COMES WITH A PERSPECTIVE TO SAY HOME WELL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, THINGS, AREN'T QUITE AS LIBERAL AS YOU THINK.

UH, AND SO WHETHER YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE, IT'S A GOOD READ SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM WHEN THEY SAY THINGS.

UM,

[00:15:02]

I PASSED OUT TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD, A LITTLE EXCERPT FROM, UH, TWO LITTLE EXCERPTS FROM THE COLOR OF LAW.

I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SOME TIME OVER SOME COFFEE OR WHATNOT TO JUST GLANCE AT THAT.

AND IF YOU ENJOY THAT READ OR YOU FIND IT INSIGHTFUL AGAIN, WHETHER YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE, IF YOU FIND IT INSIGHTFUL, I REC I RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET THE BOOK, UH, IT GOES INTO AS WELL, UH, CLASSISM, BUT HOW RACISM, RACISM DRIVES CLASSISM.

YOU CAN'T BE ABLE TO ONE WITHOUT DEALING WITH THE OTHER.

AND THEN, UH, I ALSO SHARED FOR A SECOND TIME BECAUSE IN POLITICS IS SOMETIMES IT'S HARD NOT TO FEEL PERSONAL ABOUT THINGS.

AND SO I SHARED WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND I'M SHARING WITH YOU THE PUBLIC, UH, ONE OF MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURES.

AND I'M SURE IT'S MEETING MY COLLEAGUES, FAVORITE SCRIPTURES ON YOU CAN YEP.

CARIBBEAN, YOU CAN HAVE A MULTITUDE OF THINGS, BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT LOVED.

AND SO I JUST ASK THAT WE REMIND EACH OTHER, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF, AND THIS IS NOT A REFLECTION OF THE LEADERSHIP AND BESSIE, UH, BUT ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THE FOOLERY THAT HAVE GONE GONE ON ALL LAST NIGHT AT THE BASKETBALL BOARD MEETING.

AND SOMETIMES EVEN, UH, HERE IN THIS, UH, MEETING, I QUITE AS EXTREME AS LAST NIGHT, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO REMIND EACH OTHER TO OPERATE IN LOVE.

AND SO THEN, YOU KNOW, AS A LEADERSHIP, UM, MY COLLEAGUES BE SET THE TONE, AND SOMETIMES WE LOSE OURSELVES.

WE MIGHT CUT EACH OTHER OFF SOMETIMES NOT EVEN MEANING TO, BUT IF WE, UH, START OFF WITH A MINDSET OF OPERATING IN LOVE, IT GOES A LONG WAY LAST BUT NOT LEAST A BOARD PRESENT BOARD LEADERSHIP IS HOSTING A FAITH AND PARTNERSHIP FOR EBR SCHOOL SYSTEM, UH, WITH FAITH LEADERS ON OCTOBER BURSTS, SEC SIX, OCTOBER SIX, UM, IT WILL BE VIRTUAL BECAUSE, UH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE PANDEMIC AND JUST SO TO PLAY IT SAFE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COUNSEL A LIVE EVENT DEPENDING ON WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE.

ARE WE GONNA DO A VIRTUAL EVENT, FAITH PARTNERSHIP WITH EBR SCHOOLS TO, UH, BRING FAITH LEADERS TOGETHER WITH SOME CONCRETE OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, PARTNER WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE SCHOOLS NEAR YOUR CHURCH.

AND SO, REGARDLESS OF WHAT DENOMINATION YOU ARE, WHAT SIDE OF TOWN YOU ON, WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL JOIN US.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

EMAIL ME DIRECTLY DID COLLINS ONE AT EBR SCHOOLS THAT ORG AND MY COLLEAGUES, SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE I ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ALL DURING THE EVENT.

PLEASE SEND ME ANY PASTORS THAT YOU FEEL LIKE I NEED TO MAKE SURE I AM FIGHT, UH, SO THAT THEY WON'T GO MISSED AT THE EVENT.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.

UM, WE MOVE NOW TO ITEM E ONE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND EAT TOO PERSONAL PERSONNEL CHANGES.

WE'LL MOVE

[F. Receive As Information]

ON NOW TO ITEM F1 TO RECEIVE HIS INFORMATION AND UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT.

UH, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT OF TAP MAN.

AND THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS.

UM, WE'RE SUPER EXCITED BECAUSE OF, WE JUST HAD OUR FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS OF SCHOOL, UH, ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11TH, WE SAFELY AND SECURELY, UH, REOPENED OUR SCHOOLS OVER 40,000 STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

UH, THE FOLLOWING OF SOME HIGHLIGHTS, I'M PLEASED TO SHARE, UH, ALL SCHOOLS RECEIVED THEIR INITIAL ORDER OF COVID RELATED SUPPLIES, THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL.

AND WE'RE FULLY STOCKED TO MEET ONGOING NEEDS TWICE DAILY CLEANING AND DEEP CLEANING AND SANITIZED SANITIZED SANITIZING CONTINUES.

ALSO, WE CONTINUE TO BE A ONE-TO-ONE DISTRICT, MEANING EVERY CHILD IN OUR DISTRICT HAS ACCESS TO PERSONAL CHROMEBOOKS.

SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE TECHNOLOGY HAS NOT FALLEN OFF.

UM, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE BACK INTO OUR NEW NORMALCY, WE IS ALSO, UH, WE LAUNCHED OUR FIRST FULL CLASS OF DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS AT GLENOAKS HIGH SCHOOL.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE PILOTING OUR FIRST DUAL ENROLLMENT WITH THE FRESHMAN CLASS THERE.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

ATHLETICS HAVE BEGUN ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE EXPANSION OF OUR ATHLETIC PROGRAM TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

SO ELLA, ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE KIND OF A FULL SEASON NOW, UM, OF VARIOUS

[00:20:01]

SPORTS.

AND SO THAT'S THE FIRST TIME FOR US IN THAT, UH, PROCESS.

AND SO WE'RE JUST SUPER EXCITED ARE IT'S GREAT TO SEE OUR LITTLE PEOPLE, UH, BE INVOLVED IN, UM, OUR ATHLETICS, UH, IF APPROVE TONIGHT, WE'LL HAVE A MOBILE APP FOR EVERY SCHOOL, SO THAT FAMILIES WILL HAVE ACCESS, UH, FOR SCHOOL SPECIFIC INFORMATION AT THEIR FINGERTIPS.

SO WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE AN APP FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS.

I KNOW THAT, UH, SOME SCHOOLS HAD IT.

WE PROBABLY ONLY HAD IT, UH, LESS THAN ABOUT 15 SCHOOLS THAT HAD IT.

AND NOW, UM, ALL THE SCHOOLS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL HAVE, AND THAT WILL ALSO INCREASE INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES, UH, IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.

AND, UM, ALSO, UH, CONTINUE TO WORK ON, UH, ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES THE WANTED US TO DO WAS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONNECTING MORE WITH FAMILIES ACROSS THE SYSTEM.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

UH, PRINCIPALS HAVE BEGAN GREETING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES EVERY DAY SINCE THE START OF SCHOOL, OUR IN-PERSON ENROLLMENT CONTINUES TO STEADILY GROW.

WE ENCOURAGE FAMILIES WHO HAVEN'T REACHED OUT YET TO DO SO WE'VE HIRED OVER 475 NEW TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF.

AND WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT A STRONG ATTENDANCE BY ALL EMPLOYEES, AS WE'VE WELCOMED STUDENTS BACK, UH, CENTRAL OFFICE LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN MEETING DAILY TO DEBRIEF ON WAYS TO IMPROVE UPON THE DAILY OPERATIONS OF THE SCHOOLS.

THEY'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME BOARD MEMBERS THAT COME IN AND WATCH THAT PROCESS.

SO WE ALWAYS WELCOME THEM WHEN THE BOARD COMES, BUT, UH, AFTER EVERY SINGLE DAY SINCE SCHOOL STARTED, WE ALL MET, UH, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE CHANGES.

SO OPERATIONALLY, UH, BUSES CAN RUN ON TIME AND WE ARE, UH, SOLVING ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S AROUND HIRING OR VACANCIES OR CLASS, UM, CLASS ISSUES.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS WE'VE BEEN GETTING BETTER AND BETTER EVERY SINGLE DAY, UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST.

I'D LIKE TO SHARE A SHORT VIDEO WITH YOU TO SHOW YOU HOW WE'RE WELCOMING OUR STUDENTS BACK.

UH, SO THE TECHNOLOGY TEAM, IF YOU COULD PUT THE VIDEO ON FOR THE AUDIENCE, WE COULD NOT SAY ENOUGH, THANK YOU TO OUR 6,000 EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE WORKED TREMENDOUSLY HARD TO NOT ONLY OPEN SCHOOL, TOO, BUT TO BRING SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY, I JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM A HAND.

AND SO A COUPLE MORE UPDATES, UH, EBR VIRTUAL ACADEMY, UH, WE'RE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT OUR ENROLLMENT AT EBR VIRTUAL ACADEMY.

CURRENTLY WE HAVE OVER 900 STUDENTS WHO HAVE ENROLLED IN EBR VIRTUAL ACADEMY AND THE EFFORT TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO FAMILIES.

WE SERVE, WE'VE CREATED A ONE-STOP SHOP SPACE AT 8 0 2 MAYFLOWER STREET, WHERE WE CAN SERVICE ALL OF THE FAMILIES, VIRTUAL ACADEMY KNEES IN ONE CENTRAL LOCATION.

[00:25:01]

WE HAVE BEEN LEARNING AND TRYING TO GET BETTER AND BETTER EVERY DAY.

AS YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A MONUMENTAL TASK TO DO OUR OWN VIRTUAL SCHOOL, BUT WE HAVE BEEN, THE STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING HARD TO BE VERY RESPONSIVE TO FAMILIES AND ALSO TO, UM, UH, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES OF NEEDS DURING THIS CURRENT TIME.

UM, RIGHT NOW I HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS THAT I JUST WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AS A PART OF THE UPDATE.

ONE WILL BE THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF FROM, UM, MISS ANDREA OCAS SCHEME.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELEASED DATA FROM THIS YEAR'S LEAP 2025 RESULTS.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK CHIEF OF DATA AND ACCOUNTABILITY, ANGIO CASIE TO SHARE AN UPDATE WITH US ON OUR DISTRICT LEVEL RESULTS, MISSILE KOSKIE IF YOU CAN COME UP.

AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST TO PREFACE THIS ONE THING AS WE LISTENED TO ME.

SO KOSKY, UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UM, MANY OF THE DATA ACROSS THE STATE HAS DECREASED BECAUSE WE WERE IN DURING COVID TIMES DURING THIS.

AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE LOSS THAT STUDENTS HAVE HAD OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME AS MISSILE CONCERT, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE DATA, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THE DATA BENCHMARK THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING INTO IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, BECAUSE STUDENTS ARE NOW TAKING, GOING TO BE TAKING TESTS TO SEE WHERE THEY REALLY ARE, WILL GIVE US EVEN MORE ACCURATE UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR KIDS' READING LEVELS AND MATH LEVELS AS A TOSCA.

NORTH CSUN.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE ON BEHALF OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY DEPARTMENT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR FORWARDING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU.

AND DR.

NARCISSE JUST MENTIONED OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES.

I WOULD BE REMISS WHEN WE SHOW THIS FIRST SLIDE OF PARTICIPATION RATES.

IF I DIDN'T PAUSE TO GIVE A THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE LAST TESTING CYCLE, IT WAS A YEOMAN'S JOB FROM OUR FAMILIES WHO SUPPORTED OUR STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE PREPARED WITH A GOOD MEAL AND A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP AND PUMP THEM UP TO TAKE THAT TEST TO OUR TEACHERS WHO IMPLORED, UH, WHATEVER IT TAKES ATTITUDE TO GET IT DONE FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO WE HAD TO KEEP SEPARATED, BECAUSE EVEN MY STAFF AND PUT UP WITH THE CRAZINESS, BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD FOR THE ENTIRE ACCOUNTABILITY DEPARTMENT TO BE IN ISOLATION.

AT ONE TIME WE WORKED HYBRID, WE WORKED FLEX SCHEDULES, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT THEY PUT IN TO MAKE THE COMPLETION RATE AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT COULD BE FOR US.

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'D LIKE TO LEAD OFF TONIGHT WITH PARTICIPATION RATES BECAUSE WHEN THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELEASED THIS DATA, THAT IS WHERE THEY BEGAN AND THEY RELEASED IT IN TWO DIFFERENT SEGMENTS, GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT AND HIGH SCHOOL.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT, YOU SEE WE WERE ON PAR WITH THE STATE AT ABOUT 98%.

WE SAW OUR LOWER TRACK WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, SO I CAN READ THE MINDS AND SAY, HMM, WHY? THAT'S INTERESTING.

IT ACTUALLY TRACKED OUR VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE.

SO WE SAW OUR CORRELATION.

THERE ARE HIGH SCHOOLS, HAD FEWER IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE RATES AND MORE STUDENTS WHO WERE VIRTUAL.

YOU MAY BE THINKING TO YOURSELF, YES, BUT HIGH IT'S HIGH STAKES AT HIGH SCHOOL, THEY HAVE TO PASS THE TEST FOR GRADUATION WHILE THAT IS TRUE, THEY HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE THE TEST.

WE TESTED SEVERAL HUNDRED OF OUR THOUSAND STUDENTS THIS SUMMER AND SUMMER RETAKE OPPORTUNITIES.

THEY'LL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THIS FALL SO FORTH AGAIN IN THE SPRING.

SO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE A TEST.

WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF MASTERY AND ABOVE THE STATE REPORTS, THIS TWO WAYS, IT'S ALL SUBJECTS, ALL TEST TAKERS.

THEY REPORT IT FROM A THREE EIGHT COMPONENT.

AND THEN FROM AN ALL TEST TAKER COMPONENT, WE WENT BACK TO 2007 TO GIVE YOU HISTORICAL DATA.

YOU MAY SAY WHY 2007, AS YOU MAY RECALL, 2017 WAS THE TESTING CYCLE IMMEDIATELY.

FOLLOWING THE FLOOD.

THE FLOOD WAS A YEAR OF GREAT DISRUPTION FOR US.

WE MISS 19 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF SCHOOL.

IT WAS A YEAR OF TREMENDOUS LOSS FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND FAMILIES.

AND SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE IMPACT OF COVID A LOGICAL QUESTION WOULD BE, HOW DID IT COMPARE TO THE IMPACT OF THAT YEAR? SO YOU SEE A FOUR YEAR TREND HERE WHERE YOU CAN SAY MASTERING ABOVE ALL TEST TAKERS, ALL SUBJECTS, GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT, AND THEN HIGH SCHOOL.

YOU NOTICE THAT OUR TRACK TENDS TO FALL ON CORRELATE WITH THE STATES FOUR, THREE THROUGH EIGHT.

WE SAW A STATEWIDE CHANGE OF NEGATIVE FIVE.

THE DISTRICT SAW A CHANGE OF NEGATIVE SIX.

IF YOU LOOP IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS, THE STATE SAW A CHANGE OF NEGATIVE FOUR.

WE CONTINUE TO CHANGE OF NEGATIVE SIX PERCENTAGE POINTS GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

WE'RE GOING TO ZOOM IN ON SOME SUBGROUP DATA AND YOU'LL NOTICE A COMMON THEME AND TREND HERE ACROSS THE SUBGROUPS AND THE ONE-YEAR CHANGE FOR, UM, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS STATEWIDE.

YOU SAW A 4% DROP AND EBR.

YOU SAW 7% DROP AFRICAN-AMERICAN SUBGROUP STATEWIDE.

YOU SAW NEGATIVE FIVE DISTRICT-WIDE

[00:30:01]

YOU SAW NEGATIVE SEVEN.

I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T POINT OUT TO YOU.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE FOUR YEAR TREND FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN SUBGROUP STUDENTS, OUR DISTRICT CONTINUES TO OUTPERFORM THEIR STATEWIDE PEERS, MOVING TO THE NEXT SET OF SUBGROUP DATA.

YOU SEE IT FOLLOW STATE TRENDS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS WAS OUR BIGGEST SUB-GROUP LOSS.

IT WAS LESS THAN 5% WHO SCORED MASTERY AND ABOVE TO REGISTER ON THE STATE SPREADSHEET, MOVING ON A STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, THE STATE TRACKED AT A NEGATIVE 1%.

THE DISTRICT SHOWED A NEGATIVE 3% AND THE NEXT SET OF SLIDES, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO BEAR WITH ME AND NOT FOCUS ON NUMBERS, BUT TO FOCUS ON PATTERNS.

OKAY? SO IF YOU TRUST ME ON THIS AND FOCUS ON PATTERNS, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE YELLOW BOX AT THE TOP.

THIS IS OUR ELA OVERALL SCORE.

34% OF OUR STUDENTS IN ENGLISH, LANGUAGE ARTS SCORED MASTERY OR HIGHER.

NOW, IF YOU GO TO THE BAR GRAPHS, BLUE REPRESENTS THE FLOOD YEAR.

PURPLE REPRESENTS THE COVID YEAR, THE RED AND GREEN THAT YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE SHOWS THE YEARS IN BETWEEN.

SO YOU CAN SEE IN THE GREAT DISRUPTION OF THE FLOOD YEAR AT EACH GRADE LEVEL IN 2017, IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE PURPLE, YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS MOST RECENT DISRUPTION COMPARES TO THAT YEAR.

AND JUST AS MR. UH, DR.

NARCY SAID JUST AS WE REBOUNDED AND THOSE SUBSEQUENT YEARS FOLLOWING THE FLOOD, WE'RE ALREADY PUTTING THINGS IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN TRACK THINGS IN ELA TO JUMPSTART THAT REBOUND WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN DOUBLING OUR K THREE STUDENTS AND LITERACY TO GET THE MOST RECENT DATA THERE.

WE WILL BE LAUNCHING THE, A NET DIAGNOSTIC IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

AND THEN YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT ACHIEVE 3000 THAT WILL GIVE US FLUENCY LEVELS FOR EVERY STUDENT ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND SOME OTHER BASELINE DATA THAT WILL MOVE US FORWARD.

IN TERMS OF ELA ON YOUR RIGHT-HAND SIDE.

I'M JUST GOING TO AGAIN, ASK YOU TO LOOK AT THE PATTERNS.

YOU'LL SEE THE ONE-YEAR CHANGE FOR THE STATE AND THE ONE-YEAR CHANGE FOR THE DISTRICT AT EACH GRADE LEVEL, MOVING TO MATH, YOU GET A SIMILAR SNAPSHOT.

ONCE AGAIN, THAT YELLOW BOX IS THE 20% MASTERY RATE ACROSS ALL GRADES FOR MATH.

THAT'S THREE THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

YOU GET THE SNAPSHOT OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS AT EACH GRADE.

BLUE IS THE FLOOD YEAR PURPLE WAS THE COVID YEAR.

AND THEN THE RED AND GREEN ARE THE YEARS IN BETWEEN.

NOTICE YOU'RE MISSING SOME BLUE ON THE HIGH SCHOOL END, BECAUSE AS YOU MAY RECALL, THE HIGH SCHOOL ASSESSMENTS WERE REDESIGNED A FEW YEARS AGO.

SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT TRUE COMPARISON.

IF YOU NOTICE IN THE ONE-YEAR CHANGE, YOU WILL SEE THAT MATH STATEWIDE WAS THE LARGEST DROP, AND WE FOLLOWED THE STATEWIDE TRACK YOU ALL.

I ALSO NOTICED THAT WE ARE PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO GRADES X AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

AND I'LL TALK SOME MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE PROCEED, THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS A SNAPSHOT FOR SCIENCE.

AND BEFORE WE MOVE TO SCIENCE, LET ME SAY THAT MOVING FORWARD AND MATH, WE HAVE ALREADY LAUNCHED THE AI NET DIAGNOSTIC.

SO WE HAVE SEVERAL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT TAKING THAT ONLINE DIAGNOSTIC.

AND IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S ONLINE, IF YOU ARE A STUDENT WITH DISABILITIES OR A STUDENT WHO REQUIRES AN INDIVIDUAL PLAN, YOU'RE GETTING THE SAME ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THOSE INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS, AS YOU WOULD ON A STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT, WE'VE ALSO LAUNCHED THE DREAM BOX INTERVENTION.

AND SO AGAIN, THAT WILL TRACK DATA FOR US STRATEGICALLY.

AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AT THE END, AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THIS FIRST MONTH OF SCHOOL, AND THEN QUARTERLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, MOVING ON TO SCIENCE SCIENCE, WITH SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES, AS YOU MAY RECALL, HAVE HISTORICALLY LAGGED BELOW ELA AND MATH.

YOUR SCIENCE AVERAGE IS AT 19% FOR THE DISTRICT, ALL TESTS, ALL SUBJECTS, MASTERY, AND ABOVE.

YOU CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE THE BLUE FOR THE FLOOD YEAR.

WE'RE MISSING RED ON THIS ONE, BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT AN OPERATIONAL SCIENCE TEST.

AND ONE OF THOSE YEARS PURPLE IS THE COVID YEARS.

AND THEN OVER TO THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE HOW THE ONE-YEAR CHANGE AT EACH GRADE LEVEL AS COMPARED TO THE STATES ONE YEAR CHANGE.

WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION FROM LEAP TO GRADUATION RATE.

SO THE FIRST COLUMN WILL GIVE YOU THE LOUISIANA CHANGE DIFFERENCE, AND THEN THE COLUMN ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT GIVES YOU THE DISTRICT CHANGE DIFFERENCE.

SO YOU CAN SEE ACROSS THE BOARD IN EVERY LEVEL THAT WE, WE CORRELATE ONE OR A FEW POINTS OFF OF THE STATE TRACK, MOVING ON TO SOCIAL STUDIES, IT'S THE SAME SLIDE, DIFFERENT CONTENT WE'RE TRACKING AT 21% MASTERY AND ABOVE ALL GRADE LEVELS.

THE STATE IS CURRENTLY AT 25.

THE BLUE WITH ONCE AGAIN WOULD BE THE FLOOD YEAR.

THE PURPLE WOULD BE YOUR COVID YEAR TO SHOW YOU THE CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

AND THEN OVER TO THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, YOU SEE THE CHANGE COLUMN FOR BOTH THE DISTRICT AND THE STATE.

ONCE AGAIN WERE BLUE IS MISSING.

THERE WAS NO OPERATIONAL TEST TO COMPARE PROVIDE BY THE STATE FOR THAT YEAR.

SO AT THIS POINT,

[00:35:01]

THE D THE STATE HAS HISTORICALLY RELEASED THESE AT SEPARATE TIMES BECAUSE OF COVID.

OUR TIMELINES ARE A BIT SKEWED AND THEY RELEASED THEM TOGETHER.

SO AS WE LOOK AT THIS DATE, I WANT TO REMIND YOU, THIS IS THE CLASS OF 2020.

SO THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO WOULD BE BEGINNING THEIR SOPHOMORE YEAR OF COLLEGE.

AND SO THESE ARE THE KIDS WHO IN THEIR SENIOR YEAR, THE SCHOOL END STOPPED AT MARCH 13TH.

AND WHILE THERE WERE COVID WAIVERS IN PLACE, THEY ONLY STUDENTS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE COVID WAIVERS OR THOSE WHO WERE ON THE INTENT TO GRADUATE LIST AT THAT TIME.

SO IF YOU HAD YOUR CARNEGIE UNITS IN PLACE, THEN YOU WERE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE WAIVERS.

IF YOU HADN'T ARMED THOSE CARNEGIE UNITS AND WERE NOT ON THAT GRADUATION, LESS PRIOR TO MARCH 13TH, YOU WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE WAIVERS.

THIS FIRST SLIDE GIVES YOU THE LAST DECADE OF OUR GRADUATION RATE.

GREEN IS A YEAR OF GROWTH.

BLUE IS A YEAR OF DECLINE.

WE DID GAIN 6.9 POINTS, PERCENTAGE POINTS, AND THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE TO DATE AT 75.5 UNDER THE CURRENT ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM FOR OUR DISTRICT.

SO THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT BOUNCE FOR US FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR WHERE WE SAW A SHARP DECLINE.

WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

I THOUGHT YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THIS, AND YOU HAVE A COPY OF THIS.

I BELIEVE AT YOUR SEATS.

THE GRAD RATE IS IT'S A DIVISION PROBLEM.

YOU DIVIDE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ENTER THE COHORT AT NINTH GRADE BY THE NUMBER WHO EXIT ON TIME, WE'RE SHOWING OVER TIME IS WHILE OUR ACTUAL RATE HAS FLUCTUATED.

THE NUMBER OF GRADUATES OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS HAS CONSISTENTLY INCREASED.

AND WE SHOW OUR INCREASED RATE OF 22% OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS FOR OUR ACTUAL NUMBER OF GRADUATES.

BUT THIS WILL GIVE YOU THE TREND AND THE NUMBER OF GRADUATES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE STATEWIDE AVERAGES.

YOUR FIRST LINE OF BLUE IS THE LOUISIANA STATE AVERAGE AT 84%.

THEY TOO HAD THEY TOO HAD A GAIN.

THEIR GAIN WAS PLUS 3.9 WHILE OURS WAS 6.9.

YOU'LL NOTICE THE SUBGROUP DATA FOR, FOR EACH OF THE MAJOR SUBGROUPS REPORTED BY THE STATE.

THEY HAD THE BOTTOM, YOU'LL SEE THE EBR ONE-YEAR CHANGE AS COMPARED TO THE STATE RATE OF CHANGE.

SO YOU NOTICE WHILE THE STATE WAS UP, WE SAW MORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.

AND EACH OF OUR MAJOR SUBGROUPS, THE STATE INCREASED AT EVERY SUBGROUP EXCEPT FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

THAT HAPPENED TO BE OUR LARGEST GAIN AT PLUS 14.1 PERCENTAGE POINTS FOR THAT SUBGROUP WITH GRADUATION RATES COME STRENGTH OF DIPLOMA.

AND THOSE CREDENTIALS ARE THOSE COLLEGE CREDITS THAT ARE EARNED BY STUDENTS IS HOW YOU GET YOUR STRENGTH OF DIPLOMA POINTS.

THE CLASS OF 2020.

YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE MAJOR CATEGORIES OF HOW YOU EARN POINTS.

AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU WANT TO SEE THE TWO LEFT COLUMNS GOING UP AND THE TWO, RIGHT COLUMNS GOING DOWN.

YOU WANT TO SEE THOSE HIGHER CREDENTIAL RATES GOING UP.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO ADDRESS THIS, THE STATE, UM, THE STATE HAD A SLIGHT CHANGE OR CHANGE, AND WE HAD A SLIGHT CHANGE.

IT WAS A SMALLER GAP THAN THE STATES, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE PLEASED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, AS YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE PILOT THAT WILL BE GOING ON AT GLENOAKS HIGH SCHOOL OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, YOU HAVE APPROVED SEVERAL MOU AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH POST-SECONDARY PARTNERS.

ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT PUZZLE PIECES WILL EACH YEAR CONTRIBUTE TO SEEING THIS NUMBER GO UP.

AND THEN BY THE TIME THAT THE INCOMING FRESHMEN OR SENIORS, YOU WILL SEE A LARGER RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT, BUT YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL PIECES THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO PLACE.

THIS NUMBER CAN STEADILY RISE OVER THE NEXT YEARS.

SORRY.

YEAH, MINE'S NOT WORKING.

UM, I'LL GET YOU.

I'LL MAKE SURE YOU'RE IN THE, I WAS GOING TO LET HER FINISH HER PRESENTATION AND THEN DO THE QUESTIONS IF EVERYBODY'S OKAY WITH THAT.

WELL THEN IF WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT GO ON UP NEXT.

YOU, YOU CAN GO AHEAD ON, GO AHEAD.

WITH THE BACK AT THE 2025 LEAP, UH, PARTICIPATION RATES.

IF, IF, IF TECH TEAM CAN HELP MAKE, GO BACK TO THE PARTICIPATION RATES.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NECESSARILY NEED TO GO BACK.

UM, I ASKED MY QUESTION, WHY Y'ALL DO THAT? WHO IS COUNTED IN THE PARTICIPATION RATE? LIKE IF WE HAVE SOME BABIES THAT HAVE BEEN TRUANT AND MIGHT BE ON A PATH OF DROPPING OUT, OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WOULD WANT, BUT IN TERMS OF DATA AND NUMBERS OF THOSE BABIES COUNTED, IF YOU COMPLETED AT LEAST ONE TEST IN THE SPRING TESTING CYCLE, YOU

[00:40:01]

WERE COUNTED.

SO IF I'M A THIRD GRADER, I TOOK A TEST IN ELA, MATH, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES.

WE HAD SOME SITUATIONS WHERE I MAY HAVE COME AND TAKEN THE DAY, THE TEST OR MY ELA OR MATH DAY, BUT THEN I WAS SICK OR FOR SOME REASON I DIDN'T COME BACK FOR SCIENCE FOR SOCIAL STUDIES.

IF YOU TOOK ONE TEST, THAT'S HOW THE STATE COUNTED IT AND THEIR PARTICIPATION RATE.

AND THAT'S THE SAME FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

YOU TOOK IT WELL AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

IF YOU TOOK US, IF YOU TOOK THE TEST AND YOU WERE SLATED TO TAKE THE TEST AND YOU WERE COUNTED AT, IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEN PRIOR TO COVID IN VIRTUAL LEARNING, IT WAS A TYPICAL FOR HIGH SCHOOL, GENERAL ATTENDANCE TO DROP VERSUS YOUR LOWER GRADES.

UM, AND BY EXTENSION THE LEAP PARTICIPATION, LIKE, IS THAT TYPICAL, IT'S TYPICAL FOR YOUR HIGH SCHOOL TO LAG BEHIND, BUT NOT TO THIS EXTENT.

AND THE STATE TYPICALLY DOES NOT PUBLICLY REPORT THAT RIGHT.

ON THEIR ACTUAL FORM.

THEY USUALLY REPORT THE NUMBER OF ACTUAL TEST TAKERS.

OR THEMES OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT THEY WERE LAUNCHING.

THIS YEAR THEY CHOSE TO REPORT BOTH.

SO WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE? SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE ARE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE ACTUAL TESTS AS COMPARED TO THE ONES WHO WERE ON THE ROSTER SCHEDULED TO TAKE THE TEST.

VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, MR. HOWARD, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT SIMON.

UM, SO FIRST THING, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE SUBGROUP DATA.

UM, SO I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING OUT OR BRINGING OUT THE SUBGROUP DATA, UM, IF YOU COULD PROVIDE FOR ME, NOT NOW, BUT JUST IN GENERAL, THE SUBGROUP DATA SPECIFIC TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES, UM, FOR THE GRADUATION RATES, AS WELL AS THE, UH, ELITE PERFORMANCE ON A MASTERY.

I ASKED THAT BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THIS BOARD, WE HAVE, WE'VE HAD A PROBLEM SPECIFICALLY WITH THAT PARTICULAR SUBGROUP.

SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE LIKE THIS FOR INDIVIDUALLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES, LIKE WHAT'S THE TRAIN WAS THE NUMBERS.

AND THEN WHAT SPECIFIC ACTION PLAN WE AS A DISTRICT HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR GROUP OF STUDENTS.

AND THEN MY SECOND POINT OR QUESTION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GAIN CLARITY AROUND IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE GRADUATE CREDENTIAL RATES, UM, THERE WAS SOME ALARMING NUMBERS OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE GRADUATING WITH NO BASIC OR ADVANCED CREDENTIALS.

UM, SPECIFICALLY THESE STUDENTS ARE ATTENDING OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT DEDICATED MAGNET SCHOOLS.

DO YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THE, THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE COHORT, THAT'S LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH BRCC AND GLENOAKS, OUR PARTICULAR PLAN FOR MAKING SURE MORE OF OUR STUDENTS GRADUATE WITH SOME FORM OF CREDENTIALING.

CAUSE IT, IT, IT TYPICALLY SEEMS AS THOUGH THE STUDENTS WHO ARE ADVANCING OR GRADUATING WITH ADVANCED CREDENTIALS OR OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE DEDICATED MAGNET SCHOOLS.

AND FOR ME AS A BOARD MEMBER, THAT'S KIND OF ALARMING BECAUSE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WE'RE ONLY PREPARING ONE SECTOR OF OUR STUDENTS TO BE PROGRESSIVE ONCE THEY GRADUATE ONE, UH, EBR SCHOOL.

SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HEAR THAT FROM A DISTRICT POINT, THE STANDPOINT, UH, YES, UH, BOARD MEMBER HOWARD, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND, UH, CHIME IN HERE.

UH, UH, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY WITH YOU ON THAT.

UH, WE DO HAVE A PLAN TO LOOK AT EXPANSION OF DUAL ENROLLMENT AND ALSO INDUSTRY-BASED CREDENTIALS, UM, MOVING FORWARD, UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE SHARING THAT PLAN SOON WITH THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC.

UH, BUT WE AGREE.

UM, WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS SCHOOLS.

UH, CAUSE THAT WAS VERY ALARMING TO US WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT, UH, THE NUMBERS, HAVE YOU STARTED TO CREATE, UH, THAT WORK? AND SO THE CURRENT, UH, PILOT THAT WE'RE DOING AT GLEN OAKS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO EXPAND ACROSS THE CITY WHERE WE CAN BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP ACROSS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU'RE THE TYPE OF SCHOOL THAT YOU ARE.

THANK YOU, UH, STUPID DUCK NURSES.

UM, AND THEN I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION IS IT RELATED TO ASSESSMENT DATA? UM, THIS WEEK, THE STATE DECIDED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE REPLYING FOR WAIVERS, UM, FOR BOTH REPORTING AND BASICALLY GIVING OUT SPS SCORES FOR SCHOOLS.

SO HOW DO WE PLAN SINCE SCHOOLS BASICALLY GET ANOTHER YEAR TO KIND OF LIKE GO INTO THE RADAR OF A REPORTING DATA, SCHOOL LEVEL DATA TO PARENTS, AND THEN BE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MONITORING THEIR PROGRESS BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE NOW TWO TO THREE YEARS THAT SCHOOLS HAVEN'T GOT ANY KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS.

AND SO HOW DO WE PREPARE THEM FOR WHEN THEY DO COME BACK? CAUSE THEY WILL COME BACK, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MAKING PROGRESS NECESSARY TO BE SUCCESSFUL ONCE THEY DO GET, UM, SO GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION, MR. HOWARD, IF THE TECHNOLOGY TEAM COULD GO TO MY LAST TWO SLIDES AND WE COULD GO THROUGH THAT AND THEN, AND THEN COME BACK, UH, I THINK YOU ARE SPOT ON IN YOUR QUESTION.

AND AS A TEAM, WE WATCHED THE STATE'S BRIEFING, THEIR COMPARABLE SLIDE DECK TOGETHER AS A LEADERSHIP TEAM, UM, IN OUR MEETING ROOM.

AND AS WE WERE, UH, HAD IT ON MUTE OR TALKING THROUGH THINGS AS THEY WERE TALKING AND SHARING WITH US.

AND SO IF WE COULD GO TO THE SECOND TO LAST SLIDE, UH, THE SCREENSHOT THAT YOU SEE IN THE CORNER IS THE STATE'S WHAT'S NEXT SLIDE, WHERE THEY DIVIDED THINGS AND TO, UH, TWO OR THREE BUCKETS

[00:45:01]

SO THE FIRST THING WE DID AS A TEAM, AS WE SAT THERE AND WE CHECKED OFF THE LIST OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WERE PARTICIPATING AND IN REALLY CHECKED OFF THE LIST.

AND THEN WE SAID, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT ELSE ARE WE DOING? AND WE STARTED BRAINSTORMING OUR LIST AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE, UH, BEFORE YOU, YOU GUYS HAVE AFFORDED US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

OUR STRATEGIC PLAN HAS BUILT IN THEIR INTERNAL STANDARD MEASURES THAT WILL BE ROLLED UP TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE EXTERNAL KPI REPORTING.

SO TO YOUR QUESTION, LET'S JUST TAKE ELA AND MATH.

AND THE NEXT 30 DAYS I WILL HAVE A 30 TO 45 DAYS.

THE WINDOW CLOSES ON THE 22ND.

IT'LL TAKE US ABOUT A WEEK TO ROLL IT UP.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT INITIAL DIBELS DATA WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, WE'RE GOING TO REOPEN A WINDOW, ADMINISTER IT AGAIN.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK IN THE SPRING.

WE'VE ALREADY MAPPED OUT THOSE, UH, TESTING WINDOWS AND THEN THE DATES OF THE DISTRICT REPORTS WILL BE RUN.

SO SCHOOLS CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

LIKEWISE, THE SAME THING WITH A NET, A NET MATH IS UNDERWAY.

ELA WILL START SOON.

WE'VE MAPPED OUT THE DIAGNOSTIC, THE THREE INTERIMS, THE STATE, THE DAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO RUN THE DISTRICT REPORT SO THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT DATA WITH YOU.

AND JUST NOT JUST ON THE ACADEMIC SIDE, AS YOU RECALL, WE'RE BECOMING A CASTLE DISTRICT.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MS. TEAM ON THEIR DATA REQUEST.

AND SO WE WILL HAVE A PRE AND POST ON THE SEL SIDE.

SO WE'LL HAVE THOSE PIECES OF DATA AS WELL.

AND THEN YOU GUYS HAVE APPROVED FOR US TO UPGRADE OUR ELIMINATE PLATFORM BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE SEPARATE ENTITIES, HOW DO WE BRING IT TOGETHER? SO WE'VE SPENT THE LAST TWO OR THREE WEEKS.

FRONT-LOADING THE NEW ELIMINATE PLATFORM WITH THREE YEARS OF HISTORICAL DATA AND ATTENDANCE AND DISCIPLINE.

AND THEN THE ACADEMIC CONTENT WILL COME OVER THE NEXT 30 TO 45 DAYS AS THAT FIRST ROUND OF THE DISTRICT BENCHMARK DATA COMES IN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PLUG IT IN THERE AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE SOME VIRTUAL DATA WALLS AND BE ABLE TO SHARE IT AND REPORT WITH YOU GUYS.

SO THIS FORUM, AND THEN AS ACCORDING TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THOSE EXTERNAL KPIS AS WELL.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED BECAUSE, UH, WE THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME FUN THINGS IN SOME DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE BOARD FOR CHARGING US, UH, AS A DISTRICT TO PUT PERFORMANCE METRICS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT HAS TOTALLY YOU GOING TO SHIFT OUR CULTURE IN TERMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT.

AND SO OUR GOAL WILL BE TO BRING BACK PERFORMANCE AND MEASUREMENTS TO THE BOARD SO WE COULD KNOW QUARTERLY HOW OUR KIDS ARE DOING EVEN BEFORE THEY GET TO THE LEAGUE.

AND, UH, THERE'S ALSO BEEN WORK ON ALIGNMENT.

SO JUST WANTED TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP ON THAT.

AND GOING BACK TO THAT LIST, MR. HOWARD, YOU KNOW, YOU RAISED A GOOD QUESTION.

WE KNEW INTERNALLY FROM BOTH THE QUANTITATIVE DATA THAT WE HAD GATHERED AND THEN THE QUALITATIVE, UH, WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE IN THIS TESTING CYCLE.

SO THIS NEW DATA SET KIND OF VALIDATED SOME OF THE WORK AND PLANNING THAT WE'D ALREADY DONE, BUT THEN ALLOWED US TO KIND OF RESHIFT AND CAPTURE THE INITIAL DATA FROM THESE NEW BENCHMARK ASSESSMENTS.

SO WE CAN CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE AND DEVELOP OUR PLANS MOVING FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN DIFFERENTIATE AND MEET EACH SCHOOL'S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.

AND THEN JUST MY LAST POINT, MR. TACK PRESIDENTS HAVING, UM, I KNOW, UM, SOME, SOME SCHOOLS HAVE DIF DIFFERENT STAKES RELATED TO ACCOUNTABILITY AS OPPOSED TO LIKE WHAT'S NEXT FOR THEM.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE PASSED THE CHARTER POLICY THAT BASICALLY OUTLINES HOW OUR CHARTER SHOULD BE PERFORMING.

UM, THE STATE IS TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO AS IT RELATES TO METRICS FOR THESE SCHOOLS, SINCE THERE'S NO REAL ACCOUNTABILITY DATA.

UM, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT WE AS AN INTERNAL TEAM START THINKING ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON OUR END, SO THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BACKLOG PLAN ONCE IT COMES.

AND THEN WE HAVE RENEWALS IN FRONT OF US AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE GUT-WRENCHING DECISIONS IN THE MIDDLE, UM, OF TRYING TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

SO JUST START, START THINKING ABOUT DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR WHAT THAT TYPE OF ACCOUNTABILITY ALSO LOOKS AT.

THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD QUESTIONS ARE FREE AND DON'T COST ANYTHING ALL YOU WANT.

MR. GOODELL.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TATLIN.

I APOLOGIZE FOR BREAKING YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT.

TO FOLKS AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM AS IF YOU BAKE A CAKE AND IT'S HOW YOU DECORATE THE CAKE.

MY REQUEST TO SPEAK.

WASN'T WORKING.

I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE STRENGTH OF DIPLOMA, UH, SLIDE PLEASE.

VERY QUICKLY 13.

AND I THINK THERE HAS BEEN SOME QUESTION ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT DID THOSE HEADINGS MEAN? PARTICULARLY THE LAST ONE, UH, BECAUSE WE HAD SOME PEOPLE BELIEVING THAT, UH, THAT LAST COLUMN SAID THAT THEY, THEY GOT JUST A PAPER DIPLOMA.

IT DIDN'T REALLY MEAN ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY HAD NO BASIC OR ADVANCED CREDENTIALS.

SO COULD YOU JUST WALK THROUGH THOSE COLUMNS SO THE PUBLIC AND UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY THOSE NUMBERS MEAN? YES OR AN I CAN, AND I CAN GET YOU ALL OUR CHEAT SHEETS.

SO AS YOU ANSWER, GET THOSE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ASK THEM, BUT TO YOUR POINT AND THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN, I DID GRADUATE WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.

I, THE WAY I EXPLAIN IT

[00:50:01]

SO I HAVE A BASIC CAKE ON THE FAR RIGHT HAND COLUMN.

AND THEN AS I SCALE UP, I HAVE DIFFERENT LAYERS.

AND SO THE PERCENT OF THE COHORT EARNING ADVANCED AND BASIC CREDENTIALS IS WHAT YOU SEE IN THE NEXT ONE, YOUR BASIC CREDENTIALS.

IT MIGHT BE THAT I, I TOOK, UM, A CERTIFICATION TEST OR I ATTEMPTED AN AP CLASS OR SAT IN A DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASS.

YOU WORK YOUR WAY UP IN THE POINT VALUES.

THE MORE YOU GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF POINTS, IF YOU TOOK ONE CLASS OR FIVE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHICH YOU WORK YOUR WAY UP, THE POINT VALUES.

IF, IF I SCORED A THREE OR HIGHER, IF I COMPLETED THE DUAL ENROLLMENT CREDIT WITH THE APPROPRIATE GRADE TO EARN THE COLLEGE CREDIT AND THEN ANDREW, OR I GET THE HIGHEST AMOUNT IF I EARN THAT ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE.

SO THERE'S A SCALE POINT VALUE FOR EACH OF THOSE THINGS, AND WE CAN GET YOU THE CHEAT SHEET TO SHOW.

BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, MR. GODIN, BECAUSE YOU'RE CORRECT.

IF I'M ON THE FAR RIGHT-HAND, I DID GET A DIPLOMA, I JUST DIDN'T DO THOSE EXTRA THINGS.

AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IS WE WANT TO SEE THIS NUMBER TO YOUR POINT IN QUESTION AND YOU'RE RIGHT, AND I'M, I DON'T WANT TO BE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT.

WE WANT TO SEE THIS NUMBER GO UP, BUT WE WANT TO SEE THE ONES ON THE FAR LEFT ARE THE ONES WE REALLY WANT TO SEE GOING UP, BECAUSE THOSE ARE YOUR STUDENTS WHO ARE EXITING WITH AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE.

THOSE ARE YOUR STUDENTS WHO ARE EXITING WITH COLLEGE CREDIT TO SAVE THEIR PARENTS, THAT FINANCIAL BURDEN.

AND THOSE ARE YOUR STUDENTS WHO WERE LEAVING WITH INDUSTRY-BASED CREDENTIALS, WHERE THEY'VE PASSED THAT TEST, AND THEN THEY CAN, THEY CAN WORK AND GO TO COLLEGE AT THE SAME TIME, OR GO STRAIGHT INTO INDUSTRY TO EARN GOOD MONEY.

MA'AM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I ECHO, UH, BOARD MEMBER HOWARD'S CONCERNS ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITIES.

ALL OF THESE JUST MIGHT SUGGEST THAT YOU HIT YOUR TITLE, THAT COLUMN AT LAST COLUMN, UH, STUDENTS EARNING A TRADITIONAL DIPLOMA, I'LL MAKE IT LESS ACCOUNTABILITY JARGON.

IT'S A NO BASIC AND ADVANCED TENDS TO CONFUSE PEOPLE.

AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESIDENT.

AND WHILE I HAVE THE MIC, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE SOMETHING THAT OUR SUPERINTENDENT SAID EARLIER.

UH, I HAPPENED TO BE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE WHEN THE, UH, ONE OF THE AFTERNOON MEETINGS AFTER ACTION REPORTS, UH, HAPPEN.

AND I THINK MAYBE SOME OF THE STAFF WAS UNNERVED, BUT THERE WAS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER THERE, BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION FLOWING AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ATTENTION THAT WAS GIVEN TO THAT.

AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO APPLAUD THE WHOLE STAFF FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE, GETTING THIS, UH, SYSTEM UP AND RUNNING, UH, UNDER SOME DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S NEVER A MISTAKE IF YOU LEARNED SOMETHING FROM IT.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE, WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO BETTER, AND IT WAS JUST VERY ENCOURAGING TO SEE THE ENTIRE TEAM TOGETHER, WORKING TOGETHER, TRYING TO WORK THROUGH ALL OF THOSE 70.

SO I JUST WANTED TO APPLAUD YOU DR.

NRCS FOR HAVING THAT KIND OF MEETING, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, APPLAUD THE STAFF FOR THE TIME AND ENERGY THEY PUT INTO THAT MEETING.

THANK YOU, MIKE.

I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.

UM, MS. DYSON.

UM, I WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT IT LOOKED LIKE SOME, UH, TOO, TOO OFTEN.

THIRD GRADE WAS NOT DOING AS WELL AS THE FLOOD YEAR.

IT SEEMED LIKE I KEPT SEEING, UH, HAVING SOME RED FLAGS ABOUT THIRD GRADE AND THEN SOMETIMES FOURTH.

AND I WAS JUST KINDA TRYING TO GET YOUR FEEL ON THAT.

AND ARE WE PUTTING SOME MORE EMPHASIS ON THOSE? SO WE'RE DIGGING DEEP INTO A COUPLE OF GRADES TO YOUR POINT.

THIRD IS ONE THAT HAS HIT OUR RADAR.

ALSO SIX HAS HIT OUR RADAR.

AND SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.

THIRD IS THE FIRST YEAR I TAKE A TEST AND IT'S THE FIRST YEAR I TOOK A TEST AND A YEAR THAT I STARTED VIRTUALLY AND THEN HYBRID.

AND I, I DIDN'T GO THROUGH A LOT OF THE NORMAL PROTOCOLS THAT I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH.

SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR FLAGGING THOSE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, YEAH.

FOR THIRD GRADE ARE OUR SAME THING WITH OUR FOURTH GRADERS.

THEY DIDN'T TAKE THE TEST A YEAR PRIOR BECAUSE THEY SKIPPED A TEST IN THIRD GRADE.

SO REALLY IT WAS YOUR THIRD AND FOURTH GRADERS TAKING A TEST FOR THE FIRST TIME.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FIRST COME BACK INTO IN-PERSON LEARNING IN NOVEMBER, UH, TEACHERS BUILD UP TO THAT IN PERSON ALL YEAR LONG.

AND SO I KNOW THAT THE TALENTED FOLKS BEHIND ME, UM, HAVE ALREADY STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT.

I WANT TO THANK DR.

ROBINSON.

HE AFFORDED US AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE ROOM NEXT DOOR AS AN ACCOUNTABILITY TEAM, TO SIT WITH HIS DIVISION OF ACADEMICS TWICE AND DO SOME DATA DIES WHERE WE BROKE INTO CONTENT AND GRADE LEVEL AREAS AND SAID WHAT WE WERE SAYING AND REPORTED OUT AND CHART IT OUT SOME COMMON THEMES.

SO WE ARE LOOKING INTO THAT.

AND THEN LIKEWISE, THE SIXTH GRADE, UM, MY ACCOUNTABILITY TEAM IS DIGGING A LITTLE DEEPER IN A SIXTH GRADE.

I WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT I'M ON A MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS AND THAT WAS A TRANSITION YEAR.

AND, AND SO WE SEE THAT ONE TRENDING A LITTLE OFF OF THE OTHERS AS WELL.

[00:55:01]

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THIS.

IT'S IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GET THIS KIND OF A PICTURE AND IT'S, UM, THE LEVEL THAT YOU'RE SHOWING US IS, IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

I THINK YOU HAD ONE MORE SLIDE.

IF WE COULD JUST, UM, AGAIN, THE LAST AND IT MISSES, I LOVE IT WHEN YOU FLATTER ME LIKE THAT.

MR. CHAPMAN, THANK YOU.

UM, THEN ON THE FAR RIGHT-HAND COLUMN T TO THE POINT EARLIER IN THE CONVERSATION, THEN LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS PUT THIS STATEMENT ON EVERY REPORT THAT HAS BEEN RELEASED, YOU KNOW, CAUTIONING FOLKS THAT WHEN WE LOOK TOO DEEPLY AT THIS DATA OR COMPARE IT OVER HISTORICAL TRENDS, THAT IT HAS THAT ASTERIX ON THERE, THAT IT WAS INTERRUPTED LEARNING, AND THAT COVID HAS DEEPLY AND DIRECTLY INFLUENCED THIS DATA.

SO, YOU KNOW, AS DR.

NARCISSUS AND I MENTIONED WHILE WE HAVE THE DATA AND IT GIVES US ANOTHER PREPONDERANCE OF EVIDENCE PIECE, WELL, MOVING FORWARD, IT'S THE TIMELY DATA THAT'S GOING TO REALLY INFORM THAT WORK THAT WE DO, THAT WE'RE GATHERING FROM OUR INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS, BOTH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVELY.

BUT IF YOU LOOK HERE, I'VE DR.

NE WOULD GIVE ME A LITTLE POETIC LICENSE.

HE'S, HE'S EVERY MEETING, WE GO OVER THE FOUR CS AND I KIND OF DID A DERIVATIVE OFF OF HIS FOUR CS.

AND THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS DATA IS REMINDING US ABOUT IS OUR NEED FOR CONSISTENCY IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AFFORDS US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT WITH THE STANDARD MEASURES ACROSS ALL DISTRICT SCHOOLS.

LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT ALSO, WHEN WE START DRILLING DOWN AND WE BECOME MORE CONSISTENT, IT BUILDS QUALITY CONTROL.

IT DEEPENS THE LEVEL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS SO THAT WE CAN BECOME MORE STRATEGIC AND OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS, AND THEN DEPLOYING THOSE RESOURCES FOR FINANCIAL EFFICIENCY.

AND SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN ULTIMATELY SEE THAT RETURN ON THE ACADEMIC INVESTMENT COMING DOWN THE PIKE.

AND SO REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS FOR YOU TO BE ASSURED THAT AS A TEAM, WE KNOW THAT CONSISTENCY AND THESE STANDARD MEASURES IS THE KEY TO SEE A REBOUND, EVEN HIGHER THAN WHAT WE SAW POST FLOOD YEARS.

AND THEN THAT'LL GUIDE THE WORK, WHAT WE DO FOR BUILDING CAPACITY CAPACITY AND REPORTING PUBLICLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.

WE HAVE ONE, UH, MS. DYSON WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN.

I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.

SURE.

UM, SO I SEE THAT WE HAVE IN THE GRAD RATES, WE'VE GOT THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL SITES, BUT WHEN SHOULD WE, UH, WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THE SCHOOL SITE DATA, UM, ON ALL THE REST OF IT? UH, W WE, WE HAVE THOSE DRILLED.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO KILL TOO MANY TRADES TONIGHT AND WANTED TO STREAMLINE THIS FOR TIME, BUT I CAN WORK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TO GET, BRING THEM.

YOU DON'T LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

AND LIKE THE SUBGROUP DATA WE CAN WORK TO GET ALL THAT WE USED TO DO, UM, ALL SUBGROUPS.

AND THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

JUST LET US KNOW WE'LL WORK WITH YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. DYSON.

SUPERINTENDENT.

SO JIM'S A FINANCIAL SYSTEM UPDATE, AS YOU KNOW, UH, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MY TENURE AS SUPERINTENDENT, I'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT, BUT ESPECIALLY WITHIN OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM, UH, AS WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, UH, TRANSPARENCY IN ALL AREAS FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES, WE'RE LOSING OUR DOLLARS TO ACCELERATE AND MOVE KEY COMPONENTS OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE OUR CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MS. AMY JONES AND DIRECTOR OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, AL COOGAN, TO SHARE HOW WE'RE TRANSITIONING OUR SERVICES TO AN OPEN PLATFORM AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON OUR RFP FOR A NEW AND UPDATED FINANCIAL SYSTEM.

AMY, THANK YOU, DR.

NARCY GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT TAPPAN, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS BOARD MEMBERS.

WE'RE EXCITED TO UPDATE YOU TONIGHT ON THE STAGES THAT WE'RE IN ON OUR UPGRADE FOR OUR GYMS, FINANCIAL HUMAN, FINANCIAL, AND HUMAN RESOURCES SOFTWARE.

I'M JOINED BY MR. AL KUVAN, OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS. HE SERVED THE DISTRICT FOR 16 YEARS AS THE SYSTEMS MANAGER FOR OUR FINANCIAL DATA SYSTEMS PRIOR TO EBR, HE HAD 21 YEARS OF TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE IN THE FINANCIAL SECTOR SPEARHEADING THE SYSTEM CONVERSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THIS IS MR. AL COOGAN.

OUR STAKEHOLDERS A MODERN TRANSPARENT SYSTEM.

THANK YOU, MS. JONES.

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HAPMAN MATT AND VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, SUPERINTENDENT NARCIS AND BOARD MEMBERS.

WE ARE SO EXCITED AND GRATEFUL TO DR.

NARCISSUS VISION AND YOUR SUPPORT TO BRING THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL PAYROLL, HUMAN RESOURCES SYSTEMS IN THROUGH THE MODERN AGE.

THIS AFFORDS US THE CHANCE TO OFFER

[01:00:01]

IF WE COULD, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT AN OVERVIEW OF THE STAGES.

MANY OF YOU MAY NOT BE FULLY AWARE OF THE REACH OF THIS SOFTWARE, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.

WE PUBLISHED THE RFP THIS PAST MONDAY.

SO PHASE ONE IS UNDERWAY AND WE ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING BUSINESS PROCESSES.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE VENDOR PROPOSALS TO OUR RFPS, AND WE'LL UPDATE THE BOARD AS NEEDED.

THIS IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE CORE SYSTEMS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE CONVERTED.

ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THIS PROCESS WILL GIVE US IS THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE CLEAN DATA TO THE OPEN DATA BR PROJECT WITH THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

THIS WILL PROVIDE THE CITIZENS OF BATON ROUGE, A CLEAR LOOKING GLASS INTO THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION AND YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS PROJECT.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO NOT SEE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT, BUT IF WE GIVE OUR MRS. BERNARD, YOU, UM, MR. BALLOU, I DIDN'T, UH, HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I DID WANT TO A COMMAND, A SU SUPERINTENDENT RCS AND MS. JONES AND MR. COOGAN FOR, UH, THIS, UH, EFFORT.

AND, UH, I THINK, UH, SPEAKS TO THE LEADERSHIP, UH, AND THE DESIRE TO, TO HAVE TRANSPARENT, UH, UH, SPENDING.

THEN I WOULD, I WOULD THINK, UH, THAT ALL AGENCIES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THAT RECEIVE TAX DOLLARS WOULD, UH, UH, FOLLOW, FOLLOW OUR LEAD AND DO THE SAME.

UH, SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. BALLOU, MR. BERNARD, MS. JONES AND MS. MR. COOGAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR UNDERTAKING THIS EFFORT.

I KNOW IT'S A HUGE UNDERTAKING.

I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

I WANT YOU TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL ABOUT THE CONVERSION INTO THE GYMS. JUST KIND OF GIVE US THE OVERVIEW SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN UNDERSTAND IT.

AND ALSO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CITY'S OPEN DATA PROJECT, BECAUSE THOSE OF US WHO ARE NOT GOVERNMENT WALKS LIKE US IN THIS ROOM, DON'T DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

THANKS.

UH, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO IS FIRST WE'RE GONNA, ONCE WE SELECT A VENDOR, YOU KNOW, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO BEGIN THE BUSINESS PLAN, THE PROCESS ON ALL THE KEY AREAS IN THE DISTRICT, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND ALL THE PROCESSES.

AND WE'RE GOING TO OUTLINE ALL OF THOSE.

AND WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, SOME OF THIS WORK WE'D ALREADY DOING IN ADVANCE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO DO DATA CLEANUP.

THE GOAL IS THE CLEANER, OUR DATA IS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE AN EASIER PROCESS WHEN WE MIGRATE, BUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF PLANNING IS GOING TO IT'S.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK IN ADVANCE.

WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY ALL THE OUTSIDE DATA COMING IN, ALL THE DATA THAT WE'RE EXPORT AND LOAD INTO THE STATE, UH, OUR AFR, OUR PEP REPORTING, YOU KNOW, OUR INSURANCE FILES.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF DATA COMING IN AND OUT IN THE CURRENT SYSTEM THAT WE'RE ON.

WE'VE BEEN ON IT, YOU KNOW, BUT 33 YEARS, AND IT BECOMES A LITTLE DIFFICULT.

SO ONE OF THE STEPS, ONCE WE CHOOSE A VENDOR AND DO THE BUSINESS PLAN, WE'LL BEGIN DOING, WHAT'S CALLED THE DATA MAPPING.

SO WE BREAK DOWN OUR CURRENT DATABASE AND ALL THE FIELDS WE HAVE TO MATCH THEM INTO THE NEW SYSTEM.

AND OUR GOAL IS DURING THIS WHOLE PROCESS, OUR GOAL IS TO HOPEFULLY BEGIN TRAINING OUR STAFF IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN MOVE THIS PROCESS ALONG AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.

AND SO HOPEFULLY BETWEEN THE TESTING, THE TRAINING AND THIS PROCESS WILL GO AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE.

AND ALSO, UM, I HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, I WANT YOU TO TELL US ABOUT THE CITY'S OPEN DATA OR THE STATE'S OPEN DATA.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT THEY CALL THE CHECKBOOK, RIGHT? THAT THIS IS WHERE ANYBODY IN THE WORLD CAN GO TO GET MASSES OF INFORMATION AND THEY CAN EVEN EXPORT THE INFORMATION, DOWNLOAD IT AND USE IT, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.

THEM HOSTED ON THAT SAME OPEN PLATFORM SO THAT WHEN THEY GO TO THE WEBSITE AND THEY CAN, UH, DRILL DOWN INTO THE, UH, THE BUCKET FOR EDUCATION, THEN THEY, WE CAN DRILL INTO SALARIES.

THE OPEN DATA BR PROJECT WE'VE ALREADY, UH, STARTED, UH, TALKS WITH, UH, THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THEIR, UM, DATA, THEIR TECHNOLOGY TEAM.

SO WHAT WE'VE WON ONCE WE GO THROUGH OUR PROCESSES, CLEANING OUR DATA AND IDENTIFYING THOSE DATASETS, WE'VE SEEN HOW WE CAN, UH, INTEGRATE AND GET

[01:05:01]

WE CAN DRILL INTO OUR FINANCIALS, UH, DEEPLY FOR VENDORS, THE PAYOUTS WE'RE GIVING OUR, AS HER FUNDS.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE FULLY TRANSPARENT IN THAT OPEN PLATFORM.

I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS, MR. COOGAN.

UM, THEY APPROXIMATELY, I DON'T KNOW, THIS MIGHT BE A MS. JONES QUESTION, APPROXIMATE COST, UM, ROUGHLY BALLPARK FIGURE FOR, FOR JUST STARTING THIS UP YEAR ONE.

SO WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR A MILLION DOLLARS IN OUR GENERAL FUND TO COVER THE CONVERT, THE CONVERSION AND THE SOFTWARE.

WE, WE KNOW THAT WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO RUN PARALLEL WITH OUR CURRENT SYSTEM AS WE ARE, UH, RUNNING, UH, THROUGH THAT DATA CONVERSION.

AND THAT IS, UH, APPROXIMATELY $330,000.

SO, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE BUDGETED FOR THIS.

AND THIS IS A MR. COOGAN QUESTION, UM, ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE JUST ONE PERSON, BUT YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE NOT THE ONLY PERSON WORKING ON THIS PROJECT.

THERE MUST BE PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, YOUR POINT PERSON IN EACH DEPARTMENT THAT ARE HELPING YOU TO CLEAN UP ALL THE DATA AND IDENTIFY THE CATEGORIES.

YES, MA'AM MISS, UH, SUPERINTENDENT AND RCS IS, UH, ALLOCATED TWO MORE STAFF MEMBERS TO HELP ME TO LEAD THIS PROJECT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO FORM AN ADVISORY BOARD WITHIN THE STAFF.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL THE KEY PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN DO IT BY OURSELVES.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A TEAM, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT ARE REALLY EXCITED AT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE AWAY FROM WHAT THE STRUGGLES THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING FOR 33 YEARS.

UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WE'RE GOING TO GET TOGETHER, WE'RE GOING TO MEET, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TEAM LEADS IN EACH AREA TO GO OFF.

AND SOME OF THE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE TO IDENTIFY THE PROCESSES.

AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH MR. GODA.

AND SOME OF THE IDEAS WE HAD WAS, YOU KNOW, FROM REQUISITION THROUGH, THROUGH THE, ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS, TILL TILL PAYMENT, FROM HIRE TO RETIRE, YOU KNOW, SO WE WANT TO REVIEW THAT AND LOOK AT THAT.

I CAN IMAGINE THAT MR. COOGAN, YOU WILL BE EMBARKING ON A LARGE SCALE TRAINING PROCESS SO THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ARE TRAINED TO PROPERLY DO THIS.

AND THEN THE SECOND THING, I HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR YOU THAT IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR YOU TO GET AN INTERN.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

WE ARE AWARE IT'S A BIT, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG PROJECT AND I'VE LOST A LOT OF SLEEP, BUT WELL, DON'T DO THAT.

WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO WORK HARD AND WE'RE GOING TO GET IT DONE.

I APPRECIATE THE, THE PROJECT.

IT'S VERY INTERESTING.

I I'M FASCINATED BY IT.

THANK YOU, MR. BERNARD.

UH, MR. GOODLUCK, UH, YES.

MR. COOGAN, I MIGHT RECOMMEND YOU MIGHT NEED AN INTERNIST INSTEAD OF AN INTERN GO THROUGH THIS.

UH, I JUST WANTED, YOU KNOW, I, THIS IS AN AREA I DO HAVE A GOOD BIT OF BACKGROUND IN, AND I JUST WANTED TO ALERT EVERYONE, LISTENING TO BOARD AND STAFF AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

UH, THIS IS NOT AN IT TECHNOLOGY PROJECT.

THIS IS A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT EVERYTHING.

AND EVERYBODY WITHIN THE DISTRICT, 90% OF THIS IS GOING TO BE GETTING THE PROCESSES.

RIGHT.

WE TALK ABOUT EFFICIENCIES.

WE TALK ABOUT STREAMLINING.

WE TALK ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS, AND WE HAVE 30 SOMETHING YEARS OF PROCESS HUBRIS THAT HAVE BUILT UP IN THERE.

AND THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND STANDARDIZE PROCESSES, CLEAN UP PROCESSES, CLEAN UP DATA.

SO THIS IS MUCH MORE OF A PROCESS PROJECT THAN AN IT PROJECT OR A DATA PROJECT.

SO JUST EVERYONE REMEMBER THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THAT, BECAUSE IT'D BE ONE THING JUST TO TAKE WHAT WE DO TODAY AND THROW IT ON A NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM, BUT THAT WOULDN'T GET US VERY FAR.

AND SO, UH, I APPLAUD THE WORK GOING ON AND, UH, I'LL BE, BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOU AND OTHERS TO KEEP TABS ON THIS, BUT, UH, LET'S GET ON WITH IT.

THANKS.

THANK YOU, MR. , UH, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, THAT WAS AN, UH, ANOTHER RFP AT ONE POINT, UM, THAT WAS CONSIDERED WITH, UH, UPDATING OUR, OUR, UH, TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS BECAUSE THAT ASPECT HADN'T BEEN DONE FOR LIKE 20 YEARS OR SO.

I THERE, WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THERE WAS A CAUSE SOMEBODY HAD REACHED OUT TO ME ABOUT WHAT WE DID.

WE DID COME TO THE BOARD BACK IN APRIL TO DO THE RFP AND WE'VE, UH, IT TOOK THAT TIME BETWEEN THEN AND NOW TO WRITE THE PROCESS AND THEN POST IT.

SO WE DID POST IT THIS PAST MONDAY.

SO THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.

[01:10:01]

MY QUESTION WAS SIMPLY GOING TO BE, IS THIS SUPPLEMENTING OR REPLACING, BUT THIS IS THE SAME, RIGHT? WE TOOK IT.

WE TOOK A VERY STEADY APPROACH TO, UH, REVIEWING OUR PROCESSES INSIDE, TO SEE WHAT WE NEEDED TO PUT INTO THE RFP SO THAT WE GET THE BEST RESPONSE POSSIBLE FROM THE VENDORS.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

UM, I APPRECIATE THE THOROUGHNESS.

THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.

I AM, I'M GIDDY ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

I THINK IT'S JUST, I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT MAYBE DOESN'T LOOK SEXY, BUT AS MR POINTED OUT IS GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY VALUABLE TO THE DISTRICT.

ONCE WE GET THROUGH IT, IT IS A MONSTER PROJECT.

AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING ON IT.

I WANT TO THANK MR. FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND HELPING US MOVE THIS PROJECT ALONG.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE WENT FROM THE STONE AGE, SKIPPED THE 20TH CENTURY AND CAME RIGHT TO THE 21ST CENTURY, RIGHT.

73 YEARS.

IS THAT HOW LONG IT'S BEEN? WOW.

I DON'T EVEN MY COMPUTER FROM 33 YEARS AGO.

I DIDN'T HAVE ONE.

SO, UH, BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.

UH, THANK YOU.

AND, UH, PRESENT TIME AND I HAVE ONE FINAL FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE UPDATE.

UH, UH, WHEN WE ARE HOLDING TOM HALL MEETINGS FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSED, UH, SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, UH, THAT WE'RE PROPOSING AT THE BROADMORE SITES.

AND WE HAVE DATES, UH, IN ALL OF THE FIVE REGIONS, UH, THAT WE HAVE ON 8 23, WE WILL HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING AT MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL ON 8 23 TO, UH, DISCUSS THAT PROPOSAL WITH THE COMMUNITY.

AND ON 8 25, WE WILL HOLD ANOTHER MEETING AT SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL, 8 25 SOUTHEAST ON EIGHT 30.

WE WILL HAVE A MEETING AT CLAY, UH, CLAYBORNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON EIGHT 30.

UH, AND THEN ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, NINE 11, WE'LL BE AT TARA HIGH SCHOOL.

AND ON NINE EIGHT, IT WILL BE AT BEL AIR, UM, HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THAT WILL, UH, AS A CENTRAL LOCATION AT EACH OF THE FIVE REGIONS THAT WE HAVE.

SO, UH, THE COMMUNITY CAN BE ABLE TO COME TO THAT.

AND, UH, PRESIDENT'S ADMIN.

THAT IS THE, MY UPDATE.

UH, POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED THE BANNERS AROUND THE ROOM, UH, NOTICE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN.

UM, I'M GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE,

[G. Reports from Board Appointees to Committees/Agencies]

UH, IT'S VERY EXCITING TO SEE THIS ROLLED OUT, UH, THEY'RE ALL OVER.

SO YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO LOOK BACK THERE.

I REALLY LIKE IT AS HAS OUR VISION, OUR MISSION, OUR KEYS TO SUCCESS, THE FOUR CORNERSTONES.

AND, UM, WHAT I GUESS I REALLY WANT TO SAY IS I WANT TO THANK, UH, UH, DR.

NRCS FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO PUT A LOT OF EXTRA TIME IN, UH, AT OUR RETREATS, ESPECIALLY THE STAFF WHO PROVIDED DATA, UH, AND SPENT THEIR SATURDAYS, AND SOMETIMES SUNDAYS WITH US.

UM, IT'S VERY EXCITING.

I'M GOING TO, GOING TO BE REALLY PRESSING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO INTEGRATE THAT STRATEGIC PLAN INTO OUR AGENDAS SO THAT WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING AGENDA ITEMS, THAT THEY ARE RELATIVE TO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, SO THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME JUST A BANNER ON THE WALL OR A POSTER IN A SCHOOL, BUT IT BECOMES A LIVING BREATHING DOCUMENT, UH, THAT GIVES US DIRECTION AND PROVIDES A VISION FOR US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT IN THE BANNERS LOOKED GREAT AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM IN THE SCHOOLS AND AROUND THE OFFICE.

SO, UH, HAVING SAID THAT WE MOVE NOW TO ITEM G ONE, UM, ANY REPORTS FROM BOARD APPOINTEES TO COMMITTEE OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, MR. GODADDY? YES.

I JUST WANT HER TO, UH, ALERT EVERYONE THAT THE, UH, VIPS, UH, DANCING SOIREE THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR, I BELIEVE NEXT WEEKEND, UH, HAS BEEN POSTPONED, UH, DUE TO TRY NOT TO HAVE MASS GATHERINGS, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS GOING, GONNA BE OUTSIDE.

BUT I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW SINCE I HAD HIGHLIGHTED THAT LAST MEETING, JUST WANTED EVERYONE TO BE HIGHLIGHTED THAT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.

OH MAN.

I'VE BEEN PRACTICING.

NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.

I'D BUY TICKETS.

THANK YOU, MR. GO TO ANY OTHER REPORTS FROM COMMUNITY AGENCIES SEEING NONE.

WE'LL GO

[H. Consent Agenda]

TO ITEM H UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA, MR. BALLOU.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TADEMAN.

AND, UH, WE GOT TO HEAR YOU USE THE TERM GIDDY TONIGHT, SO NEVER USED THAT.

IT'S A GOOD SIGN.

I THINK SO I AM AGE ONE, A CONSENT VOTE.

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE TO BE APPROVED AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED WITH ONE MOTION.

THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF ITEMS UNLESS A BOARD MEMBER, SO REQUEST AND WHICH EVENT THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED AS AN ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR A SEPARATE VOTE FOR CITY AND LAST ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.

ITEM TWO GRANT

[01:15:01]

UH, THAT CONCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA AGENDA.

AND I MOVED FOR APPROVAL.

UM, MOVED BY MR. BALLOU, SECONDED BY MR. OR ARE THERE ANY BOARD MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANY ITEMS SEEING NONE AND NO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.

WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE FOR COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[01:20:07]

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS JAMES VINNY.

MY CONCERN IS I BELIEVE ITEM SIX, THE AGREEMENT WITH ULM FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES AT A SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL.

IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IF THE GOAL IS TO GET KIDS DUAL ENROLLED, THESE ONE-OFF AGREEMENTS DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

IF ULM HAS A GREAT COURSE, IT SHOULD BE OFFERED AT ALL THE COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS.

IF IT DOESN'T, THEN IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO BE CONTRACTING WITH THEM.

BUT SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES, OR AT LEAST I AM, I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE DISCUSSION WITH, UM, CREDENTIALS AND ENHANCED DIPLOMAS.

YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T GET HUNG UP ON THINGS THAT GIVE US EXTRA POINTS ON THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM AT THE DETRIMENT OF ACTUALLY EDUCATING STUDENTS.

FINNEY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE.

WE MOVED BACK TO THE BOARD, SEEING NO QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS, MADAM SECRETARY, WILL YOU COMPLETE, COMPLETE, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.

PLEASE VOTE THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE MOVED TO, UH, ITEM SEVEN, UH, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM AND SCHOOL INFO APP IN THE AMOUNT OF $120,102 TO PROVIDE A DISTRICT MULTI-SITE MOBILE APPLICATION FUNDING SOURCE ACTION TO DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MS. BERNARD SECONDED BY MS. JACKSON.

IT'S A TABLET.

I'M JUST SOMETHING THAT'S PART OF THE CONSENT.

WE TRY TO GET IT RIGHT AND Y'ALL CAN WET FLAG ME DOWN IF I'M MESSING UP AGAIN, A CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST, AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN REQUIRING THAT ALL EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM EMPLOYEES SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION FOR COVID 19 AND SUBMIT TO WEEKLY COVID 19 TESTING.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

I'M I'M I'M MY BAD, MY BAD OXYGEN DEPRIVATION, I THINK, UM, SORRY ABOUT THAT.

I APOLOGIZE.

I WAS, AS I WAS READING IT, I WAS THINKING WASN'T THAT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ANYWAY, I'M SORRY.

UM, I, I, ONE,

[I1. COVID-19 Status Monitoring and Testing]

NOW, DO I HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY MISS WHERE JACKSON SECONDED BY MR. HOWARD? YOU WANT TO HIT IT A LICK MR. UH, DR.

, UH, YES, UH, PRESIDENT TASMIN, UH, VICE VICE-PRESIDENT COLLINS AND THE BOARD, UM, BEFORE YOU TODAY IS MY REQUESTS FOR AUTHORIZATION.

ALLOW THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM TO COLLECT VACCINATION STATUS AGAINST COVID-19 FROM OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND TO PROVIDE FOR WEEKLY TESTING FOR ALL STAFF.

THE GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS SAFE, SECURE, AND HEALTHY FOR EVERYONE WHO WALKS INTO OUR BUILDING.

LET ME BE CLEAR.

THIS IS NOT A MANDATE TO OUR STAFF TO VACCINATE.

THIS IS ONE MORE PROVEN METHOD OF ENSURING THAT WE ARE KEEPING OUR STAFF, OUR STUDENTS, AND OUR FAMILIES SAFE FROM THIS DEADLY VIRUS AND ITS SPREAD BY IDENTIFYING THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR SCHOOL BUILDING WHO MAY BE INFECTED WITH COVID-19.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT BOAT, THAT BOAT VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED INDIVIDUALS CAN TRANSMIT THE DISEASE AND MAY, AND MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE ASYMPTOMATIC, AND IT'S OUR DUTY TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN IN OUR CARE WHILE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION.

AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS ALLOWS US TO BE BETTER PREPARED TO PROTECT THEM.

UM, DR.

NEUROSES, I HAVE, UM, ONE QUESTION, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, IF YOU COULD JUST TOUCH ON YOU AND I HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, STUDENT TESTING ABOUT THE TESTING OF STUDENTS WHO WOULD ALSO BE, UH, ABLE TO, UH, TRANSMIT THE VIRUS.

UM, CAN YOU, CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT? IT'S NOT DIRECTLY ON THE AGENDA ITEM.

I JUST WANT TO COVER IT WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT MATTER.

UH, YES, WE, OUR GOAL IS TO ALSO TEST, UH, STUDENTS WITH CONSENT FROM THEIR PARENTS, UH, IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.

AND SO, UH, THIS WOULD APPLY TO, UH, STUDENTS AS WELL.

[01:25:01]

I SEE NO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME FROM BOARD MEMBERS.

UH, WE'LL NOW GO TO THE AUDIENCE FOR COMMENTS ON THE ITEM I WON.

AS IS OFTEN THE CASE WITH THINGS THAT ARE PRESENTED TO YOU AND THAT YOU QUICKLY APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.

THIS PROPOSAL IS WOEFULLY THIN ON DETAILS.

FOR EXAMPLE, I'D BE CURIOUS WHEN, UH, EMPLOYEES WILL BE EXPECTED TO REPORT THEIR VACCINATE VACCINATION STATUS, BECAUSE I FULLY INTEND TO ASK FOR COLLECTIVE DATA ON VACCINATION STAIRS, AS SOON AS THAT DEADLINE HAS PASSED AND EXPECT THAT UNLIKE THE RESPONSE WITH MY RECORD REQUESTS, THAT I GET THAT RESPONSE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

SO I DIDN'T KNOW THIS, THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY DATES SPECIFIED, AND I'M A LITTLE ALARMED BY DR.

NARCY SUGGESTING THAT THERE'S NO INTENTION OF REQUIRING THAT EMPLOYEES BE IMMUNIZED.

SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE POINT OF COLLECTING THE DATA IS WITH SOME DATA IS BETTER THAN NO DATA.

FINNEY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? GOOD EVENING BOARD SUPERINTENDENT.

MY NAME IS VALENCIA JOHNSON WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS, AND WE DO SUPPORT, UM, EMPLOYEES BEING TESTED.

UM, SO W WE DO SUPPORT THIS, UH, THIS ACTION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UH, VIRAL LOAD IN THE SCHOOLS IS LOW.

IDEA TO WEAR A MASK, WASH YOUR HANDS, EXPERIENCED SOCIAL DISTANCING, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THE VACCINATION IS A LAYER OF DEFENSE BETWEEN THAT INDIVIDUAL AND ANYONE THAT THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH.

I CAN APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, MS. THOMPSON, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? HI, UM, MY NAME IS DANIEL LAMPORT.

I, UH, WORK AT THE PARAPROFESSIONAL, UH, AN ESS PARAPROFESSIONAL.

AND I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRACKING, UH, POSSIBLE TRACKING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION AS FAR AS, UM, VACCINATED OR UNVACCINATED, UM, STATUS.

I BELIEVE THAT, UM, IT SHOULD BE UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL TO DECIDE.

UM, I THINK WE SHOULD FOLLOW SAFE PRACTICES, LIKE WASHING OUR HANDS AND, UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, TAKE OUR VITAMINS AND OUR HEALTHY, BUT I I'M JUST VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, REQUIRING, UM, STAFF MEMBERS OR INCUR, UM, TRACKING A PERSONAL INFORMATION, UM, INCLUDING VACCINATION STATUS.

SO I ENCOURAGE US NOT TO DO THAT TO BE CAREFUL.

THANK YOU, MS. LYONS ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M ANGELA RINGS, BROWN PRESIDENT OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL.

AND I STAND HERE TODAY TO SAY THAT WE SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF TESTING, NOT ONLY OUR TEACHERS, BUT ALL SCHOOL PERSONNEL AND OFFERING THE TESTING TO ALL STUDENTS WITH PARENTS' PERMISSION.

IF WE WATCHED THE NEWS ON A DAILY BASIS, WE SEE THAT LOUISIANA, ONCE AGAIN IS UP IN AN AREA THAT IS NOT GOOD.

WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF CASES IN OUR HOSPITALS.

WE'RE RUNNING LOW ON BEDS, AND WE NEED TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN AS A DISTRICT TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.

IT'S AN EXCELLENT

[01:30:01]

SO AS WE EDUCATE OUR BOYS AND GIRLS BACK IN THE CLASSROOMS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INDIVIDUALS, THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH A VACCINATED WHEN POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO A TESTED ON A REGULAR BASIS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT SPREADING THE VIRUS IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND OUR SCHOOLS.

SO AGAIN, WE STAND IN SUPPORT.

THANK YOU, MS. BROWN.

GREAT EVENING.

UM, MAYBE YOU'RE THE HURT THE CRIES OF MY CHILD, BECAUSE WE'RE WONDERING HOW WILL WE NOT BE VIOLATING HIPAA AND, AND CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR SEGREGATION, CHILDREN LIKE MY CHILD, CAN I GET THE COVID VACCINATION? SO WHAT WOULD WE DO THEN ONCE WE DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION OUT INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THAT HE DOES, THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE THE VACCINATION, WOULD WE THEN CREATE SEGREGATED ROOMS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE NON-VACCINATED VERSUS THE ROOMS FOR THE KIDS THAT ARE VACCINATED? THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE IN.

ALSO HIPAA HIPAA COVERS EVERY PERSON, CHILD, AND STAFF, AS IT RELATES TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE VACCINATED.

SO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL THEN BE PUTTING THEMSELVES IN A LEGAL SITUATION OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THAT INFORMATION.

WE CANNOT CREATE ATMOSPHERES THAT KIND OF, THAT'S GOING TO EMBELLISH AND PROMOTE A SEGREGATED ATMOSPHERE.

NOW, THE COVID TESTING, I AGREE WITH 100%.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD JUST LIMIT IT TO THE FACULTY.

I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE THE CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS.

IF THEIR PARENTS ARE ANYTHING LIKE ME AND ACTUALLY COMES INTO OUR BRICK AND MORTAR BUILDING, WE SHOULD BE TESTED.

I ALSO THINK WITH THE WONDERFUL APP THAT WE'RE CREATING, THAT WE SHOULD DO LIKE KI ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL.

THEY HAD THE APP THAT THE PARENTS AND THE STAFF HAD HAD TO COMPLETE EVERY MORNING PRIOR TO PUTTING THE CHILD ON THE BUS PRIOR TO BRINGING THE CHILD IN THE BUILDING THAT ACTUALLY KEEP YOU FROM BEING SUED FOR GROSS NEGLIGENCE.

SO LET'S CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ACTUALLY TOUCHES EACH AND EVERY CHILD IN EACH AND EVERY CLASSROOM EACH AND EVERY DAY.

LIKE THE FOUR CORNERSTONES OF OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN STATES.

THAT'S ALL I ASK.

LET'S NOT SEGREGATE, BUT LET'S PROMOTE INCLUSIVE ACTIVITY.

THANK YOU, MS. GORLEY.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NONE? WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS AMR JACKSON.

I'M AN EMPLOYEE OF EBR APPARENT AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH CHAPTER OF APL.

I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE TESTING.

WE ARE ALREADY AT A HIGHER STRESS LEVEL WITHIN OUR SYSTEM TO KNOW THAT EVERYONE AROUND US IS SAFE, WILL BE APPRECIATED.

SO THAT TESTING IS APPRECIATED.

THE RANDOM TESTING FOR STUDENTS IS APPRECIATED.

I HAVE A CHILD THAT IS NOT ABLE TO GET VACCINATED, BUT TO KNOW THAT HE'S ABLE TO GET TESTED AT SCHOOL AND HIS SCHOOL MATES CAN DO THE SAME, THAT RELIEVES SOME STRESS FROM ME.

AND I KNOW THAT HE'LL BE IN A SAFER ENVIRONMENT.

THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU, MS. JACKSON, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NONE? WE'RE BACK TO THE BOARD, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT SUPERINTENDENT, THE DATA, THE DATA THAT'S GONNA BE COLLECTED, UM, REGARDING VACCINATION RATES.

DO WE ALREADY COLLECT, UM, VACCINATION RECORDS FOR EMR AND OTHER VACCINES? UH, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.

LET ME, UH, GET, UH, CAN THIS STACY DO PRE OR MS. DONALDSON, PLEASE COME UP.

AND THE QUESTION WAS, DO WE COLLECT, UH, VACCINATION, UH, DATA FROM OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES? IS THAT CORRECT? VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.

[01:35:03]

GOOD EVENING.

I'M GOING TO, UM, DISCUSS STUDENTS WITH STUDENTS.

WE DO COLLECT DATA FOR THEIR VACCINATION RATES.

WE ARE REQUIRED BY STATE LAW TO DO SO.

UM, WE HAVE IT IN EACH STUDENT'S CUMULATIVE RECORD AND WE ALSO, OUR NURSES HAVE ACCESS TO THE EPIC SYSTEM, WHICH IS A MEDICAL RECORD SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN CHECK IMMUNIZATIONS FOR STUDENTS.

WE CURRENTLY DO NOT, UH, REQUIRE IMMUNIZATION RECORDS FOR EMPLOYEES, BUT IN THE PAST, WE ACTUALLY USED TO REQUIRE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES GET A TB TEST PRIOR TO BEING EMPLOYED WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SO WE HAVE IN THE PAST COLLECTED MEDICAL DATA FROM MEMBERS.

AND, UH, MATTER OF FACT, I'M MYSELF WITH THE CONTRACT, I'M WORKING HERE TO GET A TB TEST, MANDATORY TO STEP FOOT ON THE JOB.

UM, WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE A HISTORY OF COLLECTING, DO WE SEGREGATE STUDENTS OR STAFF BASED ON THAT HEALTH INFORMATION? NO, MA'AM WE DO NOT SEGREGATE STAFF BASED UPON THAT INFORMATION.

UM, IS IT A HIPAA VIOLATION OR DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION I USED TO WORK AT, AND WE NOW HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND IT GETS TIRING FOR PEOPLE TO THROW AROUND HIPAA VIOLATION RULES THAT DON'T EXIST AS LONG AS YOU NOT RELEASING PEOPLE'S PERSONAL INFORMATION.

SO SUPERINTENDENT, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO COLLECT THE DATA AND YOU'RE GOING TO RELEASE A SPREADSHEET WITH JANE DOE OR JOHN DOE'S INFORMATION, THEIR NAME, AND YES, NO, THEY WERE VACCINATED.

NO, THAT IS NOT CORRECT.

WE ACTUALLY, UM, MS. DAWSON CAN EXPLAIN OUR PROCESS, UH, WHICH WE WILL DO ON FRONTLINE.

MR. ALISON.

UM, UH, PRESIDENT HAPMAN OF VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS BOARD MEMBERS, DR.

NARCY.

WE JUST HAVE A FEW, UH, PIECES OF INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT THE PROCESS OF COLLECTING THIS INFORMATION FROM OUR EMPLOYEES.

SO VACCINATION VERIFICATION, UM, OUR INTENT IS IF APPROVED TONIGHT, WE WOULD PUT OUT, UH, THROUGH OUR FRONTLINE SYSTEM, WHICH IS OUR EMPLOYEE, UH, SYSTEM WHERE EMPLOYEES HAVE PERSONALIZED ACCOUNTS THAT, UH, COMMUNICATE WITH THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND NO OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE SYSTEM.

AND SO THEY WOULD ACTUALLY RECEIVE A NOTIFICATION FROM US WHERE THEY CAN FILL OUT A FORM AND THEY CAN UPLOAD THAT INFORMATION INTO THIS SYSTEM.

THEY ALREADY USE THE SYSTEM FOR OTHER MECHANISMS OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE DISTRICT, WITH, WITH HR.

AND SO WE'LL BE USING THAT SYSTEM AGAIN TO DO THIS.

UM, THEY CAN ALSO START THE FORM THEMSELVES.

AND SO WE'LL SEND OUT THE FORM NOTIFICATION, BUT THEY CAN ACTUALLY JUST LOG INTO THEIR ACCOUNT AND UPLOAD THE INFORMATION WHERE WE'RE HOPING TO PUT THAT OUT ON TOMORROW.

AND THEN ON, BY SEPTEMBER 15TH, WE HOPE THAT THE EMPLOYEES SUBMIT THEIR INITIAL DOCUMENTATION UPLOAD, UM, BY AT LEAST SEPTEMBER 15TH.

SO WE'LL GIVE THEM SOME TIME TO GET THAT INFORMATION.

SOMETIMES SOME PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR CARD AND ALL THAT STUFF.

SO WE WANT TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO DO THAT, UM, AND DOWNLOAD WHATEVER THEY NEED.

AND THEY CAN AGAIN, UPLOAD IT USING THEIR CELL PHONE OR USING, UM, A LAPTOP OR COMPUTER DEVICE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PERHAPS PARTNER WITH, I KNOW THE LOUISIANA, WHILE IT, I PUT MY DRIVER'S LICENSE INFORMATION IN, AND IF I WANT, I LOST MY PAPER CARD, I COULD JUST OPEN THEM UP ON THAT.

THE DEPARTMENTS ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER TO HELP PEOPLE KEEP UP WITH THE INFORMATION YOU ALL MAY HAVE ALREADY THOUGHT OF THAT, BUT I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT.

UM, SOME PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW, UH, WHAT WAIVERS X, WELL, I DON'T KNOW VERY WELL IF THIS IS NOT MANDATORY, THEN THERE'S NO NEED FOR WAIVERS ABOUT VACCINATIONS, CORRECT? YES.

MA'AM SO THERE'S NO NEED FOR WAIVERS.

THEY JUST LET US KNOW.

YES OR NO.

AND I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU ALL, UH, UH, SUPERINTENDENT ASKING FOR THIS, THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT WAS KIND OF PREVALENT, AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE WHO REACHED OUT TO ME OR, AND WHEN I WATCHED THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT WAS HELD ABOUT OUR RETURN TO SCHOOL, AND THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, WELL, WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR STAFF THAT ARE VACCINATED BECAUSE THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH RISK WE'RE TAPING.

AND THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT, OR THAT'S ONE OF THE POINTS I'LL SAY THAT I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT, BUT, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS SOME OF THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC WAS ASKING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RISKS.

IT MIGHT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHETHER OR NOT A PARENT OR A FAMILY CHOOSES VIRTUAL

[01:40:01]

VERSUS IN-PERSON.

IF WE DISCOVERED WE HAVE A HIGH RATE OF STAFF THAT ARE VACCINATED, INSTEAD OF US GUESSING, THEN MAYBE THAT PARENT MIGHT FEEL SAFE FOR BRINGING THEIR CHILD AND THE PERSON, ET CETERA.

UH, AND SO I KNOW THE QUESTION OF WHAT THE POINT WAS WAS AS I JUST WANT TO LIFT THAT UP AS A POSSIBLE REASON THAT MIGHT SATISFY THAT QUESTION.

UM, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

YES, MA'AM.

VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, MR. BALLOU.

UM, I NOTICED YOU LEFT THE, UH, THE, THE LAST PART ABOUT ACCOMMODATIONS, UH, FOR, UM, I THINK THAT WAS PEOPLE THAT COULD OPT OUT BECAUSE OF A DISABILITY OR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

I THINK THAT WAS UP THERE WHEN YOU WERE CONSIDERING THEM A MANDATE OR YEAH, I MEAN, UH, YES.

BOARD MEMBER BALLOU, THE, UM, LIKE ANY OTHER POLICY THAT HAS PASSED THERE ARE, THERE WILL BE, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN BRING IN, UH, WE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR, UM, FOR ANY POLICY THAT THE BOARD APPROVES.

AND SO WE WOULD CONSIDER THAT POLICY, UH, AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO SHOW PROOF ON WHY THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

UH, MS. DONALDSON, ANYTHING ELSE YOU THINK I'M MISSING ON THAT? UM, YES.

SO, SO WITH THE TESTING PIECE, UM, IF AN EMPLOYEE ACTUALLY, AND WE HAVE THAT SLIDE SO WHAT IF AN EMPLOYEE MISSES THE TESTING APPOINTMENT, ESSENTIALLY, WE'LL JUST SEND THEM A REMINDER, LET THEM KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER LOCATION THAT THEY CAN BE TESTED AT BECAUSE SOMETIMES EMPLOYEES ARE ABSENT BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE, UH, UH, ROLLING AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S AVAILABLE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPLOYEES CONTINUOUSLY.

UM, WHAT IF THE EMPLOYEE REFUSES TO TEST, WE WANT TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH US INITIALLY ABOUT WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WHY THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO TEST AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT TO ASSUME BECAUSE SOMEONE DOESN'T TEST ON A CERTAIN DAY THAT THEIR INTENT IS NOT TO TEST.

UM, NEXT SLIDE, IF AN EMPLOYEE HAS A MEDICAL REASON NOT TO TEST, UH, THERE'LL BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THAT IN FRONTLINE, JUST LIKE, UH, WE HAVE THE, UH, INITIAL WAIVERS FOR IF AN EMPLOYEE CAN'T WEAR A MASK OR, UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PUT THAT IN FRONTLINE AND THEY'LL KNOW IT'LL NOTIFY THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND THEY UPLOAD THEIR DOCUMENTATION WITH REGARDS TO THAT, UH, FOR MEDICAL REASONS.

AND ALSO FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS, THEY HAVE THAT OPTION AS WELL.

AND THAT APPLIES TO TESTING.

NOT, NOT OKAY.

I JUST WANTED CAUSE THE, ON THEM.

NO, IT, IT, UH, MENTIONED VACCINATION AS OPPOSED TO TESTING.

I THINK THAT WAS JUST, UH, AN OVERSIGHT.

BUT, UH, I DO, I DO COMMEND YOU FOR, FOR AGREEING TO, UM, TREAT ALL EMPLOYEES THE SAME, REGARDLESS OF THEIR VACCINATION STATUS AND OTHERS, QUITE A FEW EMPLOYEES AS WELL, THAT PROBABLY HAVE NATURAL IMMUNITY FROM HAVING CONTRACTED IN THE PAST.

UM, SO I, I DO THINK FOR, UH, UH, EMPLOYEE MORALE, UH, I THINK IT'S WISE TO TREAT EMPLOYEES DIFFERENTLY.

AND, UM, ALSO I KNOW WE DISCUSSED IT.

UM, I KNOW THE INTENTION IS NOT TO TEST, UM, FOREVER IT'S, UH, DURING, DURING A TIME OF HIGH TRANSMISSION.

AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO, UH, THINK OF, UH, WHAT METRICS WE'RE GOING TO USE FOR WHEN STOPPED TESTING, UH, TO, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, CAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S NO WAY IT CAN'T BE A DISTRACTION, UH, RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, IF IT'S NECESSARY, MAKE SURE WE COMMUNICATE WHAT THOSE METRICS ARE.

WE'LL BE, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE MORE, WE'RE GOING TO STOP THE, UH, MANDATORY TESTING.

THANK YOU, MR. BALLOU, MS. DYAS AND YES.

AND SO ARE WE SAYING THAT ON THEIR PERSONAL TIME, EVERY WEEK, THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO SOME SITE AND, UM, AND STAND AND ALIGN AND BE TESTED.

SO THE WAY THAT THE ITEM READS IS THAT THE PLAN THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED WOULD REQUIRE, SO IT IS A MANDATE TO SHOW PROOF PROOF OF VACCINATION, AND IT'S A MANDATE TO SUB SUBMIT TO WEEKLY TESTING.

AND SO THOSE ARE TWO MANDATES FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOL, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, I GUESS, ACROSS THE DISTRICT, ALL 6,000.

SO, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS I AM REALLY THINKING ABOUT W FOR ONE THING, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE LOGISTICS OF THIS.

SO IF A C

[01:45:01]

WHAT ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS THAT WHILE THE ONE TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAS OVER 1,450, UH, STUDENTS, SENATE HAS OVER A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES, UM, STAFF.

AND SO ARE THEY GOING TO JUST BE STANDING IN A LINE TO GET THIS EVERY WEEK AND ON WHOSE TIME ARE THEY GOING TO BE DOING THIS? SO I'VE ALSO, UM, ASKED OUR PARTNER ON MARIAH AND LABORATORIES TO COME.

SO IF THERE ARE ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS, THEY CAN ANSWER THAT.

BUT WE HAVE A SCHEDULE WHICH IS SET UP FOR THE STUDENTS.

IT'S VOLUNTARY.

THE PARENTS HAVE TO SIGN A PERMISSION SLIP, WHICH IS ELECTRONIC.

SO AS WE ROLL THIS OUT, WE'LL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.

UM, WE HAVE, UH, FOR A BETTER WORD, I CALL THEM STRIKE TEAMS THAT ARE HIGHLY TRAINED IN THIS.

THEY'VE DONE THIS, UM, IN OTHER AREAS WHERE THEY GO IN, UM, THEY HAD ONE SITE, THEY DID 450 PEOPLE AND LESS THAN 45 MINUTES.

RIGHT.

BUT LET'S THINK ABOUT THIS.

SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A CAMPUS THAT HAS OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT WERE MANDATING THEM TO DO THIS NOW.

SO YOUR STAFF, YOUR STAFF, ALL THE STAFF, ANYBODY THAT'S COMING AND TEACHING, I'M THINKING ABOUT ANYBODY COMING TO THE SCHOOL TO PARTNER ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

UM, AND I WANNA KNOW LIKE WHEN, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO LINE UP AND WHOSE TIME WILL THEY BE ON EVERY WEEK WHEN WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO THIS, REMEMBER DYSON ARE MANDATING THAT THEY DO THIS.

SO, UM, UH, THE TEST TAKES LESS THAN A MINUTE TO ACTUALLY DO.

AND, UM, UH, THE PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN ACTUAL DEDICATED DAY WHEN THE, UH, STAFF COMES INTO THAT SCHOOL, THAT THEY WOULD GO THROUGH THE STEPS THROUGHOUT THAT DAY TO BE ABLE TO BE TESTED.

SO PULLING THEM OUT OF THE CLASSROOM, NO, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT PULLING THEM OUT OF THE CLASS.

THEY HAVE TO COME EARLY OR STAY LATE.

WELL, IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE LOGISTICS THAT WOULD HAPPEN FOR THAT SCHOOL, UM, BECAUSE THE TEST TAKES LESS THAN A MINUTE.

THERE MAY BE, WE WOULD GIVE THEM WINDOWS ON THAT DAY WHEN TO COME IN TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE TEST AS MR. PRE SHARED.

AND THAT'S FINE FOR LITTLE SCHOOLS, KNOW IT, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE PEOPLE THERE, UH, PROVIDING THAT TEST.

IF IT'S A SCHOOL OF 1450, THEY WOULD HAVE MAYBE SIX OR SEVEN PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOL.

AND I KNOW MS. CHRISTMAS, LAURA CAN EXPLAIN THAT FROM ORION THERE, THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE MULTIPLE TIMES, MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE FOLKS WOULD COME IN TO BE, TO GET THE TEST TASK, AND THEN ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.

UM, SO I'VE HEARD FOR MANY YEARS THAT OUR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS DON'T HAVE OFF PERIODS.

AND A LOT OF TIMES, EVEN DURING THEIR LUNCH, THEY HAVE TO MANDATE DUTY AND THEY'RE DOING CARPOOL, UH, DUTY BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL.

SO I DON'T SEE HOW THIS ISN'T GOING TO INFRINGE ON THEIR PERSONAL TIME EVERY WEEK SUPERINTENDENT, IF I MAY THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS FOR YOUR TIME AND MISS DIAS.

AND THOSE ARE EXCELLENT QUESTIONS, THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED SO THAT IT WILL HAVE MINIMAL DISRUPTION.

AND WHEN THE TESTING TEAM GOES CHEETAH SCHOOL SITE TO CREATE THE SITE PLAN, THEY'LL WORK WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND WHATEVER OTHER FACULTY AND STAFF THEY, THEY CHOOSE TO HAVE.

PART OF THAT TESTING CAN BE DONE CLASSROOM BY CLASSROOM.

IT CAN BE DONE IN MULTIPLE SITES, IN A SCHOOL AS LARGE AS OKAY, GO TO THE CLASSROOM OF THE TEACHER.

AND THE TEACHER JUST DOES IT IN FRONT OF US OR GO INSIDE THE CLASSROOM, OR THE TESTERS COULD STAY IN THE HALL.

TESTING'S DONE WITH VERY SHORT NASAL SWABS.

SO IT'S VERY QUICK, AS THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID, EVERYBODY'S ALREADY REGISTERED IT'S ON AN IPAD.

THEY IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AND THEY SAY, HELLO, THEY TEST THEM AND THEY MOVE ON.

SO IT'S REALLY DESIGNED TO HAVE MINIMAL DISRUPTION IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND IT'S PLAYING OUT VERY WELL.

SO FAR.

WE HAD TWO WONDERFUL ZOOM CALLS TODAY WITH PRINCIPALS AND ADMINISTRATORS.

AND I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A FLAVOR OF SOME OF THE QUESTIONS CAN FAMILIES PARTICIPATE IN THIS? AND IN REALITY, THEY CAN, IF YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE HAVING A FOOTBALL GAME AT A HIGH SCHOOL, UH,

[01:50:01]

THAT CAN CALL ORION LABORATORIES AHEAD OF TIME.

THEY'LL BRING A TESTING TEAM.

AND THEN ANYONE WHO IS THERE WHO SIGNED A CONSENT FORM IS ALLOWED TO HAVE THIS VERY HIGH QUALITY PCR TESTS.

THIS IS NOT A RAPID TEST.

THIS IS THE TEST THAT YOU PAY FOR, IF YOU'RE GOING ON A TRIP THAT'S ACCEPTED BY THE AIRLINES.

SO IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.

AND WE GOT VERY, VERY POSITIVE, VERY GOOD QUESTIONS AND VERY POSITIVE RESPONSES WITH A LOT OF YOU'S, UM, FROM FACULTY AND STAFF.

SO I, I, I THINK YOUR QUESTIONS ARE WONDERFUL AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHERS THAT YOU HAVE.

UM, THE, THE TESTING THAT, UH, MS DUPREE WAS REFERRING TO WAS FOR NETFLIX, FOR PRODUCTION IN NEW ORLEANS, WHERE THEY COULD NOT START FILMING UNTIL 450 PEOPLE WERE TESTED.

AND SO THERE WAS A GREAT INCENTIVE TO GO QUICKLY.

AND PART OF IT IS KNOWING IN ADVANCE, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SHOW UP FOR TESTING, AND THEN ORION SENDS MULTIPLE CREWS OF PEOPLE TO DO THE TESTING.

SO IN SOME SCHOOLS, THEY MIGHT HAVE TWO OR THREE PODS OF 12 TESTERS.

IN SOME, THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUR, THEY WILL HAVE THE SAME TESTING GROUP EVERY TIME.

SO THE SCHOOL GET VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THEM.

THE PRINCIPAL IS THE ONE WHO'S DIRECTING THEM THE FIRST TIME, AND THEN THERE'S A DESIGNEE WHO HELPS WITH IT.

SO IT REALLY IS WELL THOUGHT OUT.

I, I HAVE TO SAY I'VE SEEN A LOT OF THINGS THAT COME FROM THE STATE.

UM, THIS ONE IS, IS A GOOD ONE.

I'M TRYING TO MAKE THAT AS, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR, UM, SLAUGHTER.

UM, SO WHO WOULD GET THE TEST RESULTS AND IN WHAT ORDER? SO, UH, THEY ARE DESIGNEES.

THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL HAVE A DASHBOARD THAT, UH, HE CAN ACCESS AND A PORTAL THAT HE CAN GO IN IN REAL TIME.

HE WILL SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE REGISTERED.

HE WILL SEE HOW MANY TESTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN.

WHAT'S POSITIVE, WHAT'S NEGATIVE.

THEY ARE TOTALLY DE-IDENTIFIED.

SO, UH, BACK TO, UM, THE HIPAA COMMENTS FROM, UH, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER COLLINS, SHE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

HIPAA HAS TO BE FOLLOWED.

THE LAB IS CLIA CERTIFIED.

SO THEY HAVE GOT TO USE ALL REGULATIONS AND BE VERY CAREFUL.

THE TECHNOLOGY WAS DONE BY A COMPANY OUT OF CALIFORNIA, AND IT'S WELL SET UP SO THAT YOU CAN DESIGNATE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, WHAT YOU'VE DONE BEFORE HAS BEEN FAIRLY MANUAL.

AND MS G PRI WAS KEEPING THINGS ON A SPREADSHEET AND AS A TEST WOULD COME IN, SHE WOULD IT NOTIFY HUMAN RESOURCES AND NOTIFY THE PRINCIPAL AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

THIS IS ALL AUTOMATED.

AND SO, UM, EVERYONE GET RESULTS.

THE, UM, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO HAVE PEOPLE TESTED BY A CERTAIN POINT IN THE DAY ON ONE DAY, SO THAT THEY GET THEIR RESULTS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS THE NEXT DAY, WHICH IS AMAZING FOR A PCR TEST.

SO IF YOUR SCHOOL IS TESTING AT 10:00 AM ON TUESDAY, THEN BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS ON WEDNESDAY, IF YOUR CHILD HAS TESTED POSITIVE BY EMAIL OR TEXT, YOU'LL GET POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, YOU'LL KNOW THE RESULTS.

AND IF THEY'RE POSITIVE, THEN THEY DON'T GO TO SCHOOL.

AND THE SAME WILL BE TRUE WITH FACULTY AND STAFF, BUS DRIVERS, ET CETERA.

THE REASON WHY YOU DO THAT IS THESE TESTS ARE SO SENSITIVE.

THEY PICK UP ASYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS.

AND SO THE FIRST TWO OR THREE WEEKS THAT YOU DO IT, YOU'RE GOING TO PICK UP SOME PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE CARING, BUT EVENTUALLY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS BE ABLE TO REDUCE THAT QUARANTINE TIME.

AND IF THEY GET ENOUGH PARTICIPATION IN YOUR SCHOOLS, THEN PEOPLE WILL KNOW THAT THEY'RE VERY SAFE BECAUSE WE'RE IDENTIFYING PEOPLE ON A REAL-TIME BASIS.

AND SO HOW DOES THE, WHO, WHO, WHAT ORDER DOES IT HAPPEN THAT THE INFORMATION IS GIVEN WHEN IT GETS TO THE STAFF MEMBER? IT'S REALLY FINAL TANIA'S MS. DYSON IT'S, UM, IT, IT IT'S ALL ELECTRONIC.

SO WHEN THE TEST RESULT COMES IN, THEN IT'S FILTERED TO WHOEVER IT IS SUPPOSED TO GO TO.

AND THAT IS DECIDED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SCHOOL LEADER, UM, AND SOME OF THE, UH, PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.

SO THAT'S ALL DECIDED IN ADVANCE.

AND THEN ONCE IT HAPPENS AND EVERYBODY IS, IS, UM, PUT ON NOTICE THAT THIS IS A POSITIVE RESULT, OR, AND THEN THAT NAME IS CONNECTED TO NOT, NOT TO ALL, NOT TO EVERYONE.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, A FACULTY OR STAFF MEMBER, FOOD SERVICE WORKER, UH, I DON'T BELIEVE MS. D PROBABLY WOULD GET THE NAME OF THE PERSON.

SHE WOULD KNOW THAT THERE WAS, UH, SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED AT THIS SITE, BECAUSE ALL YOUR REGULAR PROCEDURES FOR CONTACT TRACING AND THAT SORT OF THING, YOU HAVE

[01:55:01]

TO STILL OCCUR, BUT THE NAME OF THE PERSON IS NOT IMPORTANT TO SOME PEOPLE, UH, OBVIOUSLY THE PRINCIPAL NEEDS TO KNOW, UH, WHO IS, YOU KNOW, GOING TO BE OUT THAT DAY SO THAT HE OR SHE CAN MAKE DECISIONS.

UM, AND, UH, SO ALL OF THAT IS CONFIDENTIALITY IS ABSOLUTELY THE CORE OF EVERYTHING.

THANK YOU, MS. WARD JACKSON.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT.

TADEMAN, UH, JUST FOR CLARITY.

UM, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE'RE TESTING IT ALL THE SCHOOLS, RIGHT.

ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO LEAVE EVERY, EVERY WEEK TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET THE TESTS, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

AND, UM, JUST FOR, FOR CLARITY, WE HA WE HAD A PARENT WHO, UM, CAME AND SPOKE AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION AROUND, UM, STUDENTS BEING, UM, SEGREGATED.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR, OUR KIDS ARE UNDER 12, CANNOT RECEIVE THE VACCINE NOW.

AND, UM, THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION AROUND, UM, VACCINES, AMIT AROUND, UM, SEPARATING KIDS.

AND COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT NOW, MS. MR. PRE, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE PROTOCOLS THAT WE USE IF A CHILD IS IDENTIFIED WITH COVID.

IF WE HAVE A STUDENT WHO'S WHO HAS SYMPTOMS OF COVID OR IDENTIFIED WITH COVID, UM, FROM THIS TESTING AND THEY'RE ON CAMPUS, NOW THEY HAVE TO BE ON CAMPUS.

WE HAVE A ROOM WHICH IS AN ISOLATION ROOM WHERE THEY ARE GONE, THERE'S THEY GO TO, AND THERE'S A PROFESSIONAL THERE WHO KNOWS THE SELF PORN, THE GUIDANCE THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE MASK AND EVERYTHING WE CONTACT THE PARENTS IMMEDIATELY SO THAT THEY KNOW, AND THEY CAN COME PICK THEIR STUDENT UP.

THE NURSE OR SCHOOL STAFF ALSO HAS A LETTER TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDANCE ON THE NEXT STEPS WITH THEIR MEDICAL PROVIDER.

IF A CHILD IS A CLOSE CONTACT, THAT SOMEONE THAT WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE'S A CASE, AND THAT CHILD HAS BEEN WITHIN CLOSE CONTACT, WE DO OUR CONTACT TRACING.

WE LOOK AT OUR SEATING CHARTS AND WE THEN MOVE THOSE STUDENTS TO A SELF PORN TEEN ROOM AND THE SELF CORN IN THE SELF QUARANTINE ROOM.

WHEN WE THEN MAKE DETERMINATIONS, LET'S SAY YOU HAVE A CHILD WHO IS FULLY VACCINATED, WHO'S OLDER, THEY ARE CLOSE CONTACT, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO SELF QUARANTINE.

SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THAT INFORMATION.

UM, THE NURSES ARE VERY QUIET ABOUT IT, VERY CAREFUL AND JUDICIOUS AND MAKING SURE THAT NO ONE IS ALERTED OR IDENTIFIED IF THEY DO NOT HAVE TO SELF QUARANTINE, BECAUSE THERE ARE CLOSE CONTACT.

IS THAT THE QUESTION YOU WERE ASKING? YEAH.

I THINK THAT'S, THAT'LL CLEAR THAT UP FOR THEM.

AND ONE OTHER, UM, QUESTION THAT, THAT I'VE I'VE RECEIVED, UM, IS AROUND THE, UH, DO WE KNOW WHAT LEVEL OF OUTBREAK WOULD TRIGGER A SCHOOL CLOSURE? MR. COOPER? IT'S ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE AT TIMES IT'S SITUATIONAL, UM, REALLY THE NUMBERS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, OR THE STAFF, BECAUSE THE STAFF ARE WHAT DETERMINES IF THE SITE CAN BE RUN IN A SAFE MANNER.

UM, LAST YEAR IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, IT WAS ABOUT 30%.

AND WE'RE PREDICT THAT MEANS 30% OF THE STAFF HAD TO BE OUT OR HAD TO SELL WARRANTY.

OF COURSE, ON LARGER CAMPUSES.

THERE'S A DIFFERENT TIPPING POINT BECAUSE YOU HAVE MANY MORE STAFF, BUT WE ALWAYS CONSULT WITH THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND LEADERSHIP BEFORE ANY OF THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE.

IF THERE IS A OUTBREAK WITH THE NUMBER OF CASES ON A CAMPUS, WE WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THEY HELP US MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS AND DECISIONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE OF THE DATA THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE THAT THE PARENTS HAVE NOT REPORTED.

UM, I GET CALLS FROM OUR REGION TO EPIDEMIOLOGIST ON A DAILY BASIS, JUST GETTING UPDATES.

WE HAVE A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP AND SHE MAKES SURE THAT I KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON SO I CAN SHARE IT WITH LEADERSHIP.

BE MADE, UM, BY CITIZENS.

WELL, I APPRECIATE EVERY EFFORT TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE.

UH, THIS DELTA VARIANT IS ATTACKING OUR MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSION.

UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR KIDS AND THEY'RE SO VULNERABLE.

AND THE FIRST PHASE COVID WAS ATTACKING ADULTS.

YOU KNOW, NOW THIS THING DOESN'T CARE ABOUT KIDS.

SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A WAR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WAR TIME.

AND DURING ANY WAR, SOME SACRIFICES HAVE TO

[02:00:01]

AND IT'S, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FOREVER.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ASKING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO WEAR A MASK, YOU KNOW, FOR YEARS TO COME, YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO GET THROUGH THIS AND SACRIFICE A LITTLE BIT AND OUR LIVES, THE ADULT LIVES SO THAT OUR KIDS CAN BE SAFER AND, UM, AVOID AS MUCH LOSS IN OUR KIDS AS, AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

SO I APPRECIATE THIS AND FULLY SUPPORTED.

THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON, MS. BERNARD, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT.

TOTMAN.

I'M GOING TO READ THE AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE I'M VERY CONFUSED BY THE CONVERSATION AND THE DISCUSSION.

AND I NEED SOME CLARIFICATION.

THEY AGENDA ITEMS SAYS CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST, AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN REQUIRING THAT ALL EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM EMPLOYEES SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION FOR COVID-19 STATUS AND SUBMIT TO WEEKLY COVID-19 TESTING.

SO THIS IS NOT ABOUT TESTING, BUT THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT HAS BEEN ABOUT TESTING.

IT IS ABOUT TESTING.

THIS IS ABOUT TWO THINGS.

IT IS ABOUT REQUIRING PROOF OF VACCINATION.

IT MEANS THAT YOU ALL WHO WORK FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NO LONGER HAVE THE CHOICE, WHETHER OR NOT TO HAVE A COVID 19 VACCINATION.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'VE HAD COVID-19 OR NOT.

YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE VACCINATION AND YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW US PROOF.

I'M REALLY WORKED UP ABOUT THIS.

I THINK IT'S A PERSONAL CHOICE.

I SUPPORT EVERYBODY WHO IS ABLE TO GET THE VACCINATION, GETTING THE VACCINATION, BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT AN EMPLOYER REQUIRING EMPLOYEES TO HAVE MEDICAL TREATMENTS OR PROCEDURES.

I DON'T, I THINK WE'RE OPENING THE DOOR FOR LAWSUITS.

I'M NOT VOTING FOR THIS ITEM.

IF YOU ALL WANT ME TO BIFURCATE THIS, I MAY VOTE FOR THE TESTING.

SOMEBODY NOD THEIR HEAD RIGHT NOW.

AND TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO DO BECAUSE I MAY VOTE FOR THE TESTING.

TESTING IS GOOD.

I DON'T SEE ANY ISSUES WITH THE TESTING TO SPEAK OF.

I THINK THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE GIVEN LOTS OF CHOICES WHEN I'M GIVEN, UH, AN INFORMED CONSENT OR SOME SORT OF, UM, UM, I SAW THE ONE, SOMEONE SENT ME THE ONE THAT THE CHILDREN'S, UM, THAT THE PARENTS ARE HAVING TO SIGN FOR THE CHILDREN.

IT WAS KIND OF SURPRISING TOO, BECAUSE IT WAS FOUR PAGES AND THEY HAD TO FILL IN THEIR STUDENT'S NAME.

I WANT THE BOARD TO SEE THIS AND THAT A STUDENT TESTING IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ITEM, BUT, UM, THE STUDENTS, UH, PARENTS ARE AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS RESEARCH.

I THINK THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO OPT IN OR OUT OF THE PARENT WHO WAS TELLING ME ABOUT IT SAID, I DON'T WANT MY S MY CHILD'S INFORMATION SHARED.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH TESTING, BUT I DON'T WANT TO SHARE THE INFORMATION.

NOW I'M MAY IT BE CONNIE BERNARD MAY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH RESEARCH AND ALLOW SCIENCE TO HAVE EVERY ACCESS TO EVERY INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT MANDATORY.

ANYTHING.

WE DIDN'T TALK SO MUCH ABOUT THE WAIVERS IN SECTION 17 OF THE STATUTE.

STUDENTS HAVE WAIVERS FOR VACCINATIONS.

THEY HAVE THREE KINDS OF WAIVERS.

ONE IS A MEDICAL WAIVER, P PEOPLE WHO HAVE A CHILD IN THAT SITUATION KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

AND THEY KNOW WHAT, WHAT THE CONDITION IS THAT THEIR CHILD IS EXEMPTED FOR.

THE SECOND IS A RELIGIOUS WAIVER.

PEOPLE WHO FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY KNOW ABOUT THAT TOO.

THE THIRD IS WHAT WE CALL A QUOTE UNQUOTE, PHILOSOPHICAL WAIVER.

IT MEANS I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT BECAUSE THIS IS LOUISIANA.

AND IT HAS ONE OF THE GREATEST STATES.

WE MAY HAVE HIGH COVID RATES, BUT WE HAVE LOTS OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES HERE.

AND I WANT TO SUPPORT THAT.

I HEARD GOVERNOR LEE OF TENNESSEE SAY ON THE RADIO EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT THEY HAD VERY HIGH VACCINATION RATES AND VERY HIGH COMPLIANCE WITH THE THINGS THEY WERE ASKING THEIR CITIZENS TO DO.

AND HE SAID THAT HE FELT LIKE AS LONG AS IT WAS OPTIONAL, THAT THOSE RATES WOULD CONTINUE TO BE HIGH AND THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO SET MANDATES BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT COMPLIANCE WOULD DROP OFF BECAUSE OF HUMAN NATURE.

IT'S HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY.

WE KNOW THAT ONE I'M SAYING IS CORRECT.

SO DO YOU WANT ME TO BIFURCATE THE ITEM? JUST SOME BOARD MEMBER TELLING ME RIGHT NOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR ONE AND NOT THE OTHER, OTHER, IS ANYBODY ELSE GOING TO VOTE FOR ONE AND NOT THE OTHER? IS ANYBODY GOING TO VOTE? YES.

ON ONE AND THE LANGUAGE OF THE MOTION.

MR. SHANNON, DOES THAT MEAN EVERYBODY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL BE VACCINATED OR THEY WILL GO HOME? THAT'S OKAY.

I DID ASK FOR CLARIFICATION ON THAT.

IT SAYS TO ME, REQUEST AUTHORIZING, REQUIRING THAT ALL EMPLOYEES SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION,

[02:05:04]

I ACTUALLY REQUESTED THAT.

MR. SHAMBLIN, WHY DON'T YOU LET'S GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND KNOCK IT OUT.

I WAS GOING TO MAKE A SUGGESTION TO AMEND THE LANGUAGE TO MAYBE HELP, UM, MS. BERNARD, UH, WITH HER APPROACH TO THIS, I WOULD SUGGEST MAYBE CHANGING ONE WORD IN THE, IN THE MO IN THE, THE LANGUAGE OF THE ITEM TO BE APPROVED.

MAYBE WHEN YOU MAKE THE MOTION, SAY A CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST, AUTHORIZE A SUPERINTENDENT TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN, REQUIRING ALL EBR SCHOOL SYSTEM, EMPLOYEES TO SHOW STATUS OF VACCINATION.

AND THAT WAY IT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER YOU VACCINATED OR NOT.

IT'S SIMPLY THE STATUS, WHICH I BELIEVE IS WHAT DR.

WANTS.

HE WANTS THE ABILITY TO TRACK AND FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, KNOW THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WE HAVE IN THE SYSTEM OR THE VACCINATED THAT WOULD CHANGE THE APPROACH.

I AGREE.

AND, AND I, I CAN APPRECIATE THAT AND I DO APPRECIATE IT.

HOWEVER, IT STILL DOESN'T SATISFY MY CONCERNS, BECAUSE AGAIN, IF I'M AN EMPLOYEE, I'M HAVING TO SHOW YOU THE STATUS I HAVE TO.

SO, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND WE'RE NOT A PRIVATE EMPLOYEE, OR IT'S A PUBLIC BODY.

AND I THINK WE'RE OPENING OURSELVES UP, OPENING THE DOORS WIDE HERE FOR PEOPLE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE VIOLATED THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

I WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT I COULD DO.

I COULD SUPPORT THIS.

IF THE SAME THREE RAVERS THAT STUDENTS HAVE IN STATUTE WAS ALSO APPLIED TO TWO, UM, EMPLOYEES THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO A RELIGIOUS WAIVER.

THEY SHOULD HAVE A RURAL, A RIGHT TO A MEDICAL WAIVER, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO JUST A PERSONAL WAIVER THAT THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT.

AND I FEEL VERY STRONG IN THESE CONVICTIONS.

SO YOU GUYS JUST WANT TO GO ON WITH THIS DISCUSSION AND MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM AND I'LL JUST VOTE.

NO, WHICH IS IT? WELL, MS. BERNARD, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT UNDER PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE, YOU COULD ALSO OFFER A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

I MEAN, THAT WOULD BIFURCATING.

IT IS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED IN MY OPINION, BUT IF YOU WANT TO OFFER A SUBSTITUTE, YOU HAVE A BEFORE, AND IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.

IT'S UP TO YOU.

I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER EMPLOYEES A WAIVER THROUGH THE SAME THREE TYPES THAT STUDENTS HAVE IN, IN STATUTE.

UM, KNOWING THAT 0.1 TO 0.1% IS EVEN GOING TO USE IT.

JUST WANT TO GIVE IT TO THEM.

I THINK IT'S PRUDENT.

IS THAT A MOTION TO SUBSTITUTE MOTION? SO MS. BERNARD HAS MADE, UM, YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT TO STATUS, MS. COLLINS EMPLOYEES SHOW STATUS, OR PROVIDE A, ONE OF THE THREE TYPES OF WAIVER THAT'S IN STATUTES FOR STUDENTS CANNOT ASSIST WITH THIS.

PLEASE.

I'M HOPING SOMEBODY NEEDS TO THROW ME A LIFELINE.

SO I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO SUGGEST WHAT I BELIEVE MS. BERNARD IS TRYING TO GET AT AND, AND, UM, MS. COLLINS AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

UM, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST AUTHORIZED AND SUPERINTENDENT TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN REQUIRING ALL EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM, EMPLOYEES TO SHOW PROOF, TO SHOW STATUS OF VACCINATION FOR COVID-19 AND SUBMIT THE WEEKLY COVID 19 TESTING, SUBJECT TO SUBJECT TWO WAIVERS LISTED IN THREE AREAS, MEDICAL, RELIGIOUS, OR PERSONAL OR PERSONAL.

WELL, LOOK, I'LL CLARIFY THAT IT'S IN REVISED STATUTE 17, THE THREE TYPES OF WAIVERS AND THERE, YEAH, LET'S LET'S THE DESK.

UM, SINCE THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE, I THINK I PROBABLY NEED TO GET A SECOND FIRST IF I CAN.

AND THEN I'LL, I'M UP, MOVE THROUGH IT.

UM, GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD.

JUST, UH, I THINK BEFORE WE ASKED FOR A SECOND, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ON WHAT THE WAIVERS ARE FOR, IS IT FOR SHOWING THE STATUS OR FOR THE VACCINATION OR IT'S OKAY.

MS. MS. BERNARD, DO YOU WANT TO, I'M TRYING TO HOLD THIS TOGETHER HERE.

YOU WANT TO SPEAK CAUSE YOU YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A SECOND.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE CLEAR, MR. BALLOON.

I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE WAIVERS.

DO THEY APPLY TO, UM, A VACCINATION OR APPLY TO THE, UH, WAIVER TO PROVIDE A STATUS? I PERSONALLY THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEM SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION, THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE THE WAIVERS, THE STATUS BECOMES IRRELEVANT AT THAT POINT.

IF THEY HAVE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAIVERS, THEN YOU KNOW, IT, IT SORT OF BECOMES IRRELEVANT AT THAT POINT.

A VACCINE, IF YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED, AM I, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE OR IS IT SAY THE WAY WE'RE NOT ACCEPTING A VACCINE? WELL, LET'S TRY TO DO THEM ONE AT A TIME.

AND MR. BLUE'S ASKING IS, IS THAT, IS THE WAY, ARE THE WAIVERS ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE TO DISCLOSE IF YOU HAVE

[02:10:01]

TH THAT WAS JUST, UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS CLEAR ON IT, BUT I THINK I UNDERSTAND NOW, I THINK IT'S JUST TO THE WAIVERS OR WHAT YOU'RE ENVISIONING WOULD BE TO WHERE THEY COULD WAIVE WHETHER OR NOT THEY EVEN HAD TO PARTICIPATE IN PROVIDING A STATUS.

IF THEY HAVE A WAIVER, I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE THE OPTION.

I JUST THINK PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO MAXIMUM PRIVACY.

AND DO YOU HAVE THAT, DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE LANGUAGE YOU GUYS THINK YOU'RE ON THE SAME PAGE? YEAH, I, I, I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT FOR JUST A SECOND.

I WANTED TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION GENERALLY WHEN PEOPLE ASSERT A WAIVER, UH, WITH REGARD TO VACCINES OR SOME MEDICAL, UH, STATUS, IF IT'S, IT WOULD BE WITH REGARD TO THE SECOND PART OF THIS ITEM, WHICH IS THE TESTING PIECE, GENERALLY REQUIRING SOMEONE TO SUBMIT INFORMATION.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF ANY WAIVERS THAT WOULD APPLY IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU WOULD SAY AS A RELIGIOUS REASON WHY YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO SUPPLY A STATUS REPORT.

I MEAN, AND THAT'S JUST, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY LEGAL BASIS FOR THAT.

THERE MAY BE THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF AT THIS POINT.

UM, BUT GENERALLY IT WOULD BE WITH REGARD TO THE TESTING PIECE, MS. COLLINS IS THE ONE WHO WANTED THE WORD STATUS IN THERE ON YOUR SUGGESTION.

I'M STILL ON PROOF OF VACCINE AND, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO TAKE IT.

OF COURSE I WANT EVERYBODY WHO CAN TAKE IT AND WELL, UM, I'M STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT, CAUSE WE'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE ON THIS.

UM, AND, AND WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE AN ORDER OF PEOPLE THAT HAD PRESSED TO SPEAK.

I CAN GO THROUGH THAT.

UM, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE I NEED TO GET A SECOND ON THE MOTION.

UM, IT, IT MAY HELP IF, UH, THE, THE MOVER AND THE SECOND, UH, AGREED TO, TO A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT MEANT TO CHANGE THE WORD PROOF TO STATUS.

CAUSE THAT WAS THE INTENTION.

WHAT, UM, DR.

NARCIS MAYBE THAT WOULD CLEAR IT UP AND THEN, THEN WE WOULD MAKE, MAYBE MAKE IT EASIER TO DECIDE WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO NEED A SECOND OR NOT.

I WOULD BE FINE WITH THAT, BUT MS. MENARD WOULD HAVE TO EITHER ASK FOR THAT FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW SHE HAS A, I'M SORRY.

SHE HAS A MOTION FOR A SUBSTITUTE AND MR. BALLOU, I BELIEVE THAT WORD ALREADY WAS CHANGED IN HER, HER SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

SO IT'S ALREADY STATING STATUS.

SO DO I HAVE A SECOND FOR, UH, OKAY.

UM, IF I DON'T GET A SECOND, THEN THE MOTION DIES FOR LACK OF A SECOND.

WELL, WE'LL DISCUSS THE MOTION.

WE'LL DISCUSS THEM.

WE'LL DISCUSS THE MOTION WHEN IT, WHEN WE HAVE ONE, IF WE DON'T HAVE ONE, THEN WE'LL BE BACK ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION.

IS THERE A SECOND TO MS. BERNARD'S MOTION HEARING, HEARING NONE.

WELL, YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY MISS.

UM, MS. DYSON, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN MOTION IF YOU LIKE.

HOW ABOUT THAT? UM, YEAH, I'M GOING TO WORK THROUGH IT.

ABILITY TO ASK FOR A WAIVER FROM THE TEST.

I'M TRYING TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY HERE BECAUSE IT JUST MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING, BUT, UM, EVERYBODY THAT'S IN MCU IS GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A MOTION.

SO MR. , WHAT'S YOUR MOTION? I'M JUST KIDDING.

WELL, A COUPLE OF THINGS, ONE, I ENJOY THE CONVERSATION.

UM, ALSO, YOU KNOW, I RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY, UH, TO TRY, WE SAW ALL THE DATA THAT CAME UP THAT SAID HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR KIDS TO BE IN SCHOOL, BECAUSE IT'S THE KIDS THAT WE'RE HERE ABOUT AND THE KIDS ARE LACKING IN THEIR EDUCATION AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN CARRY THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.

AND SO WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN THE FOREFRONT, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THEM A SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO GET THAT EDUCATION, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, THEY CAN BE VIRTUAL AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS.

SO, YOU KNOW, NONE OF THIS IS GOING TO BE THE WAY EVERYBODY WANTS IT.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I'M GOING TO MAKE MY OWN SEPARATE MOTION.

SO OUR ASK FOR IT TO BE.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE EMPLOYEES SHOW STATUS OF VACCINATION, OF COVID-19 AND SUBMIT TO WEEKLY COVID 19 TESTING SUBJECT TO, UH, THE, UH, EXCEPTIONS LISTED, UH, IN ORDER.

SO THE SET, THE EXCEPTIONS APPLY TO THE TESTING.

IT DOES NOT APPLY TO REPORTING OF STATUS.

MR. MR. GOLDIE, CAN I MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, CERTAINLY CANCER.

I WOULD ADVISE YOU USE LANGUAGE SUBJECT TO ANY LEGAL EXCEPTIONS RECOGNIZED BY LAW.

THAT'S THAT'S GREAT WORDS.

THAT'S GREAT WORDS, BUT I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR THAT THE EMPLOYEE SHOW STATUS IS A REQUIREMENT, BUT THE, THEY HAVE THE

[02:15:01]

AND THAT IS SO MOVED.

THAT MOTION IS YOU HAVE THE MOTION, MR. SHAMBLIN, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAD A MOTION MOVED BY MR. SECONDED BY VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.

AND NOW WE ARE ON THAT MOTION.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU, MR. GOAT.

HEY MS. COLLINS, YOU GOOD? MR. BALLOU.

YOU GOOD? I AM.

UM, MR. SHAMBLIN, YOU WERE THERE FOR INFORMATION AND ADVICE, MS. DYSON, I GUESS IT'S KIND OF MOOT NOW BECAUSE THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

SO, UM, UM, I WASN'T, I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN'T MAKE ANOTHER SUBSTITUTE MOTION, RIGHT? SO I DON'T, I WAS GONNA SUGGEST SOME WORDING OF THE EXEMPTIONS OR EXCEPTIONS BEING FOR BOTH THE PROOF AND THE TESTING.

YOU COULD ALSO, YOU COULD MISS DYSON, YOU COULD ASK FOR THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.

I WOULD NOT LIKE TO ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S TOO CRITICAL FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS TO KNOW THAT THE, UH, WHO'S BEEN WHO'S BEEN VACCINATED OR NOT.

AND I DO NOT THINK THAT THAT IS SUCH AN IMPINGEMENT ON SOMEONE'S PERSONAL RIGHTS, JUST TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE STATUS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE VACCINATED.

IT'S NOT ASKING HIM TO TAKE ANY ACTION OR DO ANYTHING.

IT'S JUST KNOWING WHAT THEIR STATUS IS AS A PROTECTION FOR THE REST OF THE STUDENTS.

I DO NOT ACCEPT THE AMENDMENT.

SO MS. DYSON, YOU STILL HAVE THE FLOOR.

UH, MR. HOWARD, I JUST WANTED TO GAIN SOME CLARITY AROUND THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, IT RELATED TO THE EXEMPTION.

SO I COULD SEE IF THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS SAYING THAT MANDATORY VACCINATIONS WERE GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE FOR THE EMPLOYEES, WHICH I, AS A BOARD MEMBER WOULD SUPPORT.

SO I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC.

BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR MATTER, HE IS ONLY REQUESTING TO REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION AND SUCH WHAT VACCINATED OR NOT, AND SUBJECT YOURSELF TO WEEKLY.

TEST THEM.

THERE SHOULD BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THE TESTING PART LIKE YOU'RE BEING TESTED.

LIKE THERE'S NO INFRINGEMENT ON YOUR MEDICAL, NOTHING.

YOU YOU'RE COMING INTO A BUILDING WITH KIDS WHERE WE WANT TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO LEARNING.

THERE SHOULD BE NO EXEMPTIONS TO TAKING A TEST.

YOU SHOWING WHETHER YOU HAVE COVID OR YOU DON'T, THERE SHOULD BE NO PERSONAL.

NO, UNLESS THERE'S A MEDICAL REASON WHERE YOU CAN PUT A SWAB UP YOUR NOSE, YOU SHOULDN'T BE EXEMPT FROM THAT.

YOU SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SHOW PROOF VACCINATED OR NOT, AND SUBJECT YOURSELF TO TESTING PERIOD, IF WE WANT TO KEEP THESE SCHOOLS OPEN.

SO I DON'T THINK I DON'T SUPPORT ANY EXCEPTIONS TO TESTING.

CAUSE THAT'S JUST, THAT'S, THAT'S A RIDICULOUS THAT THIS ENTIRE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD.

UM, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT FOR THE RECORD.

I DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES SENDING IT, BUT ALSO AM TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE GET SOMETHING PASSED.

UM, AND, UM, IT'S, UH, TO ME, THIS IS A REASONABLE THOUGH WOULD BE, AND I WOULD, I WOULD PERSONALLY, I, YOU KNOW, IF THE VOTE WAS PUT TO ME TO VOTE FOR A MANDATORY VACCINES, YES, I WOULD VOTE FOR IT.

UM, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE THE VOTES.

AND SO I SUPPORT THIS AS A REASONABLE COMPROMISE.

UH, I DO.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE THOROUGH RESEARCH ABOUT THE, WHAT THE LAW SAYS ALL WAIVERS ON THE TESTING, BECAUSE I DON'T AGREE WITH PERSONAL JUST BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE IT, UM, ANIMATE A TIMES.

JUST FOLLOW UP WITH ME ON IT.

I KNOW WE CAN'T GET IT IN THIS MOMENT.

SINCE WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, WE WILL GO BACK TO THE AUDIENCE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, HUH? YUP.

IF I'M CLEAR ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, YOU WANT TO KNOW IF WE'RE VACCINATED OR NOT, BUT NOT IF WE'RE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, AS IT RELATES TO COVID.

AND WE HAVE TO SIT IN PLC MEETINGS, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH EACH OTHER TO PREPARE FOR THE

[02:20:01]

SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS.

WE ARE STRESSED.

I AM CONFUSED ABOUT WHY MANDATORY TESTING IS A PROBLEM.

I WANT TO ENSURE THAT I'M SAFE AND EVERYONE THAT IS A PART OF THAT FACULTY IS SAFE AS WELL.

WE HAVE LUNCH BREAKS, PLANNING PERIODS.

30 SECONDS TO A MINUTE OUT OF OUR DAY IS NOT GOING TO HARM US TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OURSELVES, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR COWORKERS.

THERE IS NO REASON MANDATORY TESTING SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE TABLE.

MR. FINNEY, DR.

FINNEY FIRST, THANK YOU FOR PROVING MY POINT THAT BETTER PREPARATION OF THIS AGENDA ITEM BEFORE TONIGHT'S MEETING WOULD HAVE BROUGHT USEFUL CLARITY TO THIS DISCUSSION.

BUT NOW THAT WE'RE HERE, UM, AS LONG AS THE, UH, THE EMPLOYEES HAVE THE CHANCE OF ACKNOWLEDGING A MADONNA VACCINATION, ACKNOWLEDGING THE PFIZER VACCINATION OR ACKNOWLEDGING THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON OR ACKNOWLEDGING NO VACCINATION STATUS, THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED, I WOULD THINK, BUT I REALLY THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE BIFURCATED.

YOU NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR DISCUSSION THAT DEALS WITH WHETHER EMPLOYEES ARE EXPECTED TO REPORT THEIR VACCINATION STATUS.

AND THEN SEPARATELY, INDEPENDENTLY, YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO TEST WHAT WAIVERS ARE POSSIBLE.

AND, UM, WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S A POSITIVE TEST, THIS IS WAY TOO COMPLICATED TO TRY TO SAVE TIME, SHOVE INTO ONE LITTLE NEATLY DISORGANIZED BOX AND JUST PASS SOMETHING.

AND THEN NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IN THE WORLD YOU DID, INCLUDING ALL OF YOU AND THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED FOR THE SYSTEM.

SO THIS MOTION IS BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE, BUT IT WOULD BE IMPROVED EVEN BETTER IF YOU BUY FOR CARE TO THIS AND THE, THE TWO SEPARATE TOPICS.

SO THE NEEDS TO BE THANK YOU.

ANGELA RIMS, BROWN PRESIDENT OF EAST BATON ROUGE, FEDERATION OF TEACHERS.

ONCE AGAIN, I'M KIND OF DISAPPOINTED IN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS AN EDUCATOR, I HAD TO DO A LESSON PLAN.

I HAD TO STUDY THE LESSON SO THAT WHEN I REPORTED TO WORK TO TEACH MY KIDS, I WAS PREPARED.

THE AGENDA ITEMS ARE PRINTED FAR ENOUGH IN ADVANCE FOR EACH ONE OF YOU TO GO OVER, DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND KNOW WHAT IT'S TALKING ABOUT.

NOW, WE WANT TO OFFER EXCUSES TO PEOPLE THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN CHARGE OF OUR BABIES EVERY DAY.

I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE TEST CAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS SAY, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE MY TESTS CAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT COME ON, YOU EMPLOY THESE INDIVIDUALS.

YOU HAVE TO PUT THINGS IN PLACE.

NOT ONLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE IN CASE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SENSE TO DO IT, BUT THAT THESE CHILDREN, THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR FUTURE OR SAFE WHEN THEY COME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY AND THEY, OUR PARENTS DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEIR TEACHER IS GOING TO AFFECT NOT ONLY THEIR CHILD, BUT THE WHOLE CLASS.

I DON'T FEEL THE NEED FOR ANY EXEMPTIONS.

IF YOU CAN'T GET THE SWAB UP YOUR NOSE, THERE'S ANOTHER PROCESS WHERE IT COULD GO DOWN YOUR THROAT, BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW IF YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE CARRYING A VIRUS TO SCHOOL AND SPREADING IT, AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.

IT'S TESTING.

MY CONCERN IS, UH, BOUT THE VAX, YOU KNOW, THE VACCINATION STATUS.

YOU MAY WANT TO GO TO THAT MIC YOU TO GO TO THAT MIC.

YOU CAN LIFT IT IF YOU WANT.

SURE.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS DANIEL LAMPORT AND, UH, UH, UM,

[02:25:01]

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T USE THAT INFORMATION TO, UM, DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE.

AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING, EVEN IF WE DON'T DO THAT, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ALL BE ENCOURAGEMENT TO BE VACCINATED BECAUSE THE VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DROPPED, WENT FROM FOR A LOT, THE PFIZER AND ASTRAZENECA VACCINES.

I JUST READ ABOUT HOW THEY WENT DOWN FROM LIKE 86% AND WELL, LIKE FOR THE PFIZER, IT WENT FROM LIKE 86% TO 75%.

UM, AND SO, AND THEN THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 12,000 DEATHS FROM, UM, THE VACCINES AND OVER 500,000 ADVERSE REACTIONS.

SO I ENCOURAGE, UM, THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND EVEN PARENTS AND SO ON TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK ON THIS AND TO, UM, REALLY STUDY BECAUSE IT HAS ALSO BEEN SHOWN THAT PEOPLE CAN DEVELOP NATURAL IMMUNITY AND THESE VACCINES ARE NO BETTER THAN THE NATURAL IMMUNITY THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN DEVELOP FROM, FROM GETTING THE CORONA VIRUS.

SO, UM, I REALLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK, TO NOT BE CRITICAL, BUT TO DO HER HOMEWORK AND TO FIND OUT, UM, WHAT'S BEST AND, AND TO NEVER REQUIRE ANYONE TO TAKE THE VACCINE.

OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, UH, GOOD EVENING.

UH, THE FIRST THING THAT I THINK, UM, THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS HERE IS THE QUESTION ABOUT, UH, PERSONAL FREEDOM.

THE FIRST THING IS THIS, WHEN IT ONLY AFFECTS YOU, THAT IS YOUR CHOICE, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, BELABORED PHRASE, MY BODY, MY CHOICE WHEN IT AFFECTS OTHERS AT THE VERY LEAST THAT WE CAN DO IS ENSURE THAT WE KNOW THE STATUS OF WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE IS BRINGING IN A POTENTIALLY NOVEL DEADLY VIRUS INTO SCHOOLS, NOT ONLY AFFECTING THE CHILDREN, IT AFFECTS THE SUPPORT STAFF.

IT AFFECTS THE TEACHERS.

IT EVEN AFFECTS THE, YOU KNOW, THE NICE OLD LUNCH LADY WHO SERVES LUNCH EVERY DAY.

PEOPLE NEED HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR HEALTH STATUS IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE POINT ABOUT VACCINATIONS, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A QUALIFIED MEDICAL SCIENTIST.

UM, ALTHOUGH I DID PASS THE LOUISIANA BIOLOGY 10TH GRADE CURRICULUM.

SO, UH, THE MAIN THING I JUST WANT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, SAY HERE IS THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT VACCINES, I THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

I'M NOT ONE TO, YOU KNOW, KICK OUT A HEALTHY DEBATE, BUT ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT I WANT TO KIND OF, UH, DISPEL FIRST IS SOME OF THE PLANTS THAT ARE KIND OF FLYING AROUND RIGHT NOW THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HEARD DURING THESE TURBULENT TIMES SURROUNDING VACCINES.

THE FIRST IS WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, THE NATURAL IMMUNITY QUESTION THAT ALL LIVES ON THE PLANT, THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET COVID AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO MORE THAN LIKELY DIE BECAUSE THIS AFFECTS US, AFFECTS PEOPLE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

THE SECOND POINT IS THAT THERE ARE A BUNCH OF, UH, UH, ARTICLES RUNNING AROUND RIGHT NOW, TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, EFFICACY GOING DOWN, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T NECESSARILY, UM, DISPEL, BUT ALSO I CAN'T SUPPORT THAT THESE THINGS ARE GOING OUT THERE.

I HAVE AVID SEEN ANY REPUTABLE SOURCES SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EFFICACY MAY HAVE GONE DOWN SLIGHTLY OVER THE RATE OF INFECTION.

WHAT THEY ARE STILL SAYING IS THAT EVEN IF YOU DO GET IT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF JUST BE STALK ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS, RIGHT? ASK PEOPLE, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A HEADACHE? WOULD YOU RATHER BE DEAD? AND I'M PRETTY SURE MOST PEOPLE WITH SOME COMMON SENSE WILL PROBABLY SAY, I'D RATHER KEEP LIVING.

YOU CAN TAKE A TYLENOL.

YOU CAN'T COME BACK ON DEATH.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO ASKING PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR HEALTH STATUSES, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO KNOW, NOT ONLY TO PROTECT OUR TEACHERS, BUT TO PROTECT OUR PARENTS AND PROTECT OUR STUDENTS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KNOW.

HEALTH STATUSES, UH, AND MANDATES ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? OKAY.

[02:30:01]

PRESIDENT CHRIS CHRISTELLE SLAUGHTER REPRESENTING, UH, RYAN LABORATORIES.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO A COMMENT THAT MS. BERNARD MADE EARLIER ABOUT THE CONSENT FORM.

PARENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPT OUT, OPT OUT AT ANY TIME, EVEN IF THEY REGISTER THEIR INCENTIVES FOR PARTICIPATION IN TESTING.

SO WHEN SOMEONE REGISTERS, THEY GET $25, THEY'RE GIVEN $10 PER TEST.

AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THREE TESTS OUT OF THE FOUR WEEKS OF THE MONTH, THE MONEY GOES INTO EITHER A SPECIAL ACCOUNT FOR THAT STUDENT OR STAFF MEMBER OR ON A ELECTRONIC CARD.

UH, SO THE SCHOOLS WILL NOT BE HANDLING MONEY, BUT THERE ARE INCENTIVES TO TEST, BUT A PARENT MS. BERNARD COULD SIGN THEIR, THEIR SON OR DAUGHTER UP AND THEN DECIDE, WELL, I SIGNED YOU UP JUST IN CASE, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO TEST UNTIL WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

AND THAT'S PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT, SO THEY CAN OPT IN AND OUT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? I'M GLAD THAT SHE JUST POINTED THAT INFORMATION OUT, CAUSE THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT SPELLED OUT IN THE CONSENT FORMS ANYTHING ABOUT AN INCENTIVE.

UM, I'M HAPPY THAT MS. BERNARD GAVE THAT MOTION AND I REALLY WISH THAT THAT MOTION COULD BE RECONSIDERED.

THE REASON IS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DO IS INFRINGE ON PEOPLE'S RIGHTS.

WE ARE UNDER THE STATE.

WE'RE NOT FEDERAL RIGHT NOW.

THIS VACCINATION IS UNDER EMERGENCY USE.

IT'S NOT FDA APPROVED AND PENNSYLVANIA.

THEY HAVE 70% OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE VACCINATED THAT TESTED COVID POSITIVE.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COVID-19 THAT ARE CONSIDERED AS BREAKTHROUGH CASES THAT RECEIVED BOTH SHOTS.

THAT'S THE REASONING NOW FOR THE BOOSTER THAT BATON ROUGE GENERAL STARTED ADMINISTERING ON MONDAY, LET'S BE REAL PEOPLE WE DON'T HAVE.

WE ARE GOING TO CREATE A SEGREGATED ENVIRONMENT.

I HEARD MS. DUPREE TALK ABOUT THE CHILDREN BEING IN ISOLATED ROOMS. THAT'S NOT TRUE.

I SAW THAT WITH MY OWN EYES ON YESTERDAY AND THE DAY BEFORE THE KIDS WERE SEATED AT THE DOOR, COVID POSITIVE.

AND THEY HAD THE NURSE IN THE CLINIC THAT HAS TO START WITH ALL THE OTHER CHILDREN DEALING WITH THE ONES THAT ARE COVID POSITIVE.

WE CANNOT KEEP TELLING FABRICATIONS, BUT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO TELL THE TRUTH, THAT INFORMATION I'M GIVING YOU WAS THIS BAILED ON WORLD NEWS BY DAVID MIRROR.

YOU CAN GO BACK AND GOOGLE THAT, BUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, WE SHOULD SAY COVID TESTING.

BUT I DO ASK ONE OTHER QUESTION.

WHO'S GOING TO TEST THE TESTERS BECAUSE SHE SAID THE PIRATES HAVE 12 PEOPLE THAT WOULD GO OUT TO TESTS ARE THE TESTERS BEING TESTED BECAUSE THEY COULD BE BRINGING COVID BACK INTO OUR FACILITY.

SO WE DO HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE GOING TO DO? BUT IT ACTUALLY HAS TO MAKE COMMON SENSE.

AND RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT COMMON.

THANK YOU, MS. CORLEY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NONE? WE'LL GO BACK TO THE BOARD.

MR. GODADDY.

IN PARTICULAR IS UNDER STRESS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS.

I AM ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF COLLINS IS THAT I WOULD VOTE FOR THE ORIGINAL, UH, MOTION.

I DO THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO TO PROTECT STUDENTS, BUT I'M TRYING NOT TO LET PERFECT GET IN THE WAY OF GOOD.

AND IF WE CAN PASS THIS AND GET STARTED ON THIS, UH, AT LEAST THAT'S A WAY TO GET STARTED AND START PROVIDING SOME PROTECTION TO OUR CHILDREN.

SECONDLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT DOING THEIR HOMEWORK.

UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE.

IF YOU'RE GETTING IT OFF THE INTERNET, IT'S PROBABLY WRONG.

SOME PEOPLE TALK ABOUT NUMBERS.

THEY'RE THE CRITICAL NUMBERS.

89% OF THE HOSPITALIZATION.

89% OF THE CASES OF COVID RIGHT NOW IN LOUISIANA YESTERDAY WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT VACCINATED.

80% OF THE DEATHS IN LOUISIANA, WHERE PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT VACCINATED 91% OF THE PEOPLE IN HOSPITALS ON VENTILATORS ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED.

SOMEONE THREW OUT A NUMBER ABOUT THE NUMBER OF DEATHS.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY GOT THAT FROM THE CDC OFFICIAL NUMBERS SAY VERY FEW AND LESS THAN A HUNDRED, UH, IN THAT.

AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START DOING MEDICAL DATA, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME OF THAT.

ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT BATON ROUGE

[02:35:01]

UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW, I HAVE MEDICAL PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY.

MY DAUGHTER HAS HAD TO GO SPEND NIGHTS AT THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE THEY'RE SO SHORT STAFFED THAT THEY'RE TURNING IN ALL OF THEIR PATIENT ROOMS INTO, UH, COVID ROOMS. UH, MY SON HAS BEEN ON COVID ICU DUTY FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS AT A TIME.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S A JOKE.

IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S SERIOUS.

WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

AND I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE GONNA SAY, OH, WE CAN USE EMERGENCIES TO TRAMPLE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

I'M NOT TRYING TO CANCEL OUR TRAMPOLINE ON ANYONE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

I'M TRYING TO KEEP KIDS SAFE.

AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN REQUIRE KIDS TO TAKE VACCINATIONS.

I'M A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED THAT WE DON'T REQUIRE PEOPLE TO, UH, TO SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION.

AND WHEN THEY BECOME EMPLOYEES, UH, SOMETHING WE MIGHT OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S SERIOUS AND I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION I PUT ON THERE JUST TO GET SOMETHING GOING.

WE NEED TO GET THIS MOVING.

AND I WOULD HOPE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS WOULD DO THE SAME BECAUSE EVERY DAY WE WAIT IS A DAY THAT POTENTIALLY WE MAKE IT MORE AND SAFE FOR OUR CHILDREN.

AND THIS DELTA VARIANT IS ATTACKING CHILDREN MUCH MORE SO THAN THE OTHER ONE DID.

AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE FEARFUL FOR PEOPLE.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET THIS UNDER CONTROL AND WE NEED TO HAVE KIDS IN THE CLASSROOMS BECAUSE WE'RE DOING LONG-TERM DAMAGE TO THEIR FUTURE.

IF WE CAN'T EDUCATE THEM AND GET THEM PREPARED FOR THEIR LIFE.

SO WITH THAT, I HOPE EVERYONE CAN PASS THIS MOTION AND THEN LET'S GET ON WITH THE OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO DO.

BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY.

I DO NOT SAY I HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.

I KNOW I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAS ALL OF THE ANSWERS, BUT NOT DOING ANYTHING AND NOT DOING WHAT WE CAN WITH MINIMAL INTRUSIONS ON PEOPLE'S PRIVACY IS I THINK THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

THANK YOU, MR. .

MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAD YOU IN THE QUEUE, YOU ARE OUT, UM, MS. DYSON.

I'M ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE, UM, EXACT WORDING IS OF THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

YES, MA'AM SO SUBSTITUTE MOTION, AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN REQUIRING ALL ACE BEGGARS PAIR OF SCHOOL SYSTEM, EMPLOYEES TO SHOW STATUS OF VACCINATION FOR COVID-19 AND SUBMIT TO WEEKLY COVID-19 TESTING SUBJECT TO ANY EXCEPTIONS RECOGNIZED BY THEM.

THAT CHANGE WHERE SHE WAS SPELLING OUT THE THREE DIFFERENT AND YOU GROUPED IT IS JUST BY LAW SO THAT IT WOULD COVER ANYTHING.

BUT THEN THAT DOESN'T GIVE ME A LOT OF CLARITY ON WHAT IS IT THAT IS COVERED BY LAW.

SO I'LL SPEAK TO THAT FOR JUST A SECOND.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, AND I'M GONNA BE CAREFUL HOW I SAY THIS.

IT WOULDN'T HAVE REGARD IT WOULDN'T HAVE MATTERED.

WHAT MR. GO DAYS LANGUAGE EDITION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO HIS MOTION.

ANY EXCEPTIONS BY LAW OR UNDER LAW WOULD APPLY WHETHER THEY WERE IN THE MOTION OR NOT.

UM, THIS IS A DEVELOPING BODY OF LAW AROUND COVID-19 MANDATED TESTING.

UM, RIGHT NOW THERE ARE PENDING CASES THAT ARE GOING TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEIR TITLE SEVEN RIGHTS LIKE RELIGIOUS RIGHTS TO RELIGIOUS EXCEPTIONS, AND THE TITLE SEVEN EOC HAS ISSUED GUIDANCE THAT SAYS THAT PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYERS, NOT JUST PUBLIC, BUT PRIVATE ALSO CAN DO THIS.

SO THE EOC HAS SAID, THERE IS NO ADA VIOLATIONS HERE.

WE DON'T BELIEVE THIS TITLE SEVEN VIOLATIONS.

AND THE REASON I'M SAYING THE LANGUAGE NEEDS TO BE BROAD IS BECAUSE AS CASE LAW DEVELOPS, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TWEAK OUR INTERNAL PROTOCOLS TO, TO MATCH THAT.

SO I WOULD CAUTION US ABOUT BEING TOO SPECIFIC WITH THE LANGUAGE, BECAUSE AS STAFF, WE GOT TO BE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH WHEN WE'RE IN HR AND DEALING WITH THESE REQUESTS TO KIND OF WORK WITH WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE REALMS OF WHAT THE LAW SAYS WE CAN CURRENTLY DO DOES THAT.

AND I DON'T, I'M HOPING IT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED AND WHAT I CAN DO FOR THE BOARD IS ACTUALLY YOU GUYS RECEIVED A, A MEMO, A MEMORANDUM FROM ME ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.

THEY KIND OF LAID SOME OF THIS OUT.

IT'S REALLY EXTREME WHEN YOU START GETTING FEEDBACK AND ASKING FOR CLARITY.

IT'S VERY DETAILED AND COMPLICATED.

UM, IT'S NOT AN EASY TOPIC.

UM, BUT I DO BELIEVE THE MOTION HAS WORDED, PROBABLY GETS AT THE HEART OF WHAT EVERYBODY REALLY WANTS, UM, AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE.

SO, UM, I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE WORDING.

I THINK THE, THE, THE, UM, I THINK THE, THE MAGIC WILL BE IN HOW WE IMPLEMENT IT IN THE ACTUAL, UM, HR DEPARTMENT WHEN THESE THINGS HAPPEN.

UM, SO IT'S,

[02:40:01]

AND I KIND OF DID A RANDOM POLL IF YOU, IN, UH, OUT IN AREA SCHOOLS THAT I REPRESENT AND PARENTS AND TEACHERS, UM, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE, UM, PEOPLE ARE VERY ONE ALL THE WAY, ONE WAY OR ALL FOR OR AGAINST, AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE.

AND, UM, I DO, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT, ABOUT OUR VACANCIES, UM, ARE TEACHING VACANCIES GOING INTO THIS YEAR AND I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'D BE THE ONLY DISTRICT THAT I KNOW OF AROUND ANYWHERE AROUND US THAT WOULD BE, UM, INITIATING THIS.

AND I LIKE TO BE LEADERS, BUT NOT IF IT'S GOING TO DRIVE OUR, THE STAFF WE DO HAVE OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ADHERE TO IT.

I'M JUST VERY, UM, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S POLARIZING, THE WHOLE SUBJECT IS POLARIZING, AND IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE AND WHO YOU ASK BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ARE EXTREME.

AND, UM, SO YOU SAID THEY ARE CURRENT LAWSUITS, SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO FACTOR IN THAT.

IT'S LIKELY IS IT, WELL, LET ME ASK YOU, IS IT LIKELY THAT WE WILL END UP IN A LAWSUIT FOR THIS MANDATING POTENTIALLY? I'M NOT SURE HOW LIKELY IT IS.

YEAH, POTENTIALLY.

AND WE HAVE AN AG OPINION ON IT.

UM, WE DIDN'T ASK FOR IT, BUT THERE THERE'S BEEN AN AG OPINION AND IT IS AGAINST, IT DIFFERS FROM THE ADVICE OF THE GOVERNOR, UM, EVEN ON THE MAP.

UM, SO, AND I KNOW WE'VE LOST A LOT OF STUDENTS BECAUSE OF US REQUIRING MASKING.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF HOMESCHOOLING CO-OPS GOING ON THESE DAYS THAT MUCH MORE.

AND SO I'M JUST CONCERNED.

WHERE'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF BUDGET DO WE HAVE FOR THIS TYPE OF LITIGATION? UM, BECAUSE I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT IT'S GOING TO BE BOROUGH AND KNOW, I, I, I REALLY DO CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THE WHOLE AND THE POPULATION HEALTH ISSUE THAT THIS IS.

UM, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IN PERSONAL HEALTHCARE DECISIONS.

AND SO, UM, IT'S JUST A DIFFICULT ONE AND I THINK WE, WE HAVE TO GO INTO IT.

IF THIS HAPPENS, WE HAVE TO GO INTO IT WITH SOME DOLLARS IN THE BANK FOR SOME TIME WITH LITIGATION.

AND I DON'T THINK YOU'LL BE THE ONE, SO WE'LL HAVE TO PROBABLY HAVE AN EXTERNAL LITIGATORS.

SO THAT'S A BUDGETARY ITEM.

THANK YOU, MR. AS SOON AS BERNARD, I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION ON EMOTION, BUT MS. DYSON DID THAT.

ITEM I, TO CONSIDERATION REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE REVISED POLICY.

SAYING NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.

UM, MADAM SECRETARY, WE'RE ON THE AGENDA, THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

CAN YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE, PLEASE VOTE THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE MOVE NOW TO

[I2. Policy Revision: GBRIBC]

G B R I C B RELATIVE TO COVID-19 EMERGENCY LEAVE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MR. SECONDED BY

[02:45:01]

AND THAT WAS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2021 THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2021.

UM, SUPERINTENDENT, CAN I ASK YOU GUYS TO HIT IT A LITTLE BIT? YES.

JUST KIND OF WAY.

UM, YEAH, IT'S, UH, I TO THE, THE POLICY REVISION JUST FOR, UH, COVID LEAVE.

YEAH, COVID LEAVE.

COVID-19 EMERGENCY.

UH, LIKE IF I CAN GET MS. DONALDSON, UH, PLEASE COME UP.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN.

UH, PRESIDENT TOTMAN, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT, DARCY'S THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN COLLABORATION WITH GENERAL COUNSEL, UH, WORKED OUT RE ENVISIONING OUR, UH, COVID LEAVE POLICY THAT WE PUT IN PLACE, UM, FROM, SO WE'VE HAD THREE, UH, OUR INITIAL ONE WAS BASED UPON THE ONE THAT WAS MANDATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, MARCH, 2020 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2020.

AND THEN WE, UH, YOU ALL APPROVED IN JANUARY, 2021, A EXTENSION, UM, THAT WAS BASED UPON THE DISTRICT'S, UH, DESIGN OF, OF THE LEAVE.

THIS PARTICULAR POLICY, UH, IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

WE, UH, CHANGED AND UPDATED IT.

UH, SO THERE'S FIVE DAYS OF COVID LEAVE.

UH, IF AN EMPLOYEE, UM, HAS TO, UH, BE QUARANTINED, UH, THEY GET FIVE DAYS OF ADDITIONALLY THROUGH THE COVID LEAVE POLICY AT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THEIR PAY, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE THEY WERE A CLOSE CONTACT OR THEY WERE DIAGNOSED WITH COVID OR IF THEY, UH, OR A CLOSE CONTACT, DETERMINED BY THEIR WORK EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND THEN WE ALSO UPDATED THE CHILDCARE PIECE.

AND SO WE A FIVE DAYS FOR IF THE EMPLOYEE'S CHILD, UH, HAS TO BE QUARANTINED, UH, INSTEAD OF DOING THE 65% THAT WE HAD ON THE INITIAL, UH, LEAVE, WE UPPED THAT TO A HUNDRED PERCENT PAY.

AND WE ALSO DID THAT FOR, UH, IF THE CHILD IS SICK WITH COVID FOR, UM, FIVE DAYS, ADDITIONALLY THAT'S PROVIDED THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

WELL, REMEMBER, HOW WOULD YOU WANT IT TO, UM, JUST GET SOME CLARITY AROUND, I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL, UM, THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAD ABOUT, UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY EMERGENCY POLICY FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, PARENTS WERE CALLING LIKE, HEY, MY, YOU KNOW, MY CHILD TESTED POSITIVE X, Y, AND Z.

UM, BUT I WAS WONDERING, UM, BECAUSE IT'S, EXCUSE ME, FIVE DAYS, IF A PERSON IS ASKED A QUARANTINE, IN THEORY, THEY'RE ASKED THE QUARANTINE FOR 10 DAYS, CORRECT? YES, SIR.

SO HOW DO WE SOLVE FOR MULTIPLE OPTIONS OF QUARANTINE? BECAUSE WITH THE, UM, THE UPTAKE IN TESTING, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE AN UPTAKE IN FOLKS THAT ARE TESTING POSITIVE.

HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT WAYS TO MITIGATE THAT? I KNOW WE TALKED LAST WEEK ABOUT THE, THE, WHAT THE ORIGINAL POLICY SAYS THERE'S, AS IT RELATES TO LEAVE AND 65%, BUT HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT LIKE THE MULTIPLE QUARANTINES IS THIS FIVE DAYS ONE AND DONE, OR IS THIS THIS FOR EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU HAVE THE QUARANTINE, YOU KNOW, HOW IS THAT GOING TO, TO WORK? SO THE, SO THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT MAJOR TYPES.

UM, SO YOU HAVE THE INITIAL, WHICH IS THE QUARANTINE, AND THEN YOU HAVE ONE THAT IS BASED UPON IF IT'S IN THE WORKPLACE.

IN OTHER WORDS, I'M A TEACHER AT, UM, WONDERFUL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND I WAS DESIGNATED A CLOSE CONTACT.

I CAN USE IT FOR THAT POINT, BUT THEN MAYBE THREE MONTHS LATER, I AM ACTUALLY POSITIVE WITH COVID I CAN USE, AND BECAUSE MY CLOSE CONTACT, OR I HAVE NOTIFICATION BASED UPON THAT I'M, UH, AN EMPLOYEE AND IT WAS DUE TO SOMETHING RELATED TO THAT.

I CAN ACTUALLY USE IT AGAIN.

SO IT IS MULTIPLE, LIKE IT'S NOT A ONE AND DONE IT'S REALLY DEPENDENT UPON CASE BY CASE.

GOTCHA.

SO ONE TIME YOU CAN BE THE ACTUAL PERSON WHO TEST POSITIVE THE NEXT TIME YOU CAN BE THE CLOSE CONTACT.

SO I JUST WANT TO SEE IF IT'S ONE OF THE, SO I APPRECIATE THE AD BECAUSE BEFORE THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THESE FIVE DAYS.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT, AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE FOR US AS A DISTRICT, JUST TO CONSIDER AS, AS THE VARIANTS MUTATE IN AND IT GETS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE GET THIS UNDER CONTROL AT SOME POINT, UM, TO HOW CAN WE ADD ADDITIONAL DAYS TO THAT? BECAUSE I CAN JUST SEE WHERE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE HAD TO SHUT DOWN AND COMPLETE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. SO JUST THINKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL WAYS TO ADD TO THIS, AND WE SEE THAT

[02:50:01]

IT PERSISTS AS A PROBLEM IN THIS FLUID SITUATION.

OH, UM, OH, UM, NO QUESTION.

UH, MY COLLEAGUE ASKED THE QUESTIONS I HAD.

I JUST WANTED TO, UH, SAY THANK YOU TO THE TEAM.

UH, COVID LEAVE WAS A HUGE CONCERN OF MANY, UH, COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD, UH, BECAUSE IT KIND OF DEFEATS THE PARK.

IF PEOPLE NEED THEIR PAY, EXCUSE ME, I WAS EATING THE CHILL, PUT MY MEDS WAY WRONG.

IF PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS AND THEY, THEIR SYMPTOMS ARE FLIGHT, THE INCLINATION IS GOING TO BE FOR THEM TO JUST SHOW UP AT WORK EVERY DAY, KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO INTERFERE WITH THEIR PAYCHECK.

AND SO THEN I APPRECIATE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE REST OF THE ADMINISTRATION WORKING ON THIS, UH, TO GIVE FOLKS, UH, ABLE TO DO WHAT'S NECESSARY TO HELP GET US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH EXPOSURES AND WHATNOT.

THANK YOU ALL.

SEE, NO OTHER COMMENT FROM THE BOARD.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENT MENTIONED AGAIN, MY NAME IS DANIEL LAMP FOR IT.

I'M AN ESS PARAPROFESSIONAL AT JEFFERSON TERRACE ACADEMY FOR THE EBR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND, UM, I GOT MY DATA ON THE, UM, ADVERSE REACTIONS AT THE DEATHS FROM, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS SPECIFIC TO EMPLOYEES GETTING COVID LEADING? OKAY.

THAT'S OKAY.

NEXT ANGELA RAINS, BROWN PRESIDENT OF THESE BEN RICH FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL.

I LIKE TO RISE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND TO THE STAFF FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO HAVE COVID LEAVE.

THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS BEEN SHORT SO FAR, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE PHONE CALLS THAT WE RECEIVED IN MY OFFICE WORK CONCERNING THE NEED FOR COVID LEAVE.

UH, IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UH, FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING, WE DO REALIZE THAT EMPLOYEES WILL BECOME ILL EITHER, UH, WITH COVID THEMSELVES, UH, WITH BEING IN THE VICINITY OF ONE OF THEIR STUDENTS WITH COVID.

AND SO WE DON'T WANT THEM TO WORRY ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THE BILLS AS MS. COLLINS SAID.

SO THIS IS A FORM OF RELIEF.

FIVE DAYS IS GOOD.

OF COURSE, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE SO AS WE MOVE DOWN THE ROAD AND DETERMINE HOW BAD THIS VARIANT IS GOING TO BE, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL DAYS FROM THOSE FIVE AGAIN, THANK YOU.

LET ME A SECOND.

THE POINT JUST MADE, BUT NOT NEARLY AS NICELY FIVE DAYS IS RIDICULOUS.

10 DAYS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT.

UM, DON'T SPEND $12 MILLION ON THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEM FOR UNNECESSARY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND QUIT SUBSIDIZING PRIVATE DAYCARES WITH COVID MONEY, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SAFELY QUARANTINE IS ONE OF THE BASICS OF GETTING THIS RIGHT.

FIVE DAYS IS NOT ENOUGH.

I WOULD HOPE THAT ONE OF YOU WOULD AMEND THIS MOTION TO MAKE IT A REASONABLE COVID LEAVE POLICY.

10 DAYS SEEMS REASONABLE AND APPROPRIATE.

THEY COME BACK TO WORK? AND THOSE THINGS ARE VERY INSENSITIVE.

HI, GOOD EVENING.

FRANKIE ROBERTSON.

I AM, UM, WITH THE AMANDLA GROUP AND I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF LOUISIANA FOR SAFE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.

I DO WANT TO COMMEND THE BOARD FOR MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION TO PROVIDE COVID LEAVE TO SCHOOL PERSONNEL.

I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS THAT, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE COALITION FIVE DAYS IS INSUFFICIENT.

UM, WE DO ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE ARE GIVING OUR PRECIOUS SCHOOL PERSONNEL TO RECOVER FROM A DEADLY VIRUS.

I DO KNOW INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HAD COVID AND I DO KNOW MANY INDIVIDUALS WHOM WHILE THEY WERE SICK WITH COVID RECEIVED COMMUNICATION FROM THEIR EMPLOYERS, ASKING THEM, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THEY HAD A FEVER? WHEN CAN

[02:55:01]

WE'RE ASKING A LOT OF SCHOOL PERSONNEL TO HAVE TO GO OUT ON THE FRONT LINES, TO PUT THEIR HEALTH AT RISK, PUT THEIR LIVES AT RISK, PUT THE LIVES OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AT RISK ONLY TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE YOU A SMALL AMOUNT OF LEAVE AND PLEASE HURRY, AND COME BACK TO WORK AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

SO WE SHOULDN'T FOCUS ON DOING THE BARE MINIMUM CERTAINLY IS BETTER THAN NOTHING, BUT WHY DO WE HAVE TO START FROM THE BOTTOM WHEN WE CAN PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT'S ADEQUATE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO TRULY RECOVER, NOT ONLY PHYSICALLY, BUT MENTALLY FROM HAVING AN EXPOSURE WITH COVID.

AND THEN ALSO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT AS WELL, ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN QUARANTINED, WHAT IF A MEMBER OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD COMES DOWN WITH COVID, THEN THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

ARE THEY PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL FIVE LEAVES, LEAVE DAYS OF LEAVE TO CARE FOR CARETAKING RESPONSIBILITY IN THEIR HOME AND MOLD.

SOME PEOPLE LIVE IN MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOMES WHERE THEY HAVE GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS, UNCLES, COUSINS.

HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT? SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR MAKING, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LEAVE TO BE CONSIDERED, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, LET'S DO IT RIGHT.

AND LET'S NOT ASK SO MUCH OF OUR TEACHERS THAT WE WANT THEM BACK IN THE DOOR, JUST AS SOON AS THEY ARE ASYMPTOMATIC.

I'M TOO SHORT FOR THIS MIC, BUT, UM, WE BOARD MEMBER HOWARD ACTUALLY SAID HE BROUGHT, BROUGHT IT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION.

THAT IT IS MORE THAN FIVE DAYS.

UM, FOR QUARANTINE, ACCORDING TO THE CDC IS 14 DAYS, BUT WE ONLY WANT TO PAY OUR STAFF FOR FIVE.

I CONSIDER ALLIES STAFF AS ESSENTIAL WORKERS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CALLED THEM.

SO WHY AREN'T WE ASKING OUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS THAT ARE ON THE FRONTLINE AND IN THE TRENCHES EVERY SINGLE DAY TO ONLY HAVE FIVE DAYS OF PAY FOR A VIRUS THAT MAY TAKE 14, HAVE WE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION? WHAT IF THEY HAVE NOT FULLY RECOVERED AFTER 14 DAYS? WELL, WE STILL NOT PAY THEM BECAUSE THEIR MORTGAGE WILL STILL BE, DO COX CABLE WAS STILL WANT THEIR MONEY TOO.

I JUST, I'M JUST TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION HUMANITY THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS WE LOVE OURSELVES.

AND I KNOW I LOVE MYSELF A LOT AND I LOVE MY CHILD TOO.

AND I LOVE EACH AND EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE 6,000 INDIVIDUALS, THEY IN AND DAY OUT, THEY COME HERE TO OUR SCHOOL TO EDUCATE CHILDREN LIKE MINE.

LET'S GIVE THEM 14 DAYS.

THAT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ADD BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR THEM TO PROVIDE A STATUS AND TO ACTUALLY GET SUBMITTED TO TESTING, AND WE MAY FIRE THEM, IF THEY DON'T, I THINK GIVING THEM PAY FOR 14 DAYS, ISN'T THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK.

SECONDLY, LIKE THE SPEAKER BEFORE ME STATED, WE DIDN'T PUT INTO THERE HOW WE ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT IF THEIR CHILD BECOME COVID POSITIVE AFTER THEM, WE'RE JUST GOING TO GIVE THEM FIVE DAYS.

WHAT IF THEIR CHILD HAS TO BE SHIPPED TO A HOSPITAL IN CALIFORNIA, WE'RE STILL GOING TO ONLY GIVE THEM FIVE DAYS.

WHEN WE SAY IT'S GOING TO BE CASE BY CASE, WE'RE OPEN UP THE DOOR FOR SEGREGATION.

WE'RE OPENING UP THE DOOR FOR DISCRIMINATION.

WE NEED TO MAKE A POLICY THAT IS UNIVERSAL.

AND THEN FROM THERE WE GO DO SOMETHING MORE, BUT WE SHOULD NOT DO NOTHING LESS THAN WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES.

THANK YOU, MS. CORALEE, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NONE BACK TO THE BOARD? UM, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.

I HEARD TWO THINGS.

I, I WAS IN, UH, IN THE MODE OF MEDIATING THE MEETING.

AND SO MY PROBABLY, UH, HOWARD, UH, BOARD MEMBER HOWARD HAD ASKED MS. DONALDSON TO CLARIFY.

AND I HATE TO ASK YOU TO COME UP HERE IN YOUR HEELS AGAIN, BUT BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE COMMENTS, I THINK IT WAS MISSED THAT.

AND, AND IN SPIRIT, I DO AGREE.

FIVE DAYS IS NOT ENOUGH.

WE'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION LAST YEAR.

WE HAD THREE.

UM, FIVE YEARS IS NOT ENOUGH AS FIVE DAYS.

EXCUSE ME.

IT'S NOT ENOUGH, BUT F THE PERSON IS OUT SICK THEMSELVES.

THAT'S FIVE DAYS.

THAT'S ANOTHER FIVE DAYS.

MY BABY GOT IT NOW BECAUSE THEY GOT IT FROM ME.

[03:00:01]

SO AGAIN, FIVE IS NOT ENOUGH, BUT THERE IS SOME, UH, ROOM AND CONSIDERATION FOR UNIQUE SITUATIONS WHERE THEY TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.

YES, MA'AM.

AND THIS IS ADDITIONAL LEAVE ON TOP OF THE OTHER PAID LEAVE THAT THE DISTRICT ALREADY OFFERS ALL EMPLOYEES.

SO IF EVERY EMPLOYEE GETS, UM, 10 DAYS, UH, NINE MONTH EMPLOYEES GET 10 DAYS, 11 MONTH, 11, 12, 12 DAYS, UH, EACH YEAR, EACH FISCAL YEAR.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY A CRUISE.

SO IF YOU DON'T USE IT, YOU DON'T, YOU, YOU DON'T USE IT, YOU DON'T LOSE IT.

SO IT ACTUALLY ROLLS OVER EACH YEARS AND IT ACTUALLY ACCUMULATES OVER TIME.

SO, AND THOSE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT PAID LEAVE DAYS.

SO THOSE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT PAID ABSENCES THAT ARE COVERED THROUGH THE DISTRICT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, AGAIN, IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE COULD MAYBE DO MORE, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THEY ARE AGREEING AND DISAGREEING WITH.

I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING THAT CLARITY.

UH, AND THAT'S IT.

AND THEN, UM, I, I WOULD ASK THAT, UM, GENERAL COUNSEL, UM, IF YOU COULD DO SOME RESEARCH FOR ME ON WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING WITH THE FEDERAL DOLLARS, THEY'RE FINDING WAYS TO USE SOME OF THE FEDERAL COVID MONEY TO PAY FOR LEAVE AND EVEN STIPENDS.

NOW I'M NOT TRYING TO START THE CONVERSATION ON MOST STIPENDS, ALTHOUGH BAKER IS DOING SOMETHING AMAZING, AND I'M A LITTLE JEALOUS.

UM, BUT FOR SURE, WITH THE LEAVE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS VIRUS IS MORE CONTAGIOUS AFFECTING CHILDREN, ET CETERA, THE LIKELIHOOD OF PEOPLE NEEDING A LOT OF LEAVE IS VERY HIGH, AND IF IT PROVES TO BE NEEDED, THEN WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIND IT.

UM, AND SO IF GENERAL, IF GENERAL COUNSEL CAN REACH OUT TO SOME OF THE OTHER PARISHES WHO FIGURED OUT, UM, HOW TO USE SOME OF THE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR SOME OF THIS AND LET US KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE THE OPTIONS FOR EBR? THANK YOU.

VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, MR. GODRICK.

IT'S VERY BRIEFLY.

MS. COLLINS, UH, ASKED THE QUESTION I WAS REFERRING TO ABOUT THIS BEING LEAVE ON TOP OF THERE NORMALLY COMING IN.

I WOULD ALSO ASK MS. DONALDSON.

YEAH, WE, WE MAKE POLICIES LIKE THIS AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SORT OF FLYING BLIND WITH NO DATA, UH, IF AT THE NEXT MEETING OR THE NEXT SEVERAL MEETINGS, IF YOU COULD COME BACK TO US AND SHOW US AND TELL US HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN THE COVID LEAVE FOR WHICH CATEGORY AND HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE, UH, HAD TO, UH, GO INTO THEIR, THEIR NORMAL LEAVE TIME, UH, BECAUSE OF COVID RELATED ISSUES.

CAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS BACKTRACK AND CHANGE.

TRYING TO COVER EVERY HYPOTHETICAL IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE COULD END UP WITH EVERYBODY BEING ON LEAVE.

UH, BUT NOT, I DON'T MEAN THAT ANYWAY FOR OUR TEACHERS.

CAUSE I KNOW OUR TEACHERS ARE VERY DEDICATED, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE SOME DATA IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION ON AS WE GO BACK AS WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND RETROACTIVELY CHANGE ANY OF THESE OR, OR DO ANYTHING WE NEED TO DO, WE'VE MADE A MISTAKE, BUT I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS ADEQUATE OR THIS IS NOT ADEQUATE.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START, BUT I'D ASKED FOR YOU TO BRING US BACK SOME DATA, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD.

ITEM CONSIDERATION REQUESTS, AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENTS WHO PAY A STIPEND TO TEACHERS FOR LEARNING LOSS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR THE 20 21 20 22 SCHOOL YEAR IN THE AMOUNT OF $12 MILLION FUNDING SOURCE ACTION TO DO I HAVE A MOTION.

THANK YOU, MR. GAUDETTE SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.

MADAM SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE, PLEASE VOTE THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE MOVE NOW TO

[I3. COVID-19 Learning Loss Professional Development Initiative]

ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? MR. BALLOU, WE'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.

THANK YOU, MR. GULU AND

[03:05:01]

MS. WHERE JACKSON WILL SECOND IT, MS. DYSON.

I HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS ITEM.

I DON'T SEE, UM, LIKE UP TO THIS MANY TEACHERS OR HOW THEY'RE GOING TO, UM, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO APPLY TO PARTICIPATE OR IF THERE'S, I SEE THERE'S A DOLLAR AMOUNT, BUT AT WHAT POINT DO WE HAVE TO SHUT IT OFF OR, UH, YES, BOARD MEMBER DYSON.

UH, THE WAY THAT OUR PROPOSAL IS THAT IT WOULD BE 54 ADDITIONAL HOURS AND IT WOULD BE SIX HOURS A MONTH.

UM, AND SO TEACHERS WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO, UM, OUT OF THE SIX HOURS, TWO HOURS WOULD BE PRINCIPAL LED WITH THEIR FACULTY, UM, RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL.

AND THEN FOUR HOURS WOULD BE TWO OTHER DAYS WHERE WE JUST TWO HOURS WHERE THE DISTRICT WOULD PROVIDE A DIFFERENT SETS OF SUPPORT AROUND LITERACY AND CONTENT DEVELOPMENT.

SO DOES THIS, UM, COVER ANY TEACHER THAT WANTS TO PARTICIPATE ACROSS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM? OR DO WE HAVE A CAP ON THE NO, NO.

IT WOULD COVER ALL, ALL TEACHERS AND IT WOULD NOT BE MANDATORY.

IT WOULD BE CHOSEN BY THEM AND THEN THEY WOULD BE A PAID DOUBLE.

SO INSTEAD OF THEY'RE AT $25 AN HOUR WOULD BE PAID $50 AN HOUR FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL HOURS.

AND THIS WOULD BE LIKE DONE AFTER SCHOOL? YES.

SO, UH, THE WAY THAT WE, UM, LOOKED AT THE PROCESS WAS IT WOULD BE SIX HOURS PER MONTH.

SO TWO HOURS AFTER SCHOOL IS DISMISSED AND THEY WOULD, WE WOULD DO IT THAT WAY.

JUST, UH, MAYBE LIKE EVERY SECOND, MONDAY OR WEDNESDAY OR FRIDAY, WHERE, UH, IF APPROVED TONIGHT, WE WOULD, UH, SEND OUT A CALENDAR OF THE THREE DAYS PER MONTH WITH THE AVAILABLE, UM, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AVAILABLE.

IT WOULD ALSO BE SCHOOL SITE BASED.

SO EVEN THE COMPONENT WOULD HAVE, UH, IT WILL BE SENT OUT TO SCHOOLS.

SO TEACHERS WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO TO A LOCATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THANK YOU, MS. TYSON, MR. HOWARD, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT SIMON.

UM, I APPRECIATE THAT SUPPORT THIS MOTION AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING LOSS AS IT RELATES TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF US GETTING THAT CHART AROUND HOW WE'RE SPENDING SOME MONEY AND IT RELATES TO SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS MONEY.

UM, BECAUSE EVERY DAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE CHART AND WE APPROVE MORE MONEY, WE'RE LOSING OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY AS A BOARD TO COLLECTIVELY MAKE WISE DECISIONS AS HOW WE'RE SPENDING THIS MONEY IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN THIS MONEY.

SO I WOULD JUST REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF NEEDING THAT CHART AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, UM, TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS AS A BOARD WITH THIS MONEY.

UH, AND BOARD MEMBER, UH, HOW ARE WE ARE, UM, WORKING ON A, UH, CHART, UH, TO ACTUALLY SHOW PUBLIC FACING WHERE WE'RE PUTTING THE DOLLARS.

UH, SO WE CAN ALSO SHOW WHAT OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT WOULD BE AS WELL.

THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD.

I'M SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.

WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THIS ITEM? GOOD EVENING.

BOARD MEMBERS AND DOCTOR NURSES.

MY NAME IS ASHLEY BALLARD.

I HAVE CHILDREN AT WESTDALE HEIGHTS, SHERWIN, MIDDLE AND BATON ROUGE HIGH THE SCHOOL YEAR IN REGARDS TO COVID LEARNING LOSS.

MY SON A SIXTH GRADER AT SHERWOOD WAS IDENTIFIED AS A CLOSE CONTACT AND SENT HOME THROUGH FRIDAY, AUGUST 27TH.

AFTER HEARING FROM OUR SCHOOLS, PRINCIPALS AND OTHER CONCERNED PARENTS, I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY DEEP FRUSTRATION WITH OUR DISTRICT'S LACK OF RECOURSE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE SENT HOME DUE TO COVID WHILE THEIR STUDENTS DO HAVE ACCESS TO ASSIGNMENTS LISTED IN GOOGLE CLASSROOM.

WE AS PARENTS DO NOT FEEL THAT IS ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN OUR KIDS' EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH THE AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE TO COVID-19.

WE ANTICIPATE HAPPENING IN THE COMING MONTHS.

IT'S DISHEARTENING TO SEE THAT AFTER REVIEWING EBRS COVID POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT YOU ALL HAVE GROSSLY UNDERESTIMATED, THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS WHO WILL BE MISSING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, VIRTUAL CLASSES, NOT CURRENTLY AN OPTION FOR THEM.

THEY ARE SELF-TAUGHT ON THEIR OWN FOR UP TO 10 DAYS AT A TIME.

THIS IS NOT OKAY.

YOU ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR OUR KIDS.

THAT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS ALLOWING THEM AUDIO AND OR VIDEO ACCESS TO THEIR CLASSROOMS. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR SYNCHRONOUS TEACHING.

WE ARE SIMPLY ASKING FOR ACCESS TO THE TEACHING VIA AUDIO AND OR VIDEO CLIPS THAT COULD BE POSTED AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY FOR EACH CLASS PERIOD.

OUR STUDENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO THIS INFORMATION AND DO NOT DESERVE TO BE AT A DISADVANTAGE FOR SOMETHING THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.

I'M ASKING THAT YOU CONSIDER THIS SOLUTION OR ANY OTHERS THAT WILL ALLOW OUR STUDENTS ACCESS TO TEACHING AND LEARNING AND NOT SIMPLY POSTING ASSIGNMENTS.

PLEASE OFFER OUR KIDS THESE ACCOMMODATIONS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MS. BALLARD,

[03:10:07]

NO MANUAL LAMP FOR IT.

AND, UM, I WOULD IN FIVE WORK WITH, UH, SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS, I WOULD SAY IT'S A ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM AS LONG AS THEY DON'T HAVE COVID TO, UM, TO BE AT SCHOOL BECAUSE WHEN THEY'RE AT HOME, WE DON'T, SOME OF THE PARENTS ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE ONLINE, UM, MATERIALS.

AND ALSO THEY MISS OUT ON IMPORTANT SERVICES.

WE'VE HAD OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, WE HAD PHYSICAL THERAPISTS AND AN ADAPTED PE TEACHER.

AND, UH, WELL, THOSE PEOPLE CAN COMMUNICATE VIRTUALLY.

AND OF COURSE WE HAD THE SCHOOL NURSE AND AT AVERT NURSES, WE HAVE ONE STUDENT IN MY CLASSROOM, UM, WHO, UM, HAS TO HAVE A NURSE WITH HIM AT ALL TIMES.

AND, UM, SO THE STUDENTS MISS OUT ON THOSE IMPORTANT SERVICES WHEN THEY'RE VIRTUAL.

SO, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE US, I EVEN READ ABOUT HOW, UM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT WHEN THEY'RE NOT GOING BACK TO, UM, VIRTUAL ONE, I, I W, OR A CLOSED SCHOOLS, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO DO THE SAME, UNLESS THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF CASES OF COVID THAT BREAKOUT AS ARE MY THOUGHTS.

THANK YOU, MR. LANGFORD, ON THE BASIS OF A ONE-PAGE MEMO, YOU'RE ALL ABOUT TO MARK YOUR YES.

VOTE AND WRITE THE SUPERINTENDENT A $12 MILLION BLANK CHECK THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS $12 MILLION COULD GIVE A $2,000 ACROSS THE BOARD PAY, RAISE TO YOUR EMPLOYEE BASE.

$12 MILLION IS PROBABLY ENOUGH TO PUT REALLY GOOD CAMERAS AND AUDIO SYSTEMS IN EVERY CLASSROOM.

ALTHOUGH THAT'S JUST A GUESS $12 MILLION TO, UH, FOR ONE THING I DON'T GET EVEN ALLOWING A LOT OF, UM, A HIGH PERCENTAGE FOR, UM, FRINGE BENEFITS.

I DON'T SEE WHERE IF YOU GAVE THE 54 HOURS OF MANDATORY BORING MEETING TIME TO EVERY SINGLE TEACHER, HOW THAT USES UP $12 MILLION.

AND OF COURSE THERE'S NO SUPPORTING, UM, FISCAL NOTE ATTACHED.

YOU'RE JUST GOING TO WRITE A BLANK CHECK.

UH, AND THEN YOU'LL BE WONDERING WHY ALL THAT MONEY IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO SPEND ON THINGS YOU COULD SPEND IT ON, LIKE MAYBE, UH, IMPROVING THE FILTRATION AND THE AIRFLOW IN EVERY SINGLE CLASSROOM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

I DON'T THINK IS THE PROBLEM FOR, FOR $12 MILLION.

YOU COULD HIRE ABOUT 200 MORE PEOPLE, A COMBINATION OF TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS COULD.

AND SHOULD, IF THE WEEK OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTED, WASN'T SUFFICIENT, THEN MAYBE THAT MONEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SPENT.

I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DEFER THIS AT LEAST UNTIL SEPTEMBER'S COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, IN HOPES THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER A REASONABLE PLAN THAT IS CLEAR, COMPREHENSIVE, AND THAT THE PUBLIC CAN HAVE COMPETENCE IN.

OTHERWISE WE'RE JUST WATCHING MONEY GET FLUSHED, AND IT'S NOT, NOT AN IMPRESSIVE LOOK FOR YOU.

PLAN ON EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN AND EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IN COMMEDIA AT A HOME MEETING, I COME AND SPEAK ABOUT OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE STATE IN THIS COUNTRY HAS TALKED ABOUT HOW CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WERE BEING MOST IMPACTED AND AFFECTED AND HAD AN EXTREMELY LOW COST OF FREE, APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION.

PENNY.

SO I'M GOING TO START OFF BY ASKING HOW ARE THE CHILDREN AND THE CHILDREN ARE NOT OKAY BECAUSE THE STAFF ARE NOT OKAY BECAUSE THE STAFF IS SUFFERING.

THE STAFF IS SUFFERING BECAUSE WE HAVE A GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT IS IMPACTING THEM.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOSS PREVENTION, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN.

WE ASKED OUR TEACHERS EVERY SINGLE DAY TO COME UP WITH A TEACHER'S PLAN FOR THE NEXT WEEK SO THAT THEY CAN DISCLOSE TO THE SYSTEM ON HOW THEY

[03:15:01]

OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES ARE NEVER, NEVER CONSIDERED, BUT YET WE WANT TO GIVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT MONEY FOR A PLAN THAT DON'T EXIST.

I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A PLAN THAT YOU HAVE DR.

ROBINSON AND MR. SMITH MAKE THAT PLAN AND PRESENT IT TO THIS BOARD BEFORE WE WRITE A CHECK BECAUSE MR. SMITH IN DR.

ROBINSON CAN DO, HE IS OUR CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER.

THAT'S THE REASON HE'S PAID TO ADDRESS ACADEMIA AND ACADEMIA IS A LOAN RIGHT NOW IN COVID WORLD.

YOU HAVE MANY CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, SUCH AS THOSE WITH CVI, THOSE THAT HAVE TO USE SYSTEMS THAT ARE NOT GETTING FREE, APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION BY EBR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

I KNOW BECAUSE I ADVOCATE FOR THESE PARENTS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH AND EVERY CHILD IS AT DRESSED.

THAT'S OUR NEW MOTTO.

IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO LIVE BY THAT MODEL, THEN LET'S JUST SAY, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE TO HAND OKAY.

AND FORGET ABOUT THE HEAD.

THANK YOU, MS. CORLEY.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN.

FRANKIE ROBERTSON WITH LOUISIANA'S LOUISIANA FOR SAFE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.

UM, WHEN WE, UM, PARTICIPATED IN THIS MEETING, I BELIEVE IT WAS ON AUGUST 2ND.

WE WERE VERY CLEAR IN OUR CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, THE REOPENING OF IN-PERSON LEARNING AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

WE WERE STILL DEEPLY CONCERNED AS THE NUMBER OF COVID CASES CONTINUE TO SKYROCKET FOR CHILDREN AND ESPECIALLY CHILDREN FOR WHO ARE UNDER 12 YEARS OF AGE.

AND AS OUR HOSPITAL PERSONNEL TALK ABOUT HOW STRESS THE HOSPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS, HOW THERE AREN'T EVEN ADEQUATE.

UM, THERE IS INADEQUATE MEDICAL, PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AVAILABLE TO HELP SAVE THE LIVES OF THOSE IMPACTED BY COVID.

WE ARE STILL DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT AS OF TODAY IN PERSON LEARNING HAS YET TO BE PAUSED IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO UTILIZE FUNDING, TO PROVIDE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO PREVENT LEARNING LOSS, WE REALLY ASK THAT YOU LOOK AT INNOVATIVE MODELS OF LEARNING THAT CAN HELP KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE WHILE THEY ARE IN THE, UM, IN-PERSON CLASSROOM SETTING.

UM, AND GIVE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND LOOK AT EFFECTIVE MODELS THAT THE DISTRICT ACTUALLY HAS THE CAPACITY TO CARRY OUT WITH THE RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED TO DO THAT.

AND AT PRESENT DAY, WE FEEL THAT WHAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IS INSUFFICIENT.

WHAT WE HAVE ASKED IN A PETITION THAT WE HAVE SENT TO DR.

KAY BRUMLEY AND MEMBERS OF BESSIE IS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ELITE IMMEDIATE DELAY OR PAUSE AT ALL IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION UNTIL A SWITCH CAN BE MADE TO FULLY PROVIDE A QUALITY VIRTUAL, UM, EXPERIENCE AND RETURN TO IN-PERSON SCHOOL NOT CONSIDERED UNTIL THE COVID 19% POSITIVITY RATE FOR THE PARISH IS BELOW 5% PER THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CORONAVIRUS DASHBOARD AND HAVING QUALITY ELECTIVE VIRTUAL OPTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

ONCE THE PERCENT POSITIVITY IS BELOW 5% ALSO ALLOW A VIRTUAL WORK OPTION FOR TEACHERS WHO ARE, OR HAVE HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS WHO ARE VULNERABLE TO COVID AND ALSO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY, LED A TASK FORCE WITH TABLES, AND EACH SCHOOL WILL INTAKE WITH TABLES FOR THIS DISTRICT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, AND TO EXPLORE OTHER MITIGATION MEASURES SUCH AS HYBRID SCHOOL DAYS.

AND THEN LASTLY, UH, UTILIZING EDUCATIONAL LEARNING PODS.

SO WE THINK THAT THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO BE INNOVATIVE AND TO REALLY THINK THIS OUT.

AND IF THIS FUNDING CAN BE USED FOR SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR DECREASE IN LEARNING LOSS, WE ASK THAT YOU JUST TAKE YOUR TIME AND ALLOW FOR SOME INNOVATION TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE.

AND ONCE AGAIN, UM, LOOK AT, UH, CREATING A QUALITY VIRTUAL OPTION FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE IMMEDIATELY SO THAT THEY ARE NOT JEOPARDIZING THEIR LIVES AND THEIR HEALTH IN A VERY UNSAFE, UM, IN-PERSON SETTING WHERE THERE'S NOT ADEQUATE CAPACITY TO CARRY OUT THE COVID 19 PLAN PRESENTLY ESTABLISHED.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? SEE, NONE.

THANK YOU, MS. ROBINSON,

[03:20:02]

WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.

UM, I, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING FOR THIS BECAUSE I DON'T SEE IT'S A LOT OF MONEY WITH NO PLAN TO IT.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD GET, IF I GET A SECOND, BUT I'LL MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO AT LEAST DEFER UNTIL WE HAVE A DETAILED PLAN.

UM, I DON'T, BECAUSE ON THE SURFACE, I DON'T SEE HOW THIS IS EVEN GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE TO ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS IS NOT MANDATORY, WHICH BEARS BENEFITS TO IT NOT BEING MANDATORY, BUT BECAUSE THERE'S NO PLAN TO SHOW HOW IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE TO ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS, DESPITE IT BEING NOT BEING MANDATORY, THEN I'M STRUGGLING WITH IT.

UM, WOULD THE LEARNING LOSS, UM, I THINK WE DO HAVE TO FIND WAYS, UH, OUTSIDE OF PROFESSIONAL, THE OTHER THAN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, OR AT THE VERY LEAST IN ADDITION TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE, UM, TEACHERS ARE NOT BEING TOLD THEY COULD TELL A WORK IF THEY ALL QUARANTINE AND WELL ENOUGH TO DO SO.

UM, CHILDREN ARE NOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION WHILE THEY ARE QUARANTINING.

LIKE WE NEED TO FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO ADDRESS THE LEARNING LOSS THAT'S HAPPENING WHEN THESE BABIES ARE OUT.

UH, EITHER BECAUSE THEY, THEY HAVE COVID OR THEY WERE DIRECTLY EXPOSED.

WE, WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE BESIDES SENDING WORK HOME, WHICH TO ME IS INSUFFICIENT.

UH, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HELP THAT CHILD KEEP UP.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO RECEIVE THE DIRECT INSTRUCTION THAT THEY NEED AND THE NUMBERS, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT ARE GOING TO BE TOO LARGE TO EXPECT TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO HELP THOSE CHILDREN CATCH UP EFFECTIVELY WHEN THEY COME BACK TO THE CLASSROOM, LIKE $12 MILLION OR TO GO TO THAT IS FIGURING OUT HOW TO ADDRESS THAT.

UM, AND SO I'LL SAY AGAIN, I WOULD, AND YOU KNOW, I WON'T BE OFFENDED IF NOBODY SECONDS IT, BUT, UH, I'M GOING TO OFFER A SUBSTITUTE TO, UH, DEFER UNTIL THERE'S AT LEAST A PLAN.

UM, WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIVE PLAN THAT GOES WITH THIS 12 MINUTES.

WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION BY VICE-PRESIDENT COLLINS TO THE FURTHEST ITEM UNTIL THE PLAN IS PRESENTED BY SUPERINTENDENT, I GUESS.

IS THAT THE WORD? YEAH.

UM, DO I HAVE A SECOND SECONDED BY MR. HOWARD? OKAY, MR. YES.

I JUST WANTED TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY AROUND THIS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT.

UH, THE WAY I READ THIS IS THE 54 HOURS TIMES THE $50 AN HOUR, THAT WOULD BE AN EXTRA STIPEND OF $2,700 PER TEACHER.

NONE OF THIS MONEY IS GOING FOR THE COST OF THE PROVIDING THE INSTRUCTION, ALL OF THE MONEY, BECAUSE WHEN I DID THE NUMBERS THAT CAME OUT ABOUT $12 MILLION, SO THIS IS PAYING OUR TEACHERS AN EXTRA $2,700 PER YEAR.

AND IN RETURN, THEY WOULD BE ASKED TO TAKE 54 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO HELP THEM GET ALONG WITH THIS.

SO THIS IS A STIPEND TO THE TEACHERS, UH, OF $2,700.

THERE'S NO MONEY GOING ANYWHERE OTHER THAN TO THE TEACHERS.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

CAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENTIATED, DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT PERFECTLY CLEAR BECAUSE I REALLY DO THINK OUR TEACHERS NEED THE EXTRA MONEY.

THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS AND, AND THIS IS A WAY THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM SOME TRAINING TO, UH, HELP WORK THROUGH THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY'RE GOING.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS $2,700 PER TEACHER GOING TO THE TEACHERS.

ALSO ABLE TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR TIME.

THANK YOU, MR. BOURDAIN, MR. HOWARD.

YES, I I'M, UH, I UNDERSTAND LIKE THE, THE INTENT OF THE MOTION AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE ITEM, BUT WE STILL, UM, I AGREE OUR TEACHERS NEED MORE, BUT WE STILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE RETURN ON OUR, AND SO WE JUST CAN'T BE SHELLING OUT $12 MILLION JUST TO SAY, OH, WE GAVE A STIPEND IF IT HAS NO MEASURABLE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENT PERFORMANCE INSIDE OF CLASSROOMS. SO I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE MS. COLLINS AND SAYING LIKE, WE AGREED TEACHERS NEED MORE MONEY, BUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING INTENTIONAL WITH THE MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING SO THAT WE'RE GETTING A RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT IN TEACHERS ARE ALMOST

[03:25:01]

THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD.

UH, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.

I'LL PAY US.

THAT WAS THE POINT I WAS GONNA MISS.

UH, MS. DYSON, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

AND THAT IS, UM, UM, THIS IS FOR A ONE YEAR THIS, I THINK I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE MY COLLEAGUE JUST SAID FOR EVERY YEAR AND I THINK WE'RE JUST APPROVING IT FOR THIS YEAR, RIGHT? CORRECT.

IT IS JUST FOR THIS YEAR.

SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD IS THE ITEM.

UH, WE GO BACK TO THE AUDIENCE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE.

I'LL BE BRIEF.

THANK YOU TO MY BOARD REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

I THINK THAT IS A GOOD MOVE.

UM, TO MR. GILDER'S POINT.

THE REASON I OBJECT TO THE LACK OF CLARITY IS I DID THE ARITHMETIC AND IT WAS ONLY TWO OR 3000 TEACHERS.

I DON'T GET ANY WORK CLOSE TO 12 MILLION.

THERE AREN'T 4,000 TEACHERS NOT EVEN CLOSE.

FINNEY.

I AGREE WITH THE BOARD MEMBER HOWARD, WE JUST GAVE OUR STAFF A WHOLE LOT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND I'LL PROBABLY SHARE IT SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDST OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE CAREER.

WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE A LOT OF THE STUFF ON THEM.

SO THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE THEM DO ANOTHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OR WHEN WE HAVE TO TRAIN THEM ON WHATEVER NEW PRODUCT WE'RE GOING TO USE.

SO I DON'T, I THINK THAT WE JUST NEED TO WAIT ON THESE 12 MILLION CAUSE I LOVE THE WORD ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND RIGHT NOW WE JUST MICHELLE AND OMANI, WE SHOULD ALMOST BE BROKE, BUT WE'VE CAME, SHELLING IT OUT.

AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT WE SHELLING IT OUT ON.

WE KEEP SAYING, HE'S GONE ON THIS AND HE'S GONE ON DEAD.

AND YET WHAT WE SEE IN THE CLASSROOM IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, NOTHING AS FAR AS IN ALL THIS MONEY ON THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE SPENT MONEY ON.

SO I THINK THAT I REALLY TRULY AGREE WITH BOARD MEMBER HOWARD AND BOARD MEMBER AND VICE MADAM, MADAM VICE CHAIR, RIGHT? VICE PRESIDENT, MS. COLLINS ON THIS, WE DEFINITELY NEED A PLAN BECAUSE I DON'T WANT OUR STAFF TO KEEP HAVING TO SIT IN FRONT OF A TABLET OR SIT IN JAIL.

UH, JAN PECK LIKE THEY DID AND LIBERTY, WHERE THERE IS NO LIBERTY FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

YOU NEED TO GIVE THEM RING TRUE TRAINING AND IT SHOULD NOT BE, THEY WILL JUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR TIME AND ACT LIKE THEY HAVE NO LIFE OR NO FAMILY.

THANK YOU, MS. CORLISS, I FRANKIE ROBERTSON, LOUISIANA FOR SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD THAT OUR COALITION IS CERTAINLY IN SUPPORT OF MAKING SURE THAT TEACHERS AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL ARE ADEQUATELY COMPENSATED FOR THEIR WORK AND FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO EVERYDAY FOR OUR KIDS AND COMMUNITIES.

AND YOU WANT TO THANK, UM, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS AND BOARD MEMBER HOWARD FOR THIS SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT WE LOOK AT WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT TO FIX THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ISSUES THAT PRESENTLY EXISTS BEFORE WE, UM, TRY TO IMPLEMENT A TRAINING, UH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TRAINING.

AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN A PLAN NOR DO WE KNOW IF IT'S ADEQUATE OR FEEL CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL BE ADEQUATE.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

THANK YOU, MS. ROBINSON, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NONE? WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD, MS. DYSON I WANTED TO ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT, UM, WHEN HE PLANNED, WHEN HE'S PLANNING, IF THIS PASSES TONIGHT, WHEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS STARTS, UH, OUR GOAL IS TO START IT RIGHT AWAY.

WE WILL PROVIDE A CALENDAR FOR, UM, THE SYSTEM ON WHAT THE DAYS ARE, AND THEN BEGIN A TALK WITH THE PRINCIPALS AND THE PRINCIPALS CAN MAKE IT WITH TEACHERS ON THOSE DAYS.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THIS WILL HAVE THE SIX HOURS WILL BE PER MONTH.

IT'S SIX HOURS PER MONTH.

THAT IN YOUR MIND AND IN YOUR FINANCIAL CALCULATIONS STARTS RIGHT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AT THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER? YES.

AND I WAS TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT PLACE FOR IT TO BE JERMAINE.

THANK YOU, MS. STYLE, AS SOON AS I WAS PRESIDENT COLLINS, OKAY.

I HAVE A CURSE TEACHER WHO HAD TEXTED ME SOME CONCERNS

[03:30:01]

UM, CAUSE I, I DO ADOPT SOME OF THE I'M ADOPTING, ADAPT.

ADOPTING SOME OF THE CONCERNS, UM, AND, UH, BE PATIENT WITH ME PLEASE, AS I SKIM THROUGH, TO MAKE SURE THAT IS GERMANE TO THIS IN IS DEALING WITH LEARNING LOSS IN ADDRESSING LEARNING LOSS.

AS I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, I DO HAVE CONCERN AROUND STUDENTS NOT GETTING DIRECT INSTRUCTION.

AND SO WHAT THEY HAD SUGGESTED IS THAT PERHAPS IN, OF COURSE IT WOULD BE TOO DIFFICULT TO DO IN THE IMMEDIATE, BUT DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS PLAY OUT, I MEAN, THERE'S A LAMBDA THERE.

IT THAT WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO BE AS BIG OF A DEAL OR WORSE THAN THE DELTA, UH, ET CETERA, IS, UH, MAYBE WE NEED TO GO AND DO A DAY AND B DAY SO THAT IT WON'T BE A FULL CAMPUS AT FULL CAPACITY FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS UNTIL THE FOURTH SURGE IS UNDER CONTROL.

UM, WE ALSO, UH, THERE'S A BUS DRIVER SHORTAGE WE'RE IN A MESS.

UM, THEY ALSO MENTIONED MASK WHICH ARE NECESSARY, UM, WITH, WITH, WITH SOME OF OUR PROTOCOLS BEING VERY STRINGENT IN CONTAINING STUDENTS FOR SAFETY REASONS THAT WE FIND WAYS TO LET THEM, UH, EXPEND THEIR ENERGY AS WELL AS, UH, BE OUTSIDE WHEN IT'S NOT, UH, WHEN HE HAS NO, UH, HE DID ADVISORY, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

UH, A LITTLE MORE BECAUSE SEVEN HOURS SITTING STILL MOSTLY STILL AT A DESK, INCLUDING NOT BEING ABLE TO GET UP AND GO TO A CAFETERIA, ET CETERA, BECAUSE OF, UH, SAFETY PROTOCOLS.

AND THAT IS IT.

UH, BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT MAY AS A DISTRACTION, UH, WHEN, WHEN SITTING STILL THAT LONG CONTRIBUTING TO SOME EXTENT TO LEARNING LOSS.

AND SO THAT'S IT.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CONSTITUENT KNEW I HEARD THEM AND I WAS ADDRESSING THEIR CONCERNS.

VICE PRESIDENT, SENIOR OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD REGARDING ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

UH, EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND IT.

MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE.

CONDUCTIVE.

UH, PLEASE VOTE.

MINE'S NOT COMING UP.

GIVE ME A SECOND.

I WAS IN AND I DON'T KNOW.

I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.

NOT COMING UP ON A ROBOT.

YEAH, PLEASE WAIT.

I GOT IT.

IT WAS JUST VERY SLOW APOLOGIZE.

THE MOTION FAILS.

THE, UH, MOTION ON SUBSTITUTE ITEM ITEM FAILS.

WE ARE NOW BACK ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION.

EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM.

MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.

PLEASE VOTE.

WHO WERE MISSING AS FAR DRAFTING THE MOTION FAILS.

[03:35:08]

JUST BEFORE WE MOVE OFF THE ITEM AND JUST SAY THAT IF WE, IF WE DON'T ACT ON THIS IN SOME SORT OF A WAY IS 60 DAYS BEFORE IT CAN BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE BOARD.

KNOW IF ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION TO DELAY IT OR ANYTHING, I'M NOT ENCOURAGING THAT.

I'M JUST SIMPLY REMINDING THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT IF IT ISN'T DOES NOT MOVE IN ANY SORT OF A WAY, IT WOULD BE DEAD FOR AT LEAST 60 DAYS.

VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER I FOUR WAIT.

MS. WHERE JACKSON, UM, I'M WILLING TO RECONSIDER.

I SAID I'M WILLING TO RECONSIDER SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT.

I THINK AN APPROPRIATE MOTION WOULD BE TO MOVE IT TO A DATE CERTAIN TO, UM, I THINK APPROPRIATE MOTION WOULD BE LIKE TO MOVE INTO A DATE.

CERTAIN YOU WANT TO RECONFIRM WHAT? SAME, THE SAME, THE SAME EXACT BOAT.

YOU CAN MAKE THAT MOTION.

SO I MOVED TO RECONSIDER.

SO, OKAY.

ANY OTHER? OKAY.

SO WE ARE NOW ON RECONSIDERATION OF THE MAIN MOTION.

IS THAT WHERE WE'RE ON MS. JACKSON MOTION TO RECONSIDER.

IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT SECONDED BY MR. GODADDY.

SO WE ARE UNDER RECONSIDERATION, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE.

UM, MS. WHERE JACKSON MADE THE MOTION AND MR. SECOND, DID IT PLEASE VOTE MOTION? I THINK YOU NEED TO TAKE COMMENT FROM THE BOARD IN THE PUBLIC.

THIS IS A NEW, THIS IS A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE MATTER.

SO IT WAS A MOTION TO CONSIDER THE SAME MOTION.

WE HAVE NOW TO ITEM I FOR CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO HIRE DATA CENTER AS CONSULTANTS FOR REAPPORTIONMENT REDISTRICTING SERVICES FOR THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, WE HAVE A MOTION I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, CHOOSE STRATEGIC DEMOGRAPHICS FOR THE REAPPORTIONMENT SERVICES.

IS THAT NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING? AND WE'VE TAKEN DEBATE BOTH FROM THE BOARD AND FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THIS MOTION.

SO NO COMMENT IN THE COMMENT.

UM, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES.

NOW

[I4. Reapportionment/Redistricting Consultant]

IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION, MR. GODADDY? UM, I SEE MR. BULL YOU'RE THAT WAS TO MAKE THE MOTION.

UH, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION BY MANAGEMENT WAS TO, UH, FOR THE DATA CENTER.

UM, I LOOKED AT ALL OF THE PROPOSALS SINCE THEY WERE SCORED VERY CLOSELY BY THE REVIEW COMMITTEE.

AND, UM, ANYWAY, WHAT STOOD OUT ABOUT, UH, ABOUT STRATEGIC WAS THAT, UH, THEY WERE THE SAME FIRM THAT, THAT, UH, CONDUCTED THE, UH, SERVICES LAST, LAST GO ROUND.

SO THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR DISTRICT.

UH, IT'S A LOCAL AND ALSO A PERSON WHO'S FAMILIAR WITH THE, UH, THAT HAS DONE THE LEGISLATIVE REAPPORTIONMENT, UH, BEFORE.

SO, UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF STRENGTHS TO HAVING, HAVING SOMEBODY WHO HAS EXPERIENCE IN THIS DISTRICT, UH, DOING IT.

SO THANK YOU, MR. BALLOU.

UM, MR. HOWARD, THANK YOU, MR. BALLOU FOR THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

I JUST WANTED TO GET A POINT OF CLARITY FROM THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, UM, JUST AS A DUE DILIGENCE, UM, BECAUSE

[03:40:01]

TYPICALLY WHEN THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE TYPICALLY GO WITH THE RECOMMENDATION.

SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF FROM SOMEONE WHO'S PRESENT ON THE SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER AS WE, YOU KNOW, GO AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS MADE BY THE SELECTION COMMITTEE.

ANYBODY ELSE IS THERE MR. WILLIAMS HERE? NO, NO, NO.

I DON'T THINK MS. WILLIAMS IS HERE.

I THINK HE'S LEFT.

AND HAVING A COMMENTS.

YEAH, NO, THIS IS AN RFP ON A, UH, FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

AND SO THE BOARD CAN GO AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE, UM, THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, UM, WITH THE RIGHT MOTION.

UM, WE HAD A COMMITTEE OF FIVE WHO CONSIDERED THIS.

THEY LOOKED AT THE, AT EACH APPLICANT.

UH, THE APPLICANTS WERE VERY CLOSE IN SCORING.

UM, IF I CAN'T SPEAK BECAUSE I DIDN'T SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR A COMMITTEE MEMBER, BUT THE PROCESS WAS RESPECTED, BUT THE BOARD DOES HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, UM, AND IF THE MOTION IS TO GO WITH ANOTHER, UM, APPLICANT THAT'S APPROPRIATE.

YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT'S JUST NOT A TYPICAL PRACTICE AND NOT WANTING TO HAVE LIKE A CONSISTENT, UM, THROUGHOUT THE, THE PROCESS HAS MEANT I'VE SPOKEN MR. TABIN ABOUT, BUT I JUST WANT IT TO ALSO BE CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE PREVIOUSLY WE ALWAYS GO WITH RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE TOUCHED THEM AND DO THROUGHOUT THE RFP PROCESS.

SO TO CHANGE IT NOW CAUSES A RED FLAG AND CONCERN.

SO THAT'S WHY I WOULD'VE HAVE LIKED SOMEONE FROM THAT TEAM TO ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS IS HOW WE CAME ABOUT THIS DECISION, BECAUSE IT SEEMS VERY SKETCHY TO THE PUBLIC FOR US TO JUST CHANGE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME CLARITY FOR THE SAKE OF THAT.

SURE.

THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD, MS. DYSON.

UM, SO I'VE HAD A LOT OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE, THIS PROCESS BECAUSE WE HAD TO, UM, DO THIS, NOT JUST AT THE TEN-YEAR POINTS SINCE THIS POINT, BUT ALSO EVERY TIME THERE WAS A CREATION OF A NEW SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SO WE HAD TO DO IT.

I DID IT WITH ALL THREE OF THOSE, UH, CENTRAL BAKER AND ZACHARY ALONG WITH THE 10 YEAR CENSUS.

UM, AND I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN USING THE LOCAL PEOPLE WHO KNOW OUR DISTRICT LIVE IN OUR DISTRICT.

UM, AND I DID NOTICE HOW CLOSE THEY WERE.

I DID LOOK BACK THROUGH IT AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT WAS WEIGHTED INTO THE, UM, TO THE SCORING.

UM, WELL ENOUGH.

AND SO, UM, I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UM, AND I WOULD REMIND THAT WE, WE, WE HAVE, WE DO OCCASIONALLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMETHING IS THIS CLOSE, WE DO HAVE THE LATITUDE TO LOOK AT IT ON, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT LEVEL THAN HAVING SAT THERE AND CONSIDER SOME OTHER THINGS.

AND, UM, WE JUST RECENTLY DID THAT, I THINK WITH THE CHARTER, UH, RECOMMENDATION FOR DENIAL, AND THEN WE APPROVED, UM, A CHARTER.

SO, I MEAN, WE, WE DO SOMETIMES HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS ALL ON OUR OWN.

UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A, UH, MOTION, A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO CONTRACT WITH STRATEGIC DEMOGRAPHICS.

THAT IS THE MOTION.

OH, YOU MADE THE MOTION TOO.

OH, OKAY.

AND WE HAVE A SECOND.

HEY, SECOND.

GOOD.

DEMOGRAPHER FOR THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.

YOU GOOD? YOU GOOD, MR. EDISON, YOU STILL HAVE BEFORE THE SECOND DID THAT.

I'M SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.

WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE.

ANY MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WISH TO COMMENT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

THIS IS THE ONE ITEM THAT I CAME HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT IT.

IF YOU INTENDED TO USE THE GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE CALLED FOR AN RFP.

FURTHERMORE, DR.

HIS CURRENT COMPANY DIDN'T EXIST IN 2014 OR 2010.

ALTHOUGH TWO OF THE PRINCIPLES ARE THE SAME.

THERE IS A HUGE ETHICAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST GAP WITH THE POSSIBILITY THAT YOU WOULD EVEN CONSIDER HIRING A FIRM WHOSE OWNER IS THE

[03:45:01]

THAT MEANS THE ONE PERSON THAT WHO COULD BE AN EXPERT ARBITER WHEN YOUR CONSULTANT SCREWS UP LIKE THEY DID IN 2014, YOU CAN'T GO TO HIM FOR AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION BECAUSE HE'S THE COMPANY THAT SCREWED UP NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH DANNY GARRETT AND HIS WORK, NONE OF THE NUMBERS THAT HE PRESENTED IN 2014, I COULD REPRODUCE ANYWHERE.

I WAS ABLE TO GET PERFECT AGREEMENT.

WHEN I TRIED TO REPRODUCE THE METRO COUNCILS DISTRICTS BASED ON POPULATION DATA THAT WAS READILY AVAILABLE.

THAT PLAN MADE SENSE, NOTHING THAT, UM, MR. GARRETT AND DR.

BLAIR PRODUCED IN 2014 WAS EVEN SLIGHTLY REPRODUCIBLE.

FURTHERMORE, THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE DISTRICT, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BOUNDARIES, CORRECT.

HIS WORK WAS SO BAD.

YOU GOT SUED.

IF YOU DON'T INTEND TO HONOR THE PROCESS OF RFQ USE, JUST ADMIT THAT YOU'RE GOING WITH THE GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM, PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS, ALL WE DO NOT SCREW THIS ONE UP, DO NOT GIVE THIS WORK TO DR.

BLAIR AND MR. GARRETT.

UM, I SAW RELATIVE MERITS BETWEEN THE OTHER TWO.

UH, MR. HEFLIN HAS DONE WORK FOR YOU MORE RECENTLY THAN DR.

BLAIR AND MR. GARRETT.

UM, BUT THE, THE, UH, KEN ARE COMPANIES IN PERFECTLY WELL QUALIFIED AND THEY WON WITH THE SYSTEM YOU SET UP.

SO PLEASE PICK ONE OF THOSE.

DO NOT PICK THE ONE THAT IS PROPOSED IN THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.

THAT'S GUARANTEED TO NOT END WELL, THANK YOU.

PENNY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE YES.

I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY WISE OF, OF THE BOARD SINCE WE SAID THAT THEIR POINTS WERE SO CLOSE, THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE ENTITIES TO ACTUALLY PRODUCE US WITH A PRESENTATION.

SO THAT WAY THEY CAN, THE PUBLIC, AS WELL AS THE BOARD GET ACTUALLY ASKED THEM QUESTIONS HAS, OR THE POINTS THAT DR.

FINNEY HAS STATED ARE FACTUAL.

AND THEY'RE DEFINITELY ON TIME NOT TO SCREW UP ANYTHING, DEALING WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

MY DAD HAD ENOUGH, AND RIGHT NOW, WHEN IT, THE THING THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IS LEARN FROM AN APRI FROM THE MISTAKES WE'VE HAD, WE'VE MADE AND THAT IT, SO LAST TIME WE MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE.

LAST PR LESBIAN IS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE WITH THE PUBLIC AND HAVE THOSE ENTITIES ACTUALLY PRESENT PRESENTATIONS SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN ACTUALLY GIVE INPUT JUST SO I CAN GO ON RIGHT NOW.

SO THE BOARD AND THE BOARD CAN ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

THAT IS HOW WE HAVE TRANSPARENCY, BUT IT'S ALSO HOW WE HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY.

WE, WE CONTINUE TO LAG AND TO FAIL OUR CHILDREN WHEN WE DO NOT IMPLEMENT THE TWO.

SO LET'S LEAD BY EXAMPLE.