[A. Meeting Opening]
[00:05:33]
[00:05:33]
OF THE WEBPAGE.IT DROPS DOWN TO BOARD MEMBERS.
IF YOU CLICK ON BOARD NUMBERS, JUST ABOVE THE PICTURES OF OUR BEAUTIFUL BOARD MEMBERS, AS A SECTION ENTITLED MEETING NOTICES AND INSTRUCTION, AND A CLICK HERE LINK, AND THAT WILL OPEN YOU UP TO SEE THE CURRENT COMMENTS FOR ANY ITEMS THAT ARE UP FOR VOTE TONIGHT AND GOING FORWARD, ANY BOARD MEETINGS, UM, THAT, THAT ARE ACTIVE.
SO I'M JUST WANTING TO KIND OF REMIND YOU OF THAT.
WE'LL ALSO WORK WITH THE IT DEPARTMENT TO MAYBE PUBLISH SOME SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO ACCESS PUBLIC COMMENTS AFTER THE MEETING FOR MEETINGS GOING FORWARD TO MAKE IT EASY.
WOULD YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET? YES, YES, SIR.
UM, ORIGINALLY, UH, THE BOARD HAD SCHEDULED FOR THE NIGHT CONSIDERATION OF THE ADOPTION OF A BUDGET, AS WELL AS A PUBLIC HEARING, AS YOU KNOW ABOUT LAW.
UH, THE BOARD IS REQUIRED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON ANY ANNUAL BUDGET ADOPTED AND ALSO, UM, TO FORMALLY ADOPT THAT BUDGET BY MAJORITY OF BOTH OF THE BOARD.
UM, FOLLOWING FEEDBACK FROM BOARD MEMBERS AND CONSTITUENTS REGARDING THE INCLUSION OF ESSA BUDGETS IN THE SPECIAL REVENUE BUDGET, UH, WE DECIDED TO DELAY ADOPTION AND ALSO THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ALLOW FOR APPROPRIATE PUBLIC NOTICE.
AND SO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, INCLUDING THE SPECIAL REVENUE BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDES THE SOP AT THE REVISED AS A BUDGETS WILL HAPPEN JULY 14TH.
UM, AND FOLLOWING THAT PUBLIC HEARING WE'LL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TO ADOPT THE BUDGET AND THEN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING.
SO THESE, THIS WAS ALL HAPPENED JULY 14TH.
SO IT GIVES US TIME TO, TO APPROPRIATELY AND LEGALLY PUBLISH PUBLICLY NOTICE THAT PUBLIC HEARING AND MEETING, UM, AND THEN GIVE THE, UH, THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH BOARD MEMBERS, BED BUDGET APPROPRIATELY, AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL TONIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, WE'LL MOVE NOW TO
[B. Minutes]
ITEM B ONE APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES OF THE JUNE 16TH, 2022 REGULAR BOARD MEETING JUNE 9TH, 2022 SPECIAL BOARD MEETING AND THE JUNE 2ND, 2022 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MR.
UM, SEEING NO COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS ON THE MINUTES, UH, WE, UH, GO TO THE AUDIENCE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THE MINUTES,
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE BOAT.
IF WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL, WE CAN DO IT.
SO EVERYBODY
WELL, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
[C1. Monthly Financial Report]
ONLY ITEMS C1, MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT C TWO PERSONNEL CHANGES AND C3 PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST MONTHLY REPORT C MS. SQUARED JACKSON.I WANTED TO, UM, JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS, MONTHLY REPORT.
UH, THERE WERE A FEW, TWO OR THREE, UH, PEOPLE WHO, UH, MENTIONED THAT THEIR, THEIR RECORDS HAD, IT WAS MARKED COMPLETE, BUT WASN'T, AND I KNOW MR. SHAMBLIN, YOU SENT ME AN EMAIL REGARDING ONE OF THEM.
AND IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, MR. SHANNON, WOULD YOU JUST KIND OF REVIEWED WHAT IS ACTUALLY A YES, YES.
AND JUST LET US KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH THOSE PLEASE.
AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THEIR, THEIR REQUEST HAS BEEN FULFILLED, WE CAN ANSWER THAT,
[00:10:01]
YOU KNOW, OFFSITE AFTER THE MEETING, BUT, UM, THERE'S SOMETIMES SOME CONFUSION WHEN A PERSON OR A CONSTITUENT REQUEST A PUBLIC RECORD, THE DISTRICT IS OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE THAT RECORD TO THAT PERSON WITHIN A THREE-DAY PERIOD.UM, IF THE RECORD DOES NOT EXIST, OFTENTIMES WE WILL PRODUCE WHATEVER THE REQUEST IS, BUT IT MAY TAKE US A LITTLE LONGER THAN THREE DAYS.
AND SO I'M NOT CERTAIN, UM, WHAT THE CLAIM IS ABOUT WHAT WASN'T FILLED, BUT WE'LL INVESTIGATE LOOK INTO IT AND PROVIDE SOME RESPONSE TO THOSE PERSONS.
I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION SOMETIMES, UH, WHEN PEOPLE ASK FOR THE FORMATION OF A REPORT THAT DOESN'T EXIST, THAT'S TECHNICALLY NOT A RECORD, BUT WE DO PROVIDE AS A COURTESY THAT INFORMATION TO PERSONS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN GET IT TO THEM, UM, WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT AND WILL REACH OUT TO ANYONE WHO HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR HAS A QUESTION ABOUT MAYBE WHY THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE A REQUEST.
IT MAY BE BECAUSE IT WASN'T A PUBLIC RECORD THAT DOESN'T EXIST.
I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS RESPONDED TO.
AND IT'S WHERE JACKSON SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD OR COMMENTS.
[D1. Update from Superintendent]
UM, UPDATE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DARCY'S, UH, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT OF AND, UH, SUPER EXCITED BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN THE SUMMER.UH, AS MANY OF, YOU KNOW, WE'VE PUT A LOT OF SUMMER PROGRAMS, SO SUMMER'S IN FULL SWING AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE MANY EDUCATIONAL, FUN AND ENRICHING ACTIVITIES HAPPENING IN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UH, OUR WEBSITE EBR WWI, EBR SCHOOLS.ORG BACK SLASH SUMMER, UH, HAS COMPLETE LISTINGS OF ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.
AND AS SUMMER READING LISTS AND MATH LEARNING RESOURCES FOR ALL GRADES, UH, WE'VE BEEN SENDING IT OUT TO MANY PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT ALSO ON THE SITE OR THE SUMMER MEAL SITE LOCATIONS, WHERE CHILDREN AGES ZERO TO 18 AND EAT FOR FREE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS.
SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE, PLEASE GO OUT TO OUR WEBSITE, UH, TO, UH, LOOK FOR THAT.
AND, UH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY HAVE CHILDREN READING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, BUT ALSO THAT WE'RE FEEDING, UH, CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, UH, SUMMER CAMPS, UM, OUR SUMMER CAMPS AND RICHMOND PROGRAMS ARE PROGRESSING WELL.
I WANTED TO SHARE SOME QUICK PHOTOS OF SOME OF THE PROGRAMS I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT, UH, AND I'LL BE VISITING ADDITIONAL SITES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
UH, YOU'LL SEE PICTURES FROM SCITECH WHERE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE LEARNING CPR AND OTHER HEALTH, MEDICAL, UH, INDUSTRY, UH, UH, THINGS THEY'RE ALSO GETTING A STIPEND FOR THAT AS WELL.
SO, UH, WHICH WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS GETTING INTERNSHIPS, PAID FOR STUDENTS TO WORK IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.
UH, AS WE'RE DOING OUR SUMMER WORK EXPERIENCE, WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE ABOUT 500 STUDENTS IN THAT PROGRAM.
ALSO STUDENTS AT BARNARD TERRORISTS AND RIVER OAKS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.
UH, YOU SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT IN THE PICTURES.
WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT, UH, THE KIDS DOING THAT WORK AS WELL.
LAST WEEK, LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE HOST SITE FOR THE LOUISIANA SCHOOL SAFETY SUMMIT.
I WAS JOINED BY THE LOUISIANA SUPERINTENDENT EDUCATION, DR.
KAY, BRUMLEY WELCOME OFFICIALS FROM AROUND THE STATE AS THEY LEARN BEST PRACTICE TO REMAIN SAFE, UH, IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS FROM THE STATE POLICE WAS THERE AND OTHER OFFICIALS WHERE THEY HAD BREAKOUT SESSIONS, UH, TO KEEP SCHOOLS SAFE, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, OUR BUILDINGS ARE SAFE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITIES ON LEARNING.
UH, WE CAN BE PROACTIVE VERSUS REACTIVE IN A LOT OF OUR WORK, UH, EARLIER TODAY, UH, UM, WE HONORED OUR 2021, 2022 RETIREES AT A CELEBRATION THAT WAS HELD AT GLEN OAKS HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, THERE WAS, UM, THE THEME WAS NEW HORIZON.
UH, I'D LIKE TO PUBLICLY THANK OUR RETIREES FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND WISH THEM MUCH SUCCESS IN THE NEW CHAPTERS OF THEIR LIVES.
OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS MADE BETTER BY THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO SERVE WITH SUCH PASSION.
LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND, BUT WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO OUR SYSTEM.
AND I KNOW, UH, UH, IT IS, UH, IT'S MY SUPERINTENDENT PORTRAIT.
YOU WERE THERE TODAY TO TALK TO THEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT YEAH, JUST THAT, UM, I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING I WANTED TO THANK, UH, MS. HALL AND, UH, MS. WILLIAMS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID.
YOU ALL WORKED HARD AT WHERE YOU COULD TELL AND THE RETIREES WERE REALLY, THEY SEEM TO REALLY ENJOY IT AND IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T ALWAYS DONE.
UH, BUT IT'S SOMETHING I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GIVEN A LARGE PART OF THEIR LIFESTYLE, ABSOLUTELY.
AND SO THANK YOU ALL, EVERYBODY WHO PUT IT ON AND CONGRATULATIONS
[00:15:01]
TO ALL THOSE RETIREES WHO DON'T HAVE TO COME TO WORK, LET'S GET MAN.UM, EACH YEAR MAGNET SCHOOLS OF AMERICA RECOGNIZES THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A HUNDRED HUNDREDS OF SCHOOLS BASED ON THEIR EXEMPLARY COMMITMENT, UH, TO ACADEMIC STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, INNOVATION, DIVERSITY EFFORTS, UH, SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION AND PARENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND OUR DIS DESIGNATED AS SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE OR SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION, UH, EBR S A S EBR HAD SEVERAL SCHOOLS AWARDED FOR THIS DESIGNATION, INCLUDING, UH, FOR MAGNET SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION, UH, BELFAIR HIGH, UH, BRC, VPA, MAYFAIR, LAB, MCKINLEY, MIDDLE AND WOODLAWN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND FOR THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE.
WE ALSO HAD MAGNET SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE, UH, THAT WERE RECOGNIZED.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE RECOGNIZE THEM EARLIER WAS A, THE DUKE ROCK SCHOOL, WESTDALE HEIGHTS, ACADEMIC MAGNET, AND BATON ROUGE HIGH.
IN ADDITION, WE HAD MARIA, UH, GIL DELGADO FROM BATON ROUGE, FOREIGN LANGUAGE, EMERGENT MAGNET, UH, WHO WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY MSA FOR THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR REGION FIVE, WHICH INCLUDES TEXAS, LOUISIANA, COLORADO, MISSISSIPPI, NEW MEXICO, ARKANSAS, AND OKLAHOMA.
UH, LET'S GIVE MARIA A HAND AS WELL, UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE.
AS MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW, WE ARE, UH, HAVE OPENED UP WHAT WE CALL OUR FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS.
THESE ARE SCHOOLS THAT ARE FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON AN INDUSTRY TO BUILD A, I'M WANTING TO GIVE, UH, AN UPDATE ON THOSE SCHOOLS.
UH, SINCE WE'VE GONE, UM, WORKING TO BUILD THIS PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO OF SCHOOLS, UH, THAT SITS UNDER OUR INNOVATION, UH, SCHOOL DEPARTMENT, OUR TWO FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS, WHICH IS PARK ELEMENTARY AND EVIL, A GUARD ARE DOING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.
THE IN PARK'S FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION, THE GOAL WAS TO RETAIN THE CURRENT STAFFING MODEL, AS WELL AS ADD A SIXTH GRADE COHORT.
UM, AS MANY OF, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD VOTED TO MOVE THAT SCHOOL TO A PRE-K EIGHT MODEL, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS WERE HELD AT PARC ADDRESSING QUESTIONS SURROUNDING THE MODEL.
AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF FAMILIES CHOSE TO STAY IN ENROLLED AT PARK ELEMENTARY.
UH, AND THEY'LL MATRICULATE TO THE NEXT GRADE.
ENROLLMENT PARK HAS INCREASED, UH, FROM 2 72 TO 313, AND THERE'S STILL MORE GOING INTO THEM.
AND THE SCHOOL HAS A TOTAL CAPACITY OF 400 STUDENTS.
SO WE'RE GLAD TO SEE THAT PROGRESS.
AND THERE IS NOW A WAITING LIST AT THE EVAL AND GUARD SCHOOL, AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE PARTNERSHIP SCHOOL WITH THE LSU WATER INSTITUTE, WHERE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING THERE WILL, UH, WHEN THEY GRADUATE WILL NOT QUALIFY AUTOMATICALLY RIGHT INTO LSU, UH, WALKING IN WITH, UH, UM, ALMOST 19 CREDITS, UH, WHEN THEY COMPLETE THEIR SENIOR YEAR TO GO RIGHT INTO LSU.
UH, SO THE GOAL WAS TO ENROLL 50 STUDENTS STARTING WITH THE SIXTH GRADE THIS YEAR, AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE LSU FACULTY.
AND, UH, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT DUE TO THE TARGETING RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, BY THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND THE INTEREST, AND EVEN THE GUARD NOW THAT SCHOOL IS NOT ONLY FULL, BUT IT HAS A WAITING LIST.
SO, AND WE ONLY HAD THE SIXTH GRADE OPEN.
SO, UH, RIGHT NOW, UM, THE ENROLLMENT, WHICH WAS 50, WE HAVE ALL THE WAITING, UM, ANOTHER EXTRA 20 FAMILIES THAT ACTUALLY WANT TO GET IN, BUT WE ARE KIND OF WORKING THROUGH THAT, BUT, UH, THEY WANT IT TO OPEN UP MORE GRADES, BUT, UH, WE TOLD THEM SIXTH GRADE FOR THIS YEAR, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO BUILD NEXT YEAR, BUT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE, UH, WITH THAT.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO CONTINUE TO UPDATE AS YOU CONTINUE TO BUILD IN OUR SCHOOLS AND, UM, PRESENT TIME.
DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS WHERE JUDGE? YES, SIR.
CAN YOU TELL US IF THERE'S BEEN ANY ADJUSTMENTS IN THE MODEL OR, UH, ANY OF THOSE SCHOOLS? UH, YES.
SO AS WE LOOKED INTO OUR MODEL AND I CAN HAVE, UM, UH, MS. PORTER THREE SUPPORTERS, OUR INNOVATION, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INNOVATION SCHOOLS, UH, CAN COME UP AND SHARE WITH YOU, UH, JUST THE QUALIFICATIONS.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND, UH, WHO QUALIFIES WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
UH, I'LL REMIND FOLKS AS MS. PORTER WALKS UP AS MANY OF, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, FOCUSED CHOICE SCHOOLS OR SCHOOL WHERE CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO GET INTO THE SCHOOL.
IT HAS THIS INDEPENDENT STEERING COMMITTEE, WHICH INCLUDES THE INDUSTRY PARTNER, UH, UH, EBR SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, TO HELP, UH, GOVERN SOME DECISIONS AROUND WITH THEIR STAFFING SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS, UH, IN THAT PROCESS.
[00:20:01]
UH, AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS THERE IS A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOLS.I KNOW PEOPLE TALK ABOUT GPA, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE SCHOOLS DECIDE AND I'LL LET MS. PORTER EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ELEMENTARY MODEL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL.
DARCY AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
SO AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, WHICH HAS ONLY PORQUE ELLA, MARY, UM, THERE IS, UM, GRACE PRE-K THROUGH FIFTH GRADE THERE, UM, IS THERE WAS A RETENTION REQUIREMENT INITIALLY, BUT NOW BECAUSE OF, UM, A POLICY THAT LET ME BACK UP, I'M SORRY.
SO MAGNET SCHOOLS IS A SPECIALIZED PROGRAM AND THERE'S A BOARD POLICY THAT WAS PASSED MAYBE 10, 15 YEARS AGO.
AND IT TALKS ABOUT MAGNET AND SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS. WELL, FOCUS CHOICE IS TECHNICALLY, IS SPECIALIZED.
THEREFORE WE ARE LOOKING INTO WHETHER WE CAN USE RETENTION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
NOW FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, THERE IS RETURN TO REQUIREMENTS, BUT IT IS BASED ON THE GOVERNING MODEL OR RATHER THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND WHO COME, OR WHAT MEMBERS COMPRESS THE STEERING COMMITTEE, HOW ALL OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER AND FINALIZED FOR THOSE TWO SCHOOLS.
YES, THEY HAVE IN FACT, PARK ELEMENTARY, A PARK MEDICAL ACADEMY, THE STEERING COMMITTEE MET TODAY.
SO IT IS COMPRISED OF BATTERIES, GENERAL, UM, MEMBERS OF EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND ALSO, UM, SOME COMMUNITY PARTNERS, OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND YOU MENTIONED A POLICY THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR A FEW YEARS.
COULD YOU TALK TO MS WHERE JACKSON? UM, THE POLICY I WAS REFERRING TO HAS BEEN IN PLACE, I THINK SINCE 2014, AND BASICALLY IT FOCUSES ON ELEMENTARY FOR MAGNET STUDENTS.
IT'S A LONG FORGOTTEN POLICY BECAUSE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, IT'S SO LONG AGO, BUT THE KEY POINT HERE IS THAT, UM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL REMAIN IN SCHOOL.
AND SO TO THAT POINT, WE, UM, WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT MR. SHAMBLIN IS LOOKING INTO THAT FOR, UM, AND, AND WHAT THAT POLICY SAYS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE GENERAL COUNSEL THAT I'M QUOTED CORRECTLY AS IF A STUDENT IS NOT PROMOTED TO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL, UM, OR THEY, THEY FAIL AS IT MATH AND ENGLISH, I BELIEVE.
UH, THERE'S A SHIFT ON THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR A GENERAL COUNSELOR FOR YOU TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT BEST THE POLICY OF, I THINK, WHAT MS. WADE JACKSON IS GETTING AT, UH, IF YOU, I MEAN, I'M, I'M, UH, THE GPA, THE GPA REQUIREMENTS.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS THAT EVENTUALLY THE BOY WILL HAVE TO MAKE A FINAL CONSIDERATION ABOUT THE ACTUAL ADMISSION AND REMAIN RETAINING REQUIREMENTS AT THE SCHOOL.
DARCY'S IS LOOKING AT THE STRUCTURE OF THE SCHOOL AND HE CAN SPEAK TO THE GOVERNANCE BECAUSE I THINK THIS WAS HIS DESIGN IS THERE'LL BE A, UH, COMMITTEE, UM, THAT WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT THOSE FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE SCHOOL.
AND THEN THAT COMES TO THE BOARD FOR FINAL APPROVAL, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND SO WHAT MS PORTER'S REFERRING TO IS, UM, THE COMMITTEE DOING THE WORK OF DETERMINING WHAT THOSE STANDARDS ARE GOING TO BE.
THEY MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.
THIS IS VIA THE MOU THAT THE BOARD APPROVED SOMETIME BACK, I THINK WHEN WE CREATED THEM, WE'LL USE BACK IN JANUARY.
UM, AND THEN THAT WILL COME TO YOU GUYS FOR FINAL APPROVAL VIA THE SUPERINTENDENTS RECOMMENDATION.
UM, WHAT I'M ASKING IS WHAT DOES THE POLICY REFER TO THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF WHEN IT COMES TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND GPA, MISS PORTER'S? YEAH.
MS. PORTLAND'S REFERRING, I BELIEVE TO THE MAGNET PROTOCOL, THAT'S INTERNAL TO HER OFFICE.
IT'S NOT IN DISTRICT POLICY, IT'S ACTUALLY A MAGNET PROGRAM.
SO EACH SCHOOL WILL HAVE HIS SEPARATE RETENTION REQUIREMENT, BUT THIS IS BASED ON THAT GOVERNING COMMITTEE.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY, UM, IF WE WOULD TAKE EVAL A GORE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THOSE STUDENTS ARE MATRICULATING INTO LSU.
IF THE GRADE POINT AVERAGE, ONCE THEY ARE SENIORS IS 3.0, TO GET INTO A PARTICULAR COLLEGE BASED ON THAT PATHWAY, THEN THAT IS THE REASON WHY THE STEERING COMMITTEE CHOOSE THAT GRADE POINT.
AVERAGE HAS A RETENTION REQUIREMENT, BUT THERE IS NO ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS INTO ANY OF THOSE SCHOOLS, BUT RETENTION, RICARD REQUIREMENTS MAY BE BASED ON GPA, BUT IS IT, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
UM, I'M HEARING FROM A DOCTOR IN OUR CSUN
[00:25:01]
AND, UM, ANALYSTS THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL.AND I, WHAT I WANT TO GET CLEAR IS WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE BETWEEN THE ELEMENTARY AND THE HIGH SCHOOL, WHEN IT COMES TO GPA REQUIREMENTS, ACCORDING TO OUR POLICY, THAT'S IN PLACE NOW.
SO IF WE REFLECTED ON THE POLICY FOR MAGNET AND SPECIALIZED SCHOOLS, THEN THE RETENTION REQUIREMENT WOULD BE IF THE STUDENT THAT NOT MATRICULATE TO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL, THEN HE, OR SHE WOULD NOT BE IN THAT SCHOOL ANYMORE.
BUT WE DO NOT AVERAGE THEIR GRADE POINT AVERAGE TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A RETENTION.
SO ONLY IF THEY DON'T MATRICULATE.
SO THERE'S NO GPA REQUIREMENT TO, OR THRESHOLD THAT THEY MUST OBTAIN OR KEEP IN ORDER TO STAY IN THE PROGRAM AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS OF THIS MOMENT.
BUT AS FAR AS HIGH SCHOOL GOES, THERE MAY BE, THERE IS, THERE IS THAT THERE'S NO DOUBT.
AND IT'S IN ALL OF THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAMS. CORRECT.
SO THE MODELS THAT WE HAVE ARE BASED ON WHAT THE STEERING COMMITTEE HAS DEVELOPED AS OF THIS POINT, EVIL A GOURD IS OUR, BASICALLY OUR HIGH SCHOOL OR A SECONDARY VERSION.
AND SO THAT GRADE POINT AVERAGE IS 2.8 TO 3.0.
IT DEPENDS ON THE PATHWAY OF WHAT, WHERE THE STUDENT OF WHETHER, WHAT AREA THEY'RE GOING INTO.
SO THERE'S MORE THAN ONE AT, AT THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL, WHAT THE EVIL FOR EVIL LITTLE GOURD.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING INTO COSA STUDIES, I DO BELIEVE IT'S 3.0.
AND IF THEY DECIDE THAT IF THEY DECIDE THAT THEY WANT TO GO INTO ANOTHER PATHWAY, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE LOWER THRESHOLD COMES IN AT.
SO THERE ARE OTHER PATHWAYS IN THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL.
SO IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, ARE YOU, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT EVA? YEAH.
SO LET ME, LET ME, LET ME MAKE SURE I GET SOME CLARITY.
THE SCHOOL IS THE WATER INSTITUTE SCHOOL, RIGHT WITHIN THE PROGRAM THAT THE WATER INSTITUTE AT LSU, AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR, FOR FOLKS WHO GO INTO DIFFERENT PATHWAYS.
SO THEIR COMMITTEE, WHICH COMPRISES OF THE LSU STAFF, ABR SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEY DECIDED ON WHAT THOSE, UH, GPA'S ARE, DEPENDING ON THE PATHWAY OF WHAT I GUESS, STUDIES, I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THE CHILD WANTS TO GO TEND TO AT LSU.
BUT THERE'S ONE PATHWAY, RIGHT? WATER.
WE TALKING ABOUT THE WATERCOLORS.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY PATHWAY, RIGHT? UNLESS THERE ARE SUB PATHWAYS UNDER THAT.
I DON'T MEAN TO GET IN THE WEEDS WITH IT.
BUT SO THE WATER COASTAL SCHOOL HAS DIFFERENT MAJORS AS ALL DIFFERENT CONTEXTS.
AND WE COULD HAVE THE LSU FACULTY COMBINED EXPLAIN TO YOU, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT MAJORS AND DIFFERENT PIECES WITHIN THAT, WHICH HAVE DIFFERENT SETS OF REQUIREMENTS.
SO THEIR WORK WAS TO WANT TO ALIGN IT CLOSE TO THAT.
SO, BUT BASICALLY IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.
THANK YOU, MS. SQUARE JACKSON, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, INTEREST REQUIREMENT, BUT A RETENTION REQUIREMENT OF AT LEAST A 2.8 AT THE WATER CAMPUS, WHICH IS HIGHER THEN OUR MAGNET PROGRAMS AND THE, I, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS OF BOARD MEMBERS WAS THAT AT LEAST AS IT RELATED TO MAGNET PROGRAMMING, SOME PEOPLE HAD THE CONCERN THAT THAT WAS A BIT ELITIST.
IT FURTHER SEGREGATES THE ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL FROM THE STRUGGLING.
AND SO THEN I JUST FIND IT ODD.
THEY, WE WILL, IN ESSENCE, CREATE A, EVEN MORE ELITIST CAMP WAS CAUSE SAYING THE INTEREST REQUIREMENT DOESN'T EXIST, BUT THE RETENTION REQUIRED AT A HIGHER THRESHOLD EXISTS.
[00:30:01]
RETENTION BASED ON STEERING COMMITTEE.HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT PLEASE.
SO EACH, EACH, UM, FOCUSED CHOICE SCHOOL IS BASED ON A, SORRY, LET ME CORRECT MYSELF AND GET SOME CLARITY BECAUSE I'M REALIZING THAT I DON'T THINK I'M REALLY CLEAR ON THE, UNLESS THEY FAIL THE GREAT, THEN THE GPA DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THAT WHAT YOU EXPLAINED TO NOT FOR SECONDARY, BECAUSE THE WATER INSTITUTE, WHICH I THAT'S, WHAT YOU'RE,
AND SO THAT IS A MATTER OF, OF EARNING UNITS.
UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT GRADE LEVEL YOU'RE IN, WHAT GRADE LEVEL YOU WERE IN.
SO FOR CLARITY, THERE'S A RETENTION GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF AT MINIMUM 2.8, BUT THAT DOESN'T COME INTO PLAY UNTIL THE CHILD FAILS.
WHAT WAS IT THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT I'M APPARENTLY GETTING MIXED UP? WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO THEN BACK TO MY OTHER QUESTION, RETENTION, BASED ON A RETENTION POLICY OR RETENTION GUIDELINES, BASED ON THE STEERING COMMITTEES, EACH FOLK, EACH FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL, THE COMMITTEE DETERMINES WHAT THAT GRADE POINT AVERAGE IS.
AND SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S ONE SCHOOL THAT I AM WORKING ON THE GRADE POINT, AVERAGE RETENTION IS 2.5.
SO IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THAT PATHWAY.
AND, AND WHEN I ASKED THIS QUESTION, I'M NOT PICKING ON YOU, I'M GETTING A POINT OF CLARITY.
MS. PORTER IS USING THE TERM OR PHRASE STEERING COMMITTEE DECIDES, BUT ISN'T THAT A MATTER OF BOARD POWER.
SO, SO WE HAVE A POLICY I D D H MAGNET SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS THAT TALKS ABOUT RETENTION, HOW WE HANDLE RETENTION, HOW WE HANDLE, UM, UH, NOT JUST RETENTION, BUT ADMISSION AS WELL.
SHOULD THAT BE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS? THE BOARD RECOGNIZES ALL OF THOSE SPECIFICATIONS AND THE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN WHEN IT'S ADOPTED.
AND SO WHAT NORMALLY WILL HAPPEN IS, AND THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS.
THE STEERING COMMITTEE, AS, AS DESIGNED IN THE MOU WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO DR.
NORTH SEES THAT THIS IS WHAT WE BELIEVE THAT THE GPA SHOULD BE FOR RETENTION.
HE'LL BRING THAT TO THE BOARD.
THE BOARD WILL REALIZE THAT THROUGH ENACTING THE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN, WHICH IS ACTUALLY YOUR POLICY FOR THINGS LIKE PROGRESSION, RETENTION, ADMISSION, NOT JUST FOR REGULAR PROGRAMS, BUT MAGNETS, GIFTED, SPECIAL PROGRAMS, PROGRAMS LIKE THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS, ALL OF THAT WOULD BE REALIZED THROUGH THE POOP PROGRESSION PLAN AND ITS ADOPTION.
AND SO THAT HAPPENS NORMALLY JULY, AUGUST A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD FIRST COME FROM THE COMMITTEE VIA THE MOU TO DR.
NAZIS WHO WOULD THEN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD TO THEN VOTE AND APPROVE IT.
AND SO AGAIN, I POINTED OUT NOT TO PICK ON, AS I'VE STATED BEFORE, WHETHER PEOPLE AT THE MIGHT GET IT ON THAT AND ROLL THEIR EYES AT ME.
WHEN I ASK THESE QUESTIONS, I AIN'T PICKING, I'M NOT PICKING AT THE PEOPLE ON THE MIC.
BUT I RAISED THAT PARTICULAR POINT OF, BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR BOARD MEMBER IS RESENTFUL OF THE REPEATED APPEARANCE OF DISREGARD FOR BOARD AUTHORITY AS IT RELATES TO OUR JOB DUTIES.
AND SO NOW THAT I'VE RAISED IT UP AND BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION, I KNOW THAT YOU DID NOT CHOOSE THE WORDS AND LANGUAGE THAT YOU SPOKE.
SO AGAIN, I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU NECESSARILY, WHAT I'M SAYING IS MOVING FORWARD ON THIS WHOLE FOCUS SCHOOL.
CAN WE PLEASE USE THE APPROPRIATE FRAMEWORK THAT THE BOARD WILL DECIDE CONSIDERING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANY BOARD MEMBER INTENDS TO GIVE AWAY THEIR, UH, OR DELEGATE THEIR LEGAL OBLIGATION AND DUTY TO DETERMINE POLICY.
[00:35:01]
COLLINS, MS. TYSON.UM, SO I HAVE A QUESTION, UM, AS TO THE MAKEUP OF THESE STEERING COMMITTEES.
SO, UM, DOES LIKE BATON ROUGE, GENERAL OR ALICE, SHE AND THE WA IS IT LSU AND THE WATER CAMPUS OR JUST THE LSU WATER CAMPUS? IT'S LSU AND THE WATER CAMP.
WELL, THE WATER CAMPUS IS THERE FOR SUPPORT.
UM, LSU IS PRIMARILY THE PORT OF THAT, THAT COMMITTEE THAT HELPS TO, UM, CREATE THE CURRICULUM AND TO DETERMINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THOSE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM.
AND WOULD THE WATER CAMPUS HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AT THE STREET? WOULD THEY BE A STEERING COMMITTEE? PERSON HAS.
MA'AM THEY HAVE ATTENDED MEN VOTING
SO THEY DO HAVE VOTING POTENTIAL AT THIS STEERING COMMITTEE.
THEY WILL BE A PART OF THE EVALUATION OR THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO LSU, UM, DECIDES WHO THEY WANT AT THE TABLE FOR THIS.
AND BATON ROUGE, GENERAL CHOOSES.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR THAT, THAT THEY ARE THE ONES THAT BUILD THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND ARE VERY MUCH BECAUSE, UM, THEY KNOW WHAT IT TAKES AND I DON'T WANT TO SET OUR STUDENTS UP FOR FAILURE ONCE THEY MOVE ON.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST, THEY, AND I DON'T WANT THEM STAYING IN A PROGRAM.
THAT'S NOT THEN GOING TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEED.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ACCEPTED BECAUSE THEIR GPA IS TOO LOW OR WHATEVER.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO SET, SET OUR STUDENTS UP FOR SUCCESS AND ALSO THESE, THESE PROGRAMS UP FOR SUCCESS.
AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OFFERING A MULTITUDE OF, OF OPTIONS AND CHOICES THAT FAMILIES CAN ELECT TO PARTICIPATE IN.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT WITH THIS RETENTION, YOU HAVE TO SAY, AM I THE, IS THIS THE BEST FIT FOR ME AND MY, MY STREET, MY CHILD, YOU KNOW, OR SHOULD WE MOVE OVER TO THIS WHERE THEY CAN EXCEL AND SUCCEED AND TRULY DO GO INTO THAT FIELD.
SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT OUR PARTNERS ARE VERY INVOLVED.
IT'S THEIR SPECIAL SPECIALIZATION IS EXTREMELY ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEY KNOW THE REQUIRED SKILL LEVEL, CORRECT.
THANK YOU, MS. DYSON, UH, MS. WARE JACKSON, ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION.
UM, MS. PORTER, YOU'VE MENTIONED A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO ABOUT COMMUNITY BEING PART OF THE STEERING COMMITTEES.
ARE THESE IS COMMUNITY PART OF SOME OF THE STEERING COMMITTEES OR WHERE DO THEY FIT IN? IS IT DIFFERENT AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OR, AND IT, IT, IT VARIES A DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE CHOSE PARK AS AN EXAMPLE, THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY, MEANING THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH, UM, FROM THE BAY FAITH-BASED AREA WHO ARE INVITED TO BE PART OF THAT, UM, THE STEERING COMMITTEE, AND ALSO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT ABOUT THE CASE OF AT EVIL, A GOD EVIL, A GOURD, SAME.
SO THERE WILL BE MEMBERS FROM THE COMMUNITY AROUND 'CAUSE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO BE COGNIZANT OF IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE BUY-IN AND IN ORDER TO VERY IMPORTANT YEAH.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO EMBRACE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEN EMBRACE THOSE WHO ARE PART OF THAT VISION FOR THAT, THAT LEARNING CENTER, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE EVIL LAVARD CENTER.
THANK YOU, MS. WARE, JACKSON, SEEING NO OTHER, UM, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
WE GO TO ITEM E ONE, UH, REPORTS FROM BOARD APPOINTEES TO COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES.
ANYONE HAVE ANY REPORTS SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM
[F1. Job Description]
F ONE CONSIDERATION REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OR A SAFETY SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICER OF HOW EMOTION, YOU KNOW, MR. MR. BALLOU, YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? YES.[00:40:01]
POSTPONE, UH, CONSIDERATION OF THIS, UH, ITEM UNTIL I'D SAY A DATE UNCERTAIN, CAUSE I'M NOT SURE PROBABLY THE EARLIEST TIME WOULD BE THAT JULY 14TH, UH, DATE THAT WE HAVE A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND THE SPECIAL MEETING, UH, MAYBE, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN THINK ABOUT THAT.BUT THE REASON IS, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE USEFUL WITH WE'D LOOK AT, UH, SAFETY OVERALL.
AND I KNOW WE'VE GOTTEN A REPORT ON, ON A REVIEW OF, YOU KNOW, SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, YOUR REPORT ON THE FINDINGS OF THE REVIEW OF SAFETY IN SCHOOLS AND RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATIONS AS A WHOLE TO THE BOARD.
UH, AND THEN SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF POSITIONS, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, UM, WHAT, WHAT, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDING, UM, YOU KNOW, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION BUDGET REQUIREMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, SPECIAL NEEDS, UH, WHATEVER.
BUT, UM, I STILL THINK JUST LOOKING AT THESE TWO JOB DESCRIPTIONS, UH, KIND OF PUT TOGETHER, IT JUST, IT FEELS RUSHED TO ME AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST CREATING A POSITION JUST TO FEEL LIKE WE DID SOMETHING.
AND, UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, WE GET A CLEAR RECOMMENDATION WHAT, WHAT WE WANT TO SAY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THAT'S, THAT WAS MY REASONING BEHIND NOT WANTING TO IT.
MS. DYSON WANTS TO SECOND IT, BUT SHE HAS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO IT, SOME STUYVESANT.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE, CAUSE I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A STAFFING TIMELINE AS WELL.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN, IF YOU'LL TAKE THIS AS A FRIENDLY MR. BLUE, UM, TO ASSIGN IT TO THE COW, UH, WE'LL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, UM, AT THE COW TO, UM, MAYBE HAVE THE, UH, PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL SO THAT THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND START STAFFING AT THAT POINT.
SO THAT WOULD BE TO ASK, TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING ALONG WITH THE COW WHERE WE CAN HAVE THIS TIME TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION AND LET ME MAKE SURE, DO YOU WANT ME TO ASSIGN TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OH, WELL FOR US ON THE SAME DATE AS THE COMMITTEE, WHICH WOULD BE JULY 14TH, 14.
SO THAT GIVES US AN EXTRA WEEK THERE TOO.
YEAH, I'M FINE WITH THAT INFORMATION IN A SECOND.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE MOTION FOR MS OR MRS. BALOO IS TO ASSIGN THE MATTER TO A SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE COW ON JULY 14TH FOR CONSIDERATION SOUND RIGHT.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THIS ITEM ON JULY 14TH TO, TO REFER THIS ITEM TO A SPECIAL MEETING ON JULY 14? UM, I SEE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE, ANY COMMENTS ON THE SITE AND FROM THE AUDIENCE? YEAH, YOU GO, YOU GOT IT.
MR. BALOO HAD AN INCREDIBLY GREAT IDEA AND THEN MISSED US AND RUINED IT.
IF THE BOARD, IF THE ADMINISTRATION, THE VISITOR FROM MARYLAND AND HIS COLLEAGUES DON'T HAVE THEIR ACT TOGETHER WITH A FIRM IDEA YET THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO BELIEVE GIVEN THE EVIDENCE OF THEIR INCOMPETENCE, THAT YOU WILL HAVE ANYTHING CLEAR THAT YOU CAN GIVE FINAL APPROVAL TO.
ON THE 14TH OF JULY, IT WAS A GREAT IDEA TO PROD IT UNTIL EITHER DATA UNCERTAIN OR THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ON THE 14TH.
BUT TO PRETEND THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD, UM, WITH ANY KIND OF A CONFIDENCE VOTE ON FOR FINAL ACTION AT A SPECIAL MEETING ON THE 14TH, THAT'S RIDICULOUS.
YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT POSTPONE IT TO A SPIRITUAL MEETING ON THE 14TH, POSTPONING IT INTO A COMMITTEE OF THE HALL ON THE 14TH WAS A FINE IDEA.
CAN I GET HIS EXTRA TIME RESTART AGAIN, STAR MATTHEWS? UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT
[00:45:01]
I SAW THAT I THINK NEEDED TO BE POINTED OUT, HOPEFULLY TO BE READY FOR WHEN IT COMES BACK UP, UM, THAT ARE STILL PROBLEMS. SALARY RANGE WAS CHANGED FROM 55,000, UM, TO SEE APPROVED SALARY SCHEDULE AS THIS IS NOT AN APPROVED POSITION.WHERE WOULD THAT BE? ALSO THE SRO VERSUS SSO HAD THE EXACT SAME ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE LIST OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE SRO IS LONG AND EXTENSIVE WITH TRAININGS LISTED, ET CETERA.
MEANWHILE, THE SSO JUST SAYS HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA GED, AND THEY ONLY ADDED TWO YEARS EXP UH, EXPERIENCE PREFERRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED.
UM, IT WAS MADE TO SOUND LIKE THIS PERSON WOULD BE JUST CHECKING FOR LOCK DOORS AT THE LAST MEETING YET.
IT SAYS STILL TO INVESTIGATE CRIMINAL ALLEGATIONS PER POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND INTO ENFORCE STATE LAW AND LOCAL LAW AND ORDINANCES.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED ON THOSE QUALIFICATIONS OR THOSE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM THAT JOB DESCRIPTION OF THE SSO PRIOR TO THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT IT CAN ACTUALLY BE TWO DIFFERENT JOBS.
UM, I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH, OH, I'M SORRY.
MY NAME IS KAREN QUARTERLY PROUD PARENT AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE.
I AM ACTUALLY IN SUPPORT OF WHAT MR. MATTHEW STATED IN REGARDS TO MAKING A CHANGE IN REGARDS TO OUR SROI, UM, THAT DID ACTUALLY HAPPEN RECENTLY, BUT I AM ALSO IN AGREEMENT WITH MS. DYSON ON ACTUALLY HOLDING ANOTHER MEETING IN REGARDS TO THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
I DO THINK THAT IF WE WAIT THAT WE WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO, THAT WOULD ALLOW THE PUBLIC, UM, ALONG WITH THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO REQUEST MORE INFORMATION AND MORE INFORMATION BE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS WE CAN ALSO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT AND COMPARE IT TO THE BUDGET.
BECAUSE AS OF RIGHT NOW IN THE BUDGET, IT STATES THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF SROI THAN WHAT WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED IN PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS.
AND THAT IS WHAT IS REFLECTED IN THE NEWS OR ARTICLES.
SO I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AS WELL AS WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT THE PDF THAT I PROVIDED TO YOU, WHICH WAS A STUDY BY BROWN UNIVERSITY, AS WELL AS THE, UM, THE INFORMATION I PROVIDED COURTESY OF THE ACL YOU IN REGARDS TO WHAT SRO, UM, THE IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE NEGATIVITY ON CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MORE THAN 4,000 KIDS WITH DISABILITIES IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WILL BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED AS IT RELATES TO SRS.
AND I HATE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE MAY REPLACE OFFICERS SUCH AS LIKE, UM, SUCH AS MR. CADY THAT WORK AT NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY AND HIGH, WHICH IS A SHERIFF THAT ACTUALLY KNOWS OUR CHILDREN BY NAME AND ACTUALLY HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
SO, UM, HAVING SOMEONE THAT DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE EXTREMELY PROBLEMATIC, BUT ALSO, LIKE I SAY, WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT THE DATA AND LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE THING THAT MAY COME FORWARD AFTER WE HAVE MORE DISCUSSION.
I DIDN'T USE ALL MY TIME, SO I GET IT AT THE LATEST.
THANK YOU, MS. CORLEY, ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THE SIDE ITEM, COME BACK NOW TO THE BOARD AND DR.
NARCY SHE WOULD LIKE TO YOUR, UH, YES.
I JUST WANTED TO REASSURE THE BOARD THAT OUR HARDWORKING STAFF CAN, UH, GET IT DONE WITH THE BOARD REQUESTS WILL BE.
UH, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
PLEASE VOTE THE MOTION CARRIES AND CARIES.
[F2. New Job Descriptions]
F TO CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTS FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS, A ESL BILINGUAL COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR B COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR C HOMELESS AMBASSADOR D MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL E ACADEMIC PROGRAM COORDINATORS AF ADA COMPLIANCE, OFFICER G SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER H DIRECTOR OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.I DIRECTOR OF LABOR RELATIONS, J YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, K CHIEF OF PLANT OPERATIONS, L DIGITAL PRESS
[00:50:01]
OPERATOR AM LARGE FORMAT PRODUCTION OPERATOR AND SCREEN PRINTING, PRESS OPERATOR.OH, PRODUCTION FINISHING ASSISTANT P ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES, QUEUE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, OUR REGIONAL CHEF S COORDINATOR FOR STUDENT ACTIVITIES T ACADEMIC PROGRAM, SUPERVISOR STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
DO I HAVE EMOTION? SO TAMMY, BEFORE WE DO THAT, UM, I SEE THAT JEEZ SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER, UH, GOT BACK IN THERE SOME KIND OF WAY WHEN I DUPLICATED THE ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO REMOVE THAT ONE.
EVERYTHING I JUST SAID, NOT G THANK YOU FOR NOT MAKING ME READ IT AGAIN.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MR.
I JUST POINTED DO, UH, OFFER A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
UM, IT'S WHAT I CONSIDER MINOR, BUT WE'LL FIND OUT.
UM, I WANTED TO, UH, CHANGE THE TITLE OF, UH, I DIRECTOR OF LABOR RELATIONS TO DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AND, UM, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
YOU ARE ON THE BOARD AND IN THIS ITEM AND A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS, THESE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF, UH, PERSONNEL, UH, JOB DESCRIPTION, POLICY CHANGES ALL AT ONE TIME.
AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS THAT.
I FEEL LIKE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN WORKSHOPPED BEFORE WE JUST VOTE ON THESE.
AND, UH, IT COULD BE ARGUED THAT YEAH, WE HAD THIS FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE A LOT OF POSITIONS, UH, TO REVIEW WHILE WE AT THE SAME TIME HAD 22 OR SO AGENDA ITEMS AND, AND ALSO HAD A BUDGET TO REVIEW.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S WISE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SUCH A SIGNIFICANT POLICY CHANGE AS IT RELATES TO PERSONNEL, UH, WITHOUT GIVING IT ENOUGH TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON F TWO, UM, JAMES FINNEY.
I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ARE EVEN CONSIDERING APPROVING JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT DON'T HAVE, UM, REPORTING TO FILLED OUT NOR THE PLACEMENT ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE TO SEND THESE FORWARD WITH YOUR APPROVAL WOULD BE A GRAVE ERROR AND AN ADVOCATION OF THE DUTY THAT THE VOTERS GAVE YOU.
FOR ONE THING WE WERE PROMISED WHEN THE AGENDA CAME OUT ON TUESDAY, THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WOULDN'T GET TO PARTICIPATE, PROBABLY YOU WOULD AT LEAST BE DISCUSSING THE BUDGET AND POOF, THAT ITEM HAS GONE.
SO ANOTHER WEEK GOES BY WITH NO DISCUSSION OF WHETHER THE ADMINISTRATION WILL EVER FINISH WRITING THE BUDGET.
AND HERE YOU ARE ASKED TO APPROVE, UM, NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS, 18, 19 OR 20, DEPENDING ON WHICH ONES ACTUALLY COUNT.
HOW MANY OF THESE HAVE THE WORD TEACHER IN THEM? HURRY, COUNT ANYBODY, FIND ALL THOSE THAT HAVE THE WORD TEACHER IN THEM.
UM, I'M NOT CLEAR WHETHER A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER AS PART OF THE MOTION OR NOT.
IT'S CERTAINLY WHAT'S PRINTED HERE.
MR. BALLOU DID NOT EXCLUDE IT.
HE MADE A CORRECTION TO WHAT THE DIRECTOR OF LABOR RELATIONS AS A CALL THAT BECOMES EMPLOYED.
THE FACILITIES COORDINATOR IS NOT PART OF THE MOTION.
SO I HOPE THAT'S YOUR INTENT, EVEN THOUGH THAT IS ATTACHED AS THE BACKUP, IT'S NOT PART OF THE
[00:55:01]
MOTION.SO I HOPE THE ADMINISTRATION, THE VISITOR FROM MARYLAND AND HIS ASSOCIATES DON'T PRETEND THAT YOU APPROVED THAT JUST BECAUSE IT WAS BURIED IN THE BACKUP, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY, ABSOLUTELY IRRESPONSIBLE OF YOU TO APPROVE THESE POSITIONS WITH NO IDEA HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET PAID FOR HOW MUCH THEY'RE GOING TO COST AND HOW THEY WOULD FIT INTO THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
SO MR. BALLOU, MS. COLLINS, MS. JACKSON, MS. DIASON, MR.
PLEASE MAKE THE ADMINISTRATION FINISH THEIR WORK, TELL YOU HOW THEY INTEND THE STRUCTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION TO BE AS YOUR POLICY DEMANDS.
PLEASE MAKE SOME PLACE THESE ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET SALARY SCHEDULE.
AND THEN YOU CAN THINK ABOUT APPROVING THE SALARY SCHEDULES.
THIS IS A DANIEL LAMP BOARD AGAIN.
UM, AND THEN ESS PER PROFESSIONAL FROM JEFFERSON TERRACE ACADEMY.
I'M AT, I'M ACTUALLY WORKING AT, UM, BERNARD, UM, TERRORISTS DURING THE SUMMERTIME, BUT I I'M IN FULL AGREEMENT, UM, THAT WE SHOULD NOT APPROVE THESE POSITIONS AT THIS TIME.
THANK WE NEED TO LOOK BACK OVER AND SEE, LOOK AT, UM, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BUDGET AND, UM, WHAT POSITIONS ARE MOST IMPORTANT AND MAYBE WAIT UNTIL THE CO COMMITTEE OF A WHOLE TO CONSIDER WHAT, WHICH POSITIONS TO APPROVE AND WHICH ONES NOT TO.
UH, MY NAME IS CHRIS TOMBS AND I'VE SPENT THE BETTER PART OF THIS MORNING SITTING IN THE STATE AND GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE MEETING WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING.
AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TESTIFYING IN FRONT OF THEM TODAY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD TO BRING TO THEIR ATTENTION IS WE ARE AN OUTDATED STATE, COMPLETELY OUTDATED.
DARCY'S SHOULD BE GIVEN A FAIR SHOT TO ASSEMBLE WHAT HE FEELS LIKE HE NEEDS IN ORDER FOR, TO GET THE DISTRICT TOGETHER.
UM, I'M AWARE THAT THERE MAY BE SOME PIECES THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT, BUT WE HAVE TO PROGRESS FORWARD.
WE'VE GOT TO START BECOMING MORE MODERN.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THESE JOB DESCRIPTION CHANGES.
I MEAN, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE STATE HAS BEEN IN A SENSE OF SUSPENSE FOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS MOVING FORWARD.
I'M TIRED OF BEING NUMBER 50 TIRED OF BEING NUMBER 49.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE'VE RISEN ABOVE 45 SINCE I'VE BEEN IN SCHOOL.
SO MY THING IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'M ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR MCKINLEY AND I'M ADVOCATING FOR SOUTH BATON ROUGE, BUT I FEEL LIKE IN THIS INSTANCE, WE NEED PEOPLE IN POSITIONS THAT CAN ACTUALLY GET THE WORK DONE IN A MODERNIZED SOCIETY.
AND I THINK THAT THIS BOARD HAS SHOWN THAT YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SEE THINGS LIKE THE FOREST BEHIND THE TREES, AS THEY SAY, AND WE CAN SEE WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A SOCIETY THAT IS SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL, AND WE NEED TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF STABILITY IN PLACE IN ORDER TO GET US ON TRACK.
AND SO IF IT WORSE, LET'S JUST AGREE THAT WE NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND LET'S GIVE THE MAN AND THE ENTITIES THAT ARE RUNNING THIS DEAL, WHAT THEY NEED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU, MR. THOMPSON, I WATCHED YOUR TESTIMONY TODAY WAS OUTSTANDING.
I JUST LEARNED THAT I'D HAVE TO GET MY OWN SHIRTS MADE IF I WANTED TO SAY EBR PARENT HURT MY FEELINGS, BUT MY NAME IS VERONICA ALI PROUD PARENT OF A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY AND ADVOCATE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK, UH, VICE PRESIDENT, UM, MS. COLLINS OR, UM, HER COMMENTS.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK MS. DYSON FOR HER COMMENT ON THE LAST, UM, TOPIC.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER DOING THE SAME THING WITH THIS ONE AS THEY DID WITH THE LESS, UM, CONSIDERED THE SAME MOTION FOR THE LAST, UM, STATEMENT, THE LAST ITEM, AND THE REASON BEING IS SIMPLE.
UM, WE SHOULD ACTUALLY, THAT WOULD GIVE US TIME TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SEE THE NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T CHANGE.
BUT ALSO THIS WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO CREATE AN ACTUAL TASK
[01:00:01]
FORCE THAT CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT THESE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND COMPARE THEM TO THE PREVIOUS JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND ANY OTHER JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT WE'VE HAD BEFORE THAT, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT WOULD ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE INPUT INPUT ON JOB DESCRIPTIONS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PRUDENT, UM, AND EFFECTIVE INDIVIDUALS IN THE ROLES THAT WILL BE CREATED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING.I AM VERY MUCH AWARE THAT WE HAVE HAD POSITIONS THAT INDIVIDUALS WERE NOT VERY WELL VERSED IN WHAT THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION ACTUALLY MEANT AND WHAT THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WERE.
AND THOSE WERE INDIVIDUALS THAT RECEIVED HEFTY SALARIES.
AND SO IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY, UM, EXTREMELY DISGRUNTLED.
I WOULD BE AN EXTREMELY DISGRUNTLED INDIVIDUAL IF WE ACTUALLY WASTED MORE MONEY AS WE HAVE DONE PREVIOUSLY.
SO, UM, I'M BEGGING AND ASKING TODAY.
UM, I WOULDN'T BRING MY CHILD IN HERE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE HE GOT A BROKEN ARM, BUT I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO UNDERSTAND THAT I KNOW THAT THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE, AND I WORK VERY HARD AND TIRELESSLY WITH OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.
AND SO WHATEVER DESCRIPTIONS THAT WE COME UP WITH, WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING WHEN THEY'RE DOING IT, HOW THEY'RE DOING IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IS NOT PUT IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IN A LEGALLY COMPROMISED POSITION.
SO I X THAT WE DO CREATE, UH, THAT WE ACTUALLY HOLD OFF ON THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING DATE THAT MS. DAS AND I PROPOSED AS WELL AS WE CREATE A TASK FORCE, THEY CAN ACTUALLY HELP US WITH, UM, NARROWING DOWN THE SPECIFICS WITH THESE DESCRIPTIONS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? GETTING THE NAME VALENCIA JOHNSON WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH ASSOCIATION OF THE EDUCATORS.
A MOVE THAT YOU, UM, DEFER THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING, PLEASE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NON BACK TO THE BOARD? UM, VICE-PRESIDENT COLLINS, THE CONSULTANT, UM, MEETING BEFORE LAST HAD MENTIONED AS THEY REVIEWED ALL OF THE POSITIONS, ET CETERA, FOR THE, UH, THAT WE HAVE LIKE 5,000 POSITIONS ON THE BOOK.
UM, BUT WE ONLY HAVE MAYBE 6,000 EMPLOYEES.
SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF POSITIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE ANTIQUATED, ET CETERA.
MY QUESTION IS, THESE ARE A LOT OF POSITIONS BETWEEN THIS AGENDA ITEM AND A COUPLE OF OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. HOW MANY POSITIONS WILL REMAIN ON THE BOOKS? LET'S SAY ALL OF THESE ITEMS PASS, HOW MANY POSITIONS WILL REMAIN ON THE BULLETS.
CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME, UH, MS. HALL, CAN YOU PLEASE GO ON? THANK YOU.
AND ALSO PRESIDENT'S HAPPENING.
UM, I CANNOT GIVE YOU AN ANSWER BECAUSE THIS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS RIGHT NOW, THE FIRST PROCESS I'M LOOKING AT FOLKS WHO ARE IN POSITIONS AND HOW I MOVE THEM TO THE NEXT POSITION, THE CORRECT BOARD BOARD APPROVED POSITIONS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE, AND I KNOW WHEN MRS. SLAUGHTER WAS HERE FROM SSA, SHE SPOKE ABOUT, UM, POSITIONS THAT ARE ANTIQUATED, WHICH IS ONE, TWO PEOPLE ARE IN POSITIONS THAT ARE NOT BOARD APPROVED.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ON THE RIGHT TARGET OR THE RIGHT PATH.
SO THIS IS WHY THIS SEEMS LIKE A LOT.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S A LOT, BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT, BUT I CANNOT TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF HOW MANY, BUT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS.
AND I WILL ALWAYS GIVE YOU AN UPDATE IF YOU REQUEST THAT, THANK YOU.
NOW, ONE TIME THAT I'VE EXPRESSED CONCERN AS MY PROBLEM EVER, BEING, NOT WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD OR BEING AFRAID OF CHANGE, ET CETERA.
MY CONCERNS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THE NUTS AND BOLTS AND MOVE OF THE MOVING IN THE MOVING PIECES.
WE WOULD BE LYING, UH, CAUSE I LEAD EXCEPTION OF MAYBE ONE OR TWO US.
NOBODY HAS RETIRED TO HAVE HAD TIME TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE POSITIONS, FIGURE OUT SALARY SCHEDULE AND SALARY SCHEDULE TO ATTACHED, ET CETERA,
[01:05:01]
ET CETERA, TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT IS A GOOD IDEA FOR US ALL.IF IT IS AFTER TWO LONG MEETINGS, ONE HAD TO BE TECHNICALLY, UH, IN EFFECT RECESSED.
WE HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO, TO GIVE THIS SOME REAL THOUGHT.
UM, AND, AND, UH, IN, AND THE CHANGES HAVE NOT EVEN REALLY BEEN PUT INTO CONTEXT OF THE OVERALL, UH, BIG PEACHES.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT QUESTION ABOUT THE 5,000 POSITIONS.
UH, PRESIDENT ATTACHMENT, UM, COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON MY SIDE.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL AS A BOARD IN HOW MUCH WE GET INTO THE MINUTE DETAIL OF INDIVIDUAL POSITIONS AND HOW IT GOES.
YOU KNOW, WE HIRED A SUPERINTENDENT WITH TWO MAJOR ITEMS, ONE FOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND OUR STUDENTS.
AND SECONDLY, TO BRING US A BALANCED BUDGET, WE HAVE SHOWN TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AS A BOARD, WE'RE NOT CAPABLE OF DOING THE DETAIL, MY NEISHA THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS, OR WE WOULDN'T HAVE 5,000 JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
IT GETS THERE BECAUSE WITH THAT, WE AS A BOARD NEED TO COME UP ABOUT 10 LEVELS AND WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, BECAUSE IF WE'RE SITTING HERE WONDERING WHAT IS THE LARGE FORMAT, PRODUCTION OPERATOR, JOB DESCRIPTION, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE AS A BOARD SHOULD BE DOING.
THAT'S A POLICY, THAT'S NOT POLICY DECISIONS.
AND WE IMPLEMENT OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR ACTIONS IN THE BUDGET AND HOW THE SUPERINTENDENT WISHES TO ARRANGE.
IF WE WANT TO GET IN AND START ARRANGING EVERYTHING IN THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE OF HOW HE RUNS A DISTRICT, THEN WE HAVE TO RELEASE HIM FROM ANY, UH, OBJECTIVITY AROUND WHAT ARE THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT LETTING HIM RUN THE DISTRICT AS HE WANTS TO RUN IT.
NOW, AM I SAYING THAT THAT WE SHOULD GO CRAZY WITH HIM AND LET HIM DO ANY ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING HE WANTS? NO, BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT THESE FOR REASONABLENESS AND THEN GO ON FROM THERE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE TRUST IN THE MAN THAT THEY DO IT AND HE'S NOT DOING THE JOB.
WE'LL GET RID OF HIM AND GET ANOTHER ONE.
BUT TO SIT HERE AND GO, TRY TO GO THROUGH AND SAY, I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO READ 20 JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
I AM RETIRED AND I HAVE NOT READ THEM BECAUSE I DON'T VIEW THAT AS WHEN I'M ELECTED TO THE BOARD TO DO I'M ELECTED.
WHOEVER SAID WHAT YES, EXACTLY.
MY JOB IS TO IMPLEMENT POLICY AND IMPLEMENT POLICY IS NOT READING LARGE FORMAT, PRINT OPERATOR, UH, THINGS WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON POLICIES TO MOVE OUR DISTRICT.
THE TYPES OF THINGS WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS HAVE GOT US WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN IN THE PAST AND WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD FROM THAT.
WE AS A BOARD NEED TO STEP UP AND GO AT A HIGHER LEVEL IN ALL OF THIS, INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR DOWN THE CHAIN AND UPDATING JOB DESCRIPTIONS ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND I'M SURE I'M GOING TO MAKE SOME BOARD MEMBERS UPSET WITH ME, BUT THAT'S TOO BAD BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
AND I THINK THAT HOLDING BACK ON THESE THINGS IS HOLDING BACK OUR PROGRESS.
AND IF WE WANT TO STAY WHERE WE ARE AND STAY 49TH AND 50TH, THEN LET'S KEEP DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO REALLY JUST MAKE A SHOUT OUT TO, UH, THE EFFORT THAT IS GOING INTO TRYING TO SORT THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
THIS IS A MAJOR, UM, MESS, AND IT'S NOT TAKEN JUST A FEW YEARS TO CREATE THIS.
WE, I HAVE BEEN WANTING US TO DO AN OVERHAUL OF ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT, AND THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO START.
WE JUST DON'T NEED ALL THESE POSITIONS HANGING AROUND AND IN OUR LANGUAGE WHEN WE NEED TO TOTALLY ELIMINATE THE WHOLE LANGUAGE, IF WE'VE GOT ALL THESE UNFILLED THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FILLED IN YEARS AND OR THAT ARE ANTIQUATED IN THE DESCRIPTION, WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT.
AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 6,000, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST MAKING A DENT HERE AND WE'LL KEEP ON GOING AND WE'RE GOING TO GET BETTER WITH THIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND KEEP PLUGGING ALONG.
THANK YOU, MR.
[01:10:03]
UM, JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I'M GOING TO KEEP DOING MY JOB.I REALIZE THAT BOY DUTY IS POLICY AND BUDGET.
AND BY VIRTUE OF THIS, THIS, THIS ITEM IS POLICY AND BUDGET.
IF IT WAS NOT FOR US TO PAY ATTENTION TO, IT WOULD NOT BE ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE, BUT CLEARLY IT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO DECIDE.
SO CLEARLY IT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
THE LAW SAYS POLICY AND BUDGET IS MY PURVIEW.
I'M NOT TRYING TO TELL HIM WHO TO PUT IN THE POSITION, NOT TELL HIM WHERE TO PUT IT ON THE R CHOP OR HOW TO MANAGE THE POSITION.
THAT'S NOT MY PURVIEW NOR HAVE I EAT INTEREST IN GETTING INTO THE WEEDS OF THAT.
BUT I DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE POLICY, WHICH A JOB DESCRIPTION FALLS UNDER AND A BUDGETARY MATTER, WHICH THE JOB DESCRIPTION SHOULD INCLUDE A REFERENCE TO THE SALARY GRADE IS ALL IN ONE.
VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, MR. GAUDETTE.
AND I WILL RESPECTFULLY HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW AND MADAME VICE-PRESIDENT CAN HAVE HER OWN VIEWS.
I'M SURE SHE'S WELCOME TO THOSE.
BUT MY VIEW IS THAT WE GET TO VOTE ON THIS.
WHEN WE COME TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AND THAT GETTING INTO INDIVIDUAL JOB DESCRIPTIONS IS NOT POLICY THAT IS OPERATIONS.
AND I HAVE MY OPINION AND I LISTENED TO YOURS.
W QUITE, UH, QUITE RESPECTIVELY.
I LISTENED TO YOURS WITHOUT COMMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THE SAME FOR ME.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
[F3. Grade Configurations-Schools in the South]
GRADE CONFIGURATIONS SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING GRADE CONFIGURATIONS, A THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT AS A PRE-K EIGHTH GRADE B THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT IS A SIXTH TO 12TH GRADE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.AND MR. GODADDY, YOU HAVE HIM MOTION.
UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT.
UNDER ITEM A, A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE PARISH OF THE DISTRICT AS A PRE-K EIGHTH GRADE PENDING CONFIRMATION OF, UH, OF, UH, FINANCIAL ABILITY FOR CONSTRUCTION, OR I DON'T KNOW, WHAT'S THE RIGHT WORD, SAVE IT PENDING PENDING, UH, FINANCE, PENDING CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATES, WHICH ARE FINANCIALLY REACHABLE AND TAX PLAN, OR SOME WORDS LIKE THAT.
COUNSELOR, YOU, YOU ALL WRAPPED UP IN THAT I'M WORKING, I'M WORKING ON IT WHILE PINNING FINANCIAL, UH, FEASIBILITY VIABILITY IN THE TAX PLAN.
MOTION IS TO, UH, TO APPROVE THE REQUEST, UH, FOR THE FOLLOWING GRADE CONFIGURATIONS, A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT AS A PRE-K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, UH, PENDING CONFIRMATION OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY, AND THEN BE THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT AS A SIXTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE CHECK-IN OKAY.
MS. DYSON WANTS TO MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE, THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY PIECE.
THAT IS DEFINITELY A GOOD THING TO ADD HERE, BUT I ALSO HAVE BEEN TRYING TO, UM, UNDERSTAND LIKE HOW MANY LESS ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND, BECAUSE WE PUT THE MIDDLE IN THERE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO, TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND THESE SCHOOLS.
DO WE HAVE AN APPROXIMATE? CAN WE, UH, YEAH, I JUST, I REALLY NEED A SECOND.
UM, CAUSE WE'RE BEGINNING TO DISCUSS THE ITEM.
WE'RE BEGINNING TO DISCUSS THE ITEM.
AND IS THERE, UH, UH, MR. BALLOU SECONDS? SO MS. DYSON, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU THE, UH, OKAY.
[01:15:01]
OKAY.UM, SO IS THERE SOMEONE THAT CAN SPEAK TO THAT? YES.
UH, I'LL GET SOMEONE FROM THE ACCOUNTABILITY ASSESSMENT DEPARTMENT.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE NOT LIMITING OUR NUMBERS IN CERTAIN GREGG.
ACCORDING TO THE, UH, MEMOS THAT WERE SENT TO THE BOARD FROM DR.
AND THE SIX THROUGH 12 WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UP TO 2017.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT ALL TIES INTO THIS FEASIBILITY AND ALL OF THAT.
SO, UM, WE'RE SAYING AT THOSE LEVEL, THOSE NUMBERS AND THE, AND IT MEETS, IF NOT, IT WOULD COME BACK TO THE BOARD.
UM, VICE-PRESIDENT IN COLLINS.
I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS IN THE EVENT THAT THE MONEY DOESN'T WORK OUT.
DOES HE JUST COME BACK TO THE BOARD? OKAY.
YES, MA'AM AND RETURNS TO THE BOARD.
SO MS. WHERE JACKSON, THANK YOU.
WHEN CONSIDERING, UM, GRADE CONFIGURATIONS, HAVE WE LOOKED AT ANY RESEARCH AROUND, UH, THAT SIX, 12? UH, WHAT ARE WE BASING THIS ON? I KNOW THERE IS CONCERN AROUND, UH, HAVING SIXTH GRADERS ON THE SAME CAMPUS AS 12TH GRADERS.
UM, WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH HAVE WE DONE TO SUPPORT THIS DECISION OTHER THAN NEEDING, UH, NEEDING MIDDLE SCHOOLS, UH, FOR THIS CONSIDERATION BOARD MEMBER, UH, JACKSON, UM, YOU LOOKED AT THE AMOUNT OF POPULATION FOR THE AMOUNT OF KIDS THAT WOULD GO INTO THE SCHOOL.
THE SIX, 12 CONFIGURATION IS NOT A NEW CONFIGURATION.
WE CAN SHOW, UH, HOW MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE COST CRUNCHY, DO THAT.
AND ALSO, UH, THE PRE-K EIGHT IS NOT A NEW CONFIGURATION EITHER.
UM, ACTUALLY MORE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE MOVING AWAY FROM ACTUALLY A MIDDLE SCHOOL, 6, 7, 8 TO COMBINE EITHER A PRE-K EIGHT MODEL OR A SIX, 12, BUT WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU MORE RESEARCH ON THAT.
UH, AND OUR DECISION ON MAKING THIS MODEL THIS WAY IS AS YOU KNOW, UM, IN OUR POPULATION ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN, IT IS, WE HAVE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF KIDS AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SCHOOLS.
UH, AND SO A PART OF, UM, AND WE CAN SHOW THAT DATA AS WELL.
UM, UM, BUT WHAT WE'VE DECIDED WAS TO TRY TO, UH, CREATE A CONFIGURATION WHERE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE MORE STUDENTS INTO THOSE SCHOOLS.
AND SO WE, UH, CREATE, UM, UH, CAME TO THE PRE-K EIGHT MODEL AND THE SIX 12 IN LOOKING AT THE MODELS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES, IS THERE A PARTICULAR WAY THAT IS DESIGNED SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE OLDER KIDS IN THE SAME AREAS, OR, YOU KNOW, HOW TO USE, WE WILL PROBABLY WILL NEED TO CONSIDER ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO YOU JUST, I WANT TO BE REASSURED THAT THOSE ELEMENTS WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF.
I UNDERSTAND PERFECTLY THE, UM, THE POPULATION INCREASE AND THE NEED FOR THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL THERE'S BOARD MEMBER JACKSON.
UM, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE SIX, 12 MODEL IS NOT BRAND NEW.
SO YEAH, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT HERE.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE CAN DO IS SHOW YOU EXAMPLES OF THAT.
UM, EVEN WITH THE ARCHITECTS AND THOSE THINGS, THEY THERE'S ALWAYS, UH, A SEPARATION APPROACH.
UH, IN THE QUESTION YOU'VE ASKED, HAS BEEN ASKED MANY TIMES BEFORE WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN A COMMUNITY BEGINS TO WANT TO BUILD A SIX, 12, BUT WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU IF YOU'D LIKE.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE CONCERNED.
YOU KNOW, I CAME UP IN A SCHOOL WHERE IT WAS K-12, YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE KIDS HARDLY EVER SAW THE BIG KIDS WERE ON DIFFERENT HALLS, DIFFERENT AREAS, AND THERE WERE, THERE WERE NEVER ANY PROBLEMS, BUT THIS IS A DIFFERENT DAY, YOU KNOW, SO I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT MORE THINGS TO CONSIDER.
WE'LL HAVE THE ACADEMY ASSESSMENT TEAM AND OUR FACILITIES FOLKS, UH, UH, PREPARE YOU A PACKET TO SHOW THE RESEARCH BEHIND.
THANK YOU, MS. SQUARE JACKSON.
UM, MS. SANDERSON, YOU PROBABLY EXPECTED ME TO CALL ON YOU DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU COME UP AND VISIT WITH ME A LITTLE BIT, UM, AND MS. WHERE JACKSON, I BELIEVE, AND I'M GOING TO MISS SANDRA, SHE CAN CONFIRM THIS, BUT IN OUR, UH, PRE-K, UM, UH, EIGHT WITH, UH, JEFFERSON TARIFFS, UH, IT'S DESIGNED.
AND IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN THERE YET, GO CHECK IT OUT BECAUSE THEY THEY'RE SEPARATE IT'S ONE BIG SCHOOL, BUT THEY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB, UH, IN THE DESIGN
[01:20:01]
OF, OF KEEPING THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY CAN SEE THEM AND NOT WITH EACH OTHER AND NOT THE OLDER KIDS WITH THE YOUNGER KIDS.SO THEY CAN, I KNOW, DO THAT IN DESIGN.
UM, AND SO, UM, MY QUESTION IS MY, ONE OF MY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS ITEM IS THE FINANCIAL PART OF WHAT MR. GODI I THINK, ADDRESSED WITH HIS MOTION IS NOT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY OR ENOUGH FUNDING THROUGH THE TAX PLAN TO, UH, TO GO PRE-K, UH, EIGHT.
UM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT FOR ME? OR IS THAT NOT JUST TEEING IT UP FOR YOU? UH, UM, I THINK SO.
SO OVERALL WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS AS FAR AS THE PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS OF A PRE-K TO EIGHT.
AND SO WE'VE JUST REVIEWED IT TO SEE WHAT CAN BE ELIMINATED.
UM, AS FAR AS PROGRAMMING ARE REDUCED FOR SPACE, UM, TO HELP SUPPORT IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST STEP IN FIGURING OUT HOW TO SUPPORT IT WITHIN THE BUDGET OVERALL, THAT BUDGET DOES NOT SUPPORT THE TYPICAL OFFERINGS OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I SAY WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE REMIT PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS TO SEE WHAT CAN BE CHANGED TO HELP SUPPORT THE EQUITY.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT WIDER MIDDLE SCHOOL REQUIRED WHERE WE KIND OF HAVE A MODEL WHERE MIDDLE SCHOOLS HAVE CERTAIN THINGS.
CAN YOU JUST, UH, GYMNASIUM WILL COME UP, UH, AS ONE OF THOSE FIRST THINGS WHERE TYPICALLY A MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A FULL GYMNASIUM, BUT AT A MINIMUM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT BASKETBALL GAMES CAN BE, UM, DONE.
UH, THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE PLAY FIELDS A LITTLE MORE, UM, AS FAR AS FLED FOOTBALL, SOCCER AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WHICH IT, THIS SCHOOL SITE, WE HAVE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH BRICK, WHICH KIND OF TAKES, UH, TAKES CARE OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, CLASS CONFIGURATION AS WELL, IT'S A LARGER, UH, STUDENT TEACHER RATIO FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE CONFIGURATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPONENT AS WELL, THE DINING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE MORE ADMINISTRATION JUST BECAUSE IT'S A LARGER SCHOOL, UH, SCHOOL CONFIGURATION, BUT THOSE, THOSE THINGS WILL PROBABLY CHANGE MINIMALLY.
IT'S MORE SO OF THE AMENITIES, RIGHT? AND IF DR.
NARCISSE CAN FIND THE EXTRA MONEY, HOW MUCH MORE DO WE NEED? I WOULD SAY YOU WANT TO BE AT THIS POINT, AT LEAST AROUND 35 MILLION TO JUST FULLY SUPPORT.
NOW, IF WE GO THROUGH AND AGAIN, KIND OF CONDENSED SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMMATIC OFFERINGS, WE CAN DEFINITELY COME DOWN ON IT.
BUT IF WE JUST WANT PAN OF SKY, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TYPICALLY USED TO, YOU WANT TO BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 35 MILLION WITH, AND WHAT DOES THAT COMPARE TO ON A I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET IN FRONT OF ME.
HOW MUCH MORE? THAT'S ABOUT 15, 15 MILLION MORE HOW MUCH WE HAVE AN
UM, LET ME, LET ME, UH, MAKE IT, I'M GOING TO GO TO, UH, VICE-PRESIDENT COLLINS.
UH, AND I DON'T WHAT SHE MADE.
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WANTS TO ASK YOU A QUESTION, YOU MAY HAVE TO COME BACK.
I MEANT TO ASK FOR THE ENROLLMENT NEED.
WHAT'S THE DATA ON THE ENROLLMENT NEEDS.
WE SAYING A PRE-K THROUGH EIGHT AND THEN A SIX, 12.
AND THEN WE ALSO LATER ON TALKING ABOUT PRE-K THROUGH EIGHT, UH, WE CANNOT WORK.
AND SO THEN WAS A PROJECTED ENROLLMENT NEEDS FOR US TO SAY, WE NEED A, WE NEED MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEN LATE ON IN AGENDA ITEM, MIDDLE SCHOOL IN A RELATIVE SAME VICINITY.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME ENROLLMENT NEEDS, BUT HOW MUCH DO WE NEED IS MY QUESTION.
UM, AS FAR AS, UM, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL NEEDS, THERE'S REALLY NOT A MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THAT AREA.
SO THE CLOSEST MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE WOODLAWN, MIDDLE OR GLASGOW MIDDLE RIGHT NOW HAS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
JEFFERSON TERRACE DOES HAVE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPONENT AS WELL.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO RELIEVE THE OVERCROWDED WOODLAWN, MIDDLE WOODLAWN HIGH, UM, WITH THE SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH AND TO GIVE ANOTHER OPTION IN THAT AREA FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL ACROSS TOWN TO GET TO THEIR QUOTE UNQUOTE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.
AND THAT'S FAIR AND RESPECTABLE, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY ASSUMING ALL ITEMS PAST THREE ADDITIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND YEAH.
AND SO THEN WHAT'S DID WE DO, DID WE DO ANY DATA ANALYSIS ON HOW MUCH WE REALLY NEED, BECAUSE, AND I NOT JUST FULL DISCLOSURE, I KNOW SOMETIMES MIDDLE-SCHOOL NEEDS.
I TALKED ABOUT LIKE IN NORTH BEND GAGE, I
[01:25:01]
TRY NOT TO POOPOO ON OTHER PEOPLE'S TERRITORY.SO I KEEP MY MOUTH CLOSED, BUT IN SOME REGARD, SOME OF THAT NEED IS PERCEIVED VERSUS ACTUAL.
AND SO THEN HOW MUCH OF THIS, AGAIN, I AGREED THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING, SOME EXPANSION IN SOME MIDDLE SCHOOL CONFIGURATIONS, BUT DO WE NEED THREE SITES? AND WHAT DATA DO WE USE TO DETERMINE THERE'LL BE, DO A DUMP.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE KENILWORTH KENILWORTH, THE MIDDLE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FOCUS CHOICE.
SO IT MAY NOT ATTRACT THE SAME STUDENT POPULATION, BUT, UM, WE PROBABLY NEED A HOUSING.
I'D SAY I DIDN'T DO THE NUMBERS REAL TIGHT, BUT I'M GUESSING WE NEED AT LEAST 600 SEATS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TO RELIEVE.
AND YOU SAY YOU DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO NECESSARILY PULL.
I DON'T HAVE ANY ACQUAINTANCE ZONES.
NO, MA'AM, I DIDN'T EVEN DRAW ATTENDANCE ZONES.
AND THEN WE'D COME AND PRESENT THEM TO THE BOARD WHEN WE, THE NUMBERS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, BEYOND I HAVE AN OVERALL CONCERN OF, I HAVE OVERALL CONCERN OF, OKAY, NOT HAVING A FULL DISCUSSION ABOUT AND GOING THROUGH THE FACILITIES, MASTER PLAN, ET CETERA, AND THEN MAKING THESE DECISIONS.
BUT I WOULD FEEL, I WOULD FEEL BETTER IF THEY, IF WE HAD DONE SOME ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS.
SO TO HAVE A BETTER GAUGE OF MAYBE ONE, MAYBE ONE SITE NEEDS TO INCLUDE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE OTHER DOESN'T NECESSARILY, OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR SHARING WHAT YOU DO HAVE.
THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT IN COLLIN.
NARCY, SHE WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT AND IT JUST, JUST NOT ABOUT THIS ISSUE, UH, THE, UH, THE, UM, THE QUESTION THAT WAS ON THE CONSTRUCTION, THE NUMBERS THAT, UH, MS. ANDERSON REFERRED TO IS, UH, USUALLY HOW WE'VE DONE THINGS IN TERMS OF THAT, UH, AMOUNT.
ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD AND, UH, MS. ANDERSON CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IS HOW DO WE, UM, I ABLE TO, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERSHIP IN SPACES.
SO AN EXAMPLE YOU HEARD ABOUT WORKING WITH BRECK OR THESE OTHER THINGS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE, UH, EVERYTHING IN THE SCHOOL, BUT WE ARE USING SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY ASSETS, UM, TO DO THAT WORK.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HIGHLIGHT THAT IN TERMS OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE, WE HAVE THE COSTS FOR THE SCHOOL.
I THINK, UH, WE WERE TRYING TO, AS WE'VE BEEN, EVEN PUSHING ON ARCHITECTS AND THOSE FOLKS IS TO CREATE, GET US TO BECOME A MUCH MORE MODERNIZED SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UH, UH, THERE ARE SCHOOLS THAT ARE BUILT, UH, MUCH LARGER, BUT WHAT, A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY'VE GONE ABOUT THAT, AND WE'RE HOPEFULLY KIND OF MOVED TO THAT DESIGN, UH, VERSUS ON HOW WE ARE DOING THINGS TRADITIONALLY.
THE ONLY THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT IS WE BUILD LEGACY SCHOOLS.
WE DON'T WANT TO BUILD SCHOOLS THAT IN 25 YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO BE TEARING DOWN.
AND SO, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF BUILDING A SCHOOL ON THE CHEAP.
I THINK WE, I THINK WE NEED TO BUILD THEM WITH THE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE AND WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
AND SO, UM, WE NEED THE MONEY, NOT, NOT THAT NOW, AS FAR AS THE BRET COMBINATION, WE'VE WORKED HARD ON THAT AND WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT BRETT BRECK IS ALREADY CONTRIBUTING A GREAT DEAL, AND I'M SURE THEY'LL CONTRIBUTE MORE.
THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, AND I WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, IT'S BEEN EXHAUSTIVE WORK WITH BRAC TO GET THIS DONE.
SO, UH, IF THERE ARE OTHER PARTNERS OUT THERE THAT CAN STEP UP, UM, WE NEED TO BUILD GOOD SCHOOLS.
GOOD, GOOD STRONG SCHOOL, 100% WITH THE PRESENT TIME.
I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, UH, THE PUSH IS, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, WE, UH, QUITE FRANKLY DO THINGS VERY TRADITIONAL, UH, IN SOME OF OUR WORK.
AND, UH, THERE'S A, OF PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE FOREFRONT THAN US IN THESE AREAS.
AND SO WE JUST WANT TO TRY TO, UH, MODERNIZE US INTO A MUCH MORE SPACE.
AND SO, UH, UH, MS. ANDERSON AND THE TEAM, THE FACILITIES TEAM ARE LOOKING AT ALL AVENUES FOR THAT.
UH, WE WILL COME ON BUDGET, UM, AND, UH, PROVIDE QUALITY.
UM, UH, I'M, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE ONE THING THAT WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING IS THAT IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE DEFINITELY HAVE ALSO, UH, ALONG WITH A LOT OF OTHER REALLY GOOD THINGS, LITERACY AND, UM, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO INCREASE, UM, OUR USERSHIP AND I, I STRONGLY, UH, I KNOW THAT WE WERE LIKE 35% THAT CHOSE, AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE CHARTER
[01:30:01]
CHOICE, BUT IT DOES INCLUDE, UH, ALL THOSE, AND THIS IS IT'S, IT PROBABLY HAS GROWN FROM 35%, BUT OF POPULATION THAT DOES NOT USE OUR SCHOOLS AND DOES NOT CONSIDER US TO BE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF CHOICE.AND SO I THINK PROVIDING THESE OPPORTUNITIES IN AREAS WHERE WE HAVE JUST HAD, UH, SUCH A LACK OF CAPACITY, IF, AND ALSO IF YOU LOOK AT THE GROWTH OF THE DISTRICT AND W YOU KNOW, WHERE THE BODIES ARE AND THE POPULATION, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE GROWTH HAPPENED IN, UM, DISTRICT EIGHT AND DISTRICT NINE AND DISTRICT SEVEN AND DISTRICT SIX.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND USE US.
I THINK THAT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT TRULY WANT THE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOLS, BUT I ALSO THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THE GRANDPARENTS ARE HAVING TO PAY THE TUITION THAT THEY'RE HAVING TO TAKE FROM THEIR POTENTIAL RETIREMENT LATER.
AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE WITHOUT RETIREMENT DOLLARS AND BACK ON NEEDING FINANCIAL HELP, BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PLAN FOR THEIR OWN RETIREMENT.
SO I FEEL LIKE THIS IS GOING TO ADDRESS A NEED AND PULL STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT BE, WE CAN'T JUST BE NARROW MINDED AND ONLY LOOK AT THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE.
YES, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A TENNIS LINE CHANGES AS WE BUILD THESE NEW SCHOOLS, AND THEY WILL HELP TO RELIEVE OVER PROUDNESS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMS IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT THAT WILL, UM, ATTRACT.
AND, AND I THINK AS WE KIND OF GET OUR, OUR, UH, LINES BETTER, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE ROOM TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES EVERYWHERE.
AND SO I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY FOR THE FAMILIES OF, OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
THANK YOU, MR.
WE KINDA BEEN FLOATING AROUND.
WE'VE BEEN LEANING TOWARD FOUR, BUT WE'RE STILL IN
I THOUGHT WE WERE ON KENILWORTH.
YEAH, I THINK IT WAS, I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING BECAUSE IT'S RELEVANT TO MIDDLE-SCHOOL CAPACITY.
SO THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T REALLY SAY ANYTHING.
SO, UM, THE, THE, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR MS. ANDERSON.
UM, SHE'S LOOKING AT ME LIKE, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME? OKAY.
UM, WHAT'S THE, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT TIMELINE A LITTLE BIT? I KNOW THIS, THIS IS THE, THIS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS THE NEXT ONE, RIGHT? YES.
AND WHAT'S TAUGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TIMELINE.
WHEN, WHEN, WHEN ARE WE GETTING STARTED? WHERE ARE WE NOW? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO OPEN THE SCHOOL WHEN WE'RE GOING TO SHOVEL THE FIRST PIECE OF DIRT AND ALL THAT? GOT IT.
UM, I DID THAT BRING THE OVERALL SCHOOL.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN OFFER IN, ON THE PROPERTY, SO I'M HOPING ANY DAY NOW WE'LL BE ABLE TO, SO REALLY THAT'S, THAT'S OUR STARTING POINT.
THE ARCHITECT HAS BEEN SELECTED.
SO AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE LAND AND GO THROUGH SOME SITE DUE DILIGENCE AND JUST INVESTIGATION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO KICK OFF WITH DESIGN.
SO I'M PROJECTING IF WE GET AN OFFER WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
UM, WE'LL HAVE A DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD OF AT LEAST WHAT'S IN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT BY AUGUST, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO KICK OFF DESIGN.
AND THEN THE PLAN IS, UM, VET SCHOOL TO OPEN AUGUST OF 2020 FOR.
PROMISE NOT TO CALL YOU UP AGAIN, UM, THAT, UH, THE BOARD IS CLEAR FOR NOW.
UH, WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON THIS ITEM AND COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, UH, ON ITEM THREE.
THANK YOU, JAMES SWEENEY AGAIN.
UM, MR.
I HOPE HE MISSPOKE AND MEANT THE BOARD'S JOB WAS TO SET POLICY, WHICH IS THEN IMPLEMENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THIS IS EVEN ON YOUR AGENDA.
ARE YOU OPEN TO LOCK IN YOUR REPLACEMENTS ON THE BOARD WITH SOME DECISION THAT THEN PEOPLE FEEL COMPELLED NOT TO CORRECT.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, ONE OF THESE PER PLANNED PURCHASES IS STILL UNDER NEGOTIATION.
THE OTHER ONE MAY BE MORE OR LESS COMPLETE,
[01:35:01]
BUT WHY WOULD YOU ESTABLISH A GRADE CONFIGURATION WITHOUT EVER HAVING HAD THE, THE WAY UP IN THE SKY POLICY DISCUSSION SUPPORTED BY DATA AND RESEARCH THAT IS SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC, AS OPPOSED TO SHARE IT IN SOME LITTLE PRIVATE EMAIL CHAIN AMONG THE SEVEN OF YOU, WHY WOULD YOU NOT HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER THE APPROPRIATE MODEL IS K THROUGH FIVE OR K THROUGH SIX AND THEN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEN HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS EITHER NINE TALL IN THEIR TINY LITTLE CORNER BY THEMSELVES.AND THEN 10TH THROUGH 12TH, GET TO GO OUT AND STRETCH THEIR LEGS A LITTLE BIT OR EIGHTH THROUGH 12TH OR SEVEN THROUGH 12TH OR SIX THROUGH 12TH OR WHATEVER.
THAT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION.
IF THERE WERE ANY DATA TO SUPPORT IT, AS OPPOSED TO PEOPLE JUST STATING THEIR OPINIONS.
THE K THROUGH EIGHT AND SIX THROUGH 12 IS GREAT.
AND I HAVE PEOPLE WHOSE VIEWS I RESPECT THAT HAVE WORKED WITH THOSE AGE GROUPS THAT SAY THAT WOULD BE A HORRIBLE IDEA.
SO NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH THE PRICE WOULD BE, NOT KNOWING HOW MANY STUDENTS YOU HAVE NOT KNOWING WHETHER IT'S A GOOD IDEA ACADEMICALLY.
WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU EVEN CONSIDER VOTING ON THIS TONIGHT FROM A PURELY ECONOMIC STANDPOINT? ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE SIX THROUGH EIGHT PROGRAMS AT BOTH OF THESE SCHOOLS THAT ARE WHAT HALF A MILE APART? AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOU ALL VOTE? YES.
UH, THERE'S BEEN A GREAT PROMISE OF A MASTER PLAN SUNDAY.
WHY ARE YOU GOING TO LOCK IN SOME DECISION FOR THIS WITHOUT A, UH, UM, WITHOUT A MASTER PLAN FIRST, IT'S NOT LIKE STUFF'S GOING TO GET BUILT NEXT WEEK.
FURTHERMORE, I OBJECT TO THE WAY THE AGENDA ITEM IS WORDED THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT.
THAT'S A HUGE AREA, UNLESS SOMEBODY JUST HAPPENS TO KNOW WHICH PIECES OF LAND YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
THERE IS NOTHING HERE THAT PROVIDES TRANSPARENCY TO THE PUBLIC.
IF YOU CAN'T PROVIDE AN ADDRESS, WHICH YOU MAY BE CAMPED FOR THE ONE BEHIND THE STORES ON SEGUN, BUT YOU COULD VERY WELL FOR THE ONE ON PERKINS, AT LEAST PROVIDE A LEGAL DESCRIPTION, A MAP, SOMETHING, THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS YOU SHOULD VOTE.
MY NAME IS DANIEL LAMP FORD AGAIN, AND I I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH, UH, MR. FINNEY.
UM, W WE ALSO NEED TO DETERMINE, DO WE EVEN HAVE ENOUGH EMPLOYEES TO FILL THESE POSITIONS? AND IF SO, HOW, IF NOT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GO ABOUT GETTING THOSE EMPLOYEES? MAYBE THAT'S A QUESTION FOR MISS NICOLA HALL, BUT, UM, OF COURSE THE BIGGEST ITEM IS THE BUDGET.
UM, UH, WE'D BEEN TOLD THAT THIS COULD COST 35 MILLION.
IF, IF I, IF I HEARD CORRECTLY THAT THAT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY, IT SEEMS LIKE WE SPEND MILLIONS EVERY MONTH, CERTAINLY EVERY YEAR.
UM, AND THEN, SO THE, THOSE ARE SOME THINGS WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE HAVE TO GET ALL THE, UM, PEOPLE TOGETHER AND, AND MAKE SURE IT'S BUILT CORRECTLY.
I KNOW AT, UM, JEFFERSON TERRACE ACADEMY WHERE I WORK AND I THINK IT, THERE ARE GOOD EMPLOYEES THERE.
I THINK THAT THE PRINCIPAL AND ALL OF THEM ARE, ARE THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE, BUT THE, THE WAY WE'VE HAD PLUMBING ISSUES, UM, UM, I DON'T THINK PAINT PEELING OFF THE WALLS, UM, AND, AND JUST THE, IT WASN'T CONSTRUCTED, UM, AS WELL AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE NUMBER THING WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE DESIGN OF THE SCHOOL AND MAKE SURE IT'S, UH, SERVING THE NEEDS OF THE POPULATION.
SO, UM, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK INTO THIS MORE CAREFULLY BEFORE WE PROCEED.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON IT UNTIL WE HAVE A BETTER DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS AND MORE
[01:40:01]
KURANDA, QUARTERLY PARENT AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE.UM, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE WE GOING TO HAVE IN THE BUILDING.
I THINK THAT IT WAS GREAT THAT HE MENTIONED HOW MANY STAFF MEMBERS, BECAUSE I KNOW ACCORDING TO OUR BUDGET RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO CUT.
UM, MORE THAN 50 INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK WITH CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, AS WELL AS GIFTED AND TALENTED.
I ALSO KNOW, ACCORDING TO OUR BUDGET, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ELIMINATING FOUR BUS AIDES THAT ACTUALLY RIDE THE BUS WITH OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.
I KNOW THAT ALSO, ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ELIMINATING MORE THAN FOUR POSITIONS IN CHILD WELFARE AND ATTENDANCE, INCLUDING HEARING OFFICERS THAT ACTUALLY DEAL WITH MANIFESTATION, DETERMINATION, REVIEWS THAT IMPACT OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE GRADE FOR THE SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH, WE NEED TO LOOK AT ONE WHAT OR HOW, WHO WE ARE.
HOW MANY CHILDREN DO WE ACTUALLY THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO IMPACT OR EFFECT? BECAUSE OUR PROBLEM FOR WHY PARENTS ARE CHOOSING NOT TO BRING OUR CHILDREN TO EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS NOT DUE TO OVERCROWDING.
THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT BEEN INNOVATIVE SINCE THAT'S THE WORD THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO USE.
SO I'M GONNA USE A DIFFERENT WORD.
WILLIAM H. HENDERSON SCHOOL, WHICH IS IN MASSACHUSETTS, I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN WITH MR.
AND I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER HEARD ONE BOARD MEMBER, UM, DO TO RESEARCH OR LOOK INTO THAT SCHOOL.
THAT IS A SCHOOL THAT ALLOWED CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, ALONG WITH REGULAR ED KIDS TO BE CO-TAUGHT IN A CLASSROOM ALONG THE LINES OF KIND OF SIMILAR TO A MONTESSORI THAT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES ACTUALLY ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WITHIN THEIR BUILDING.
AND THIS SCHOOL IS A SCHOOL THAT IS A K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE OR HIGHER.
SO, UM, AND THEY HAVE A WAITING LIST.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT BECAUSE IT'S NOT EQUITY, IT'S EQUALITY WITH ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS IN PLACE, AND THAT WORKS WITH ADA AND IDA.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND IN THE SOUTH, WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT SCHOOLS THAT ARE, THAT WILL BE EXPANDED IN THE SOUTH THAT ARE CHARTER SCHOOLS, THAT WE'LL BE TAKING FUNDING AWAY FROM OUR SCHOOLS, OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I KNOW THE BUDGET SAYS THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO TAKE APPROXIMATELY 0.1 MILLION, BUT THAT WAS ONLY FOR TYPE ONE THAT WASN'T A FOR TYPE TWO.
SO WE ACTUALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND I PROMISE YOU, I'M NOT EVEN THROUGH COMBING THROUGH THE GENERAL BUDGET YET AND HAVE NOT TOUCHED A SPECIAL BUDGET.
AND I CAN QUOTE THESE NUMBERS.
THAT'S ON PAGE 18, JUST IN CASE YOU NEED A REFERENCE.
SO I ASKED THAT WE ACTUALLY HOLD OFF ON THIS UNTIL WE CAN GET A STUDY TO SHOW HOW MANY STUDENTS WE ACTUALLY WILL ATTRACT, BUT ALSO WHAT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING.
UM, LET ME FIRST SAY THANK YOU, DR.
UH, FOR BRINGING CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL BACK INTO, UH, THIS SYSTEM.
UH, IF YOU CAN RECALL, THAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT I ASKED OF YOU WHEN WE MET AND YOUR TEAM SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE, BUT I'M GLAD YOU GUYS HAD MADE THAT HAPPEN.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME REHASHING WHAT I SAID LAST WEEK WHEN IT CAME TO THIS ITEM.
UM, BUT I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET AND THAT'S WHAT, UH, MR. GOLAY BROUGHT UP IS WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I BROUGHT YOU A NUMBERS FROM THE BUDGET WHEN WE, UH, PULLED THESE TAXES BACK IN 2018, AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS ENTRUSTED YOU GUYS WITH $936,814,488 OF THAT 177,638,895 FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO I'M LOOKING AT THIS AGAIN, YOU'RE A NUMBERS, AND I'M TRYING TO SEE WHERE WE ARE AND WHY THIS ITEM IS BEFORE US, WHEN IT IS NOT DUE TO BE BUILT UNTIL 23, 24, EXCUSE ME, 24, 25.
MY QUESTION IS THE ITEMS THAT ARE HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN ANSWER, IF YOU CAN TELL ME WHO CAN ANSWER AND GET THESE ANSWERS TO ME, EACH OF YOU HAVE MY EMAIL ADDRESS OR HOWEVER YOU CAN GET IT TO ME.
UH, I'M ASKING LAND PURCHASE FOR THESE SCHOOLS, $10 MILLION.
THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS SCHEDULED TO BE BUILT IN 20 OR 21.
[01:45:02]
IT HAS NOT BEEN BUILT, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE SET ASIDE 25 MILLION FOR THAT SCHOOL.IT IS 45 MILLION TOTAL OF $80 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT.
YOU ALSO HAVE BROWNSVILLE, UH, FOR 2122 AT 25 MILLION.
YOU HAVE FOREST HEIGHTS AT 21, 22 FOR 4 MILLION.
YOU HAVE THE NEW BRC V P A A 2020, UH, THREE FOR 28 MILLION A WHILE WILL THE 20 22 23 FOR 3.5 MILLION MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR 23, 24 AT 35 MILLION, AND THEN WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL STEM PROJECTS FOR 1.5 MILLION.
MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE ON BUDGET WITH THESE PROJECTS? UH, PRICES HAVE GONE UP OR EVERYTHING.
SO ARE WE ON BUDGET? ARE WE OVER BUDGET? CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL IS GOING TO NEED SOME MONEY AS WELL.
UH, SO MY QUESTION IS WHERE ARE WE ON A BUDGET WITH THESE PROJECTS, IF WE'RE OVER, HOW MUCH AND WE OVER UNDER HOW MUCH AND WE, AND ON HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS DONE OVER THESE NEXT FEW YEARS.
HAPPY JUNE TAPE, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO YOU, FATHER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? HI, ELIZABETH ALFONSO.
UM, I'M A PARENT IN EBR SCHOOLS.
UM, I WASN'T COMING TO SPEAK ON THIS, BUT WHEN SOMEONE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, THE RESEARCH, UM, AND I LIKED THAT, I THOUGHT, LET ME JUST CHECK AND SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
UM, THERE'S AN, UM, THE WEBSITE, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE ERIK WEBSITE.
UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY, UM, A RESEARCH IN, INTO PRACTICE ARTICLE ON GRAY CONFIGURATION THERE.
AND I MEAN, I JUST PULLED IT UP IN THE PAST 15 MINUTES.
SO WE'VE BEEN SITTING HERE, UH, IT SAYS THAT THE RESEARCH ON GRADE CONFIGURATION IS INCONCLUSIVE AT BEST, AND THERE WAS NO RESEARCH THAT SHOWS ONE CONFIGURATION IS BETTER AND IMPROVING STUDENT LEARNING.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT THIS ARTICLE SAYS.
I MEAN, I KNOW, I KNOW I HAVE AN OPINION, BUT MY OPINION DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THAT'S THE BEST PRACTICE.
UM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE FROM HAVING LIVED WITH THIS ARTICLE IN THIS SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT Y'ALL HAD BEEN DISCUSSING OTHER THINGS, THIS, UM, THAT YOU MIGHT BE COMING UP BACK COMING AT THIS DECISION BACKWARDS.
I DO THINK YOU SHOULD WAIT ON IT.
UM, IT TALKS ABOUT AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE ARTICLE CONSIDERATIONS FOR WHEN YOU ARE DEVELOPING ANOTHER SCHOOL, UM, AND SETTING UP CONFIGURATIONS WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THE SCHOOL OR THE DISTRICT'S CURRICULAR AND INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS AND GOALS, THE SIZE AND DESIGN OF THE BUILDINGS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WON'T BE DECIDED EVIDENTLY UNTIL AFTER YOU GO FORWARD WITH THIS.
THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS ON HERE TOO, BUT THE RESEARCH IS OUT THERE AND I REALLY THINK IT'S A DISSERVICE TO, TO Y'ALL.
IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS, YOU NEED THE DETAILS AND YOU NEED TO BE PROVIDED WITH THE DETAILS TO MAKE SOUND DECISIONS.
YOU CAN'T BUILD SOMETHING ON SAND, YOU NEED, YOU NEED THE INFORMATION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NONE BACK TO THE BOARD, MS.
MS. SANDERSON, CAN YOU COME BACK UP PLEASE? UM, I JUST WANT, I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, CLARIFY AND GET SOME CLARITY.
SO WE, UM, WE PASSED A TAX PLAN THAT HAD THE, UM, ONE OF THE SCHOOLS TO BE BUILT AND FINISHED AN OPEN FOR STUDENTS WHEN THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL.
UM, IT JUST GIVES US THE ONLY THING THAT'S SET IN IS THE DATE TO KICK IT OFF.
W AND SO THAT ONE, LIKE, AS IT WAS SAID, I'M NOT LOOKING AT IT.
I THINK IT WAS 20, 21, 20 21, 22.
YOU CAN GRAB SOMETHING IF YOU NEED TO GET IN THE CAR.
UM, SO THE 10 IT'S 2021, BASICALLY WHEN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS SUPPOSED TO KICK OFF.
AND SO WE WERE BEHIND PER SE ON THE PARTIES BACK TO PICK OFF, GO OUT WITH THE RFQ FOR ARCHITECTURAL SELECTION.
SO WE, WE WOULD HAVE ALREADY HAD THE LAND PURCHASED, WE WOULD HAVE STARTED.
AND WHEN WOULD SCHOOL OPEN? BECAUSE WE HAD THESE DATES? WELL, THEY HAVE, AND IT ALWAYS ENDS UP BEING WHEN THAT PROJECT ACTUALLY GETS PICKED OFF.
SO, YEAH, BUT IF IT HAD STAYED ON TIME, I'M SAYING IF IT WAS STAYING ON TIME, WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO OPEN THE SCHOOL, 23, 20, 22, 23
[01:50:03]
OR 23, 24, IF WE HAD STAYED ON TIME, MORE THAN LIKELY WE WOULD'VE HAD WHERE THAT SCHOOL WOULD'VE OPENED AUGUST OF 2023.AND WE'RE SAYING, IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET THESE MOVING ALONG, THAT WE CAN STILL DO THAT 20, 24.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE A YEAR LATE.
SO, UM, SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SEE.
WE, WE HAD TO JUMP IT BECAUSE THE LAND OUT IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT IS SO EXPENSIVE BEING GRABBED UP, LOSING THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE, BECAUSE SOMEBODY, SOME, A DEVELOPER GOT IT, AND WETLANDS, AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE CREATED THIS, UM, I KNEW AS A, AS A BOARD MEMBER THAT, UM, WE W WE, I THOUGHT THAT 10 MILLION FOR THE WHOLE LAND PURCHASE WAS NOT GONNA END SAID SO PUBLICLY.
SO WE'RE, AND I'M JUST AS PROUD AS CAN BE THAT WE HAVE MANAGED AND I'M READY TO HAVE THAT CLOSING DONE SO THAT WE REALLY WILL HAVE DONE IT, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH THAT BRETT PARTNERSHIP, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL HAVE DONE IT.
AND I, I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT THE MAIN THING IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE VOTERS VOTED ON A TAX PLAN AND WE HAVE BEEN SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY CONTINUE TO TRY TO PUSH THAT BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE NOT ON THIS ONE ON TIME BECAUSE OF THIS DELAY.
AND, UM, THIS FIRST TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ON TIME AND THAT IT KINDA SADDENS ME, BUT WE AT LEAST NEED TO GET THERE NOW WHILE WE CAN.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS TIMEFRAME, IT'S AGGRESSIVE, UM, AND WE'LL MAKE IT, I HAVE ALL FAITH IN, IN CSRS FOR HELPING US GET THERE.
WELL, I'M AWARE, JACKSON, THANK YOU.
MADAM VICE PRESIDENT OF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TIMELINES AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO SEPARATE SCHOOLS, RIGHT? SO WHAT'S THE TIMELINE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE, UM, THE FIRST ONE THAT'S BEHIND SCHEDULE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE THAT ON THIS, UH, IF THAT'S THE K EIGHT OR THE OKAY.
TO THE PRE-K FIVE ELEMENTARY IS THE FIRST IT'S SCHEDULED.
I FEEL THREE K IT'S P IT'S K EIGHT NOW.
WHAT WOULD YOU BE VOTING ON TODAY IS IF THAT CONFIGURATION WOULD CHANGE FROM PRE-K PRE-K TO PRE GOING FROM PRE K FIVE TO PRE-K EIGHT AND THE OTHER IS WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BASICALLY THE HIGH SCHOOL AT WHAT, WHEN, WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THE SECOND PROJECT? THE ONE THAT'S THAT PROJECT? UM, I WISH I HAD BROUGHT MY BOOK IN JUST TO MAKE SURE I GIVE THE EXACT DATE, BUT THAT HIGH SCHOOL, THE SECONDARY SCHOOL I AM PRETTY SURE IS SCHEDULED TO BE KICKED OFF 2024.
AND THE ARCHITECT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT STARTING IN AUGUST IS REALLY FOR THE, THE ELEVATOR, THE ELEMENTARY, THE PRE-K, WHICH IS CURRENTLY PRE-K K FIVE, AND THIS ITEM IS TO CHANGE THEIR CONFIGURATION TO A PRE-K EIGHT.
NRCS, I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE TIMELINE FOR THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE STUDY OF THE WHOLE DISTRICT, WHERE WE LOOK AT EVERYTHING, AND WE LOOK AT FEEDER PATTERNS AND THE WHOLE NINE YARDS, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THIS AREA AS WELL.
WHAT KIND OF TIMELINE ARE WE LOOKING AT TO DO THAT? BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS ON THE TABLE.
THAT'S DEALING WITH SCHOOLS AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONFIGURATIONS AND DIFFERENT STYLES AND ALL OF THAT.
AND IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE REALLY JUMPING AHEAD ON THINGS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY DO THIS PLAN FOR THE DISTRICT.
WE ARE DONE JUST FEEL LIKE IT, BUT WE ARE SO FOR THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, UH, WHICH IS OUR COMPREHENSIVE, UH, MS. SPALDING WHO COME UP AND JUST GIVE THEM AN UPDATE WHERE WE ARE ON THAT.
AND WHILE MS.
[01:55:01]
FEEDER PATTERNS.AND SO LET ME JUST SAY THIS RIGHT BEFORE, UH, MS. SPALDING COMES UP.
SO IN PART ONE THAT YOU SAW, UH, DR.
ROBINSON ACTUALLY PRESENTED TO THIS BOARD, IT WAS PROBABLY, UH, UM, I DON'T THINK IT WAS THE LAST WORD WE GOT THE MEDICINE BEFORE THAT, JUST TO SHOW PROGRAMMATIC PIECES.
UM, UH, WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHERE THE POPULATION OF STUDENTS WERE IN TERMS OF PROGRAMMATIC.
UM, AND THEN, UH, HE'S FINISHING THAT PROGRAMMING.
THAT'S ALSO GOING TO BE INCLUSIVE IN THE FACILITIES PLAN.
UH, PLEASE RECALL THAT IN THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SAW, YOU SAW WHERE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION OF STUDENTS WERE LOCATED IN THE, IN THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, THEY'LL SHOW YOU CAPACITY AND THOSE THINGS.
AND SO WHAT'S VERY CLEAR FROM OUR DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT IS THAT WE HAVE WAY MORE STUDENTS IN SOUTH BOUNDARIES THAN WE HAVE NORTH.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW IS AS, UM, AS MS. SPALDING, WE'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS GIVE YOU THE TIMELINE OF THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF KIDS IN THE SOUTH BATON ROUGE AREA IN WHICH WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, GET INTO SCHOOLS.
AND SO, UH, MS. SPALDING, COULD YOU PLEASE SHARE, UH, WITH THE BOARD THAT TIMELINE? SO THE BOARD WILL RECALL THAT YOU APPROVED AN RFP EARLIER THIS YEAR AND THAT RFP WAS NOT LET, UM, WHEN IT WAS APPROVED, THERE HAS BEEN RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN MY DEPARTMENT SINCE NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR CONSULTING WITH DIFFERENT COMPANIES AROUND THE COUNTRY TO LOOK AT FACILITY MASTER PLANS.
THE COST FOR THAT IS MULTIPLE SIX FIGURES.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING SET ASIDE FOR THAT, FRANKLY.
AND SO W HOW WE'VE CHOSE TO MANAGE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT IN THAT FACILITY, MASTER PLAN IS SEEKING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO GAIN THAT DATA, RIGHT? SO I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AN ESCO ENGINEERING FIRM TO DO ENGINEERING ASSESSMENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS, SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE PATH FORWARD WITH THAT WORK.
WE'VE WORKED WITH DIFFERENT ARCHITECTS IN THE COMMUNITY, ON OUR INDEFINITE DELIVERY AGREEMENT, TO LOOK AT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IN OUR BUILDINGS, TO LOOK AT THE BUILDING SYSTEMS AND TO GIVE SOME ESTIMATES ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THOSE.
UM, I THINK YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ME SAY BEFORE OUR ROOFING SYSTEMS ARE OUT OF WARRANTY, THERE WAS A REALLY BIG REPLACEMENT THAT HAPPENED A LITTLE OVER 20 YEARS AGO.
AND SO THERE'S MULTIPLE SCHOOLS WHERE THE ROOFING WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED.
AND SO THE DISTRICT HAS TO COME TOGETHER TO PLAN.
WE ARE MOVING FORWARD DAILY, LITERALLY TO BE ABLE TO COLLECT DATA THAT SUPPORTIVE OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED TO WORK THROUGH THE SCHOOLS.
THAT'S NOT FINAL, WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT IT, UM, TO BE ABLE TO EXECUTE MORE QUICKLY.
UM, AND IN SOME CASES WITH THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE, IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER TO BE ABLE TO DO IT THAT WAY.
WE WANT A GOOD QUALITY SOLID PLAN THAT WILL TAKE THE DISTRICT FORWARD FOR THE NEXT FIVE OR 10 YEARS, FRANKLY.
UM, I THINK YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE BOARD, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE BOARD WOULD SET POLICY TO GUIDE OUR WORK, MOVING FORWARD AND LOOKING AT THE BUILDINGS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FRANKLY SHOULD HAVE THEM BEFORE FACILITY MASTER PLAN.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT MOVING FORWARD WITH SELECTING SOMEONE TO COMPLETE THE FACILITY MASTER PLAN IN JULY.
AND THE ESTIMATED TIME HAS BEEN ANYWHERE BETWEEN THREE TO SIX MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER IT.
STARTING IN JULY AND THEN THREE TO SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, SOMETIME BEFORE CHRISTMAS, IT LOOKS THAT'S POSSIBLE.
UM, MS. WARE JACKSON, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
WELL, NEVER MAD, BUT I WROTE IT DOWN, BUT I DIDN'T THINK YOU OKAY.
UM, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
[02:00:06]
THE MOTION FAILS.[F4. Grade Configuration-Kenilworth]
FOR CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL FOR A PRE-K EIGHTH GRADE CONFIGURATION AT KENILWORTH SCHOOL CONDITION UPON ITS RETURN TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MR. BALLOU, SECONDED BY MS. DIASON.I DON'T WANNA HAVE ANY, UH, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS YET FROM THE BOARD.
ANY COMMENTS ON ITEM FOUR FROM THE AUDIENCE.
SO LET ME READ THIS AGENDA ITEM CONSIDERATION OR REQUESTS FOR THE APPROVAL FOR A PK THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE CONFIGURATION, THE KENILWORTH CONDITIONED UPON ITS RETURN TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT OWNS IT.
THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE ABOUT FOCUS CHOICE, EVEN THOUGH I THINK THERE WAS QUITE A BIT IN THE BACKUP ABOUT FOCUS CHOICE.
AND SINCE THERE WAS STUFF IN THE BACKUP ABOUT FOCUS CHOICE A WEEK AGO, IT'S GERMANE FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT THE VISITOR FROM MARYLAND AND HIS PRESENTATION TO BESSIE THE OTHER DAY, WHERE HE HAS ALL THESE GRAND PLANS FOR CAPITAL HIGH, FOR STUFF THAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER HE'S GONE OFF HIS NEXT JOB, WHICH DISTURBED ME BECAUSE THAT HADN'T BEEN ON YOUR AGENDA AT ALL.
SO BACK TO THIS ITEM, THE SAME THING THAT APPLIED TO WHY IT'S PREMATURE TO COME UP WITH A GRADE CONFIGURATION FOR THE SCHOOLS, YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD, APPLIES TO KENILWORTH.
THERE'S NO REPORT ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE SCHOOL.
UH, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY WORK FOR MR. JOHNSON ON WHO WOULD BE GOING HERE.
AND ARE YOU GOING TO, I HEARD WHAT MISS DYSON SAID LAST WEEK IS THE PLAN TO SUCK ALL THE STUDENTS OUT OF MAGNOLIA, WOODS AND HIGHLANDS.
SO YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH THEM IS THE PLAN TO HAVE A FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL AT, UM, KENILWORTH IN ORDER TO NOT SERVE THE KIDS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, OR AT LEAST NOT THE ONES THAT DON'T EXCEL ACADEMICALLY.
REMEMBER AS MR.
TRY THAT AGAIN, FORGET THE ANALOGY.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO FOLLOW WHAT SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN MARYLAND DECIDES YOUR POLICY SHOULD BE, AND THEN JUST KINDA PASS WHATEVER WITHOUT GIVING IT FULL CONSIDERATION.
ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE PRE-K THROUGH EIGHT SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO HAVE AGE THREE THROUGH EIGHT SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO HAVE PRE-K THROUGH FIFTH.
ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS IS EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL IN THE ENTIRE DISTRICT GOING TO BE A MAGNET.
SO YOU'VE GOT BUSES GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE ALL THE TIME IS THE VISITOR FROM MARYLAND SENDING THIS UP TO DESTROY ALL SENSE OF ANY NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.
SO EVERYTHING'S A CHARTER AND HE CAN CLAIM THAT HE REPLICATED THE NEW ORLEANS MIRACLE OR DISASTER, DEPENDING ON YOUR OPINION IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHERE HE WAS HIRED TO DO THAT AND APPEARS TO BE DOING JUST THAT.
ANYWAY, I SEE NO REASON TO PASS THIS ITEM, PLEASE REJECT IT.
THANK YOU FOR REJECTING THE LAST ONE.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM BECAUSE I WAS ONCE AN EMPLOYEE AT THAT SITE AT KENILWORTH.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, THIS IS GOING TO COST YOU A MINT TO GET THAT BUILDING UP TO CODE.
UM, THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE, THE URINALS DID NOT WORK AT THE BOYS BATHROOM.
I HAD TO DO BATHROOM DUTY AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST, UH, DISGUSTING EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE.
UM, WHICH IS WHY I CAME UP HERE LAST TIME.
AND I WAS ADAMANT ABOUT THE SITE NOT BEING BROUGHT BACK INTO THE DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, NOW THAT I'M WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ENTITY THAT IS HOUSING, THE SPACE NOW WILL NO LONGER BE THERE AND IT'S JUST A SITE, RIGHT? SO THAT DEFINITELY MAKES A WORLD OF A DIFFERENCE.
UM, I KNOW I SPOKE ABOUT FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS.
AND I THINK THAT NOW THAT I'VE HAD THE TIME TO SIT DOWN AND SPEAK WITH SOME COLLEAGUES
[02:05:01]
AND SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS, I THINK I'M GETTING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE.UM, AS YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME I COME UP, I TH I TALK ABOUT THE REALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AND IT BEING AN EQUITABLE, UM, IN, IN ESSENCE, UM, BEING A MCKINLEY GRADUATE, I'M ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THE RESOURCES BEING ADEQUATE ADEQUATED, UH, FAIRLY ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SPEAKING WITH A BOARD MEMBER, GO DAY ABOUT SOME OF HIS IDEAS FOR MCKINLEY.
I THINK THERE ARE GREAT IDEAS.
I THINK THERE ARE THINGS THAT I CAN GET BEHIND.
THOSE THINGS COME TO MANIFESTATION, HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO, UH, DR.
AND HE ALERTED ME THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS COMING DOWN THE PIKE FROM WHETHER MCKINLEY THAT WILL BE GOOD.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, I WILL SAY THIS, I SEE THAT OSCHNER IS A POTENTIAL PARTNER.
AND I THINK THAT IS A VERY IDEAL THING.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO BRING THE DISTRICT BAG BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY BATON ROUGE AND LOUISIANA PARTICULARLY SUFFERS FROM ONE OF THE LARGEST BRAIN DRAINS IN THE COUNTRY.
WE'RE LOSING LIKE PEOPLE LEFT AND RIGHT.
AND SO IF WE CAN PREPARE THEM EARLY ON TO BE ACTIVE AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS DEAL, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF BEING, UM, HEALTHCARE, ADMINISTRATORS AND WORKERS, I THINK THAT'D BE A GREAT DEAL.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS, UM, IF A SCHOOL THAT HAS YET TO COME BACK INTO THE DISTRICT CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR A PARTNER THAT IS ILLUSTRIOUS AS AN ENTREPRENEUR.
MY EXPECTATION IS THAT OTHER SCHOOLS, AS THEY ARE, UH, SLATED TO BE BUILT, UH, PARTICULARLY MOTHER MCKINLEY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HER GET SOMETHING ON THE SAME LEVEL AS THE EVELEIGH GUARD CENTER AND, UM, THE KENWORTH PROJECT.
UH, I HAVE GOOD FAITH THAT YOU ALL WILL DO THE RIGHT THING IN THAT REGARD, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYBODY HAS A LOT OF INPUT ABOUT HOW THESE RESOURCES ARE BEING ALLOCATED.
AND AS I SAID, THE MCKINLEY IS 115 YEARS OLD AND IT'S DUE FOR A FACELIFT.
KURANDA CORLEY, PARENT DISABILITY ADVOCATE, UM, KENILWORTH IS NOT IN ADA COMPLIANCE.
THE BUILDING IS NOT THE FACILITY NEVER WAS, SO WE WILL BE HITTING A BUILDING THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONDITION IS.
IT IS IN, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO, UM, ENTER THE BUILDING SAFELY.
HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GO THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING SAFELY.
HAVE WE DONE A STUDY TO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY IT'S GOING TO COST TO RENOVATE THAT BUILDING AND BRING IT UP TO CODE THAT'S NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO, IT ORIGINALLY HAD, UM, AN EXPECTATION OF HOW MANY STUDENTS WE WANTED TO ATTRACT TO KENILWORTH.
AND IT DID ORIGINALLY STATED THAT IT WAS GOING TO HAVE A FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM.
UM, THAT OSCHNER WAS GOING TO DO THAT WAS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY SIMILAR TO WHAT BATON ROUGE GENERAL IS DOING AT PARK ELEMENTARY.
IN FACT OSCHNER PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH KENNER DISCOVERY IS NOT ONE THAT IS PASSING.
IT IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN FAILING.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PULL UP ON L D O E S WEBSITE, AND THEY DID, AND IT DOES DISCRIMINATE.
THEY ONLY ALLOW CHILDREN IN VIA A LOTTERY.
THAT WAS WHY OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TOLD THEM NO, THEY ARE NOW GOING TO OPEN UP BATON ROUGE DISCOVERY AT THE RONALD'S BUILDING, AND IT IS GOING TO BE A TYPE TWO CHARTER.
SO WHAT PROGRAM ARE WE GOING TO PUT IT KIND OF WORTH? BECAUSE WE CANNOT PUT A FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY TOLD MCKINLEY, HI, NO.
WHEN THEY ASKED FOR THE WATER PROGRAM, WHICH WAS A FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM.
SO HOW ARE WE PLANNING TO, UH, TRACK THE STUDENTS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ATTRACTING THAT WAS ACTUALLY ON BOARD DOCS? IN ADDITION TODAY, CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT CONTINUE TO TRY TO ATTRACT PROGRAMMING THAT IS GOING TO BE SELECTIVE AND, AND ONLY ALLOWS STUDENTS VIA A LOTTERY LOTTERY, MAIN EXCLUSION.
WE ALL KNOW THE PROBABILITY AND THE STATISTICS AS IT RELATE TO WINNING A LOTTERY, BUT WE NEVER LOOK AT THE PROBABILITY IN THE STATISTICS WHEN IT COMES TO A LOTTERY WITH EXCLUSION.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CANNOT DO.
WE HAVE A LEGAL OBLIGATION UNDER THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, AS WELL AS THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT TO ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT CAN ENTER INTO ANY OF OUR BUILDINGS AND OUR PROGRAMS LESS THAN I MAKE KENNEL.
IF WHEN WE GET THIS BUILDING BACK LESS THAN THAT, MAKE THAT A DEDICATED
[02:10:01]
MAGNET LESS NIGHT.BUT ALSO LET'S NOT SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT A FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM IN IT EITHER BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE AGAIN, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR EXCLUSION, ARE YOU AT MY EIGHT MINUTES? AND I'LL GET IT BACK LATER.
THANK YOU KNOW, THE COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, SEEING NINE BACK TO THE BOARD MS. WHERE JACKSON, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT MAN, UH, DR.
SEES THE ITEM SPEAKS OF PRE-K EIGHT CONFIGURATION, BUT THE BACKUP HAS NOTHING MUCH ABOUT THE CONFIGURATION, BUT MORE ABOUT THE ACTUAL PROGRAMMING, UM, WHICH IS A BIT DISTURBING TO ME.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE KIND OF JUMPING FORWARD AGAIN.
I BRING BACK THE, THE IDEA OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND HOW ALL THIS FITS IN.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER MEDICAL CHOICE.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE VOTE ON THIS, WE'RE GOING TO BE BASICALLY BASED ON THE BACKUP SEALING, THIS FOCUS CHOICE PLAN.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE QUITE READY FOR THAT.
UH, ESPECIALLY WITH IT BEING THE SAME TYPE OF PROGRAMMING, ALTHOUGH A DIFFERENT OPERATOR, BUT THE SAME TYPE OF MEDICAL PROGRAMMING.
WE'VE GOT ONE AT GLEN OAKS HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WITH WHAT WAS PROPOSED AT WHAT I SAW AT BESSIE AND ALSO AT, AT PARK.
AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT KENILWORTH AND, UM, I CAN'T MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT SPEAKING OF K K A AND THE BACKUP IS SUPPORTING SOMETHING THAT'S NOT IN, IN, WITHIN THE, UH, WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY VOTING ON.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, SO YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY A VOTE, NO, ON THE SIDE.
THANK YOU, MS. WARE JACKSON, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
SO ACTUALLY, UH, IF IT'S PERMISSIBLE A MOMENT OF PRIVILEGE, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS I WANTED TO MENTION, WHICH WAS THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM PAST THE FLOWERS HAD EXPERT INFORMATION PAST THE FLOWERS, THE, AH, PUBLIC COMING IS NAFA REQUESTING INFORMATION, BUT SOMETIMES A BOARD MEMBER CAN PICK UP YOUR REQUEST AND I INTENDED TO PICK UP YOUR REQUEST.
AND SO THEN IF YOU COULD EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO ME AND I'LL SEND IT SINCE IT CAN'T BE ANSWERED IN THIS MOMENT, BECAUSE I DIDN'T DO IT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
THANK YOU, VICE AND CARLOS, MR. SHAMBLIN, YOU HAD PRESSURE.
UM, THE BOYS SECRETARY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BOARD DOCS, AND THIS IS JUST TACTICAL, UM, MENTIONED FOR THE BOARD.
THE AUDIENCE BOARD DOCS REFLECTS A CARRY WHEN THERE'S A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE PEOPLE PRESENT FOR OUR MINUTES.
AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR POLICY, A MOTION CAN ONLY CARRY FIVE, WHICH IS A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD.
SO IF YOU'RE WATCHING IT ON BOARD DOCS AND YOU'RE WATCHING THE VOTE AND IT SAYS CARRIES, IT DOESN'T MEAN NECESSARILY MOTION CARRIES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL WORK WITH TECHNOLOGY TO SEE IF WE CAN.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS YOU NEED FIVE TO MO FOR A TO CARE.
AND THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON THE LAST ITEM THAT FAILED BECAUSE IT SHOWS CARRIES ON THE BOOK.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE SPECIFY THAT, ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MS. DYSON.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT SINCE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, MORE INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE ARE FEELING LIKE THEY NEED, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO, UH, PUT THIS TO OUR SPECIAL MEETING THAT WE'VE CALLED FOR THE, UM, PRIOR TO THE COW ON JULY 14TH, YOU WERE THE SECOND ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
I WILL WAIT, AM I THE FIRST BALLOON? UM, MR. GOLDA IS MAKING THE MOTION TO SUBSTITUTE MOTION JUST TO GO DAYS MADE THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND, UM, AND WILLING TO ACCEPT THEM AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, IF, IF, UM, MS. DICEY, IS THAT WHAT Y'ALL WANT TO DO? YEAH.
[02:15:05]
UH, OKAY.SO WE'RE, UM, WE'RE BACK ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION, BUT IT'S BEEN AMENDED.
SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE AUDIENCE SENDING ONE WISH TO, FROM THE AUDIENCE, WISH TO SPEAK ABOUT THE AMENDED MOTION.
I THINK I NEGLECTED INTRODUCED MYSELF LAST TIME, AND I WOULDN'T WANT ANY OF YOU TO HAVE FORGOTTEN MY NAME.
I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THIS TO BE MOVED TO THE COMMITTEE OF WHOLE, NOT TO A SPECIAL MEETING.
YOU DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO CONSIDER THE GRADE CONFIGURATION.
AND I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE WITH THE VISITOR FROM MARYLAND WILL BE ABLE TO PUT THAT TOGETHER IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, CORONA, CORALEE, PARENT AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE.
UM, IF WE'RE TRYING TO POSTPONE THIS TO, UM, THE JULY 14TH MEETING, CAN WE PLEASE HAVE A, UM, EXPLANATION AND ACTUALLY REQUEST CERTAIN INFORMATION? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST IS THAT WE ACTUALLY GET INFORMATION REGARDING THE POPULATION IN WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT THE KIND OF WORK.
AND WHERE DO WE THINK THAT THESE KIDS ARE GOING TO COME FROM? WHAT PROGRAMMING ARE WE TRYING TO HAVE? BECAUSE AGAIN, IT STATED FOCUSED CHOICE, UM, ONCE BEFORE ON BOARD DOCS.
SO IF THE INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PROVIDED, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC ACTUALLY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE'RE HAVING A LACK OF DATA AND WE'RE NOT BEING EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT.
AND I KNOW EVERY STUDENT EVERY DAY COUNTS AND MATTERS.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO KENILWORTH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT EVERY DAY IS GOING TO BE AFFECTED AND IMPACTED IN A POSITIVE WAY.
AND RIGHT NOW, THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN, THEY WILL BE, UM, THEY WILL BE SET UP FOR A DETRIMENT.
AND SO I'M ASKING, UM, EVERYTHING BE PROVIDED, INCLUDING WHAT CONTRACTORS WERE HAVING TO GO AND GO, GO INTO THE BUILDING, HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST FOR US TO BRING THAT BUILDING UP TO PAR, HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO CAUSE FOR US TO BRING THAT BUILDING INTO ADA COMPLIANT? WHERE ARE WE GOING TO HOUSE THE CHILDREN K THROUGH FIFTH, SEPARATE FROM SIX THROUGH EIGHT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S PROTECTION, WILL THERE BE A SRO S UM, SHERIFF, CITY POLICE, ET CETERA THERE, HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST? IF THIS IS NOT OUTLINED IN THE BUDGET THAT WE ALREADY HAVE BEFORE US, WILL WE THEN HAVE TO MAKE AN ADDENDUM TO THAT BUDGET AND HOW MUCH EXTRA WILL THAT COST.
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE EXCELLENT.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC AND ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT IT IS BROUGHT FORTH BEFORE THE BOARD SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A REAL TRUE CONVERSATION BECAUSE THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE CONTINUE DELAYS THAT WE HAVE IS NOT FEASIBLE FOR THE CHILDREN AND WHAT MATTERS EVERY DAY IS OUR CHILDREN, EVERY SINGLE CHILD.
AND I'M GOING TO TAKE MY MINUTE FOR THE NEXT ONE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING I'M BACK TO THE BOARD, MR. BALLOU? WAS THAT SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR, YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK.
I WANTED CLARIFICATION AS FAR AS THE, UH, REQUESTS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, READS IT IT'S FOR THE GRADE CONFIGURATION.
UM, AND THE BACKUP DOES MENTION A POSSIBILITY OR WHAT YOU ENVISIONED, BUT I'M WANT TO MAKE SURE COUNSEL, UH, IF WE PASS THIS, IT'S ONLY THE GREAT CONFIGURATION AS FAR AS THE PROGRAM THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD AT A LATER TIME.
THIS ITEM IS FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF GREAT CONFIGURATION ONLY.
STILL IN THE MOTION AND THE ITEM BEFORE THE BEST WAY I UNDERSTOOD.
THANK YOU, MR. BALLOU, MR. GAUDETTE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME IS WE CONTINUE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
IF YOU GO LOOK AT OUR RECENT REDISTRICT KING, MY DISTRICT HAD GROWN BY 20 SOMETHING PERCENT.
UM, MISS, UH, BERNARD'S DISTRICT HAD GROWN BY, I THINK, EIGHT OR 10% MS. DYSON'S DISTRICT HAD GROWN BY SIX OR 7% WHILE SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS HAD DECLINED.
THIS IS WHERE OUR POPULATION IS GROWING.
WE'RE LATE ON THE TAX PLAN BECAUSE WE COULD NOT GET AGREEMENT TO BUY LAND.
IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT TO FINALLY GET AGREEMENT ON WHAT LAND TO BUY.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE JUST KEEP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
AND MY CONSTITUENTS ARE GETTING VERY UPSET ABOUT NOT HAVING SCHOOLS TO PUT THEIR CHILDREN IN MS. DYSON'S CONSTITUENTS
[02:20:01]
ARE GETTING UPSET BY NOT HAVING SCHOOLS TO PUT CHILDREN IN MS. BERNARD'S CONSTITUENTS ARE GETTING VERY UPSET ABOUT NOT HAVING SCHOOLS TO PUT CONSTITUENTS IN.I'M SURE MR. CATMAN, EVEN THOUGH HE'S GOT THE NEW JEFFERSON TERRACE, HE'S GOT A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT DON'T HAVE SCHOOLS TO PUT THEIR KIDS IN, BUT WE KEEP WANTING MORE AND MORE INFORMATION.
WE KEEP WANTING TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
WE KEEP WANTING TO HAVE THINGS ABOUT WHERE ALL THE STUDENTS GOING TO COME FROM.
ALOYSIUS THERE, EXPAND AND GO LOOK AT ST.
THAT'S WHERE THE KIDS ARE GOING.
THEY'RE NOT COMING TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE'LL HAVE A PLACE TO PUT THEM.
WOODLAWNS GREATLY OVERCROWDED.
SO I ASKED MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AT LEAST ALLOW US TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT MEETING AND REACH THIS.
W WE JUST KEEP WE'RE DOING THIS PARISH, THIS ENTIRE PARISH, A GREAT DISSERVICE BY CONTINUING TO KICK THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE PARISH.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT THESE PEOPLE WERE PAYING THEIR TAXES AND THEY DESERVE A SCHOOL TOO, AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO PUT THEIR KIDS.
WILDWOOD HAS A WAITING LIST, WOODLAWN, MIDDLES, BUSTING AT THE SEAMS. AND ALL WE TALK ABOUT IS WHERE, WHERE ARE THE KIDS GOING TO COME FROM? THEY'RE OUT THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO PUT THEM.
SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE ALLOW US TO AT LEAST HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT MEETING, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THIS WOULD PASS TONIGHT, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT AT LEAST ALLOW US TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR TO PLAN A SCHOOL IS AN ABSORBENT.
IF WE GET THE SCHOOL BACK NEXT AUGUST, WE NEED TO BE PLANNING.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH IT? AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO GO ABOUT DOING IT? AND YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE EVERY, I DOTTED AND EVERY T CROSS WHAT YOU DON'T.
THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS AND DOTTING I'S AND CROSSING T'S AND WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
SO LIKE MY CONSTITUENTS, MS. DYSON CONSTITUENTS, MS. BERNARD'S CONSTITUENTS, MISS ATTACHMENTS.
I DON'T THINK IT REACHES ALL THE WAY UP TO MR. BALLOU, BUT WE ASK YOU TO WORK WITH US FOR THE PEOPLE OF OUR PARISH TO, TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AND BE ABLE TO GET SOME SCHOOLS IN OUR SECTION OF THE PARISH.
UM, MS. WADE JACKSON, THANK YOU, MR. TINTIN, IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA THAT IS AROUND GRADE AND THEN PUT SOMETHING IN THE BACKUP THAT GOES FAR BEYOND GRADE CONFIGURATION, WELL INTO THE DESIGN, THE, THE COMPOSITION OF, OF PROGRAMMING.
UM, WE NEED TO GET THAT RIGHT.
I AGREE THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED SCHOOLS IN THIS, THAT PART OF THE DISTRICT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR, FOR YEARS, WE'VE TRIED TO GET THE BOARD TOGETHER TO DO A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE HAD A COMMITTEE SET UP OR A TASK FORCE WHERE MS. DYSON AND I WERE PLACED ON IT AND THEN NOT ALLOWED TO WORK ON IT.
AND NOW WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE, WE'RE JUMPING JUST LEAPING FORWARD MAKING DECISIONS BEFORE WE CAN EVEN HAVE A, A CONVERSATION AROUND WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE A FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL OR WHATEVER IT NEEDS TO BE AS IF THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN THINK OF.
AND NOW WE WANT TO PUT IT ON AN AGENDA WHERE WE WERE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE WERE GOING TO VOTE AND IT'S GOING TO BE A FOCUS CHOICE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED THE SCHOOL.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO COMPROMISE? CAN WE PUT THIS ON COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, WHERE WE HAVE MORE, MORE INFORMATION? OH, I HAVE INFORMATION.
COULD THE MOTION BE RE-READ BECAUSE I THINK THE MOTION IS ONLY K EIGHT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH, BUT I THINK THAT THAT IS I'M SORRY.
SO YOUR POINT OF INFORMATION IS THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S WHAT THE MOTION IS TO MOVE THIS ITEM AS IT'S WRITTEN TO A SPECIAL MEETING.
I'M SORRY, MS. JACKSON, GO AHEAD.
HOW ABOUT WE IN THE FUTURE? WE MENTIONED THIS IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING AND IT CAME BACK TO US THE VERY SAME WAY WITH THE VERY SAME BACKUP THERE.
I, I EXPRESSED THE SAME CONCERN THAT I'M SEEING RIGHT NOW, AND IT CAME BACK TO US THE EXACT SAME WAY.
SO THERE'S NOT, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF CLOUDS IN THE SKY ON THIS ONE, YOU KNOW, UH, OR WE'VE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE MOTION, THE AGENDA ITEM AND THE BACKUP DON'T
[02:25:01]
MATCH.AND THAT'S WHERE THE CONCERN IS.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN WE VOTE ON THIS, WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE FOCUSED CHOICE, JUST LIKE WE HAD, UH, WE READ IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT WE CHOOSE IN FOCUS CHOICE IN AN AREA WHERE OVER AT CAPITAL, YOU KNOW, WE JUST KIND OF JUMP FORWARD, MAKING THESE BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS AND THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY IS NOT ON BOARD WITH THIS.
WE ALL KNOW THAT WE NEED MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THAT AREA.
I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE JUST GET IT, JUST GET OUR STUFF RIGHT.
WHEN WE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE, SO THAT WE CAN STOP CONFUSED.
WE WILL STOP CONFUSING PEOPLE.
THERE'S ENOUGH CONFUSION IN THIS DISTRICT, WITHOUT US ADDING TO IT, PUTTING THE WRONG INFORMATION IN THE BACKUP OR THINGS THAT WE ASSUME IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND THEN WE SAY, WELL, WHEN WE'RE VOTING ON THIS ITEM, WE'RE ACTUALLY VOTING THIS.
SO FORGET IT, BUT DON'T READ THE BACKUP.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO READ THE BACKUP.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE BACKUP.
THE BACKUP ALWAYS COMPLIMENTS.
IT ALWAYS EXPLAINS WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY VOTING ON.
I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
WHICHEVER MEETING IS GOING TO BE WITH THE RIGHT INFORMATION, WITH THE BACKUP, SUPPORTING THE ITEM THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.
THANK YOU, MS. SQUARE JACKSON, MS. TYSON.
SO THE MOTION ON THE TABLE IS TO, UH, MOVE THIS TO THE SPECIAL MEETING, WHICH WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE WEEKS INSTEAD OF TWO WEEKS.
AND SO, UM, IT'S JUST TO MOVE THE ITEM TO THE SPECIAL MEETING THAT IS ALL WE'RE ASKING IS TO JUST GIVE ADDITIONAL TIME SO THAT THESE KINDS OF THINGS WITH THE BACKUP AND ALL OF THAT CAN BE VERY CLEAR TO ALL OF US AND THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE APPROVING AT THE SPECIAL MEETING.
SO LET'S EVERYTHING ELSE IS OFF THE TABLE.
IT'S MOVING IT TO THE SPECIAL MEETING IS WHAT IS ALL WE'RE VOTING FOR, UH, RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU, MS. DICE AND THE BOARD IS CLEAR.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
[F5. Professional Services Contracts-Federal]
TO ITEM F FIVE CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS BETWEEN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, AND THE FOLLOWING A CITY YEAR IN THE AMOUNT OF $360,000 TO PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES.STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BE ACHIEVED 3000 INC IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,391,090 TO PROVIDE FOOD, TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND STUDENT WEB-BASED ACTIVITIES, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, UH, C CASTLE IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000 TO PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT.
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND THE AMOUNT OF $454,000 TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT, BEST PRACTICES, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, E NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING IN THE AMOUNT OF $120,000 TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT, BEST PRACTICES, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AF RETHINK, AND THE AMOUNT OF 175,000 TO PROVIDE FOR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MR. BALLOU? IS THERE A SECOND? NOBODY ELSE WANT TO SECOND IT, MR.
[02:30:06]
OKAY.THE, UH, THE BOARD IS CLEAR FOR THE MOMENT.
UH, WE'LL GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON THESE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON F FIVE, YOU TOO AT VINNY STORM MATTHEWS, UM, CASTLE, WHEN IT CAME UP LAST YEAR, LOOKED GREAT.
EVERYTHING LOOKED WONDERFUL UNTIL WE FOUND OUT IS THE TEACHERS THAT DO ALL THE TEACHING AND WE DON'T GET ANY TRAINING ON IT.
SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT LAST YEAR BECAUSE IT WAS THROUGH THE SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT.
SO, BUT THIS COMING YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE THROUGH THE FIRST CLASS OF THE DAY.
UM, YEAH, NO, IT'S NOT VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND THAT WHAT THE COUNSELORS DO IS, BUT THE TR WHAT THE TEACHERS ARE DOING WITH THE KIDS EVERY DAY.
YEAH, NO, IT JUST TAKES AWAY FROM INSTRUCTION TIME.
UM, WHICH IS LIMITED NOW THAT YOU'VE CUT HALF OF OUR ELA DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE'RE ALREADY HAVING TO CUT HALF OF WHAT WE TEACH.
UM, ALSO, AND WITH THE CHIEF 3000, UM, IT'S MANDATORY THAT WE DO THREE OF THOSE A WEEK, AGAIN, CUTTING INTO WHAT WE HAVE THE TIME TO TEACH.
SOMETIMES THERE'S A FREE VERSION OF THAT CALLED NEWS ELA, WHERE IT DOES THE EXACT SAME THING.
YOU PICK THE CHILD'S LEXILE LEVEL AND IT TAKES THE, THE CURRENT EVENT AND IT PUTS IT ON THAT CHILD'S LEXILE LEVEL AND THERE'S QUIZZES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND GUESS WHAT, IT'S F R E E BRI.
IT'S WONDERFUL BEEN USING IT FOR YEARS AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY ALL THAT MONEY FOR IT.
ACHIEVE 3000 IS ACROSS THE BOARD.
I DIDN'T CATCH WHAT THE MOTION WAS, WHETHER IT'S TO RAM THESE THROUGH TONIGHT OR HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING OR WHATEVER, BUT WHATEVER IT IS, IF YOU APPROVE THESE BEFORE YOU HAVE A BUDGET FOR EACH OF THE PROPOSED FUNDING SOURCES, YOU WERE COMMITTING MALFEASANCE, YOU WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY IRRESPONSIBLE TO VOTE.
IF THESE FUNDS ARE NOT BUDGETED YET.
SO MR. BALLOU, MS. COLLINS, MR. TAVIN, AS WERE JACKSON, MR.
I WAS IT A CALPHALON? SO, UM, PARENT, UM, I'M GOING TO SAY, PLEASE, DON'T PASS THESE ALSO, UH, THE CITY YEAR, UM, GETS MIXED REVIEWS.
I JUST WENT ONLINE AND LOOKED, THE INFORMATION IS OUT THERE.
I DID GO AND LOOK UP, UM, PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCES WITH IT.
CAUSE EVERY ORGANIZATION ON HERE PROMOTES THEIR OWN.
THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU POSITIVE REVIEWS.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT THEMSELVES.
UM, EVIDENTLY THE PAY RATE FOR CITY YEAR IS REALLY POOR.
UM, THERE WAS A HUGE, UH, 50 HOURS A WEEK.
UM, AND THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO AGE 24.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS MENTIONED, IT WAS MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE REPORTED THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH IT, DOING IT.
UM, PART OF THEIR TRAINING IS TO TELL THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY MONEY.
THEY NEED TO APPLY FOR FOOD STAMPS MULTIPLE TIMES.
I BET THERE'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT IS TELLING THEIR EMPLOYEES TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, SO THAT CITY YEAR CHIEF'S 2000, UM, IT'S ON ERIC, THE SAME WEBSITE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE'S 55 ENTRIES ABOUT ACHIEVE 3000 ON THERE.
UM, DESPITE HIS PROMISE TO HELP TEACHERS MEET THE NEEDS OF DIVERSE LEARNERS, DISTRICT USAGE OF ACHIEVE 3000 AMONG MOST STUDENTS WITH ACCESS TO IT REMAINS FAR BELOW THE OPTIMAL LEVEL NECESSARY FOR THEM TO REALIZE LITERACY GROWTH AND COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS.
UM, AS MS. MATTHEWS MENTIONED, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE FREE THAT DO THE SAME THING.
THIS WAS THE BIGGEST BUDGET ITEM ON THERE.
UM, IT IT'S JUST NOT NECESSARY AS FAR AS, UH, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING, UM, AND THOSE TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT ARE PART OF THAT.
UH, TEACHERS INTEGRATE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING IN EVERYTHING THEY DO.
TEACHERS TEACH TIME MANAGEMENT AS PART OF INTEGRATED WITHIN THEIR CURRICULUM.
THEY ARE TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN HOW TO INTERACT IN A CLASSROOM TOGETHER BECAUSE EVERYTHING HAS TO BE RESPECTFUL.
[02:35:01]
THERE'S NOTHING NEW THERE.I DON'T KNOW IF IT BECAME A BUZZWORD, BUT IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT WHEN THE MONEY'S NEEDED A LOT OF OTHER PLACES.
THEY DO IN CHURCH SERVICE STILL AT ANNOUNCING MYSELF, COMING FROM THE DOOR NAME IS KAREN NICOLA, PARENT, AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE CONTRACTS.
AND LET ME TELL YOU THE REASON PLAIN AND SIMPLE, THE BUDGET, OUR BUDGET, UM, EVERY SINGLE PORTION OF THE BUDGET SAY THAT YOU HAVE PORTIONS THAT ARE SAYING THAT IT'S SAVING US LIKE 4.5 ONLY TO GO IN THE VERY NEXT SECTION THAT SAID IT IS GOING TO HAVE AN INCREASE OF SPENDING.
I'M JUST THROWING THAT NUMBER OUT THERE AS AN EXAMPLE.
THAT'S NOT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS, BUT I CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK SOME OF THE ACTUAL NUMBERS.
AND I'M SAYING THAT WE CANNOT LOOK AT THOSE, UM, LOOK AT THESE CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE ACTUALLY DO THE BUDGET.
AND THE REASON WHY I'M STATING THAT IS BECAUSE WHO'S GOING TO IMPLEMENT THIS.
I KNOW THAT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT I KNOW THAT WE ARE ALSO CUTTING GOOD GUIDANCE COUNSELORS THAT WAS REFLECTIVE IN THE BUDGET.
GUIDANCE COUNSELORS ARE BEING CUT.
WE'RE ELIMINATING SEVERAL POSITIONS, CHILD WELFARE, AND ATTENDANCE.
THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ALSO DEAL WITH SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AS WELL AS PROVIDE PROGRAMMING EFFECT, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, UH, THE OFFICE, ONE OF THE OFFICES OVER THERE, UM, THAT I WORE THE SHIRT FOR RESPECTIVELY.
THEY ACTUALLY ARE LOCATED IN CHILD WELFARE AND ATTENDANCE THAT'S BEING ELIMINATED.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE FEDERAL CONTRACTS THAT WE WANT TO APPROVE, WE HAVE TO FIRST LOOK AT WHAT OUR BUDGET IS STATING OUT.
BUDGET IS STATING THAT WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE THOSE PEOPLE.
SO WHO IN FACT, WHO IS GOING TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THESE CONTRACTS AND WHO'S GOING TO BE THE PERSON THAT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT PARENTS LIKE MYSELF OR ANY OTHER PARENT OF A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY OR A PARENT OF A CHILD WILL FOSTER CARE OR AN ADOPTIVE PARENT OR A GRANDPARENT IS RAISING THEIR CHILD OR THEIR GRANDCHILD OR A CHILD THAT'S MATRICULATING BACK INTO OUR SCHOOL FROM JUVENILE JUSTICE.
WHO'S GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE LEARNING TO TRUMP, THE TRAUMA INFORMED BEST PRACTICES IN THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING, OR ANY OF THE OTHER PROGRAMMING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
NOBODY THEY'RE STAY ALSO NOBODY BECAUSE THEY WON'T.
THE POSITIONS WON'T EXIST HERE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
NOT ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE ON BOARD DOCS.
I THANK YOU, MS. EVELYN AWARE JACKSON, FOR YOUR VOICE THAT YOU GAVE A FEW MOMENTS AGO ON THAT MOTION.
IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE BASICS.
WE HAVE TO CREATE A REAL SOLID FOUNDATION FIRST, BEFORE WE CAN SAY THAT WE'RE JUST KICKING STUFF DOWN.
IT CAME DOWN TO, UH, KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE THE CANYON IS BEING KICKED DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A FOUNDATION.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
AND RIGHT NOW THE PROBLEM IS A BUDGET AND ELIMINATION OF, OF ACTUAL POSITIONS.
SO YES, NO TO THE FEDERAL CONTRACTS, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT CAN IMPLEMENT THEM.
UNLESS OF COURSE YOU ABOUT TO DO A SUB CONTRACT WITH ME OR MR. GLORIA SHAMBLIN OR DAVID TEDMAN OUR PRESIDENT.
I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW HOW THE WORD RESPONSIBILITY IS DEFINED.
AND I KNOW THAT OUR ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
AND I THINK TONIGHT YOU GUYS HAVE SHOWN A GOOD STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF RESTORING TRUST WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE'VE, YOU GUYS MADE SOME THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS TONIGHT.
AND I THINK, AND I PRAY THAT YOU GUYS WILL CONTINUE IN THAT DECISION-MAKING BY DECLINING THESE CONTRACTS AT THIS TIME, IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE TO APPROPRIATE MONEY BEFORE A BUDGET IS COMPLETE.
WE ALL KNOW THAT AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, EVERYONE HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING STEWARDS OF TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.
WHAT DOES STEWARDSHIP MEANS? YOU DON'T OWN IT.
YOU ONLY MANAGERS HAVE GOOD MANAGERS AND THAT'S A, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TONIGHT.
I WON'T DO TOO MUCH, BUT BE RESPONSIBLE.
DID YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF BEFORE YOU STARTED SPEAKING? I'M SORRY, JAMIE ROBINS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THAT ON THE RECORD.
YOU'RE WELCOME, MR. HELLO AGAIN, I'M DANIEL LAMB FORD IN ESS PARAPROFESSIONAL AT JEFFERSON TERRORISTS ACADEMY FOR, BY THE WAY, IT'S FOR THE SEVERE AND PROFOUND SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS.
[02:40:01]
WITH MS. COURTNEY.I FORGET HER LAST NAME, THAT THE PARENT WHO SPOKE, UM, ON A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I DISAGREE, BUT WITH THE WHOLE OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, THAT THIS IS AKIN TO CRITICAL RACE THEORY, WHICH TEACHES THAT BEAR WITH ME HERE.
UM, CAUSE THIS IS GOING TO THIN PEOPLE, BUT IT'S THE TRUTH.
UM, WHITE PEOPLE ARE THE OPPRESSORS.
UM, BLACK PEOPLE ARE THE OPPRESSED AND THERE'S, THERE'S NO WAY THAT, UM, BLACK PEOPLE CAN MOVE UP IN LIFE, WHICH OF COURSE IS TOTALLY FALSE.
I BELIEVE THE PEOPLE WHO CAME UP WITH THIS ARE RACIST AND, AND UM, I BELIEVE THAT ANYONE IN AMERICA CAN CON CAN MOVE UP AND CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING THAT, THAT, THAT THEY WANT TO.
AND, UM, THIS IS, UH, POLICIES LIKE THIS ARE DESTRUCTIVE OR DIVISIVE AND THEY NEED TO BE STOPPED IN OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, UM, SO THAT WE CAN MOVE UP.
AND I BELIEVE THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD BE PLACES LIKE FREE SPEECH ALLEY AT LSU, WHERE PEOPLE CAN EXPRESS, UM, THEIR OPINIONS WHERE TEACHERS CAN, UM, INVESTIGATE AND TEACH THE TRUTH.
AND NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT'S THROWN OUT AT THEM BY GOVERNMENT OR IN ANY EVER, UM, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OR, OR, UM, PRINCE BORE, ANY PUBLIC ENTITIES ANYWHERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NONE BACK TO THE BOARD, MR.
I'M READING FROM THE ACHIEVE 3000 CONTRACTS, BUT ALL OF THEM HAVE HAS THIS.
FURTHERMORE, THE CONTINUATION OF THIS CONTRACT IS CONTINGENT UPON THE APPROPRIATIONS OF FUNDS BY THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD.
IF WE FAIL TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO PROVIDE THE CONTRACT SHOW TERMINATE.
SO ALL OF THESE ARE CONTINGENT.
IF WE DON'T PROVIDE THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET, UH, TH TH WE DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT.
IS THAT RIGHT? MR. GENERAL CONSOLE.
I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE I READ THAT CORRECTLY.
AND SO, YES, WE DO PUT THESE CONTRACTS IN PLACE BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE THEM IN PLACE, BUT THEY BECOME EFFECTIVE WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE BUDGET AND THE FUNDING FROM THE BUDGET.
SO THE FACT THAT WE'RE PASSING THESE TO THE BUDGET BEING COMPLETED, IT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE.
AM I READING THAT CORRECTLY? I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY.
IF WE DEFUND THIS IN THE BUDGET, THERE IS NO CONTRACT.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTOOD THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT BEING A FACET TREE.
SECONDLY, PEOPLE HAVE MADE LOTS OF DIFFERENT COMMENTS ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS.
HOW MANY YEARS, IF WE HAD CITY YEAR, UH, IN THIS DISTRICT, PROBABLY WHAT, 10 TO 12 YEARS.
SO WE HAVE 10 TO 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH THIS, UH, WHERE WE HAVE GOTTEN, UH, WHAT WE FEEL IS WORTHY SERVICE FOR OUR MONEY OUT OF THESE CONTRACTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DOING THESE THINGS ON A WHIM, UH, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE AND, AND MAKING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE RAISED IN LORD, WE CHANGE PROVIDERS AND DID THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO PLEASE THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO HAVE SOME UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO BE, UM, RESPONSIBLE AND HOW WE DO THESE.
WE'RE NOT MAKING CONTRACTS THAT WE CAN'T BUDGET, AND WE'RE NOT REDOING CONTRACTS WITH NEFARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT DON'T DESERVE TO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH US THAT WE DON'T HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THOSE POINTS.
SO EVERYONE WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT.
MR. GORDY AND CITY YEAR HAS BEEN HERE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
SO THAT'S 11 YEARS, SIX MONTHS AND 16 DAYS AND 24.
UM, BUT THERE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
UM, I WANTED TO JUST, UM, SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE CHEAP 3000 AND JUST A LOT OF, UM,
[02:45:03]
A LOT OF, UH, DISCUSSION THAT I'VE BEEN PRIVY TO AND PEOPLE THAT ARE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM ARE HAVING, UH, IT, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S ALL ABOUT JUST ACHIEVE 3000.WHAT IT, WHAT I'VE HEARD THAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH IS THE INABILITY TO, UM, TAKE THE, THE MANDATE THAT THEY TAKE ALL THIS TIME OUT OF THEIR INSTRUCTION, TIME TO ALLOW FOR THE TIME ON ACHIEVE 3000 AND THEN RAISE THE, UM, NUMBER PER WEEK TO TWO FROM ONE OF THEIR MANDATED GRADES POSTED INTO AA NET.
UM, AND THAT, IT'S JUST YOU, CAN'T, THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME WITH TAKEN OUT THAT A NUMBER OF MINUTES, AND THEN NOT EVEN BEING ABLE TO COUNT IT AS A PARTICIPATION GRADE OR SOMETHING, AND THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THE STUDENTS ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT TIME SPENT AND TO MAKE SURE IT'S CONSTRUCTIVE TIME SPAN.
I'VE HEARD THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST PUSHING KEY KEYS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT CARING ABOUT IF YOU PERFORMED WELL ON IT OR NOT, BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
THAT WOULD BE A GREAT, AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVE A REAL STICKING POINT ON THAT IS IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE GET SOME OF THAT PART OF THAT OTHER PART CORRECTED OR LET, UM, I SH MAYBE I WOULDN'T SAY CORRECTED, BUT, UM, ADDRESSED THEN I THINK THAT THE TEACHERS CAN, UM, BE MORE ON BOARD WITH US AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS.
THANK YOU, MR. SIMS, WHERE JACKSON, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT.
TATTON WHEN I DIDN'T REALIZE UP SO QUICK, WE HAVE WHAT, LET ME SEE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ITEMS ALL IN THE SAME BUNCH.
UH, AND I KNOW A LOT OF CONCERN, OZ OF STEEL AROUND THE BUDGET AND SRN.
I KNOW WE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS WITH THE BUDGET AND WHEN WE PRESENTED, WE WILL HAVE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION AROUND ESSER WANTING, UM, UH, EVER I WOULD LIKE TO SEPARATE THESE ITEMS. I KNOW SOMETIMES WE SAY BIFURCATE, BUT BIFURCATE MEANS TO DIVIDE INTO TWO WHEN WE'VE GOT SIX, BUT IF WE COULD SEPARATE THESE ITEMS. SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE VOTE ON THESE SEPARATELY.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND? SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO SEPARATE THE ITEMS. WE WILL NOW HAVE DISCUSSION RELATIVE TO SEPARATION OF THE ITEMS, UM, DOCTRINE, RCS, UH, YOU'RE UP.
I JUST WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING.
I, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, I SAY THIS RESPECTFULLY, UM, WE, I UNDERSTAND THE PASSION.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE BOUGHT A LOT OF THINGS.
UH, AND SOMETIMES AS I SIT UP HERE AND I LISTEN, UH, SOMETIMES I HAVE A LOT OF MISCOMMUNICATION HERE, A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE, BUT JUST WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CUT CAUTION, UH, THAT EVERY TIME, UH, WE MOVE CERTAIN THINGS OR DO THEM LATER, UH, REMEMBER THAT SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE ASK ME, I JUST WANT TO BE HONEST.
THEY SAY TO ME, DON'T DO THIS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE POLITICS, UH, I WILL, AS A SUPERINTENDENT, I WILL CONTINUE TO PUT THE ITEMS FOR CHILDREN FIRST.
UH, EVERYTHING FOR CHILDREN WILL ALWAYS GO ON THAT.
WHETHER PEOPLE FEEL IT'S POLITICAL OR NOT.
AND, UM, ALSO I WILL ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THE BEST WE CAN TO NOT ONLY PUT THE CHILDREN ITEM FIRST, BUT ALSO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PREPARING AND SUPPORTING THE STAFF THAT WORK WITH CHILDREN, BURSE, UH, PEOPLE WILL CRITIQUE ME
[02:50:01]
FOR THAT.THEY CAN TELL ME I'M FROM WHEREVER I'M FROM.
THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY FEEL LIKE, BUT A FOLKS CHILDREN WILL ALWAYS BE FIRST WHILE I'M SUPERINTENDENT.
UH WE'RE REGARDLESS OF THE RESPONSIBILITY, PEOPLE MAY FEEL WE WILL NOT MOVE THIS DISTRICT BOARD IF WE CONTINUE THESE TYPE OF PATTERNS.
BUT I FEEL AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THIS DISTRICT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TELL FOLKS, CHILDREN ARE FIRST AS WE PUSH ITEMS BACK AND WE GO INTO WHATEVER WE DECIDE TO GO INTO.
JUST REMEMBER THAT IF CERTAIN THINGS DO NOT PASS SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TRAINING THAT HAPPENS IN THE SUMMER TO PREPARE STAFF.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THIS, NOT ALL OF THIS COMMUNITY FEELS LIKE WHAT YOU ALWAYS HEAR WHEN WE ARE SITTING HERE LISTENING TO THE DIFFERENT, UH, COMMENTS HERE, MANY PARENTS AND FAMILIES WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MOVING FORWARD IN THIS WORK TO SUPPORT CHILDREN.
SO I JUST FEEL LIKE IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT WE, UM, SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BOARD MEETING AND THEY THINK THAT'S THE OVERALL VIEW OF THIS PARISH.
IT IS NOT, UM, ON THESE ITEMS HERE, WE HAVE STUFF HERE WHERE CHILDREN THERE'S STUFF, WE'RE DEVELOPING STAFF, THERE'S STUFF TO SUPPORT SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING FOR KIDS, WHICH WE NEED SUPPORTS FROM THEIR STUFF ON HERE FOR READING, WHICH WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THE LITERACY WORK.
THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT THINGS ON HERE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD.
AND SO, UM, I JUST FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE AS I SIT HERE, EVERY, EVERY BOARD MEETING OR COW, I TRY NOT TO SAY A LOT BECAUSE MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH THE, UH, SOME OF THE DIFFERENT SETS OF VOICES.
AND THEN FROM THERE BE ABLE TO MOVE THE, THAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR CHILDREN.
CHILDREN WILL ALWAYS BE FIRST WHILE I'M SUPERINTENDENT.
SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF SOMETIMES OUR DISCUSSIONS SOMETIMES, UH, IS IT, UH, THE, WHAT THE PUBLIC HEARS, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD BELIEVES, UM, IS THAT THEY HEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT FOLKS WITH DIFFERENT OPINIONS AROUND THEIR PASSION, AROUND WHATEVER IT IS, BUT ON THESE CONTRACTS AND THINGS, THESE ARE NOT NEW.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I PROMISED STAFF WAS WE TRIED TO KEEP CONSISTENCY BECAUSE THIS DISTRICT HAS CHANGED PROGRAMS SO MANY TIMES THERE'S ALSO BEEN A LOT OF OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT PROGRAMS THEY THINK THEY SHOULD GET.
THAT SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT EVIDENCE-BASE, UM, WE, WE CAN DO MUCH BETTER IF WE CAN BE ABLE TO MOVE THESE THINGS FORWARD AND GET THEM READY BEFORE AUGUST.
SO IF WE DON'T PASS CERTAIN THINGS, THEY TAKE ABOUT 60 DAYS, IS THAT RIGHT? UH, THE CORRECT.
UH, AND SO I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE JUST TO, UH, TELL US, JUST BE MINDFUL ABOUT WHAT WE DECIDE, UM, THAT WE SHOULD DO OR NOT.
AND ALSO FOR STAFF FOR ALL OF OUR 3,200 TEACHERS, 6,000 EMPLOYEES, WHO'VE ALSO WANTS CONSISTENCY OF QUALITY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, TO MAKE SURE KIDS ARE LEARNING, THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY WITH SOME, OUR PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES.
UM, SO, SO RIGHT NOW THE BOARD IS CLEAR.
THE ITEM THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON IS THE SEPARATION OF ALL THE ITEMS AS INDIVIDUAL AGENDA ITEM STATUS, THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS MOTION, IT'S A SUBSTITUTE MODE, AND WE'RE GOING TO THE AUDIENCE.
I'M SORRY, PAINT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, JAMES FINNEY, I THINK SEPARATING THESE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS IS APPROPRIATE.
THE VISITOR FROM MARYLAND WOULD SUGGEST PUTTING CHILDREN FIRST IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH COMPETENCE, TRANSPARENCY, AND DEMOCRACY.
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GET THESE CONTRACTS APPROVED BY ACCLIMATION IN JUNE.
HE SHOULD HAVE HAD A BUDGET READY IN MAY HE DIDN'T.
AND THOSE OF US THAT ARE FIGHTING FOR A PUBLICLY CONTROLLED SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE VERY CONSIDERATE OF HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT, WHERE IT IS SPENT AND THAT YOU PRESERVE DEMOCRATIC CONTROL.
[02:55:08]
STORE MATTHEWS.I THINK SEPARATING THEM AS A VERY GOOD IDEA BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE VERY GOOD AND DO NEED TO BE APPROVED THOUGH.
THERE'S TWO THAT I HOPE YOU DO NOT.
UM, BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY NICE.
THE FIRST I'M GOING TO TRY TO REMAIN THAT WAY.
THE SECOND GO AROUND A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE SAID THAT, THAT ARE SUBJECT MATTER TO THIS.
UM, A, I PRAY TO GOD THAT YOU GUYS DON'T ALLOW THOSE WORDS TO MANIPULATE YOU IN YOUR DECISION MAKING, AS YOU VOTE ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, BECAUSE I JUST HAVE A CONFERENCE FOR THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, WITH SOMEONE, SOMEONE BEGGING, I SAID, JAMIE, PLEASE DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T ALLOW THAT MAN TO DO WHAT HE HAS DONE TO US UP HERE.
I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU WERE BORN.
I CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO WHILE YOU'RE HERE.
I CARE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN AND THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY, ALL OF THE COMMUNITY PUTS CHILDREN FIRST.
SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT, YOU'RE THAT WE'RE PUSHING THIS.
IF WE PUSH THIS BACK, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT HOW SCHOOLS START IN AUGUST.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH YOU, BUT HOW IRRESPONSIBLE IS IT ON THE BEHALF OF THIS ADMINISTRATION? AND PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRAINING TEACHERS SO THEY CAN BE EFFECTIVE DAY.
ONE OF SCHOOLS, YOU THINK A FAST PACE TRAINING, ALL OF THE SUMMERS ENOUGH TO PROFESSIONALLY DEVELOP TEACHERS AND STAFF.
WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE THIS WORK WITHIN THE BUDGET.
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE DEANS TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN THE CLASS TIME DOING DESCRIBED INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS.
I HAVE SCHOOLS IN MY COMMUNITY WHO CANNOT CONTROL THEIR STUDENTS.
THEY'RE DISCIPLINED, THEY'RE HAVING SERIOUS PROBLEMS AT HOME, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO GUIDANCE.
PRINCIPALS ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO PUSH THROUGH THESE CLASSROOMS AND GET THESE CHILDREN ON THE CONTROL AND THE BETTER THEIR TEACHERS, FATHER, SO THAT THEY CAN MA SO THEY CAN, EXCUSE ME.
I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT YOU GUYS BE VERY, VERY, VERY CAREFUL AND WHAT YOU DO HERE TODAY AND SAY, NO, BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND IT'S OKAY TO STILL DO THE RIGHT THING, THEIR DISABILITIES.
COULD YOU START AT MY TIME? ALL RIGHT.
HE SAID THE PEOPLE ARE NOT ALWAYS REPRESENTED BY EVERYBODY, BY THE FEW PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE UP HERE.
HOWEVER, ON THIS TOPIC, THEY ARE, THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE COMMUNITY PEOPLE ARE SAYING, THEY ARE NOT BRINGING THEIR CHILDREN TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE WE ARE DISMANTLING IT.
OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM ONCE UPON A TIME HAD PLENTY OF RESOURCES THAT HAS BEEN DISMANTLED OVER TIME, OVER TIME.
CAN I PUT IT ALL ON YOU? BUT WHAT I CAN PUT ON YOU IS THAT WE HAD A, WE HAD A SCHOOL, A VIRTUAL SCHOOL THAT DID NOT HAVE STAFF FOR A WHOLE ENTIRE SEMESTER THAT LEFT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND REGULAR ED KIDS WITHOUT CARNEGIE HOURS.
YES, WE, AND THAT'S WHY I'M GETTING TO THE SEPARATION BECAUSE WE HAD A CHARTER SCHOOL.
WE HAD A VIRTUAL SCHOOL THAT CAN NOT PROVIDE, UH, FOR A FREE, APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, A LOT OF THESE CONTRACTS THAT WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT, WE STILL NOT GOING TO HAVE THE STAFF.
MS. DYSON ALWAYS ASKED IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE STAFF FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
WE'RE NOT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ATTRACTIVE TO EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE CREATED A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT THAT DOES NOT ALLOW OUR STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND ACTUALLY SAY THE TRUTH.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS WE FAILED.
WE, THE BOARD, WE FAILED SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING.
I KNOW PLENTY OF PARENTS, INCLUDING MYSELF, THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING.
IN FACT, WE EVEN HAD LAWS THAT PAYS THAT ACTUALLY HELP WITH SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND TRAUMA INFORMED OF BEST PRACTICES, INCLUDING THE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES.
AND GUESS WHAT YOU HAVE YET TO IMPLEMENT THAT IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WE'RE GOING TO CONSTANTLY PASS FEDERAL CONTRACTS, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PAY US THESE
[03:00:01]
FEDERAL CONTRACTS, BUT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE PEOPLE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH IS SEEING EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM DO WITH THE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE PAID US.SO WHAT AM I SAYING? I'M SAYING, YES.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH WHAT MISS EVELYN, WHERE JACKSON MOTION IS TO SEPARATE THE ITEMS BECAUSE SOME OF THESE ITEMS NEED TO BE CUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING AS IT RELATES TO CHILDREN.
AND SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATING AGAINST OUR CHILDREN.
AND YOU KNOW THAT SINCE YOU'VE BEEN HERE, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO MAKE EVERY STUDENT EVERY DAY MATTER, THEY ARE A PRIORITY.
AND IF YOU CAN TELL THAT WE CANNOT SAY YES TO EVERYTHING, SOME THINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SAY NO, AND RIGHT NOW THIS IS ONE OF THEM.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? I THINK IT IS SMART.
I THINK IT IS SMART TO STICK WITH THE ITEMS. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT, UH, TWO YEAR HAS BEEN HERE FOR, YOU SAID 11 YEARS.
UM, UH, I LOOKED AROUND, I LOOKED FOR THIS INFORMATION, CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THESE PROGRAMS. I WAS RESEARCHING IT SO THAT I COULD COME IN AND GIVE YOU MY PUBLIC OPINION ON AS PART OF THE PUBLIC.
I COULDN'T FIND HOW CITY YEAR WAS PART OF EBR.
I COULDN'T FIND WHAT THEY DID HERE.
I CAN FIND THE INFORMATION ON CITY YEAR'S WEBSITE FOR WHAT THEY DO FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT I COULDN'T FIND THAT INFORMATION FOR US.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WORKED HERE FOR THIS COMMUNITY, WHAT THEY DID.
UM, I COULDN'T FIND THE DETAILS.
SO IF, IF THESE ITEMS ARE BEING PRESENTED TO YOU AND I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SEE ALL THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THEM TOO, BUT IF THEY'RE BEING PRESENTED AND WE'VE HAD THEM FOR A REALLY LONG TIME OR THEY'RE NEW, SHOULDN'T THAT INFORMATION BE REALLY AVAILABLE AND REALLY OBVIOUS AND WHETHER OR NOT THESE ITEMS WERE SUCCESSFUL.
I MEAN, YOU NEED THAT INFORMATION TO VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO PROMOTE IT.
I WOULD THINK THAT YOU, YOU, YOU NEED THAT BACKGROUND TO MAKE A DECISION.
I STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE TO FIND IT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE BACK TO THE BOARD, WE ARE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO SEPARATE THE ITEMS OF F FIVE INTO INDIVIDUAL AGENDA ITEMS. THE BOARD IS CLEAR.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
WE ARE NOW BACK ON THE PRIMARY EMOTION TO REQUEST, WHICH IS TO APPROVE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE ALREADY GONE TO THE AUDIENCE ON THE BASE MOTION, THE PRIMARY MOTION, MADAM SECRETARY, MS. GUERRA JACKSON.
UM, PERHAPS WE SHOULD MOVE THIS TO ANOTHER MEETING.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION MS. SQUARE JACKSON? YES.
WE, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEPARATE THIS BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE THING, I CAN'T, I CAN'T VOTE FOR THIS WHOLE PACKAGE TO PASS.
LET ME SWEAR, JACKSON, TO MOVE INTO WHICH MEETING THE, UM, WHEN IS OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, THEY, THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A COUPLE OF SPECIAL MEETINGS ON THE 14TH BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ON THE 14TH.
WELL, RIGHT NOW THERE'S, I THINK I'M ENVISIONING THREE BUDGET BUDGET, AND THEN SPECIAL MEETING AND THEN COMMITTEE AT HALL.
BUT, BUT DON'T HOLD ME TO THAT BECAUSE I GOT TO WORK WITH MY LAWYER.
THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD IS JULY 21ST.
AND WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL MEETINGS, ONE SET FOR SEVERAL ITEMS FROM THIS MEETING ALREADY, AND THEN ONE FOR THE BUDGET ADOPTION.
[03:05:01]
AND WE HAVE A HEARING PUBLIC HEARING.SO THAT'S FOR AFTER THE BUDGET, THE CAR WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE FOURTH AFTER THE BUDGET MEETING, WHICH ONE IS AFTER THE BUDGET MEETING, THEN WE WILL HAVE A BUDGET HEARING.
WE'LL OPEN UP WITH A BUDGET HEARING AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING.
THAT'S A SEPARATE HEARING REQUIRED BY LAW.
THEN WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING ON THE BUDGET.
AND THEN WHEN THAT MEETING IS OVER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING THAT IS GOING TO ADOPT, UH, INCLUDE, I GUESS, ANY ITEMS. CAUSE WE SEEM TO BE SENDING A BUNCH OF THEM THERE.
UH, AND THEN, UH, THAT, THAT AGENDA IS NOT FILLED OUT YET.
AND THEN, UM, WE'LL HAVE THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND W WHO KNOWS, WE MIGHT HAVE ANOTHER MEAN WHAT SUGGEST WE MOVE THIS TO THE SPECIAL MEETING WHERE WE HAVE OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. IS THERE A SECOND TO MISS WHERE JACKSON'S EMOTION? THE BOARD IS CLEAR AT THE MOMENT.
WE'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO MOVE IT TO THE SPECIAL MEETING ON JULY THE 14TH MEETING.
I WOULD, UH, THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER TO CONSIDER THIS ON JULY 14TH, PARTICULARLY IF UNLIKE TONIGHT, THE BUDGET DISCUSSION ON JULY 14TH ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
AND PERHAPS BY JULY, JULY 14TH, THERE'LL BE MORE BACKUP INFORMATION.
AND TO MR. GODINEZ POINT FROM EARLIER WHERE CONTRACTS FIRST, THEN BUDGET LATER, I'VE SEEN THE BUDGET PROCESS WHERE THE ONLY GUN GOING TO A SHORT TIME FOR EACH MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ABOUT 600 PAGES WORTH OF BUDGET ITEMS. AND BESIDES IF SOME OF THESE ARE FUNDED WITH ESSER, THOSE ARE THREE PAGE BUDGET DESCRIPTIONS.
IT'S NOT CLEAR WHERE THE CONTRACTS ARE GOING TO FALL WITHIN THOSE BUDGETS.
SO FIRST BUDGET THE MONEY, AND THEN HAVE FISCAL NOTES ABOUT HOW MUCH OF THAT MONEY YOU SPENT.
AND THAT WAY YOU CAN HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH THE GENTLEMEN FROM MARYLAND HAS DEPARTED FROM THE OUTLINE.
YOU'VE GIVEN HIM IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE HE APPEARS TO HAVE THE ABILITY OR THE CONFIDENCE THAT HE CAN SPEND MONEY, HOWEVER HE WANT WITHOUT ANY OVERSIGHT.
AGAIN, THIS IS DANIEL LAMB FORD.
I WOULD ASK THAT YOU, UM, ASSUMING THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING IS INCLUDED IN THIS, UM, IT'S THIS FEDERAL SECTION I WOULD ASK THAT YOU COMPLETELY REMOVE THAT SOMEHOW, THAT THERE'S, THAT YOU VOTE AGAINST THAT NOT ONLY DOES IT INCLUDE THE CRITICAL RACE THEORY, WHICH I ALREADY ADDRESSED, BUT ALSO THE, UM, SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY.
AND IT'S BEEN PROVEN SCIENTIFICALLY, BUT THEY'RE ONLY TWO GENDERS, MALE, AND FEMALE, AND NORMALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE TRANSGENDER, UM, OVERCOME THAT OVER TIME.
UM, AND IF FOR GENDER IS AFFIRMED AND MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED BECAUSE THEY THEY'D BEEN TREATED BY THEIR PARENTS OR BY A BRUISE AND SOCIETY AS A DIFFERENT GENDER AND THE WAY GOD CREATED THEM.
SO, UM, YES, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE.
I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO OPERATE IN TRUTH AND WE NEED TO PRESENT, UM, CHILDREN AND PRESENT EVERYONE WITH THE FACTS.
AND, UH, WE NEED TO MAINE, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON EDUCATING OUR KIDS IN READING, WRITING, AND ARITHMETIC, PREFERABLY RELIGION AS WELL, BUT CERTAINLY READING, WRITING, AND ARITHMETIC, UM, SHOULD BE OUR MAIN AND THE OTHER SUBJECT SHOULD BE OUR MAIN FOCUS, NOT ALL THIS SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING, CRITICAL RACE, ALL THAT FOOLISHNESS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE CHRONICLE OR THE PARENT AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE? UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST,
[03:10:01]
UM, THE VOTE DID NOT SHOW ON THE SCREEN SO THAT WE CAN SEE HOW THE BOARD MEMBERS VOTED.UM, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A ROLL CALL VOTE SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE HOW THE BOARD MEMBERS VOTED ON THE LAST MOTION.
UM, NUMBER TWO, HOW MANY ITEMS ARE WE PUTTING ON THE JULY 14TH? WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THIS MEETING'S OVER AND OVER.
I'M GOING REQUIRE THOSE LAST FEW SECONDS.
UM, WE, HOPEFULLY WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO BE HERE ALL NIGHT ON THAT NIGHT.
UM, CAUSE I KNOW IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT FAIR TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
I DO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THOUGH THAT WE ACTUALLY JUST COME PREPARED BY PROVIDING FOOD, UM, AND SOMETHING TO DRINK, BUT EVERYONE HERE SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY BE PREPARED FOR THE MEETING.
UM, BUT AS IT RELATES TO THIS, UM, ACTUAL ITEM, I, I DO THINK THAT SOME OF THE CONTRACTS ARE ACCEPTABLE.
I JUST DON'T AGREE WITH ALL BECAUSE EVERY CONTRACT IS NOT SERVICING EVERY STUDENT EVERY DAY.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE MS. WARE JACKSON FOR ACTUALLY WANTING THOSE ITEMS SEPARATED.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF THOSE ITEMS, SOME OF THEM ARE ONLY TOUCHING CERTAIN SCHOOLS.
EVERY SCHOOL IS NOT TOUCHED WITH ALL THOSE CONTRACTS.
SO I THINK THAT THE BOARD, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IF OUR BOARD COULD ACTUALLY REQUEST THAT INFORMATION, A LIST OF WHAT WERE THOSE CONTRACTS, WHAT SCHOOLS THEY WERE ACTUALLY BE SERVICING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SERVICING ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
AND THAT'S, WHAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE OUR MOTTO SAYS EVERY STUDENT EVERY DAY ALSO LET'S LOOK AT WHAT CLASSIFICATION IS IT, SIR? IS IT ONLY SERVICING OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, WHICH IS NOT NONE OF THEM DO.
UM, BUT IS IT SERVICING THE REGULAR ED GIFTED GRADE SCHOLARS, UH, GRACE, A SCHOLASTIC MAGNET OR REGULAR AID, UM, FOSTER CARE, UM, ADOPTED, ET CETERA.
WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, ALL OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT BEING SERVICED BY THESE CONTRACTS.
AND SO I'M GONNA SAVE MY 38 MINUTES OF SECONDS FOR THE NEXT ITEM.
SO YOU KNOW OTHER COMMENTS ON THE MOTION TO MOVE THIS ITEM TO THE SPECIAL MEETING ON JULY 14TH, THE BOARD IS CLEAR.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
WE'RE NOW BACK ON THE MAIN MOTION, MY MARY EMOTION TO APPROVE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE BOAT.
[F6. Expenditures: Pathways to Bright Futures]
WE MOVE NOW TO ITEM SIX CONSIDERATION REQUESTS FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE PATHWAYS TO BRIGHT FUTURES EXPENDITURES.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MR. BALLOON? HERE? WE HAVE A SECOND ONCE, TWICE GOING, OKAY.
[G. Consent Agenda]
TO ITEM G ONE CONSENT AGENDA.WHEN WE TOOK PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ITEM, THE
[03:15:01]
ITEM FAILED.AND SO ON THE OTHER ITEM, THERE WAS NEVER A MOTION TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO WE DON'T TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
USUALLY OUR COMMENT AND THEN THE AUDIENCE'S COMMENT ARE BASED ON WHATEVER THAT MOTION IS.
IS THAT OKAY? YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE NOBODY THOUGHT I WAS TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM SPEAKING.
SO MS. DYSON, I'M SORRY, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. SORRY, WE DON'T HAVE A POOR AND WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO RETURN.
FOLLOWING THE FOUR MEMBERS YOU'RE BACK ON.
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE TO BE APPROVED AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE IN ENACTED WITH ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF ITEMS UNLESS THE BOARD MEMBERS, SO REQUESTS IN WHICH EVENT, THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED AS AN ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR A SEPARATE VOTE PROCEEDING.
THE LAST ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA, UPDATED REVISED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING UPDATED REVISED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, A ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST BE ARMY MILITARY PROPERTY SPECIALISTS SEE BUDGET SPECIALIST TO D E S S DATA SPECIALISTS E LEAP SPECIALIST F OPERATIONS SPECIALIST, GI SYSTEMS ANALYST, AGE NETWORK SPECIALIST.
I MARKETING AND MEDIA SPECIALIST J I CARE PREVENTION SPECIALIST, K BUDGET SPECIALISTS, L GRANT SPECIALIST, M COORDINATOR OF RETENTION AND EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTABILITY AND CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR.
A WORK-BASED LEARNING COORDINATOR P SUPERVISOR OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.
QUEUE COORDINATOR OF HOMELESS ARE HUMAN RESOURCES, SUPERVISOR S SUPERVISOR OF PAYROLL T SUPERVISOR OF HEALTH PROGRAMS AND ATHLETICS.
YOU DIRECTOR OF RISK MANAGEMENT, WII ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS, W DIRECTOR OF FINE ARTS EX UH, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, Y DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT PROCUREMENT AND WAREHOUSE SERVICES, Z C AND P MANAGER, A CNP ASSISTANT MANAGER, A B FINANCE SPECIALISTS, THREE RETIREMENT C BENEFITS SPECIALIST, ONE A D PAYROLL SPECIALISTS TO A E FINANCE SPECIALISTS, THREE GRANTS, A F STUDENT DATA REGISTRATION SPECIALIST, A GI FINANCE SPECIALIST, PAYROLL BENEFITS, A H ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN, A I EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS. AIJ HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST, A K SCHOOL-WIDE PROGRAM MONITOR A L DIRECTOR OF ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY, A M C N P ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, A N, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES, A O CNP ASSISTANT COOK, A P C AND P COOK, A CNP REGIONAL SUPERVISOR, A R C AND P DATA SPECIALIST, A S C AND P WAREHOUSE SUPERVISOR A T C N P COMPUTER SPECIALIST,
[03:20:01]
A YE ESL INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST, A V TRUANCY OFFICER'S STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, ELIMINATED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTS FOR THE APPROVAL TO ELIMINATE THE FOLLOWING OBSOLETE JOB DESCRIPTIONS, A ASSISTANT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES BE ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, C CHIEF OFFICER OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES, D E S S HOTLINE SPECIALIST II, ADOLESCENT LITERACY COORDINATOR, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, GRANT TEACHER, PROJECT CONSIDERATION A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF NEIGHBORS, FEDERAL CREDIT UNION PROJECT GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $21,477 AND 29 CENTS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR SIX TEACHER PROJECTS, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, GRANT, LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE LEAD AGENCY GRANT AND THE AMOUNT OF $358,050 TO ASSIST WITH COORDINATED ENROLLMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR CHILDCARE CENTERS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, HEADSTART, AND EARLY HEADSTART, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, CONTRACTS, SEAMLESS CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EASTBOUND RICH BEAR SCHOOL BOARD AND SEAMLESS IN THE AMOUNT OF $12,455 TO PROVIDE A DIGITAL EXPERIENCE PLATFORM TO DOCUMENT STUDENT WORK BASED EXPERIENCE AND COORDINATE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, 2020 TO 2023 PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE PROGRAM POLICIES, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO AUTHORIZE THE ADMINISTRATION TO APPROVE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE PROGRAM POLICY RENEWAL PACKAGE FOR THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR THE 2020 TO 2023 FISCAL YEAR.AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS WITH THE DIRECTIVE TO STAFF, TO ISSUE AT, FOR STAFF TO ISSUE AN RFP FOR 20 23, 20 24 RESOLUTION REJECT UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EXECUTE AND SIGN ALL DOCUMENTS, TO REJECT UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE IN CONNECTION WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY COVERAGE, AND IT'S SELF-INSURED RETENTION PROGRAM FOR THE 2020 TO 2023 FISCAL YEAR ADVERTISING AND OFFICIAL JOURNAL FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23 CONSIDERATION OF HER REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL TO SELECT THE ADVOCATE AS THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23 ADVERTISING OF BIDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23 CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO SUPER, TO AUTHORIZE STAFF, TO ADVERTISE, RECEIVE AN AWARD BIDS FOR MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES, AND SERVICES THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2023.
SO THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER PROPOSER MEETING, MEETING SPECIFICATIONS AND ALL STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR QUOTES AND FORMAL INVITATIONS TO BID REAL PROGRAM PART-TIME TEACHER RATE INCREASE CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST TO AMEND THE REAL TIME SALARY SCHEDULE TO APPROVE A 40% INCREASE IN COMPENSATION FOR THE REAL PROGRAM PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, FUNDING SOURCE REAL TIME, EARLY ACCESS TO LITERACY, REAL GRANT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING MOU CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE MOU BETWEEN THE EASTBOUND REPAIR SCHOOL BOARD AND SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AT NEW ORLEANS TO PROVIDE MILLIE CHARLES SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES IN THE AREA OF SOCIAL WORK, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, CONTRACT LSG, AND AGRICULTURE AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL
[03:25:01]
OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EASTBOUND RICH BEAR SCHOOL BOARD AND LSU AND AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $123,891 TO PROVIDE STAFF AND PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR THE EVAL OF GUARD LEARNING CENTER, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, FUNDING SOURCE GENERAL FUND MAGNET SEMI-ANNUAL FINANCIAL TAX PLAN UPDATE CONSIDERATION ON REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF THE ACTUAL DECEMBER 21ST SEMI-ANNUAL FINANCIAL TAX PLAN UPDATE AND THE 20 21 20 22 REVISED BUDGETS FOR PROPOSITIONS ONE, TWO, AND THREE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING MOU PRE-K EXPANSION CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE MOU TEMPLATE FOR CHILDCARE CENTERS, CHARTER SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE EBR COMMUNITY NETWORK FOR THE EXPANSION OF PRE-K THREE AND PRE-K FOUR STUDENTS SEEDS, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FUNDING SOURCE L I FOR IN S E C D S OR TO B3 STIPEND CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT OF THE BOARD APPROVED STIPEND TO INCLUDE ALL EMPLOYEES THAT UTILIZED APPROVED FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT LEAVE FOR THE 20 21, 20 22 SCHOOL YEAR.AND THAT ENDS AND I SPEND LIVE, UM, CONSENT AGENDA MOVED BY MS. DIASEND.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, MR. BALLOU? I SEE NO COMMENTS YET.
UM, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO PUT THREE? AND IF ANYBODY ELSE YOU WANT TO PULL AN ITEM, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE ONE 16 IS YOUR YOU'RE IN THE QUEUE FOR THAT.
UM, OKAY, SO WE'RE NOW ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
YEAH, WE PULLED 2, 3, 13, 15 AND 16.
SO WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE REMAINING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AND ANYBODY LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS ON THE REMAINING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU.
THOSE FIVE ITEMS WERE PULLED WITH RESPECT TO NUMBER FIVE, $358,000 TO MANAGE AND PLAN PRE-K.
I WOULD HOPE THAT IN THIS NEXT YEAR, WE'D FIGURE OUT HOW TO HAVE THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD SERVICES AVAILABLE AT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL FOR THE FAMILIES THAT WANT THAT.
AND FURTHERMORE, I WOULD HOPE THAT VERY SOON YOU WOULD ESTABLISH AS A BOARD, A POLICY THAT YOU WILL QUIT BEING THE CONDUITS OR SUBSIDIZING CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE DESTROYING PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND I WILL HAVE MORE TO SAY ABOUT THAT WHEN YOU GET TO ITEM NUMBER 15, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
KHORANA CALLING THE PARENT DISABILITIES ADVOCATE.
NUMBER TWO, NUMBER THREE, NUMBER EIGHT, NUMBER 13, NUMBER 14.
AND NUMBER 16 IS THE NUMBERS THAT I WOULD ASK THAT THE BOARD POOL.
AND, UM, I CAN TELL YOU THE REASONING NUMBER 13 HAS BUILT IN SOME, UH, WE'RE NOT ON 13 YET.
WE'VE PULLED OUT, YOU PULLED DOWN BANK JESUS HAVING TO FOLLOW.
SO SOMEBODY, UM, CONTRACTS, NUMBER EIGHT, YOU DIDN'T HALL NUMBER EIGHT, WE ACTUALLY SHOULD POOL.
AND WE SHOULD PULL UP BECAUSE HAVE YOU BEEN DRIVING AROUND OUR CITY TO SEE HOW PEOPLE DRIVE PEOPLE DRIVE HORRIBLE NOWADAYS? SO YOU NEED UNINSURED MOTORS, SO WE SHOULD NEVER
[03:30:01]
GET RID OF UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE.UM, BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE THE UNINSURED MOTORS THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HAVE ACTUALLY COVERED A STAFF SUCH AS OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND CABINET MEMBERS THAT ARE USING THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLES, THEY'RE OWN INSURANCE, SO THEY ARE COVERED.
SO IF THEY DON'T HAVE A UNINSURED MOTORS, IF THEY'RE GOING ON SOMETHING THAT'S EDUCATIONAL RELATED, THAT FALLS ON US, UH, LEGAL LIABILITY JUST WANTS YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS THIS AN GET REJECTED AND UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE? IS THAT GOING TO BE ON THE BUSES? THE SCHOOL BUS IS THAT WE HAVE.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THAT ACTUALLY TRANSPORT THEIR CHILDREN THAT HAVE A CONTRACT WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE IT'S WRITTEN IN IEP.
SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE LOOK AT THAT AS ONE THAT WE MAY WANT TO GO AHEAD AND POOL.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL PULL IT DOWN ONE, WHICH IS NUMBER 16.
I REALLY HOPE AND PRAY THAT Y'ALL WOULD CONSIDER PULLING THAT ONE AND ACTUALLY JUST FLAT OUT PASSING IT BECAUSE WE SHOULD NEVER DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE THAT ARE, UM, COVERED FEDERALLY BY BEING ON FMLA, UM, OR MATERNITY LEAVE.
MATERNITY LEAVE IS COVERED BY AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST NUMBER 14 SEMI-ANNUAL FINANCIAL TAX PLAN UPDATE.
I THINK WE ACTUALLY REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE MUCH MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
I WOULD SAVE THOSE 50 SECONDS FOR THE NEXT ONE.
I'M DANIEL LAMP FORD ESS PARAPROFESSIONAL AT JEFFERSON TERRACE ACADEMY.
I WOULD LIKE MORE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE, UM, ITEM 15, THE PRE-K EXPANSION THAT'S, UH, TO INCLUDE YOUNGER AGES, LIKE THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD.
MS. MR. LAMBERT, THAT ONE'S PULLED.
SO WE'LL DISCUSS THAT ONE INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, YEAH, I, I GUESS, UM, THAT'S ALL I GOT.
THE COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, SEEING NON BACK TO THE BOARD AND I'M SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCTED THE VOTE.
[G2. Updated/Revised Job Descriptions]
NOW TO ITEM G TO CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING UPDATED REVISED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, A ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST BE MILITARY PROPERTY SPECIALISTS, SEE BUDGET SPECIALISTS TO D E S S DATA SPECIALISTS E LEAPS SPECIALISTS, AF OPERATIONS SPECIALIST G STEMS, SYSTEMS ANALYSIS, SYSTEMS, ANALYSTS, AGE NETWORKS, SPECIALISTS, HYDE MARKETING, AND MEDIA SPECIALISTS.J I CARE PREVENTION SPECIALIST, K BUDGET SPECIALISTS, AL GRANT SPECIALISTS AM COORDINATOR OF RETENTION AND EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTABILITY AND CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR.
OH, WORK-BASED LEARNING COORDINATOR P SUPERVISOR OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.
QUEUE COORDINATOR OF HOMELESS ARE HUMAN RESOURCE SUPERVISOR S SUPERVISOR OR PAYROLL T SUPERVISOR OF HEALTH PROGRAMS AND ATHLETICS.
YOU DIRECTLY AT THIS MANAGEMENT V ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS, W DIRECTOR OF FINE ARTS EX ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, Y DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND WAREHOUSE SERVICES, Z C N P MANAGER, A C N P ASSISTANT MANAGER, A B FINANCE SPECIALISTS, THREE RETIREMENT, A C BENEFITS SPECIALISTS, ONE A D PAYROLL SPECIALIST, TWO A E FINANCE SPECIALISTS, THREE RANTS, A F STUDENT DATA REGISTRATION SPECIALIST, AIG FINANCE SPECIALIST, PAYROLL BENEFITS, A H ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN, AI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, A J HUMAN RESOURCE SPECIALIST, A K SCHOOL-WIDE PROGRAM MONITOR A L DIRECTOR OF ASSESSMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, A M C N P ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, A AND DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES, A O C N P ASSISTANT COOK A A, THAT WAS A O C N P ASSISTANT COOK, A P CNP COOK, A Q C N P REGIONAL SUPERVISOR, A OUR CNP DATA SPECIALIST, A S C N P WAREHOUSE, SUPERVISOR A T CNP COMPUTER SPECIALIST, ADU ESL INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST, A V TRUANCY OFFICER STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL
[03:35:01]
EXCELLENCE.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MR. BALLOU? DO I HAVE A SECOND SECONDED BY MS. WHERE JACKSON SEEING THE BOARD HAS NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THE MOMENT WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON ITEM G TWO.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT IN MARYLAND, BUT IN EVERY CLASS I'VE TAUGHT OR TAKEN.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE WORK DONE, YOU DON'T GET TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT GRADE.
THESE JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE NOT COMPLETE.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE APPROVED UNLESS THERE IS SOME NOTION OF WHO THESE FOLKS WOULD REPORT TO AND THE RANGE AT WHICH THEY WILL BE PAID.
SO AGAIN, MR. BALLOU, MS. COLLINS, MR.
NO, AT THE VERY LEAST, IF IT IS THE INTENT TO CLEAN UP JOB DESCRIPTIONS, PERHAPS IF YOU PUT THESE ON THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, NOT THE SPECIAL MEETING ON JULY 14TH, PERHAPS THERE IS A CHANCE THAT EVEN THIS ADMINISTRATION COULD OVER THE COURSE OF THOSE SEVERAL WEEKS, ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER ENOUGH OF A PACKAGE THAT YOU WERE CONVINCED AT LEAST A WEEK OR TWO AGO.
I THINK THIS WAS LIKE A 500 PAGE ATTACHMENT WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
ONLY SOME OF WHOM YOU WERE ASKED TO APPROVE.
IF THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE CHILDREN, THEN LET'S WORRY ABOUT CHILDREN.
NOT ABOUT APPEASING THE VISITOR FROM MARYLAND VOTE, NO INSISTS THAT HE AND THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR HIM, DO THEIR JOBS.
AGAIN, I, UM, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY RECEIVING MANY CALLS AND TEXT MESSAGES FROM BEAR SCHOOL LEADERS WHO ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT, UM, DUE TO INTIMIDATION TACTICS POSED TO THEM BY THIS ADMINISTRATION AND VARIOUS THREATS.
AND I'M SURE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD OF, AND THAT I DO BELIEVE TO BE VERY TRUE, UM, BECAUSE THESE PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND DEANS AND COUNSELORS HAVE NEVER LIED TO US BEFORE, THEY'VE ALWAYS STOOD UP FOR OUR CHILDREN.
THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN PRESENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE DOING SO TODAY WHEN THEY TELL THE TRUTH, UM, I ASK THAT YOU VOTE AGAINST THIS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN BENEFICIAL TO OUR DISTRICT.
HAVING STRONG INDIVIDUALS IN SCHOOLS, IN PLACE, KNOWING THEIR CLEAR JOB TITLES, NONE OF THAT.
THEY'RE THERE TO HELP STUDENTS WHO THAT DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS, NONE OF THAT, THAT THEY'RE THERE TO TALK TO STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING HOME SO THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY.
THIS IS ABOUT A CHILDREN'S THING.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT ALL CHILDREN ARE PROTECTED TODAY.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT ALL CHILDREN ARE REPRESENTED.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT EVERY CHILD THAT GOES TO ANY SCHOOL IN THIS PARISH FEELS LOVED AND PROTECTED AND SECURE AND SAFE, AND THEY WILL NOT FEEL SECURE AT THE FACES THAT THEY WERE ONCE ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING IS NOT THERE AT THE PEOPLE WHO ONCE HAD A RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT THERE.
SO TAKE THAT IN CONSIDERATION TODAY THANK YOU.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE UPDATED AND REVISED JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
UM, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, UM, THERE'S A CLEAR DEFINITION OF HVS AND I WAS CONFUSED BY THE HOMELESS ONE, IF THAT'S TO HELP, UM, CHILDREN IN THE, UM, HOMELESS COMMUNITY OR WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THAT'S ALL ABOUT.
BUT, UM, YEAH, THAT THERE'S A CLEAR DESCRIPTION OF EACH THESE AND THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND, AND, AND THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION.
AND OF COURSE, LIKE HE'S MY RUBBER EARLIER SAID, UM, HE IS JAMIE ROBINSON THAT WE DON'T ELIMINATE, UM, JOBS THAT ARE, THAT ARE IMPORTANT, BUT OF COURSE, THAT EVERYONE IS PAID FAIRLY
[03:40:01]
ACCORDING TO THEIR POSITION.THANK YOU, CORONA QUARTERLY PARENT AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE.
SO ON UPDATED, REVISED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A JOB DESCRIPTION THAT WE HAD THAT WAS NEW.
WE HAD A JOB DESCRIPTION CALLED PARENT LIAISONS THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE ELIMINATING NOW FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
THE PARENT LIAISON IS WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 53 PARENT LIAISONS, BUT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEIR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES WERE.
THAT IS THE REASON WHY I AM TALKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT'S A PROBLEM.
WHEN WE COME UP WITH JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT WE REVISE OR THAT WE UPDATED, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THEM THAT WE PREVIOUSLY DID.
AND NOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THEM THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
THE REASON FOR THE PARENT LIAISON SCORES TO HELP PARENTS IN ANY CAPACITY, BUT WE NEVER TOLD THE FAMILIES OR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, HOW THEY WERE GOING TO HELP THEM, HOW ANYBODY COULDN'T REACH THEM, CONTACT THEM, WHAT EXACTLY THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO, ET CETERA.
AND THE REASON WHY I'M SAYING THAT IS BECAUSE IN THIS TITLE IS A JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS INCLUDE YOUR ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, YOUR SALARIES, WHAT POPULATION OR DEMOGRAPHIC YOU WOULD SERVE.
UM, WHAT BUDGET SOURCE WOULD BE YOUR, UM, FUND, WHAT FUNDING SOURCE WOULD BE, UM, PAYING YOUR SALARY, ET CETERA.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN EXCLUDED, EXCLUDED.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I CANNOT IN GOOD FAITH, ASK THIS BOARD TO APPROVE SOMETHING THAT IS SO UNCOMPLETE BECAUSE THE PARENT LIAISON IS, COULD NOT HELP ANY PARENT THAT I MET IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THAT HAVE INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLANS REPRESENT MORE THAN 10% OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, POPULATION THAT IS NOT INCLUDED AND CHILDREN THAT ARE GIFTED AND TALENTED OR 5 0 4 PLANS.
SO WHEN I SAY THAT, I SAY THAT MEANING THAT THAT 10% ALSO HAS A LOT OF MONEY THAT COMES TOWARDS OUR BUDGET AND FOR THEM TO NOT HAVE STAFF THAT KNOW WHAT THEIR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IS, IS A PROBLEM.
SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD NOT APPROVE THIS UNTIL WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
IF Y'ALL CHOOSE TO REQUEST MORE INFORMATION, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I'M GONNA KEEP THOSE 26 SECONDS FOR THE NEXT ONE, PASS THEM MONTREAL HENDERSON TO PRISON AND TAP MEN.
DON SHANAE, COLLINS STICE AND THEY'RE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL SUPERINTENDENTS WHO COME AND HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE BED OR THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS THEY DESIGN.
AND I WANT TO READ YOU SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
I'VE SEEN THE LAST COUPLE OF BOARD MEETINGS, A LOT OF POLITICAL GANGS MAN SHIP ATTACK.
IN THE PAST, THERE WAS ATTACKING THE COMMUNITY LEGALS, BUT PROVERBS 28 3 SAYS A POOR ME ANOTHER PRESS.
THE POOR IT'S LIKE A SWEEPING RAIN, WHICH LEAVING NO FOOD.
WE DON'T HAVE A VILLAGE TO, FOR MALE.
AND WE HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT THAT WAS ELECTED BY THIS BOARD.
YOU MAY DISAGREE WITH HIM, BUT HE IS THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HE SHOULD BE RESPECTED AS SUCH.
AND AT SOME POINT WE, AS A COMMUNITY MUST STOP THE CHARACTER ATTACKS OR AS THE BOARD MEMBERS AND TOWARDS THE SUPERINTENDENTS AND BOARD MEMBERS WHO UPHOLD THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR, YOU ARE GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT TO THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT THIS STUFF IS OKAY, AND IT'S NOT OKAY.
YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES IN THIS DISTRICT THAT I ASKED THEM FOR A FAST SHOT AND EVERY JOB DESCRIPTION LIKE IT HAS A TEACHER IN THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS THING IS STILL LIVING BY THE NAME OF ANGELA RAINS, WHO TAUGHT ME HOW TO READ.
[03:45:02]
AND I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR TEACHERS, BUT YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE FINANCIAL IS STRUGGLING.EVERY PAYCHECK, SLEEPING IN THEIR VEHICLES, NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES.
AND FINALLY, WE HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT THAT TRIES TO PUT FORTH AN EFFORT, AND THEN THEY HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE, AS THE PUBLIC MAY NOT AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT OUR LAST SUPERINTENDENT, WE KNEW HE WORKED FOUR DAYS A WEEK BECAUSE WE NEVER SAW HIM ON FRIDAYS.
WE HAD ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENTS HERE WHO PLAYED GAMES, WHO HAD THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES.
DARCY SAID, IT'S HAVING NOW TO CHANGE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THEY DID NOTHING.
SO WHEN YOU VOTE NO AGAINST THIS, YOU'RE TELLING THE SUPPORT WORKERS THAT IS OKAY, THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR STRUGGLE.
DARCY'S I APPLAUD YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I SUPPORT YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT AND I SUPPORT YOUR TEAM FOR TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, MS. MONTRELL, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON ITEM G TWO, SEEING NONE.
WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD, UH, SEE NO, MS. SQUARE JACKSON, UNLIKE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO COMMENT ON THESE JOB DESCRIPTIONS, UH, THE REVISED IN THE NECESSITY OF THE, UH, REVISIONS, JUST SO THAT PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHETHER THESE ARE NEW POSITIONS, UH, OR, UH, WOULD YOU COMMENT PLEASE? UH, YES.
BOARD MEMBER JACKSON, THESE ARE ACTUALLY UPDATED AND REVISED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, UH, THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.
UH, THEY IMPACT ALSO HOW, UH, PAY ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
UM, IF I CAN GET, UH, MS. HALL, CAN YOU PLEASE COME UP? UM, UH, AS, AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN MANY JOB DESCRIPTIONS IN THE, UM, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THIS PREDATED ME, UH, THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO CLEAN UP.
UM, THEY HAVE BEEN IGNORED QUITE FRANKLY.
UM, AND, UH, I'M DOING AS THE BOARD SHARED THAT WE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, UH, FIX SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES, EACH JOB DESCRIPTION, DEPENDING ON HOW IT'S WRITTEN COMES AT A PARTICULAR SALARY AND THOSE THINGS.
AND SO, UM, THIS WAS BASED ON THE, UM, COMPENSATION STUDY THAT WE DID.
OTHER REASON WE BROUGHT IN A EXTERNAL GROUP TO COME INTO, UH, GIVE US RECOMMENDATIONS, WAS TO FIX THE, FIX THESE CHALLENGES AND CLEAN UP, QUITE FRANKLY.
UM, MS. HALL, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? YEAH, SURE.
THIS CAME A LONG WAY, BUT WE'RE HERE NOW.
AND, UM, IF YOU WORK IN HR AND I KNOW IT'S JUST THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE HR PRACTICES.
SO COMING ON BOARD FIRST DAY ON, I ALREADY UNDERSTAND AND SEE SOME DEFICIENCIES.
I GET COMPLAINTS FROM LEADERS THAT IS HARD TO MANAGE STAFF BECAUSE THEY'RE STUCK ON THEIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND COMPARE TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING, EMPLOYEES ARE DOING NOW, IT DOESN'T MATCH UP.
WE ALSO HAD FOLKS COMPLAIN ABOUT SALARY, THE SALARY THAT THEY'RE BEING PAID 1950 WAY BEFORE I WAS BORN COMPARED TO NOW, IT'S NOT MARKETABLE.
IT'S NOT COMPETITIVE, RIGHT? WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS, TRUCK DRIVERS MAKING $20,000 FOR 30 YEARS, BUT THE JOB DESCRIPTION MATCHES A $20,000 SALARY DOESN'T MATCHES.
NOW, HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT? HOW DO I RIGHT SIZE THAT? HOW DO I LISTEN TO THE, ALL THE CONCERNS AND FIX THAT? HOW DO I ASSESS THAT WITHOUT AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS HAS TO HAPPEN? AND IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS, AND I TRY TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE SSA CONSULTANT CAME IN TO HELP US WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING AND TO MANAGE OUR PROCESS ALONG THE WAY.
SO THESE ARE AMENDED, UH, JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS THAT FOLKS ARE IN.
AND I'M TRYING TO GET US TO AN OPTIMUM LEVEL IN TERMS OF EFFICIENCY AND HOLDING FOLKS ACCOUNTABLE.
AND ALSO FROM A SALARY STANDPOINT, BECAUSE IT DO BREAKS MY HEART TO HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT MAKING ENOUGH MONEY AND THIS TYPE OF JOB DESCRIPTION DOES NOT ALIGN, BUT WHAT HAVE BEEN DOING FOR 30 YEARS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT IT IS IN A NUTSHELL.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, WANTED YOU TO EXPRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING THIS AND, AND WHY.
AND ONLY IF YOU LIVE IN MY SHOE OR COME HANG OUT WITH ME AND MY TEAM FOR AWHILE, THERE'S LIKE LITERALLY 12,000 JOB DESCRIPTIONS WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
[03:50:01]
UM, 5,000, MAYBE HARD COPIES.AND WHEN WE DO GET THE NEW SOFTWARE SYSTEM, IT'S IMPORTANT, WHATEVER WE PUT IN IS WHAT WE GET OUT.
AND THIS WAS A HUGE UNDERTAKING AND THIS WORK IS NOT DONE YET.
AS WE STILL HAVE TO GO BACK, I STILL HAVE TO GO BACK WITH MY TEAM AND LOOK AT EVERY INDIVIDUAL AND SEE WHICH JOBS DESCRIPTIONS THEY WERE ALIGNED WITH.
AND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A FEW MONTHS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A LOT, BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT.
AND HOW DOES THIS AFFECT PEOPLE IF THIS MOTION FAILS, I'M JUST GOING TO CONTINUOUSLY GOING AT IT IN TERMS OF, UH, DISCIPLINE AND SALARY.
UH, THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING, UM, THAT SHOULD BE MAKING MORE MONEY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE SALARY SCALE THAT THEY'RE ON, BASED ON THE JOB DESCRIPTION, I CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I DO NOT DO GRADES.
I TRY NOT TO GET INTO A SPACE WHERE I HAVE TO COME AND TRY TO DEFEND A DECISION.
SO THIS WILL HELP US TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL, IN ADDITION TO, IN TERMS OF MARKET MARKETING, RIGHT? WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HOW YOU LOOK BEST.
HOW CAN WE DO THAT WITH ANTIQUATED SYSTEM AND ANTIQUATED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, LIKE A STENO CLERK? HOW WAS THAT FUNCTIONING? HOW DO WE USE THAT? HOW CAN I HOLD THE PERSON ACCOUNTABLE FOR WORK? AND IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH STENO THE MACHINE.
THAT'S NOT EVEN AROUND WAY BEFORE I WAS BORN.
ONCE AGAIN, I KEEP HALF THE REF REFERENCE TO THE PAST, BUT WE'RE HERE NOW.
I KNOW IT'S A LOT AND I TRY TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE IN FOURTH COMMUNIST POSSIBLE, BUT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON, ON VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, YOU'VE MENTIONED
SO WHAT WE DID, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UM, A GOOGLE DOC, WE SHOWED, EXCUSE ME, WE SHOWED THE RATIONALE.
SO IF IT'S AN EDUCATION ASPECT OF PARTICULAR, THE BUS DRIVERS, OR ARE THEY INCLUDED IN THIS? UH, NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
THE PERSON THAT, THE POSITION THAT WAS REFERRING TO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, I THINK A VICE PALMS JUST WANTS TO REFER TO WHAT'S ACTUALLY WRITTEN.
SO THE POSITION THAT WAS REFERRING TO IS SOME CHILD NUTRITION.
THAT'S THE POSITION THAT WAS REFERRING TO A, THE TRUCK DRIVER PLAYER.
UM, HOW'S THIS, THIS, UH, I DON'T SEE SALARY AMOUNTS.
SO BASED ON THE, UM, THE AUDIT THAT SSA DID, THEY GAVE US A SPREADSHEET THAT BROKE DOWN COMPARISON FROM EACH, EACH OF THE JOB TITLES THAT ARE HERE.
WE SHARE THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THEY USE THAT AS A BENCHMARK AND THE INFORMATION THAT CAME BACK VERY ALARMING AND THEY SHARE SOME OF THOSE FINDINGS AT THE LAST, I THINK IT WAS LIKE HOW MEETING INDIVIDUAL POSITIONS, IF PART OF THE GOAL IS TO RIGHT SIZE.
THEN WHERE'S THAT INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE A PART OF THE SALARY SCHEDULE.
IS THERE A REFERENCE HERE TO WHERE THEY WILL ALIGN UP WITH THE SALARY? THE SCHEDULE? NO, NOT, NOT ON HAND.
I COULD GET THAT TO YOU THOUGH.
THANK YOU, MS. COLLINS, THE BOARD IS CLEAR.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD IF NO, ONE OBJECTS TO TAKE ITEM H ONE, B H E S CONTRACT.
IT'S A WORD IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO IT.
UM, YEAH, SO, UM, I REQUESTED THE BOARD PRESIDENT, UM, ASKED THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THAT THAT THAT CONTRACT IS CRITICAL, UH, NEEDS TO BE PASSED FOR JULY ONE.
AND I WANT TO BE SURE WE KEEP A QUORUM AND CONSIDER IT BEFORE WE
[03:55:02]
KNOW ANY, ANY MEMBER CAN OBJECT.BUT IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, I'D LIKE TO GO TO ITEM H ONE, ANY OBJECTION, SEEING NINE.
[H1. Contract: HES Facilities Management, LLC]
UM, WE'LL GO TO ITEM H ONE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, AND H E S FACILITIES MANAGEMENT, LLC, AND SARAH MOTION MOVED BY MS. DYSON.UM, IS THERE A SECOND ON THIS, WHERE JACKSON, UH, UH, WOULD YOU JUST GET IT A LICK PLEASE? YES.
UM, AS YOU RECALL, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF AND COUNCIL AUTHORIZED BY THIS BOARD TO, UM, TO CONDUCT A NEGOTIATION CONTRACT, A CAPA CONTRACT WITH HES, WHO'S APPROVED AS A FACILITIES MANAGEMENT COMPANY FOR THE DISTRICT.
UM, AND SO I WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH MS. SCOTT SPALDING AND OTHER STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD BRING A CONTRACT TO THE BOARD AHEAD OF JULY ONE, AS YOU KNOW, OUR FISCAL YEAR BEGINS JULY ONE.
AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE A CUSTODIAL PROJECT, UH, A CUSTODIAL SERVICES MANAGEMENT COMPANY IN PLACE FOR THAT DATE.
UM, AND SO THE CONTRACT BEFORE YOU, UH, PROVIDES A NUMBER OF, UH, SPECIFICATIONS, UM, I WON'T GO THROUGH THE CONTRACT IN DETAIL, UM, BUT I'LL HIT THE HIGH POINTS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO THE BOARD, UM, IT DOES REQUIRE HS TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM 50% PARTICIPATION BY MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES AS PART OF IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR POLICY AND ALSO WITH THE RFP THAT WE ISSUED, UM, AND OUR PLANS GOING FORWARD.
UM, IT HAS, IT INCLUDES A COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN THAT HES WILL FUND UP TO THE AMOUNT OF $50,000, WHICH WILL SUPPORT COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND RELATED, UM, INITIATIVES.
UM, THE ANNUAL CONTRACT AMOUNT ITSELF IS 20 MILLION, $448,000.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, WE HAVE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE CONTRACT, UM, WHERE WE WILL BE ABLE TO AUDIT SO, UH, ACTUAL SQUARE FOOTAGE, UM, UH, UH, TO CONSIDER, UH, AN ADJUSTED CONTRACT AMOUNT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND THEN OUR FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS REMAIN SES, UH, TOWARDS ANNUAL FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 ANNUALLY.
THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT IS FOR FIVE YEARS, THE EXHIBITS INCLUDE CUSTODIAL SCOPE OF SERVICES, GROUND SCHEDULE, DETAILED OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT, AND ALSO A SUB SUBTOTALS AND SQUARE FOOTAGE AND TOTAL SQUARE.
AND I INVITE MS. UH, UH, MONIQUE TO COME UP, MS. MONIQUE, SCOTT'S BOTHERING.
IF SHE'D LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO COME UP, OR IF THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS AT THE MOMENT.
UM, BUT, UM, SO W IF YOU, RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, BUT, UH, WE'LL GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON ITEM H ONE COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON H ONE, JAMES FINNEY BURST.
I THINK YOU SHOULD STICK TO IT.
I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE WAITING FOR A LONG TIME, WANTING TO SPEAK TO THE THINGS THAT YOU JUST PUSHED ASIDE UNTIL LATER.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S PROPER.
FURTHERMORE, ON THIS ITEM IN PARTICULAR, THIS BOARD BECAME VISIBLE TO YOU ALL, OR AT LEAST TO THE PUBLIC, UM, SOMETIME AROUND 30 HOURS AGO, GIVE OR TAKE WEDNESDAY EVENING AT AROUND 4 49, OR I'M SORRY, 4 29.
UM, I ASSUME YOU WHO'VE ALL READ EVERY WORD, RIGHT? I DIDN'T HAVE TIME.
I PRINTED OUT SOME STUFF LOOKED AT THE LIST OF SCHOOLS NOTICED THE WE'RE CLEANING THE CHARTER SCHOOL.
APPARENTLY THAT WAS A LITTLE BIZARRE.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND $20 MILLION A YEAR, HAVING SOMEBODY OTHER THAN PUBLIC EMPLOYEES CLEANING THE SCHOOLS, MAYBE IT WOULD BE WORTH YOU COMING BACK AND HAVING A QUICK MEETING LATER IN JUNE, FOR THAT I REALIZE PROBABLY FIVE OF YOU WILL FEEL ARM TWISTED INTO VOTING FOR A CONTRACT YOU HAVEN'T READ, BUT THE FAILURE OF THE ADMINISTRATION TO GET STUFF DONE WITH PLENTY OF TIME DOES NOT NECESSARILY CONSTITUTE AN EMERGENCY ON YOUR PART.
DO NOT FEEL BULLIED INTO VOTING.
NO, IF YOU'RE NOT CONFIDENT, THIS IS A GOOD CONTRACT.
AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE CONTRACTS THAT HAVE COME FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IF I WERE IN YOUR SHOES, BE READY TO VOTE.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT ONE OR MORE OF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO READ THIS YET.
SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, WE COME
[04:00:01]
BACK TO THE BOARD, MS. DYSON, JUST REAL QUICK.UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE MY, MY COLLEAGUES TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN, UM, THE, THE CURRENT VENDOR, UM, REMOVING, UM, UM, REPORTS TO ME OR THAT THE, THEIR EQUIPMENT IS ALREADY BEING MOVED OUT OF OUR BUILDINGS FOR CLAIMING THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO THROUGH JUNE.
AND SO I, THIS IS CRITICAL AS FAR AS MOVING THIS TRANSITION AND GETTING STARTED ON DAY ONE, JULY 1ST.
SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN PUT OFF.
AND MS. DYSON, I SEE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
MADAM SECRETARY, WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE, PLEASE VOTE THE MOTION CARRIES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED A MINUTE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
YOU CAN SUSPEND THE MEETING OR TEMPORARILY.
IT'S JUST ENOUGH TIME TO GO USE THE RESTAURANT I DO BEFORE I GO ONE A COMMENT.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
I KNOW YOU AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT POURING THROUGH THAT CONTRACT.
AND, AND IT'S GOTTEN TO SPALDING AND EVERYBODY WHO WORKED ON IT BECAUSE IT'S A BAYER.
AND, UM, I'LL BE BACK AS SOON AS I CAN.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR INDULGING ME.
[G3. Eliminated Job Descriptions]
THREE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST OR THE APPROVAL TO ELIMINATE THE FOLLOWING OBSOLETE JOB DESCRIPTIONS ASSISTANT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES, ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, CHIEF OFFICER OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES.D I'M SORRY, LET ME DO IT AGAIN.
A ASSISTANT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES BE ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, C CHIEF OFFICER OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES, D E S S HOTLINE SPECIALISTS E ADOLESCENT LITERACY COORDINATOR, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MR. BALLOU? IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION, MS. WHERE JACKSON? YEAH, I'M SORRY.
MS. COLLINS, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MENTION THAT I WOULD PREFER TO SEE IT.
IF THE CONCERN IS OBSOLETE, JOB DESCRIPTIONS, AND WE GET THOUSANDS JUST CHILLING OUT THERE.
UM, WHAT I IMAGINED, AND I'M NO EXPERT, AND IT'S NOT A QUESTION.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT RESPONDING.
WHAT I IMAGINE IS THAT OVER TIME, NEW POSITIONS CREATED JUST NOT NEEDED US JUST LOOKING AT FIVE.
IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO CHOMP AT THE ELEPHANT OF ALL THOSE POSITIONS.
IF WE JUST, UM, SAY THAT SOMETHING LIKE ELIMINATE ALL POSITIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN IN USE IN FIVE YEARS OR MORE, THAT'S PROBABLY 90% OF THE POSITIONS THAT'S IN THE SYSTEM.
THERE'S JUST CHILLING OUT THERE.
UH, I JUST HATE TO DEAL WITH FIVE POSITIONS AND THEN WE STILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT EVEN A DROP IN THE OCEAN, SO I'M JUST SHARING IT THOUGHT.
AND, UH, IF THERE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DO A QUICK REVIEW AND SEE IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT MAKES SENSE, I LOOK FORWARD TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THANK YOU, MS. COLLINS, THE BOARD IS CLEAR FOR NOW.
UM, WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON ITEM G THREE.
I CONCUR WITH MY, UH, REPRESENTATIVE WITH VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
IF THERE ARE REALLY ARE 5,000 JOB DESCRIPTIONS, THEN I'M NOT SURE WHY YOU'RE BEING INSULTED WITH A REQUEST TO ONLY ELIMINATE FIVE, ESPECIALLY SINCE I THINK TWO OF THEM AREN'T REALLY BEING ELIMINATED, THEY'RE BEING REPLACED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT VERY SOON, THE VISITOR FROM MARYLAND WOULD HAVE HIS STAFF PUT TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF EITHER THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT WILL
[04:05:01]
CONTINUE TO EXIST AND A STATEMENT THAT ALL OTHERS ARE NOW OBSOLETE AND NOT USABLE, OR AS YOU SUGGESTED, JUST HAVE THEM AUTOMATICALLY EXPIRE AFTER FIVE YEARS OF NON-USE.UM, I DON'T EXPECT THAT HAPPEN.
IN FACT, UM, THIS IS AS USEFUL A TIME TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS IS ANY OTHER, AT LEAST TWICE, SINCE YOU HIRED THE GENTLEMAN FROM MARYLAND, I HAVE MADE RECORD REQUESTS ASKING FOR A COMPLETE LIST, NOT THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY OF RECORD REQUEST, JUST A LIST OF THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS TO THE EXIST, UH, APPARENTLY, BUT THE CONTRACTOR WAS ABLE TO GET THOSE.
AND I'M STILL WAITING ON THOSE LISTS FROM EITHER OF THOSE TWO REQUESTS.
SO THANK YOU AS DANIEL LAMB FORD.
AND I AGREE WITH, UH, MS. COLLINS AND MR. PENNY THAT A LOT OF A, OF WAY TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. I, AGAIN, I'M, I'M NO EXPERT IS A SIMPLE SIMPLIFICATION THAT IT'S JUST AN OCEAN IT'S, UM, A LOT OF, UM, JOB DESCRIPTIONS IN THIS CASE TO DEAL WITH.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES A LOT OF THESE ITEMS, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO SIMPLIFY MAYBE AND PRAY ABOUT WHAT, WHAT WE SHOULD EVEN CONSIDER TO BE BROUGHT UP, BECAUSE, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MUCH, UM, WE COULD DO, BUT, UM, GOOD AS VIETNAMESE OF THE BEST.
AND, UH, I THINK IF WE, WE SIMPLIFIED, UM, THINGS THAT THAT WOULD SOLVE A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS, UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA, IT WOULD TAKE A VERY LONG TIME TO, AND I'M SURE MISS NICOLA HALL IS HAVING A TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH POSITIONS TO ELIMINATE AND WHICH ONES TO, TO, UM, KEEP.
BUT I GUESS LET'S TRY NOT TO CREATE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN, UM, IN, UH, IN, IN THIS NUMBER AREAS AND YEAH, JUST SIMPLIFY, THAT'S THE MAIN POINT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, JAMIE ROBINSON, AS I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT TONIGHT, ABOUT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, THE STATE OF THE PARISH IS HEAD OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE STATE OF THE, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
BUT WHEN YOU BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE, WHEN HERE IN THE COMMUNITY IS DIVIDED, WE GIVE SOME HERE, SOME THERE, AND IT'S BECAUSE DON'T WANT, JULIE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
AND THERE IS A BIT OF DOUBT, EVEN AMONGST YOU SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, THEY, AND IT'S OBVIOUS WITH ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT, THAT YOU HAVE TO ASK IN THESE MEETINGS AND THE THEN BE EXPECTED TO VOTE AFTER NOT BEING PROPERLY INFORMED.
THE REALITY IS WE DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
I DON'T CARE WHO YOU BRING IN HERE TO HIRE.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE IS YOU GIVE US A BUNCH OF STUFF AND YOU HAVE YOUR STAFF COME UP HERE AND WHAT THE HR DIRECTOR SAID, IF IT MADE SENSE, AND IT SOUNDED WELL.
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU PUT A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD AND A LITTLE BIT OF BAD TOGETHER, YOU SAY, WELL, WE'LL VOTE ON THIS.
AND WHAT PASSAGE, JUST SO WE CAN FIX THIS.
THAT, THAT GOES AGAINST WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YOU'RE TRYING TO DO YOU SAY, YOU'RE TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING, HEAL IT.
YOU CAN'T HEAL ABOUT PUTTING A BANDAID OVER IT AND THAT'S IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT'S, WHAT'S COOL.
YOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE DONE TONIGHT.
YOU, YOU YOU'VE VOTED, YOU VOTED PROPERLY.
AND WHEN I SAY PROPERLY, I MEAN RESPONSIBLY, WHAT IS RESPONSIBILITY? WE LET'S VOTE FOR.
LET'S VOTE FOR WHAT WE KNOW IS GOING ON.
AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE DON'T KNOW THAT IF YOU WANT TO SEE A DIFFERENCE, YOU WANT TO SEE A CHANGE.
WE ASK QUESTIONS, TELL US BEFOREHAND, WHEN WE GOT UP HERE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGETED, MR. GOLDEN, HE HAD SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE ON THE CONTRACT, WAS ABLE TO SAY WHAT WAS ON THE CONTRACT TO REBUTTAL WHAT WE SAID.
[04:10:01]
DIDN'T KNOW THAT, BUT IMAGINE HOW MUCH TIME WE CAN SAY, IMAGINE HOW MANY, HOW, HOW WELL WE WOULD WORK TOGETHER.AND WE WERE ALL INFORMED EVERY WEEK.
EVERYONE EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATED WITH ONE ANOTHER.
IF THESE SCARE TACTICS WERE RID OF, IF PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY SPEAK WITHOUT BEING IN FEAR OF LOSING THEIR JOB, BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS THAT ONLY THE PEOPLE IN THOSE SCHOOLS, BUT I MENTIONED THAT SOME PEOPLE AT THOSE TABLES BACK THERE LET'S GET TO TALK ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, KURANDA CALL THE PARENT AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE.
UM, I THINK IT'S, UM, IMPERATIVE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT ARE BEING ELIMINATED.
AND THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS PARENT LIAISON WAS, IS ONE OF THEM.
WE HAVE MANY JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT ARE BEING ELIMINATED THAT ARE NOT ACTUALLY LISTED ISN'T THAT LISTED PARENT LIAISON WAS A POSITION THAT CAME LAST YEAR, LAST YEAR.
UM, IT WAS PROPOSED THAT WE CREATE, UH, I THINK IT WAS 22 JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
AND ALTHOUGH WE CREATED THOSE 22 JOB DESCRIPTIONS, THEY HAD JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT WERE CREATED THAT WERE NOT ON THE LIST.
AND JUST LIKE TONIGHT THERE'S JOBS TO BE ELIMINATED THAT ARE NOT ON THE LIST.
UM, I KNOW BEING RESPECTFUL OF SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT RECEIVED A LETTERS SAYING THAT THEIR POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED AND THAT THAT TITLE NO LONGER EXIST IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THOSE TITLES ARE NOT ON THIS LIST OF ELIMINATED JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
SO WHEN WE HAVE, UH, UH, AN ITEM SUCH AS THIS ONE THAT SAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS ELIMINATED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, WE NEED TO HAVE ALL OF THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE BEING ELIMINATED.
EVEN IF THAT'S IN THE SENIOR CABINET OR IT'S PEOPLE THAT ARE IN SUPERVISORY POSITIONS, THOSE ARE POSITIONS TO, THOSE ARE POSITIONS TO, THAT ARE FUNDED BY OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.
AND IT IS CAUSING A MAJOR DIVIDE, UM, IN OUR PARISH BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS WERE TOLD THAT PARENT LIAISON POSITIONS WERE COMING BACK THIS YEAR, AND THAT IS NOT TRUE.
THEY WERE ELIMINATED AS OF THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE PARENT LIAISONS BACK.
AND THAT WAS 53 POSITIONS, BUT IT'S NOT REFLECTED.
SO I ASKED THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE ELIMINATED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, THAT WE ACTUALLY GET A REAL TRUE LIST, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE ACCURATE LIST, JUST LIKE OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
THAT'S NOT THE ACCURATE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART BECAUSE IT SHOWS OUR CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER EQUIVALENT ON THE SAME PLAYING FIELD AS ALL OF THE OTHER CHIEFS.
LEGALLY, LEGALLY, HE IS EQUAL TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND ALL THE OTHER CHIEFS FALL UP UNDER HIM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LEAVE THERE, WHICH ARE FOR Y'ALL TO CONSIDER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE
I DIDN'T WANT TO LIFT UP WITH, UH, SINCE THE MENTIONED, UH, BECAUSE I HAVE LAID MY EYES ON THE EMAIL THAT WAS SENT TO PARENT LIAISONS.
AND INDEED IN FACT, SAY THAT THE POSITION WAS ELIMINATED, WHICH REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THIS MOTION PASSES OR FAILS WOULD JUST BE INACCURATE BECAUSE THE BOARD NEVER VOTED TO ELIMINATE.
AND THE BOARD IS THE ONLY ONE WITH THE AUTHORITY TO ELIMINATE A POSITION.
THINGS LIKE THAT IS WHAT CAUSED ME TO HAVE CONCERNS GENERALLY SPEAKING.
AND SINCE SHE MENTIONED IT, I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD LIFT UP, UM, THAT ISSUE.
AND I HOPE THAT THAT ISSUE GETS LOOKED AT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING I NEED TO, UH, UH, BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF GENERAL COUNSEL OR WHAT HAVE YOU, UH, TO DETERMINE IF ANYTHING NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED, BUT I DO FIND THAT TO BE A SERIOUS CONCERN.
THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT IN COLLINS, MS. WHERE JACKSON, THANK YOU.
PRESIDENT TADEMAN, UM, SORTA TO PIGGYBACK IS THAT I WAS, I'D HEARD THAT WE WERE GETTING MORE PARENT LIAISONS.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S NEWS TO ME, BUT, UM, I'M WONDERING IF SOME POSITIONS THAT MAY BE,
[04:15:02]
THAT WE MAY BE LOSING ARE TIED TO THE STAFFING MODEL, UM, AND MAYBE WE'RE CROSSING SOME OF THIS INFORMATION UP WITH WHAT'S WHAT'S, UM, WHAT'S IN THE STAFFING MODEL, OR MAYBE NO LONGER IN THE STAFFING MODEL.NARCISSUS, MS. HALL CAN COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THAT IS CONCERNING THE DA'S OFFICE.
SO YES, THERE WAS, UM, PARENT LIAISON FROM THE SCHOOL LEVEL WE'VE BEEN REPLACED WITH THE PARENT INVOLVEMENT FACILITATORS.
IT'S A LONG WORD AT THE PARAPROFESSIONALS.
AT THE SITE AT THE, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE SITES WE DO HAVE APPARENTLY IS NOT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT EMAIL WAS SENT, IF YOU COULD FORWARD IT TO ME.
SO I COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, PLEASE.
SO WHAT'S THAT PARENT LIAISON WAS NOT ELIMINATED.
IT TOOK A WHILE FOR ME TO GET THERE.
THANK YOU, MS. WARE, JACKSON VICE-PRESIDENT COLUMN AND SOFA CLARITY.
THAT EMAIL GOES ON TO SAY THAT NOT ONLY IS THE PARENT LIAISON POSITION ELIMINATED, WHICH IS A 40 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLAR POSITION REQUIRING A DEGREE, AS YOU MENTIONED, THEY'RE TOLD THE PLATFORM PARAPROFESSIONAL POSITION, AND THAT'S A $30,000 PAY CUT.
AND I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO MENTION IT.
I KNOW YOU WERE REFERRING TO THE EMAIL.
IS THAT AN EMAIL YOU RECEIVED FROM A CONSTITUENT OR IS THAT AN EMAIL? I'M A STAFF.
UM, AND I SHARED THE INFORMATION IS REDACTED BECAUSE I'M NOT BUYING A CALL SPEED BOTTOMS, BUT PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE OF.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST FROM MY HR PROCESS, UM, THE REASON WE WANT TO KNOW IS BECAUSE, UH, WE HAVE WE EVER MS. HALL THAT WE EVER SENT AN EMAIL LIKE THAT WE LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THAT REFERENCE IS COMING.
BUT I MEAN, IT'S IT WHAT Y'ALL JUST, I MEAN, Y'ALL NO, I ONLY BRING THAT UP.
UH, VICE-PRESIDENT OF COLLINS AND BOARD MEMBERS IS BECAUSE WE SEEM TO ALWAYS, WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO COUNTER THESE MISS INFORMATION THAT SEEMS TO BE SENT IN.
WE'VE ALSO PUT PROTOCOLS AND PROCESSES IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOCUMENTING SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
AND, AND ALSO, UH, WE CAN SHOW ALL OF THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE HAVE DONE A CONCERNING THIS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING THEM NO PROBLEM, BUT TO BE FAIR, Y'ALL LITERALLY JUST CONFIRMED WHAT I SAID WAS IN THE EMAIL.
I CAN GIVE YOU THE EMAIL, BUT I HOPE THAT THE PERSON WHO SENT IT OUT DON'T GET IN TROUBLE.
CAUSE I'M SURE THEY PIN SENATE WITHOUT BEING TOLD THE SENATE IS NOT GOING TO SHOW WHO, WHO RECEIVED IT AND WHO GAVE IT TO, CAN I JUST SAY SOMETHING THERE WE'LL NOT GET IN TROUBLE.
DO YOU FEEL THAT I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE SIX MONTHS AND I'M HOPING THAT MY REPUTATION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF BY NOW.
I DON'T TREAT PEOPLE LIKE THAT, BUT I REALLY WANT TO KNOW BECAUSE I WANT HIM TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE, UM, THAT TYPE OF SITUATION.
I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO FEEL INTIMIDATED OR LESS THOUGHT OR DISMISSIVE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM ADDRESSING IT BECAUSE IF THERE'S ONE PERSON THAT HAD THAT CONCERN, I HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE WITHIN THAT, THOSE CONCERNS, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HR IS A SPACE THAT YOU CAN COME AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT ANYTHING.
AND I'M ABLE TO ASSESS AND ADDRESS IT AND PUT WHATEVER RESOLUTION IN PLACE AND GET IT CORRECTED.
SO BEING, ARE THERE PEOPLE WHO WERE PARENT LIAISONS IN 21, 22 WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE, BASICALLY MAKING TEACHER SALARY OR THEY IS WHAT YOU JUST SAID TRUE.
THAT THEY WILL NOW BE OFFERED A PARAPROFESSIONAL POSITION FOR $17,000 A YEAR.
SO ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN IMPACTED BASED ON THE CHANGES IN THE SALARIES IN THE CSM, THEIR SALARY WAS NOT IMPACTED.
WE JUST HAD MONEY CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT UNION MEMBERS OR SOUND RACHEL.
THE GOAL IS THE NEW FOLKS, NEW HIRES COMING IN BECAUSE IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT.
WE DON'T TOUCH PEOPLE'S SALARY.
THAT WAS A CONVERSATION WE HAVE WITH GENERAL COUNSEL.
[04:20:01]
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, POOR LADY CONCERN, CONCERN.SO EVEN GOING INTO THE PARAPROFESSIONAL POSITION, THEN AT LEAST FOR THE TWO YEARS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE POLICY THAT YOU'RE GOING BY WITH IT, I'M ASSUMING THE TWO YEARS, AT LEAST FOR TWO YEARS, THEY'LL STILL BE AT THE 47 THEIR SALARY.
VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, THE BOARD, HE IS CLEAR.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
PLEASE VOTE THE MOTION FAILS TO MOVE NOW TO ITEM G
[G13. Professional Services Contract-LSU & Agricultural & Mechanical College]
PROFESSIONAL SEEK CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND THE LSU AGRICULTURE AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $123,891 TO PROVIDE STAFF AND PROGRAM SUPPORT AT THE EVAL OF GUARD LEARNING CENTER, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.IS THERE A MOTION I WANT TO MAKE MR. BALLOU ACTIVE ON THE MOTION FRONT TONIGHT.
ANYBODY WANT TO SECOND IT GOING ONCE? OKAY.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT IN, LET ME, I PROBABLY SHOULD'VE LOOKED AT THAT.
HOLD IT BACK UP ON IT BEFORE I STARTED.
BUT, UM, THERE'S ONE THING THAT'S JUST PROBLEMATIC ABOUT THIS IS THE, UM, IN THE DOCUMENT I RECALL THERE IS A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE NAME.
UM, AND I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THAT.
UM, WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS TO CHANGE THE NAME, TO EVAL, A GARDEN LEARNING CENTER, AND IT WAS UNDERSTOOD AT THAT TIME.
AND, AND MANY PEOPLE SPOKE ABOUT THAT.
B WE GAVE IT SORT OF A GENERIC NAME.
WE HONORS, WE HONOR MRS. LAGARDE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME WE LEFT IT OPEN SO THAT IF A PROGRAM CAME IN OR, YOU KNOW, IF, IF ANOTHER SCHOOL CAME IN, THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO CHANGE THE NAME WITH A NAME LIKE EVIL, A GUARD LEARNING CENTER, WHOEVER IS IN THE BUILDING WILL BE LEARNING.
AND, UH, SO I HAVE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF PAUSE AROUND, UM, NOT THE MOU, BUT JUST THAT PARTICULAR PIECE IN THERE THAT LOOKS LIKE, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY NEED TO, TO, UH, TO DO IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT, UM, THAT WE GO BACK AND, UH, SPEAK WITH THE PARTNERS AROUND THIS AND, UM, ACTUALLY JUST LEAVE THE NAME ALONE.
AND I DON'T WANT TO JUMP IN HERE IF I DON'T.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, IS THERE NOT A WAY TO FASHION THAT IN THE MOTION? NO, NO.
I ACTUALLY UPLOADED, UH, ADD MS. WHERE JACKSON'S REQUEST FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE BACKUP, THERE'S A REVISED AGREEMENT THAT CORRECTS THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL.
IF BOARD APPROVES THAT REVISED AGREEMENT TONIGHT, WE WILL FOLLOW IT, THAT TO LSU FOR SIGNATURE.
SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE THAT.
AND GC, WHEN HE'S SEEN TO SAY THAT'S 30.
SO IT'S NOW EVIL, A GUARD LEARNING CENTER THROUGHOUT THE AGREEMENT WE MADE THAT.
SO THERE'S NO REQUEST IN THERE.
THANK YOU, MS. GUERRA JACKSON.
WHEN THE IDEA OF THIS, UH, WHO CAME UP, I EXPRESSED CONCERN.
I WAS FIRST PAID BY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT BEING CONCERNED ABOUT NOT HAVING INFORMATION ABOUT A FISCAL NOTE.
I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NO EXPENSE.
[04:25:01]
BEING ASKED TO VOTE ON THE EXPENSE.SO I LEAVE MY COMMENTS AT THERE.
THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
AND I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY YOU GOOD, MR. SHAMBLIN.
SHOW THE BOARD IS CLEAR FOR NOW.
SO WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON ITEM G 13, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
I'M JAMES FINNEY, THE COMPARING THE TWO BACKUPS FROM LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK, DESPITE MR. SHANNON'S COMMENTS, I'M NOT ENCOURAGED BY THE FACT THAT A CONTRACT THAT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY LSU IN MAY YOU HAVE NOW YOU, THE LATTER REALLY CHANGED.
I GUESS WE CAN TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD THAT THE CONTRACT, THE SIGNATURE LINE WILL BE THROWN OUT AND THEY'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO RATIFY THE CHANGES AND REASSIGN IT.
I HOPE THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE THE FONT SIZE CHANGE AND WHO ELSE? I DIDN'T DO A CHARACTER CHARACTER BY CHARACTER, BY CHARACTER COMPARISON.
UM, ABOUT THE NAMES, THE BUILDING NAME DOESN'T HAVE TO MATCH THE PROGRAM NAME.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE THE NAME OF A SCHOOL THAT STARTS WITH THE WORD EVA, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT LA GARDE HIGH SCHOOL, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
UM, BUT THE DUKE BROCK SCHOOL GETS ALPHABETIZED UNDER D WALNUT HILLS GETS ALPHABETIZED UNDER B ROBERT E. LEE HIGH SCHOOL DIDN'T GET ALPHABETIZED UNDER L USUALLY IT WAS UNDER R, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS.
SO THE BUILDINGS DAMNED WITH THE BUILDING IS NAMED, UM, APPARENTLY THE VISITOR FROM MARYLAND FEELS HE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO NAME THESE SCHOOLS, WHATEVER HE WANTS TO.
I DON'T BELIEVE HE HAS THAT AUTHORITY.
THIS IS A FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL.
AND I HEARD SOME REALLY DISTURBING THINGS EARLIER BEFORE THE PUBLIC WAS ALLOWED TO SPEAK ABOUT ADVISORY BOARDS, FOCUS, CHOICE SCHOOL, WHAT THESE ADVISORY BOARDS SOUND A LOT LIKE CHARTER BOARDS, UNELECTED PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE TO NO ONE AND THAT'S DISTURBING.
UM, BUT BECAUSE THERE'S MONEY INVOLVED, I'M GOING TO TRY TO SQUEEZE INTO 57 SECONDS COMMENTS FROM SOMEBODY WHO WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE WITH REGARD TO THE FUNDING.
AS OF 7:36 PM, TUESDAY NIGHT, I CLAPPED FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I SAW A BUNCH OF WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED FOR TONIGHT.
I READ AN EMAIL THAT THERE WOULD BE A BUDGET HEARING ON JULY 14TH WITH PROPER NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.
I ASSUME THEY SPENT TIME FOR THE BOARDS I'M FOR THE PUBLIC AND HOPE THE BOARD WOULD DO THIS CORRECTLY AND VOTE ON THE BUDGET.
ON THE 21ST, I WAS EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THE BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL IN THIS THOUGHTFUL PATH.
YEAH, WHAT WE HEAR TONIGHT IS THAT NONE OF THIS REALLY MATTERS.
THERE WILL BE NO WORKSHOP, A HEARING, AND AN IMMEDIATE VOTE ON MILLIONS OF OUR DOLLARS.
IT HASN'T BEEN EXPLAINED OR VETTED.
ONCE AGAIN, WE WORKED WITH YOU.
WE DID THE WORK FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS LEGAL AND SHALL I WAIT UNTIL I HAVE MR. TOMLIN'S ATTENTION? I COULD, BUT THERE ISN'T THE FORM.
LISTEN TO ME, WE DID THE WORK FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS LEGAL AND WHAT WAS THE RIGHT WAY YOU CHOSE THE BARE MINIMUM.
AND I CONCUR WITH THOSE COMMENTS FROM MY BELOVED COMMUNITY, CORONA, CORALEE, PARENT, AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE.
SO ON THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT, IS IT REGARD AS IT RELATES TO LSU AND THE AGRICULTURE AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE, THE ADVISORY BOARDS THAT DR.
FINNEY WAS SPEAKING OF SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, IT IS WRITTEN IN THE CONTRACT THAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY BE GETTING PAID.
SOME OF THEM WILL BE GETTING PAID TO THE TUNE OF OVER $22,000.
SO I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS CONTRACTS, WE NEED TO REALLY, AND TRULY THOROUGHLY READ THE CONTRACTS BECAUSE NEVER NOT ONCE, SHOULD WE, AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE DON'T ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PAY AN ADVISORY BOARD, A TOTAL OF ALMOST $123,000.
THAT'S MORE THAN WHAT WE PAY YOU OUT.
WE DON'T PAY US, STAY OFF DEBT, EXCEPT FOR THE SENIOR CABINET.
WE PAY EACH YEAR, WE PAY EACH OF THE CHIEFS 130,000, BUT THOSE ARE OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE DON'T GOVERN THIS, THIS BOARD ADVISORY BOARD AT LSU WOULD HAVE, AS IT RELATES TO THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS, THIS IS WHY
[04:30:01]
IT WAS IMPERATIVE AND IMPORTANT THAT WE ACTUALLY GET THE FISCAL NOTE FOR THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAMS. WE STILL DON'T KNOW TO THIS DAY, HOW MANY STAFF MEMBERS WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE WORKING IN THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAMS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO START IN AUGUST.THAT'S NOT LISTED IN THE BUDGET EITHER.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WE WOULD HAVE FOR THOSE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAMS. WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THIS ADVISORY BOARD IS GOING TO RECEIVE $123,000 PLUS THAT'S A PROBLEM.
AND WHEN WE HAVE CONTRACTS LIKE THAT, THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE NOT DOING, UH, JUST, UM, DUE DILIGENCE THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
BUT EVERY STUDENT EVERY DAY, BECAUSE THAT'S $123,000 THAT WE COULD USE TOWARDS SOME CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, SUCH AS UPDATING OUR SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS THAT ARE NOT IN ADA COMPLIANCE.
HOW ABOUT OFFERING TUTORING PROGRAMS? WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
THIS IS WHY WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODELS BECAUSE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODELS WOULD ACTUALLY ALLOW US TO HAVE PROGRAMS. THAT'S NOT GOING TO COST US A THING.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED, WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
AND JUST IN CASE, Y'ALL NEED TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE ABOUT IT.
I CAN POINT YOU IN THAT CORRECT DIRECTION IN REGARDS TO SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODELS.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THIS, THIS CONTRACT IS THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW.
WE SHOULD NOT BE VOTING ON IT TO GIVE ANOTHER ADVISORY BOARD 123,000 PLUS DOLLARS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? SEEING NONE BACK TO THE BOARD? THE BOARD IS CLEAR.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE LET MS. WHERE JACKSON.
UM, PARDON ME, MR. TEVIN AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, AND ALMOST HATE TO ASK THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK IT ANYWAY.
COULD WE POSSIBLY MOVE THIS ITEM AS WELL TO, TO THE NEXT MEETING, TO THAT SPECIAL MEETING? SO YOU EITHER MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO MOTION FOR, WE WOULD SAY YOU WANT TO OFFER A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO MOVE IT TO THE THIRD MEETING ON, UH, JULY 14TH.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? YOU WERE A SECOND ON THE FIRST.
CAN YOU SECOND? BOTH? I DON'T THINK YOU CAN ACCEPTANCE.
SO, UM, THE MOTION IS AS THE SAME MOTION, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTER.
SO WE WILL NOW TAKE PUB, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON MOVING THIS ITEM TO THE THIRD MEETING ON JULY 14 TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OR THE SPECIAL MEETING, THERE'LL BE A SPECIAL MEETING.
MY COMMENT IS THAT IT MIGHT BE LONG ON THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
IT HAS NO BUSINESS ON THE SPECIAL MEETING.
PLEASE GO AHEAD AND VOTE IT DOWN TONIGHT.
JAMIE ROBINSON, UM, WE HAVE SCHOOLS CURRENTLY IN PLACE THAT DON'T HAVE THAT DON'T REACH THEIR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.
SO WE'RE TOLD THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT BEING ADEQUATELY FUNDED.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T KEEP DEANS, KEEP FULL-TIME GUIDANCE.
COUNSELORS, KEEP FULL-TIME CLERKS, BUT WE HAVE $123,000 TO GIVE TO AN ADVISORY BOARD OR A WORD THAT EVEN APPROPRIATING THAT MUCH TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE THE ACTUAL GOVERNANCE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ALREADY DANGEROUS.
WHAT EVEN STARTING THIS PROGRAM SO SOON, I WOULD ACTUALLY KILL IT TONIGHT.
LISTEN TO THIS RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW.
[04:35:07]
YES.I W I DON'T THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.
I WOULD, UH, ALSO VOTE THIS DOWN TONIGHT.
UM, W WE NEED TO WORK ON, UM, USING THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE AND NOT, UM, WAYS WASTE MONEY AND HAVE TO HIRE ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE TO, TO, UM, TRY TO BAIL US OUT.
UM, WE NEED TO BE MORE, A LOT MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? KHORANA COLA, PAIN AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE.
UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IT TO ANOTHER MEETING DATE, THEN I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW THE FISCAL NOTE, BUT ALL FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAMMING, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES NEEDED FOR ALL FOCUS, CHOICE PROGRAMMING, WHETHER OR NOT OUR CERTIFIED TEACHERS WILL BE WORKING FOR THE PROFESSORS, WHETHER OR NOT THESE PROFESSORS THAT WILL BE TEACHING IN THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAMS WILL BE ATTENDING IEP MEETINGS, WHETHER OR NOT THESE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAMS WILL BE EXCLUDED EXCLUDING CHILDREN, OR HAVE SELECTIVE ADMISSIONS SUCH AS A LOTTERY.
UM, HOW CAN PARENTS ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN INTO THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAMMING? WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME FOR THE FOCUS CHOICE, PROGRAMMING, ET CETERA.
AND IF YOU NEED ME TO EMAIL THAT I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON IT TONIGHT, THE ANSWER IS NO, WE SHOULD DENY IT.
WE SHOULD NEVER BE PAYING ANOTHER BOARD $123,000.
WE DON'T WORK FOR LSU DOING A COLLABORATION OR A PARTNERSHIP DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE WILL BE PAYING THEIR BOARD.
WE'RE GIVEN LSU MONEY, AS IT IS LSU, GET MILLIONS ON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
AND THEY ALSO GET MILLIONS ON MILLIONS FROM US, BUT IT IS NOT OUR JOB OR OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY THEIR ADVISORY BOARD TO IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WHAT WILL BE THE POINT OF US HAVING A SENIOR CABINET OR OUR BOARD MEMBERS, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR ADVISORY BOARD DOING WHAT YOU DO, WE ELECTED YOU TO DO A JOB.
AND WHAT I ADVISE IS IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IT TO THE 14TH, THAT WE ACTUALLY REQUIRE THE SENIOR CABINET TO PROVIDE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION THAT I REQUESTED, IF NOT, THEN WE ELIMINATED TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NON BACK TO THE BOARD MS. DYSON? YES.
I WOULD, UM, ASK ON THIS ITEM AS WELL, UM, THAT, THAT TO MOVE THIS, UH, TO THE SPECIAL MEETING AND THAT EVERYONE IS UNDERSTANDING WE'VE GOT STUDENTS ENROLL OR THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR THEY'VE ALREADY, UM, GONE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A, THERE'S A WAITING LIST TO GET INTO THE SCHOOL SO WE DON'T HAVE TIME.
SO WE REALLY DO NEED TO MOVE IT TO THE SPECIAL MEETING.
UM, AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING I GOT, I NEED TO SAY.
UM, SO, UM, MS. SQUARE JACKSON, YES.
I JUST WANT TO COMMENT THAT IN LOOKING AT THE BACKUP AT THE MASTER AGREEMENT, THAT'S STILL IN THERE.
IT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FIRST PAGE, FIRST PARAGRAPH, PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THAT.
MS. SQUARED JACKSON, THE BOARD IS CLEAR.
UM, WE'RE, UM, WE'RE VOTING ON THE MOTION TO MOVE THIS, UH, ITEM TO THE SPECIAL MEETING WITH THE OTHER AGENDA ITEMS THAT WERE FORWARDED ON JULY THE 14TH.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
[04:40:22]
THE MOTION FAILS.[G15. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)-Pre-K Expansion]
15 CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF AN MOU TEMPLATE FOR CHILDCARE CENTERS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE EBR COMMUNITY NETWORK FOR THE EXPANSION OF PRE-K THREE.AND PRE-K FOUR STUDENTS, EACH STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION.
WE'RE ON WE'RE ON 15, HUH? YEAH.
MOVED BY MS.
UM, MS. COLLINS, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
THESE HELPED ME UNDERSTAND I'M ON A PRE-K AND I'M LOOKING AT, UH, WHERE THE SEEDS ARE BEING ALLOCATED.
I SEE JUST, UM, CHARTERS IN A DAYCARE CENTERS.
WE ALREADY VOTED ON, UH, THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS.
PRE-K HAVE WE VOTED? YES, MA'AM OKAY.
THESE, EVERY YEAR WE COME OR, UM, AN APPROVAL TO EXPAND OUR PRE-K FOUR AND PRE-K THREE TO OUR CHILDCARE CENTERS BASED ON ACT THREE, WE HAVE TWO IN PART OF OUR NETWORK EXPAND SEATS.
SO THESE CENTERS ARE JUST ANOTHER EXPANSION THAT WE ADD EVERY YEAR FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR NETWORK AND ALSO EXPAND PRE-K THREE.
AND PRE-K FOUR YEAR-OLD SEATS BECAUSE WE'RE STILL NOT MANDATED, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND SO, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM IN A HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE GET THEM EARLY, THEN THEY CAN MOVE ON TO OUR SCHOOL AND WE CAN RETAIN THEM IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
WHAT PREVENTS THEM FROM BEING ADDED TO OUR SCHOOLS VERSUS A CHILDCARE CENTER.
THE STATE ALSO REQUIRES US TO, UM, SUBMIT A CHILD COUNT.
AND SO WITH THEIR CHILD COUNT, THEY'RE STILL THEY'RE PRIVATE OWNERS.
SO THEY ARE, UM, COUNTED IN THAT PRIVATE OWNERS COUNT.
BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT A WAY TO COUNT THEM JUST TO SAY, BECAUSE THEY'RE RECEIVING THOSE ALLOCATION THROUGH THE FUNDING THAT THE STATE GIVES US.
SO WE CAN ALSO SHOW THAT, HEY, WE, THEY ARE A PART OF, UM, OUR ACCOUNT IN THAT ALLOCATION, BUT WE CAN'T PUT THEM IN J CAMPUS BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL A PART OF THAT OWNER'S CHILD COUNT THAT WE SUBMIT TO THE STATE.
SO I'M GOING TO REWORD THE QUESTION.
MA'AM INSTEAD OF GIVING, UH, AND THE CARE LEARNING IS ON GREENWELL, WHICH IS IN MY DISTRICT $91,000 THAT I TURNED AROUND AND SAY, THOSE 20 SEATS COULD BE AT GREENBRIAR.
SO ALL OF THESE, ALL OF WE HAVE ABOUT 95 CHILDCARE CENTERS.
AND SO WHAT THIS, WHAT YOUR PROVEN THEY'RE GOING ABOVE THAT THEY WANT EXTRA SEATS.
AND SO WE PUT IT OUT AND IF THEY'RE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ADD IT, THEN THEY CAN APPLY FOR THE SEATS.
SO EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR EXTRA SEATS.
SO THAT'S, SO LET'S USE GREENBRIER AGAIN.
HOW DO WE TERM DETERMINE IF GREENBRIAR GETS MORE SEATS, GREENBRIER? SO THIS IS FOR THE PRE-K EXPANSION.
SO IF GREENBRIER HAS MORE SEATS, THEY CAN, WE WILL JUST GIVE THEM TO THEM FROM OUR
CAUSE IT DEPENDS ON THE SPACE AT THE SCHOOL.
MA'AM UM, LOOKING ALSO AT THE, UH, ASSET TO GRANT
[04:45:02]
MONEY, THAT'S A TOTAL OF $3.3 MILLION.WE SAYING WE GO PASS TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
HOW DID WE DETERMINE THAT WE WANT TO SEND S THE $2 TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY HAVE TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE HIGH QUALITY, AND WE HAVE A RE ACCOUNTABILITY.
HOW DID WE DETERMINE THAT FROM S OR $2? WE EVEN WANTED TO SAY, EVERYBODY ELSE COME GET THIS $3.3 MILLION.
WHAT WE DID IS BECAUSE PRE-K THREE IS NOT, THEY'RE UNDERSERVED.
WE HAVE ABOUT 3,200 STUDENTS THAT ARE THREE YEARS OF AGE THAT ARE NOT IN ANY TYPE OF CHILDCARE.
SO IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THEM INTO HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION EARLY, BECAUSE WE IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE ONLY PRE-K THREE-YEAR-OLD PROGRAMS WE HAVE ARE THE ESS PROGRAMS, GIFTED MONTESSORI, AND, UM, THE MAGNET PROGRAM.
THAT'S THE, SCHOOL'S NOT HAVING NO SPACE FOR PRE-K THREE PRE-K FOUR.
IF WE PROVIDE THE SPACE, THEN WE TAKE ON LICENSE LICENSING ISSUES.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHOLE ISSUE.
AND SO IT WILL BE VERY COSTLY TO PROVIDE PRE-K THREE UNTIL IT'S MANDATED.
AND, UM, YOU SEE WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, EVERYTHING THEY'RE TRYING TO MANDATE, PRE-K THREE.
SO WHAT WE DO IS THROUGH THE DIVERSE DELIVERY WHERE WE OFFER IT, AND IF THE CHILDCARE CENTER HAS THIS SPACE AND THEY CAN EXPAND, WE OFFER THOSE DOLLARS TO THEM.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A MICRO CENTER WHERE WE HAD SOME SPACE AND WE PILOTED IT IN, UM, CRESS WORTH, AS WELL AS WESTMINSTER.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAD THE SPACE THERE AND WE OFFER IT IN THOSE SCHOOLS AND IT'S BEEN GOING WELL, AS A RESULT, THEY ARE GOING THOSE PRE-K THREE-YEAR-OLD BABIES.
THEY'RE NOW GOING TO PRE-K FOUR YEAR OLD CLASSROOMS NEXT YEAR.
PRE-K THREE HAS THE LICENSING REQUIREMENTS, BUT NOT THE PRE-K FOUR.
UM, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CENTERS? NEFF? MY MOTHER QUESTION WAS REALLY NOT DIRECTED TO YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. WELL, IS I WAS JUST TOLD WHEN WE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET THAT WE ALREADY DECIDED ON EVERY SINGLE PENNY ON ESSA MONEY, BUT THIS IS, I DON'T KNOW, THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH ITEM ON HIS AGENDA.
THEY SAY, BECAUSE WE GOT TO DECIDE ON S THE MONEY TO BE SPENT, WHICH IS NOT YOUR CONCERN, MS. WEBB.
I'M JUST SAYING, I EITHER ALREADY VOTED ON EVERY DIME AND EVERY PENNY, OR THEY HAVE SOME MONEY, OR I DIDN'T, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I VOTE NO ON THIS.
CAUSE I WAS ALREADY TOLD IT WAS ALREADY DONE.
VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, MS. WHERE JACKSON, HANG ON, MAN.
WE SPEAK A LOT ABOUT HIGH QUALITY PRE-K AND I'M WONDERING WHAT DETERMINES HIGH-QUALITY PRE-K YOU SAID THEY HAVE TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE HIGH QUALITY.
MA'AM WE RECEIVE, UM, EARLY CHILDHOOD RATINGS.
SO THE K TO 12 SITES AND SCHOOLS, THEY RECEIVED THE LETTER, GRADES, A, B, C, D, AND F IN EARLY CHILDHOOD.
WE RECEIVE EXCELLENT HIGH PROFICIENT, PROFICIENT APPROACHING PROFICIENT, AND ON SATISFACTORY, THOSE RATINGS CAN BE FOUND ON THE LOUISIANA BELIEVES WEBSITE.
SO IF YOU CLICK ON ANY SCHOOL THAT HAS A PRE-K PROGRAM, IT'LL ALSO SHOW YOU THAT EARLY CHILDHOOD ACCOUNTABI ACCOUNTABILITY RATING.
AND THAT'S HOW THE DEPARTMENT DEFINES HIGH QUALITY.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT DO FROCK AND I RECALL THAT THEY HAD SOME ISSUES AROUND, UM, WHETHER THEY COULD, WAS IT THREE? WHAT, WHAT WAS IT FOR? UM, I GUESS A SHORT QUESTION IS, DID THEY APPLY OR DID, OR COULD THEY APPLY OR PRE-K THREE.
AND DO FROG HAS A MONTESSORI PRE-K THREE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY ARE, WE HAD TO GET THAT SITE LICENSE BECAUSE OF THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS THAT WERE THERE.
SO WE DID EXPAND IT FOR THAT SCHOOL.
IT WAS, UM, THE, AND SO WE DO HAVE THAT ONE.
IT IS A LICENSED CHILDCARE CENTER FOR THE THREE-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE EXP WE HAVE EXPANDED PRE-K THREE FOR THE MONTESSORI SITE THERE.
THANK YOU, MS. WARE JACKSON, I'M SEEING NO OTHER
[04:50:01]
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD AT THE MOMENT WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON ITEM G 15, UM, DANIEL LAMB FORD ESS PARAPROFESSIONAL AT JEFFERSON TERRORISTS ACADEMY.I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED AND PERPLEXED ABOUT THIS PRE-K IS EXPANSION.
UM, BRIAN DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WERE INCLUDING THREE-YEAR-OLDS IN THIS.
I UNDERSTAND WHY WE BELIEVE IN EVERY CHILD EVERY DAY, EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY I DO TOO.
BUT I ALSO, IN THOSE EARLY FORMATIVE YEARS OF A CHILD'S LIFE, THEY SHOULD BE WITH THEIR PARENTS.
THAT THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE, UM, LIKE A HUNDRED OR SO YEARS AGO, EVERYTHING WAS A TEACHING EXPERIENCE, UM, TAKING CARE OF ANIMALS.
UM, CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVED OUT IN THE COUNTRY, CHANGING A TIRE, ALL THESE THINGS, UM, CLEANING THE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE, UM, PARENTS TEACH FOR CHILDREN, OUR TEACHING EXPERIENCES AND THE PRIMARY EDUCATORS OF CHILDREN AND THE FIRST EDUCATORS ARE THEIR PARENTS.
UM, UH, I DO BELIEVE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I, I, I BELIEVE AND, AND HELPING THEM OUT, BUT I, I ALSO KNOW THAT, UM, THAT CHILDREN, UM, REALLY NEED TO BE, BE AROUND THEIR PARENTS AS WELL, OTHERWISE, UM, AND FATHERLESSNESS IS A HUGE ISSUE, BUT THAT'S WHY WE SEE ALL THE VIOLENCE AND EVERYTHING GOING ON BECAUSE, UM, I THINK IT'S PRIMARILY DUE TO POOR PARENTING.
UM, IT IS DUE TO CHOICES AS WELL, BUT I GUESS MY POINT IS I ALSO DIFFERENT DIFFERENT CHILDREN LEARN AT DIFFERENT RATES.
UM, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S WISE TO TAKE CHILDREN ON THIS EARLIER.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO TWO AND THEN ONE YEAR OLDS, OR ARE WE GOING TO DO IT FOR, FOR Y FOR I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT, WHAT'S THE POINT OF RENT AROUND THIS THREE K EXPANSION.
I HEARD SOMETHING ALARMING IN ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION WITH INSTRUCTION WITH THREE-YEAR-OLDS.
I HOPE THE INSTRUCTING OF THREE-YEAR-OLDS IN INVOLVES THEY'RE THE COOL BLOCKS AND THEY'RE THE COOL TRUCKS AND THEY'RE THE BOOKS.
AND MAYBE WE'LL READ A STORY TO YOU EVERY NOW AND THEN I WOULD HOPE WE'RE NOT EXPECTING THREE-YEAR-OLDS TO SIT IN CHAIRS AND LISTEN TO LECTURES.
UM, SO THERE WAS AN INTERESTING ITEM ABOUT LACK OF LICENSURE.
SO APPARENTLY THE LICENSURE ISSUE, WASN'T A PROBLEM.
GETTING THE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS TO COME IN TO WESTMINSTER CRUST WORTH SITES, WHICH LEADS ME TO ANOTHER THING I ASKED FOR PUBLIC RECORDS RELATED TO ONE OR BOTH OF THOSE SITES.
AND I'M STILL WAITING SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, WE DON'T HAVE A FOUR YEAR OLD INSTRUCTION AT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
ONCE THAT BECOMES UNIVERSAL, THEN WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THREE-YEAR-OLD INSTRUCTIONS, THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT AT DO FROCK AND BELFAIR GENERATE NO MFP FROM THE STATE.
SO I WOULD HOPE THOSE THREE-YEAR-OLD PROGRAMS GET THIS FUNDING BEFORE A PRIVATE DAYCARE FUNDING GETS IT.
I WAS PERSUADED BY SOMEBODY WHOSE OPINION.
I RESPECT THAT I SHOULDN'T ATTACK THE PRIVATE DAYCARE CENTERS IN INDUSTRIAL ZONES TOO BADLY BECAUSE THIS MONEY MAKES, UM, IT HELPS THE BOTTOM LINE SO THEY CAN AFFORD TO TAKE CARE OF ONE AND TWO YEAR OLDS.
SO WOMEN CAN STAY IN THE WORKFORCE, BUT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR YOU TO BE SUBSIDIZING IMPACT CHARTER DALTON ELEMENTARY OR LINEAR ELEMENTARY.
THOSE SCHOOLS WOULD WITHER AWAY AND QUIT
[04:55:01]
TAKING TAX MONEY AWAY FROM US.IF WE WEREN'T SUBSIDIZING THEIR FOUR-YEAR-OLD PROGRAMS. SO EITHER DROP THIS ENTIRELY AND BRING IT BACK IN 60 DAYS OR WHATEVER, OR JUST TAKE OUT IMPACT, TAKE OUT DALTON, TAKE OUT WHEN THEY'RE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY AUTHORITY OVER WHERE THE MONEY GOES, THEN TELL THE STATE THEY CAN ADMINISTER THEIR OWN $9 MILLION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? CORONA COLI, PARENT AND DISABILITY ADVOCATE.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, CAN WE REPOSITION THE CAMERA FOR OUR ASL INTERPRETERS? BECAUSE WHENEVER ANYONE ENTERING INTO THE DOOR, THEY'RE ACTUALLY CROSSING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA, WHICH IS GONNA CAUSE A PROBLEM FOR OUR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES THAT ARE, UM, WATCHING A BOARD MEETING NOW, UM, GETTING ONTO THE TOPIC, UM, THE PRE-K EXPANSION.
I WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IF IT WOULD EMBODY OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO, UM, ENSURE THAT THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE PRE-K EXPANSION.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, CHILDREN, UM, MATRICULATE THROUGH EARLY STEPS, THEY ACTUALLY GET TO ENROLL INTO OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AT THE AGE OF THREE.
UM, SOME OF THOSE THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THE SUMMERTIME MAY NOT BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK IN, UM, IS, IS OFF.
WE, INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM 12 MONTH EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE MADE THEM EIGHT MONTH EMPLOYEES.
SO WE MISS OUT ON MONIES THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD ACTUALLY RECEIVE.
BUT IF WE WERE TO MAKE THE ESS EMPLOYEES FOR THE EVALUATION TEAMS 12 MONTH EMPLOYEES, THEN WE WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THAT ARE TRANSFERRING FROM MATRICULATING, FROM EARLY STEPS INTO THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL TO ACTUALLY BE IN ESY, WHICH WOULD ALLOW US MORE FUNDING INTO OUR GENERAL BUDGET.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THIS WOULD ALSO ALLOW THOSE CHILDREN TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE AN IEP READY FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THE ACCOMMODATIONS NEEDED FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
THIS WOULD ALSO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THE HEALTH PLAN THAT IS NEEDED.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ACTUALLY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
UM, OUR MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING RIGHT NOW, AS IT EXISTS DOES NOT TALK ABOUT THE DISABILITY SEATS.
I WOULD, LIKE I SAID, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THAT ARE NOT, I REPEAT, THEY ARE HAVING TO STAY AT THE CENTERS INSTEAD OF BEING IN OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE OUR ESS EMPLOYEES ARE NOT 12 MONTH EMPLOYEES, BUT ONLY 10 MONTH OR EIGHT MONTH EMPLOYEES.
SO PLEASE LOOK AND LOOK AT THAT.
AND THEN ONCE Y'ALL ADDRESS THAT, THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT, UM, APPROVING THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
BUT UNTIL WE ADDRESS THOSE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES COMING FROM EARLY STEPS, I CANNOT APPROVE THIS, UM, EXPANSION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? SEEING NONE BACK TO THE BOARD, THE BOARD IS CLEAR.
MADAM SECRETARY, SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
[G16. Stipend]
G 16 CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT OF THE BOARD APPROVES STIPEND TO INCLUDE ALL EMPLOYEES THAT UTILIZE APPROVED FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT LEAVE FOR THE 20 21 20 22 SCHOOL YEAR.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MS. WHERE JACKSON SECONDED BY? OKAY.
I JUST NEEDED CLARITY ON A LITTLE BIT OF THE LANGUAGE HERE.
UM, YEAH, I SECOND IT, BUT I, I NEEDED TO GET SOME CLARITY.
UM, SO THE WAY THAT IT'S WORDED IS THAT, UM, THE AMENDMENT IS TO THE BOARD APPROVES STIPEND TO INCLUDE ALL EMPLOYEES THAT UTILIZED APPROVED MEDICAL LEAVE, OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF, UM,
[05:00:01]
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO START ADDING IN ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES OF EMPLOYEES.UM, UM, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO INCLUDE ALL OF THOSE THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE ORIGINALLY WE DID SCHOOL SITE DIDN'T WE, SCHOOL SITE WAS CERTIFICATED CERTIFICATED GOALS, RIGHT? NO, IT WAS ACROSS THE DISTRICT CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEES AND SUPPORTS THAT.
SO IN THIS SAYS ALL EMPLOYEES, SO THAT WOULD BE ALL EMPLOYEES IF THEY'RE CERTIFICATED OR, UM, SUPPORT.
YES, BUT THERE ARE TWO CATEGORIES, A CERTIFICATE AND THE CERTIFICATE IS 1200 AND THE SUPPORT STAFF AT 600 AS PER THE BOARD APPROVED, UM, BACK IN FEBRUARY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AT THIS POINT.
WE'LL TAKE COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE I'M DAVIS PHINNEY.
I APPRECIATE, UM, MS. TYSON'S QUESTION BECAUSE I WAS HERE WHEN MR. LANDIS WAS TRYING TO MAKE UP EMOTION ON THE FLY TO INCLUDE PEOPLE THAT HE REASONABLY THOUGHT SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
AND I THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE ONLY DOING THIS FOR, UM, I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WERE GIVING IT TO ALL THE CENTRAL OFFICE FOLKS TOO, BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY.
UM, MY CONCERN IS THAT YOU'RE, YOU'VE HEARD LOTS OF ANECDOTES ABOUT PEOPLE BEING LEFT OUT AND I DON'T THINK YOU'RE COVERING EVERYBODY.
SO GUESS GO AHEAD AND PASS THIS, BUT DON'T BE UNDER THE MISGUIDED IMPRESSION THAT YOU'VE SOLVED THE PROBLEM.
THERE WERE PEOPLE MENTIONED LAST WEEK WHO, I DON'T THINK THIS COVERS.
I HEARD A COMMENT FROM SOMEBODY THAT THIS MIGHT'VE BEEN ON FACEBOOK NOW THAT THE MEETING, BUT SHE HAD VERY CAREFULLY SAVED UP ENOUGH SICK LEAVE TO COVER THE TIME SHE NEEDED TO BE AWAY FROM HER CLASSROOM.
WELL, UNLESS I KNOW LESS ABOUT FM LA THAN I THINK I DO, IF SHE JUST USED SICK LEAVE AND SHE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO USE FMLA.
AND IF SHE WAS GONE 21 DAYS, NO STIPEND.
SO, YOU KNOW, I HOPE YOU DON'T THINK, HOWEVER, THIS IS WORD IS ACTUALLY SOLVING THE WHOLE PROBLEM.
IT'LL PROBABLY CATCH SOME PEOPLE, MAKE SOME PEOPLE HAPPY AND THEN YOU'LL BE BACK AGAIN TO FIX IT AGAIN.
I AM A MOTHER AND ONE OF THE EBR TEACHERS WHO DID NOT RECEIVE THE STIPEND DUE TO TIME SPENT ON MATERNITY LEAVE.
I ASKED YOU ALL TO VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THIS AMENDMENT DOING SO WILL SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, NOT ONLY FOR US AS TEACHERS, BUT ALSO FOR US AS PEOPLE.
MY NAME IS CRAIG BILBREW AND I'M A TEACHER HERE AT EBR AND I HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS AND I DID NOT RECEIVE THE STIPEND.
UM, FOR THE MOST PART, I DO COME TO SCHOOL ALL THE TIME AND I HAD A LOT OF TIME THAT HAS BEEN SAVED UP.
I HAVE A QUESTION WHERE IT'S SAYING THAT FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE IS THE ONE THAT YOU ALL ABOUT THE CRUDE NOW.
BECAUSE I WAS ATTACKED BY A STUDENT AND I WAS OUT OF WORK.
AND BECAUSE OF THOSE DAYS, I WAS, UM, TREATED VERY POORLY.
UM, AND I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO COME BACK TO WORK UNTIL I GOT APPROVED FROM MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, WHICH IS REALLY HARD TO GET AN APPOINTMENT BEING AS THOUGH WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.
BUT I WAS TOLD THAT I WILL BE OKAY.
YOU KNOW, JUST, YOU KNOW, I CAME BACK TO WORK.
AND THEN AFTER THAT I ENDED UP CATCHING COVID AND I WAS OUT.
AND THE WAY THE SECRETARY CODED MY COVID LEAVE IT, PUT ME OVER THERE.
SHE DIDN'T USE ANY OF MY, UH, PERSONAL TIME OR MY SICK TIME.
SHE DOCKED ME ACTUAL PAY AND IT WASN'T CAUGHT IN THE SYSTEM.
AND WHEN IT WAS CAUGHT, THEY SAID, WELL, THAT WAS BACK IN JANUARY.
SO EVEN IF SHE DID CORRECT IT, IT'S TOO LATE.
NOW YOU DON'T QUALIFY FOR THE STIPEND.
UM, I WASN'T REALLY UNDERSTANDING HOW THINGS GO.
UM, IT DOESN'T MAKE OR BREAK ME THAT I DIDN'T GET IT, BUT FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT MAY BE IN THE SAME SITUATION THAT I AM, THAT REALLY NEEDS IT OR COUNTS ON IT.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO TAKE ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYBODY LIKES ANYTHING, I HAVE RECORDED CONVERSATIONS AS WELL AS EMAILS AND OTHER DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT WHAT I JUST SAID.
[05:05:01]
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? OKAY.CHRONICLE ELLIE, PARENT DISABILITY ADVOCATE.
IT HURTS MY HEART TO KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM ACTUALLY VIOLATED BETTER ALONE BY NOT ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS THAT WENT HOME FMLA ON MATERNITY LEAVE TO NOT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A STIPEND.
THAT STIPEND WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF THEIR PAYCHECK AND THEY DIDN'T GET IT.
AND WHEN YOU'RE ON FMLA OR ON MATERNITY LEAVE, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GET PAID.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I STILL WOULD ADVISE ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT DID NOT RECEIVE THEIR STIPEND AT THAT TIME TO FILE AN EEO C EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, AS WELL AS AN AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT CLAIM THE WEBSITE WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS EASY TO ASK.
SO ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS GOOGLE IT.
AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT WAS ON MATERNITY LEAVE AND FMLA INFORMATION ABOUT EOC.
SO NOW WE HAVE TWO PROBLEMS, ONE WHERE THEY DID NOT RECEIVE A STIPEND AND THE SECOND WHERE A HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT FAILED TO EDUCATE THIS DAY OF ABOUT EELC AND AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT.
AND I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT AS A REFLECTION OF OUR LEADERSHIP.
IT, YOU HAVE TO FALL ON THE SWORD AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY, JUST LIKE WE HAD THE PREVIOUS HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR FALL ON THE SWORD.
AND EXCEPT FOR SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PERSON THAT WAS EMPLOYED, THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, EVEN THOUGH SHE DIDN'T DO IT.
THAT'S WHAT LEADERSHIP MEANS DUE TO THIS FAILURE.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD NOT ONLY GIVE THESE INDIVIDUALS TO STIPEND.
WE SHOULD GIVE THEM THAT STIPEND PLUS INTEREST PLUS INTEREST.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST IF EACH OF THOSE EMPLOYEES WERE TO FILE
AND WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT OUTWEIGHING THAT COSTS AND LOOKING AT THE, HOW MUCH THAT MITIGATION WOULD COST AND JUST SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO SETTLE WITH Y'ALL AND GIVE YOU THAT STIPEND PLUS INTEREST.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT INTEREST SHOULD BE, BUT IT DEFINITELY SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM HOLD BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY ARE NOT WHOLE.
AND WE ARE MONTHS BEHIND ON THAT ISSUE.
IT SHOULD NEVER IS NEVER OKAY FOR US TO NOT ADHERE TO THE LOAN.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THOSE ALLOWS, UM, A PHONE CALL AWAY, YOU CAN REACH ME BY EMAIL OR TELEPHONE.
I CALL, I DON'T GET NO RECALL RETURN, BUT I WILL NEVER STOP.
I WILL DEFINITELY HELP YOU AND POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN.
AND I'M GONNA TAKE THE REST OF THAT TIME, BUT A MEETING ON THE 14TH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, SEEING NONE BACK TO THE BOARD AND THIS THE, WHERE JACKSON, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TENT.
UH, YOU DON'T WANT TO ASK TO BRING THIS BACK CAUSE OF THE, UH, THE WOMEN THAT WERE ON MATERNITY AND MISSED IT.
YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T MEAN OPEN UP BIG.
THE WORMS, BUT, UM, AT ANY RATE, I'M GLAD THAT, YOU KNOW, MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS AND, AND THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, SEND THESE, THESE STIPENDS OUT THAT WE, WE MISSED.
UH, I WOULD ASK THOUGH, IF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, UH, SOMEONE WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT TOOK PLACE WITH MR. BILBREW AND SEE, JUST, JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE WAS SOME ERROR MADE, BUT HE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT SOME DATES AND, AND THAT KIND OF THING.
I DON'T MEAN RIGHT NOW, JUST LATER.
THANK YOU, MS. JACKSON, UM, BOARD IS CLEAR.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
PLEASE VOTE THE MOTION CARRIES.
[I1. Announcement of Meetings]
ITEM I MS. COLLINS, IF WE COULD JUST[05:10:01]
REPEAT, WHAT'S GOING TO BE ALL THESE SPECIAL MEETINGS AND, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE OWN, UH, ORGANIZATIONAL ITEMS WITH THE MEETINGS, IF WE SHOULD JUST PRODUCE AN AGENDA, CAN YOU DO THAT? RYAN MENTIONED THE ONE STAIRS.FROM THE ONES THAT WERE VOTED ON THE DAY TO BE THE ONES THAT ARE TO THE THIRD MEETING.
JUST RECAP THAT IF YOU DON'T MIND, DON'T HOLD ME TO THIS.
I WANT TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE MEETING AGENDA AND WE'D BE WRONG.
THAT I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, BUT SO I'M JUST GOING TO TELL THE BOARD.
I MEAN, I'M, I'M I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET AN AGENDA OUT ON IT.
I MEAN, YOU YOU'RE THE COUNCIL.
I DON'T, I JUST DON'T WANT TO.
AND I DON'T LIKE IF WE ACCIDENTALLY EXCLUDED ONE.
SO WE, YEAH, IT'S A SPECIAL MEETING.
SO TO GO, I THINK WE CAN GO OVER THAT.
WE HAVE THE, UM, THE REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN ON THE BUDGET AND THEN THE BUDGET MEETING, AND THEN A SPECIAL MEETING AFTER THAT, WHERE ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE MOTIONED TO BE ON THAT AGENDA FROM THIS MEETING WILL BE THAT SPECIAL MEETING.
THAT'LL BE THAT SPECIAL MEETING.
I'M CALLING IT THE THIRD MEETING TO KEEP, AND THEN THERE'LL BE A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE LAUGHTER.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND MS. COLLINS, WHAT WE'LL DO IS, IS APRIL WORKS ON MS. ARMAND WORKS ON THE MINUTES.
AND SO WE MAKE SURE WE REVIEW THAT AND MAKE SURE IT'S ACCURATE BEFORE WE ACTUALLY RELEASE THE AGENDA.
WELL, BEFORE I READ THIS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD IF WE COULD CONSIDER SEPARATING, UH, THE HEARING AND WORKSHOP, IF WE COULD POSSIBLY JUST CONSIDER Y'ALL THINK ABOUT IT, HAVING A WORKSHOP THAT'S NOT ON THE SAME DAY AS WE'VE GOT A LOT OF STUFF PILED UP.
AND, UM, I THINK IT, I KNOW WE WERE EXPECTING TO HAVE A WORKSHOP AT THIS MEETING.
IT WAS ON THE, IT WAS ON BOARD DOCS AND THEN, UH, REMOVED AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST QUESTIONED THE, UM, SO I KIND OF EXPLAINED THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT WAS A NOTICE ISSUE, UM, WHICH IS WHY WE HAD TO PULL IT BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE NOTICE ISSUE, BUT IT'S, IT'S ABOUT HAVING LIKE A WORKSHOP THAT'S SEPARATE FROM, FROM ACTUALLY HAVING THE BUDGET HEARING AND THEN IT'LL BE FOLD ON IT RIGHT AFTERWARDS.
UM, JUST TO GIVE SOME TIME FOR PEOPLE TO DIGEST THE, UH, THE BUDGET AND, YOU KNOW, SO LIKE IF WE HAD IT TONIGHT, THEN YOU HAD ALL OF THIS TIME IN BETWEEN, BUT I THINK WE WOULD HAVE VIOLATED THE LAW IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD IT TONIGHT.
THE BUDGET HAD TO BE THE WORKSHOP NEEDS TO BE THAT FAR APART FROM THE, YEAH.
IT'S ACTUALLY A PUBLIC HEARING THAT THE LAW REQUIRES.
AND THE DIFFERENCE IS, AND YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENCES IN THE WORKSHOP IN A PUBLIC HEARING, THE PUBLIC CAN COMMENT.
SO THE LAW REQUIRED THAT WE KNOW THIS AHEAD OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE ADOPTION.
SO WE COULDN'T HOLD THOSE TWO UNTIL THE NOTICE RUNS AND THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME RUNS.
WELL, I HOPE Y'ALL UNDERSTOOD THAT BETTER THAN I DID RIGHT.
AND SOMEONE ASKED, WOULD SAY, REPEAT IT.
SO THE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE BOARD PUBLISH AND ADVERTISE THOSE MEETINGS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY HOLD THE MEETING.
AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A PERIOD OF TIME, I BELIEVE IT'S 10 DAYS.
UM, AND THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO THAT BEFORE WE CAN ACTUALLY CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPTED BUDGET, BUT THAT DOESN'T AFFECT A WORKSHOP.
SO IF YOU WERE REQUESTING SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM, YEAH.
TALKING ABOUT A WORKSHOP, BEING SEPARATED FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO THAT THERE'S TIME IN BETWEEN TO BE ABLE TO DIGEST WHAT'S PRESENTED IN THE WORKSHOP BEFORE WE ACTUALLY COMMENTED.
SO IF THE BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO HAVE A WORKSHOP, I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
AND I'M HAPPY TO CALL ON A COUPLE OF THINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH A WORKSHOP AS A QUORUM.
AND WE MOVED THE MEETING FROM THE FIRST WEEK IN JULY, THE SECOND WEEK IN JULY BECAUSE OF TRAVEL.
BUT MUST WE HAVE A QUORUM TO DO A WORKSHOP NOW WE COULD DO A PUBLIC MEETING.
SO IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE HELD PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR REDISTRICTING, WE DID THOSE PURPOSELY BECAUSE NO QUORUM WAS NEEDED.
UM, AND SO WE, YOU COULD HAVE BOARD MEMBERS ATTEND, THE PUBLIC, COULD ATTEND, THE PUBLIC, HAS ASKED QUESTIONS.
WE COULD DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.
UM, YOU WOULDN'T REQUIRE A QUORUM.
[05:15:01]
WELL, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE BETTER THAN NOTHING TO CONSIDER.WELL, MAYBE WE CAN SEND A POLL OUT AND FIND OUT IF, UM, IF WE CAN GET A BOARD MEMBERS TO A WORKSHOP SO WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND THEN HAVE TIME IN BETWEEN THE DIGEST AT ALL.
AND I KNOW WE'RE ALL MEETING DOWN AND EVERYTHING, BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE A BREAK THAT ALMOST A MONTH.
WELL, AND THE DEAL WITH ME IS I ACTUALLY WAS FINE ON THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY, BUT EVERYONE ELSE WASN'T.
SO I MOVED TO WHAT I WAS DOING IN THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY.
I WAS SUPPOSED TO TRAVEL ON THE 14TH.
SO SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE SHIFTED LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL ABSOLUTELY POLL.
AND IF WE WANT TO HAVE ONE, IT WOULD BE, UH, WE'LL BE, WE'LL PUT IT TOGETHER.
GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT OF MEETINGS, PUBLIC I'M SORRY.
BUDGET, PUBLIC HEARING WORKSHOP TO BE HELD JULY 14TH, 2022 AT 5:00 PM AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE BOARDROOM SPECIAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON JULY 14TH, 2020 22.
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SPECIAL MEETING AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE BOARD RING BOARD AND ROOM SPECIAL MEETING, FOLLOWING BUDGET, SPECIAL MEETING COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE TO BE HELD ON JULY 14, 20, 22.
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SPECIAL MEETING AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE BOARD ROOM ROOM, REGULAR MEETING TO BE HELD ON JULY 21ST, 2022 AT 5:00 PM AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE BOARDROOM.
THANK YOU, MS. SQUARE JACKSON SAID BOARD IS CLEAR, UM, SINCE MR. BALLOU WAS REALLY ACTIVE ON THE MOTION, MOTION TO ADJOURN BY MR. BALLOU.