[A. Meeting Opening]
[00:00:11]
I'D LIKE TO OPEN OUR MEETING, UH, TODAY WITH THE, UH, INVOCATION FROM VICE PRESIDENT DON COLLINS AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY, UH, BELAIRE CADET, INTRODUCED BY FIRST SERGEANT, UH, WILLIAM, ALSO BROOK.
GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU HUMBLY TODAY, ASKING YOU TO PRESIDE OVER OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS AND OUR EMOTIONS AS WE DO THE GOOD WORK OF FURTHERING PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ALL THESE THINGS WE ASK AND WE PRAY.
I AM FIRST SERGEANT WILLIAM C ALSO BROOK, JR.
I AM THE ARMY INSTRUCTOR OF ALL INCOMING FRESHMAN AT BELAIRE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL.
I BRING TO YOU GREETINGS FROM PRINCIPAL VERDE BATIS, THE FACULTY, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION, MR. CHAPMAN, BOARD PRESIDENT DR.
NARCISE, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT IS MY DISTINCT HONOR AND PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING GERALD L TC CADETS AT BELAIRE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL, CADET SECOND LIEUTENANT FREDDIE DAVIDSON IS A SOPHOMORE.
HE IS IN HIS SECOND YEAR OF GERALD L TC.
CURRENTLY, HE SERVES ON THE BATTALION STAFF AS THE BATTALION OPERATIONS OFFICER.
HE'S A RETURNING MEMBER OF THE INFAMOUS DRILL TEAM, COLOR GUARD, AND HONOR GUARD.
HE HAS BEEN SELECTED AS THE BINGO BATTALIONS LED TO OF THE YEAR.
HE WILL BE COMPETE COMPETING IN THE LED TWO BOARD ON NOVEMBER, CORRECTION, FEBRUARY THE NINTH, 2023.
HE HOLDS THE RANK OF SECOND LIEUTENANT WITH A CUMULATIVE GPA OF 3.6.
HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE MIGHTY BINGO FOOTBALL TEAM.
UPON GRADUATING IN SCHOOL YEAR 2025, HE PLANS TO BECOME A CHEF AND ATTEND A LOCAL SCHOOL MAJORING IN CULINARY ARTS.
HIS DREAM IS TO BECOME A CHEF AND OWN HIS OWN FOOD CATERING BUSINESS.
CADET DAVIDSON IS THE SON OF TASHA ROSE, FREDDY DAVIDSON II.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HERE TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PRESENT TO YOU CADET SECOND LIEUTENANT FREDDY DAVIDSON OF BELAIRE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL.
OUR PLEASURE, ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
YOUNG MAN ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR DILIGENCE AND YOUR HARD WORK.
I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD AND THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR BEL HIGH SCHOOL.
GONNA ASK EVERYBODY, ALL BOARD MEMBERS TO PLEASE LOG IN TO YOUR ACCOUNT, YOUR BOARD DOCS, TO MAKE MS. APRIL'S LIFE A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
[00:05:05]
OKAY.MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL DISTRICT NINE PRESIDENT'S ATMAN, PRESENT.
DISTRICT FOUR, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
[B. Minutes]
NOW MOVE TO ITEM B ONE.MEETING MINUTES, APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 17TH, 2022 REGULAR BOARD MEETING AND THE DECEMBER 1ST, 2022 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING AS PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL.
MOVED BY MS. BERNARD, SECONDED BY, UM, MR. BELU SEEING NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON THE MINUTES.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
THE MOTION CARRIES MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
WE MOVE NOW TO, UH, INFORMATION ONLY C UM, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS UNDER THERE.
THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT, UH, PERSONNEL CHANGES, PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS, MONTHLY REPORT, AND THEN, UH, SEEING NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD ON THAT.
[C.4. 2021-2022 Audit Results]
UH, NUMBER FOUR, THE 20 21, 20 22 AUDIT RESULTS.MS. LOPEZ, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, DR.
I'M VERY PLEASED TONIGHT FOR POST AWAIT NETTERVILLE TO, UM, INFORM YOU OF THE PRESENTATION OF OUR 2022 AUDIT RESULTS FOR THE YEAR.
I AM THE DIRECTOR FOR THE ENGAGEMENT.
I WORK AT POST AWAIT NETTERVILLE HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
I'M JOINED BY TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES TONIGHT.
UM, FRED SMITH, WHO, UM, ASSISTS WITH THE COLD REVIEW ON THE ENGAGEMENT.
AND THEN MEGAN MINAI, WHO IS THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, AND SHE IS THE MANAGER ON THE ENGAGEMENT.
SO WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT.
WE ARE, UM, SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE WITH THE AUDIT.
WE ARE FINISHING UP A FEW LOOSE ENDS, UM, BUT WE ARE ON TRACK TO FILE THE AUDIT BY THE 1231 DEADLINE.
OKAY, SO JUST KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT RESULTS.
WE ARE ISSUING AN UNMODIFIED OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE.
SO THAT IS A CLEAN AUDIT OPINION, UM, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT FOR AN ORGANIZATION TO HAVE AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, WHEN THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR COMES IN.
UH, WE DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, WE AS AUDITORS PROVIDE REASONABLE BUT NOT ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE.
WE DO NOT COME IN AND TEST 100% OF TRANSACTIONS.
WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LEAVE IF, IF THAT WAS THE CASE.
SO WE DO SAMPLING AND WE DO HAVE MATERIALITY AND DIFFERENT THRESHOLDS THERE.
BUT OVERALL, UM, IT WAS AN UNMODIFIED OPINION.
ONE OF THE LARGEST CHANGES IN CONSIDERATIONS THIS YEAR IS RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GADS B 87 FOR LEASES.
IT'S A NEW STANDARD THAT APPLIED THIS YEAR.
SO WE WORKED WITH MANAGEMENT WITH REGARDS TO, UM, THE LEASES THAT Y'ALL DO HAVE.
UM, A LOT OF YOUR ACTIVITY, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL PAY OUT, RIGHT? FOR, YOU'RE NOT LEASING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BUSES OR COPIERS OR BUILDINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE EVALUATED THAT AND IT DID NOT HAVE A MATERIAL IMPACT TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OR TO THE DISCLOSURES, BUT IT WAS CONSIDERED, WE ALSO SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT YOUR FEDERAL DOLLARS.
FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THE REVENUE THAT COMES INTO THE SCHOOL BOARD EACH YEAR.
AND SO WE ARE REQUIRED TO EVALUATE THOSE PROGRAMS TO DETERMINE WHICH ONES NEED TO BE AUDITED IN ACCORDANCE WITH UNIFORM GUIDANCE.
SO THIS YEAR THERE WERE THREE PROGRAMS THAT WERE SELECTED.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS THE EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND, WHICH IS ESSER, WHICH IS THE MORE COMMON TERMINOLOGY THAT EVERYBODY'S USED TO.
[00:10:01]
70 MILLION.WE SELECTED COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY, STATE DEVELOPMENT GRANT OF APPROXIMATELY 5 MILLION.
AND THEN FEMA DISASTER GRANTS WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 MILLION.
AND SO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT COMPLIANCE AND WE LOOK AT INTERNAL CONTROLS.
WE DO NOT GIVE AN OPINION ON INTERNAL CONTROLS, BUT WE DO EVALUATE THOSE.
UM, AND SO THOSE WHO ARE ALSO A CLEAN AUDIT OPINION, THERE ARE NO FINDINGS RELATED TO THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS. SO OVERALL, YOUR FEDERAL REVENUES ARE APPROXIMATELY 169 MILLION, UM, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, UM, THERE WERE NO FINANCIAL STATEMENT FINDINGS.
THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT AUDIT ENTRIES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS A RESULT OF OUR PROCEDURES.
UM, THERE WERE NO, UM, AUDIT FINDINGS RELATED TO THE FEDERAL GRANTS.
A NEW AREA THIS YEAR WAS RELATED TO THE STATEWIDE AGREED UPON PROCEDURES.
SO THAT CAME, THAT WAS ALL KIND OF HIATUS DURING COVID.
THOSE ARE PROCEDURES THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR, AND THOSE PROCEDURES ARE LISTED OUT HERE.
UM, THERE WERE TWO MINOR EXCEPTIONS RELATED TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING, UM, JUST DUE TO, UM, EMPLOYEES NOT BEING AVAILABLE FOR THAT AT THAT POINT.
UM, WHAT I DO WANNA POINT OUT ABOUT WHAT THE STATEWIDE, A DEGREE STATEWIDE AGREED DEPARTMENT PROCEDURES IS, THAT IS NOT THE SAME THING AS AN AUDIT.
SO THAT'S, YOU'RE NOT GIVEN AN OPINION THAT RESULTS IN YES OR NO.
HERE ARE THE PROCEDURES, YOU EITHER HAVE IT OR YOU DON'T.
AND THOSE PROCEDURES REQUIRE US TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE NUMBERS TO LOOK AT MORE TRANSACTIONS AT A, A LOWER LEVEL OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURE.
AND SO I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY MINIMAL EXCEPTIONS DURING THIS PROCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, GIVEN SUCH A LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH A LOT OF ACTIVITY TO SEE THAT COLLECTIONS WERE CLEAN AND EXPENDITURES WERE CLEAN THAT WE TESTED, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THAT.
UM, AND SO, AGAIN, AS I I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DO LOOK AT YOUR INTERNAL CONTROLS AND WE DO EVALUATE THAT, AND THERE WERE NO, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT POINT.
WE DO HAVE ONE OTHER, UH, MANAGEMENT LETTER COMMENT RELATED TO, UM, SOME SCHOOL ACTIVITY FUNDS.
SO SCHOOL ACTIVITY FUNDS RANGE AT THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND FOR, UM, ATHLETIC EVENTS, FUNDRAISING, THERE'S JUST A LOT.
THERE'S MORE DOLLARS THAT ARE COMING AND GOING THERE.
UM, AS PART OF YOUR INTERNAL AUDIT PROCESS OF THE SCHOOL ACTIVITY ACCOUNTS, THERE WAS, UM, AN INSTANCE OF POTENTIAL MISUSE OF FUNDS OF DOLLARS, BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS CAUGHT THROUGH YOUR INTERNAL PROCESS AND YOUR REVIEW OF THAT.
AND THAT HAS BEEN FULLY VETTED AND EVALUATED.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT THAT BECAUSE IT IS MISUSE OF FUNDS OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS THRESHOLD.
SO THAT IS A REQUIREMENT, BUT IT HAS BEEN RESOLVED.
AND AGAIN, I DO WANNA G POINT OUT THAT THAT WAS, UM, IDENTIFIED BY YOUR OWN INTERNAL CONTROL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
ONE, UH, ONE THING THAT HAS KIND OF CHANGED WITH THE SCHOOL ACTIVITY ACCOUNTS, WHICH I THINK GIVE Y'ALL A GREATER, UM, LEVEL OF INTERNAL CONTROL AS RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POSITIVE PAY AT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS.
THAT HAS BEEN VERY, UM, BENEFICIAL.
AND THEN ALSO CHANGING, UM, HOW FREQUENTLY Y'ALL REVIEW THE SCHOOL ACTIVITY ACCOUNTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
CUZ GENERALLY THAT'S WHERE THE MOST DOLLARS ARE THAT ARE COMING AND GO ARE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND NOW THAT'S DONE ANNUALLY VERSUS IN THE PAST IT WAS MORE ON A ROTATION TYPE BASIS.
GONNA JUMP INTO THE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT.
THIS IS A, UH, SCHEDULE THAT SHOWS JUST THE GENERAL FUNDS STATEMENT OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
SO YOUR TOTAL REVENUES FOR, UH, FISCAL YEAR END 2022 WERE, UM, APPROXIMATELY 501 MILLION.
YOUR TOTAL EXPENSES WERE 488 MILLION.
UM, THERE WERE TRANSFERS IN AND OUT RELATED TO SOME INDIRECT COSTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO THAT GETS YOU TO WHAT WE CALL THE NET SURPLUS OR IN THE FOR PROFIT WORLD, THE NET INCOME.
AND YOU WERE AT APPROXIMATELY 21 MILLION FOR THIS YEAR, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF EIGHT FROM OVER THE PRIOR YEAR WHERE YOU HAD 18.8.
SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS A TREND, AN INCREASE IN YOUR SALES TAX REVENUES.
YOU'RE SEEING SOME INCREASES IN YOUR M F P, BUT YOU'RE ALSO SEEING SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGETING THAT'S BEING DONE FOR EXPENDITURES AND MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT SIZE FOR THE ORGANIZATION SO THAT YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME OF THESE BENEFITS AND ABLE TO HAVE THE SURPLUS AT YOUR END.
JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION ON THE TOTAL REVENUES.
IS THIS GENERAL FUND REVENUES OR TOTAL INCLUDING ALL THE FEDERAL FUNDS AND GRANTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE? THIS IS JUST THE GENERAL FUND PIECE.
SO I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE YES, THIS IS SOLELY THE GENERAL FUND FOR YOUR, UM, YOUR NORMAL EVERYDAY OPERATIONS.
THE MAJORITY OF YOUR FEDERAL GRANT MONEY THAT YOU RECEIVE IS DEDICATED FOR SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. AND SO THAT'S, THAT MONEY IS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS.
SO IT, WHAT YOU SPEND IS WHAT YOU'RE ABLE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE BUDGET IS, IS WHAT YOU CAN SPEND.
AND SO, BUT THAT NUMBER FROM MY MEMORY CORRECT, RUNS AROUND $200,000 OR $200 MILLION.
UH, YOUR FEDERAL REVENUES LAST YEAR, I THINK WERE ABOUT 170 MILLION
[00:15:01]
CLOSE.UM, AND A LOT OF THAT WAS ESSER.
SO I'M, OKAY, I'M JUST TRYING TO COMPARE THAT TO THE, TO THE, UH, SURPLUS.
MR. GODDE, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, DOES YOUR REVIEW, AND I IMAGINE IT DOESN'T, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
DOES YOUR REVIEW INCLUDE, UM, ANALYZING SHIFTS IN SPENDING FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO ESSER DOLLARS? YES.
SO WE DO, UM, THE, THE CONCEPT OF LIKE SUPPLEMENT VERSUS THE PLANT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT MM-HMM.
THAT IS PART OF OUR COMPLIANCE TESTING FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. OKAY.
AND WE DIDN'T SEE ANY INSTANCES OF THAT, UM, DURING OUR TESTING.
I AIN'T GONNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, YOU CAN GO ON THE, THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE GENERAL FUND OPERATING RESERVES, WHICH IS A, YOU KNOW, A KEY INDICATOR OF HEALTH AND GROWTH AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO Y'ALL DO HAVE AN INTERNAL POLICY OF TRYING TO KEEP ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 15%, UM, OPERATING RESERVE RELATED TO THE REVENUES.
AND SO FOR 2021, Y'ALL WERE AT APPROXIMATELY 15%, AND THEN IT'S MOVED UP FOR 2022 TO 18%.
SO YOU CAN REALLY SEE IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT HISTORICALLY FROM 2018 TO 2022, WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A DIP IN 2019 RELATED TO SOME ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES AND SOME CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT CAME ONLINE THOSE YEARS TO WHERE IT, IT'S TRENDING BACK UP.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT FROM, YOU KNOW, THE HEALTH OF THE ENTITY AND, YOU KNOW, MANAGEMENT MONITORING THINGS IS THAT YOU ARE TRENDING BACK UP AND ABOVE WHERE YOUR INTERNAL THRESHOLD IS.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE FUND BALANCE OF ALL THE FUNDS.
SO THIS IS GOING TO INCLUDE THE GENERAL FUND, ALL THE FEDERAL DOLLARS, WHICH WE REFER TO AS SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
AND THEN IT'S ALSO GONNA INCLUDE THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS.
UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE, UH, FOR 2022, YOU ENDED THE YEAR WITH APPROXIMATELY 272 MILLION COMPARED TO 201 MILLION.
SO I WANNA KIND OF POINT OUT THE BUCKET.
SO THAT PINK BUCKET AT THE VERY TOP, THAT 1.5, THAT'S RELATED TO LIKE, IF THE VALUE OF INVENTORY.
SO THAT'S NOT REALLY LIKE DOLLARS THAT CAN BE SPENT, THAT'S JUST KIND OF SEGREGATED OUT.
THE GREEN AREA IS APPROXIMATELY 131 MILLION, OF WHICH APPROXIMATELY 121 MILLION RELATES TO GRANTS AND PROPERTY TAX AND LIKE THE TAX PROPOSITIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 7 MILLION IN THERE RELATED TO SCHOOL ACTIVITY ACCOUNTS AND 2 MILLION RELATED TO CHILD NUTRITION.
THE YELLOW BUCKET IS RELATED, IT'S CALLED ASSIGNED.
AND THAT'S REALLY RELATED TO LIKE THE SELF-INSURANCE FUNDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE Y'ALL HAVE TO WITHHOLD A CERTAIN AMOUNT FOR THAT FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES.
SO THIS IS FOR GENERAL PURPOSES.
THIS ISN'T TIED TO A GRANT, THIS ISN'T TIED TO A DONOR.
UM, SO YOU ENDED THE YEAR WITH APPROXIMATELY 57 MILLION, WHICH IS UP ALMOST 18 MILLION FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A POSITIVE MOVEMENT THERE AS WELL.
AND THEN THE PURPLE IS RELATED TO THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND.
SO, UM, A LOT OF THIS SHIFT IN THIS INCREASE IS RELATED TO, UM, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
Y'ALL DID SEE AN INCREASE IN YOUR INDIRECT COST REIMBURSEMENT RELATED TO THE ESSER FUNDING, WHICH WAS DRIVING A LOT OF THAT.
AND THEN ALSO I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS YEAR, UM, THROUGH CONTINUED EFFORTS ON COLLECTIONS FROM THE 2016 FLOOD, Y'ALL DID RECEIVE, UM, AN ADDITIONAL 5 MILLION FROM FEMA.
SO THE WAY FEMA WORKS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ONLY PAY UP TO 90% LESS THE INSURANCE PROCEEDS.
AND THEN IF THEY DECIDE THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO APPROVE WHAT THEY CALL A PROJECT WORKSHEET OR A PW, THE GENERAL FUND HAS TO COVER THOSE COSTS.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT LANDS.
AND SO THAT'S JUST BEEN AN ONGOING EFFORT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THANKFULLY Y'ALL WERE ABLE TO GET AN ADDITIONAL 5 MILLION THIS YEAR.
THE NEXT SLIDE'S NOT QUITE AS, UM, PLEASANT TO LOOK AT.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WHERE WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UM, THE DEFICIT.
SO JUST TO PUT THIS IN A FRAME OF REFERENCE, THIS IS WHAT WE CALL NET POSITION.
SO THIS IS NOT YOUR EVERYDAY TRACKING OF EXPENDITURES WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE BUDGETING FOR REVENUES IN THE CURRENT YEAR AND EXPENDITURES IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO PUT ALL YOUR LONG TERM ASSETS.
SO ALL THE BUILDINGS AND DEPRECIATION, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PUT ALL OF YOUR LONG-TERM LIABILITIES ON THERE.
SO YOUR BIGGEST LONG-TERM LIABILITIES ARE RELATED TO YOUR PENSION COST AND YOUR INSUR, YOUR, UM, HEALTH INSURANCE COST.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, SOME CLAIMS PAYABLE, YOU KNOW,
[00:20:01]
CAUSE Y'ALL ARE SELF-INSURED, SO THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF LIABILITY, YOU KNOW, FOR FU THE FUTURE LIABILITY THAT HAS TO GO INTO THESE NUMBERS.AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S SHIFTING THE YELLOW, WHICH IS THE UNASSIGNED TO A DEFICIT.
I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT ALL GOVERNMENTS ARE IN THIS POSITION.
THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO FUND ALL OF THE HEALTHCARE COST AND THE RETIREMENT COST FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
SO EVERY ENTITY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE AUDITING AND LOOKING AT, THEY'RE HAVING THIS DEFICIT.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE THE ACCOUNTING NUMBERS LEAD YOU, AND THIS IS WHAT IT IS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WAS IMPROVEMENT IN THE DEFICIT YEAR OVER YEAR.
A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE CHANGE IN THE ESTIMATES FOR THE PENSION LIABILITY AND THE, UM, RETIREMENT LIABILITY.
SO THOSE ARE YOUR BIGGEST ESTIMATES ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
WE SPEND A TIME, A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THAT TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUARY THAT'S BEING USED IS REPUTABLE.
THE INPUTS THAT GO INTO THAT, WHETHER LIKE THE PAYROLL COST AND THE RETIREMENT COST AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ALL THOSE PIECES ARE GOING IN AND THAT THEY'RE REASONABLE.
UM, THE DISCOUNT FACTOR IS A, A REAL BIG DRIVER OF THAT AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I WOULD TELL Y'ALL THAT SEEING THIS IMPROVEMENT IN THE DEFICIT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NECESSARILY GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE YEAR OVER YEAR.
I DON'T EXPECT TO SEE THIS, YOU KNOW, GO BACK ABOVE THE ZERO LINE.
BUT THIS IS JUST KIND OF WHERE IT LANDED FROM THE CALCULATIONS WITH THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAD AS A FISCAL YEAR IN 2022.
SO THIS IS, UM, THIS LAST SLIDE I HAVE IS JUST SOME OF THE REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS JUST TO KIND OF LIKE RECAP, UM, OUR ROLE IN THE AUDIT AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO AGAIN, UM, WE PROVIDE REASONABLE BUT NOT ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE.
UM, WE ARE REQUIRED TO BE INDEPENDENT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AS PART OF OUR PROCEDURES AND OUR TESTING.
SO WE ALWAYS VERIFY THAT INTERNALLY.
UM, I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW LEASE STANDARD.
THERE ARE ALSO TWO NEW STANDARDS THAT ARE UPCOMING IN THE NEXT YEAR THAT WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH MANAGEMENT ON.
JUST TO MAKE Y'ALL AWARE OF THAT.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT ESTIMATE, UM, YOUR TOTAL PENSION LIABILITY WAS APPROXIMATELY 385 MILLION.
UM, I MEAN, THE OPEB WAS 385 MILLION.
THE NET PENSION WAS 287 MILLION, AND YOUR CLAIMS PAYABLE WE'RE APPROXIMATELY 15 MILLION.
SO THOSE ARE VERY LARGE NUMBERS.
THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FIRST TWO REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT AS LIKE FUTURE BENEFITS FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES AS Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, PAY THAT OUT.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE VERY LARGE NUMBERS.
THERE WERE NO, UM, DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT OR NO ISSUES WITH OBTAINING THE INFORMATION.
WE WORK WITH, UM, MANY, MANY DEPARTMENTS IN THE SCHOOL BOARD, WHETHER IT, YOU KNOW, WE START WITH FINANCE, BUT THEN WE'RE IN PAYROLL.
AND WITH HR, IT, THE PROGRAM DIRECTORS, THERE'S A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT GO TOGETHER TO, UM, ON A, A DAILY BASIS TO ASSIST GETTING THESE NUMBERS WHERE THEY ARE TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE AND THE INFORMATION IS CLEAN AND EASY TO FOLLOW.
AND SO I WANNA COMMEND EVERYBODY FOR THAT.
I KNOW THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT, GREAT EFFORT THAT GOES INTO THIS.
UM, WE WILL OBTAIN REPRESENTATION FROM MANAGEMENT JUST SAYING THAT WE OBTAINED ALL THE INFORMATION.
UM, CERTAIN THINGS DON'T NECESSARILY GO THROUGH THE ACCOUNTING GL.
THEY'RE GONNA, THAT INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A CONTRACT OR A SUBSEQUENT EVENT OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ALSO WANNA POINT OUT FROM A NON-AUDIT SERVICES.
SO AS I'VE MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT INDEPENDENCE AND WHAT WE CAN DO, I I SHOULD HAVE POINTED OUT THIS EARLIER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THE ONLY PART OF THAT FINANCIAL STATEMENT PACKET IS THAT RELATES TO POST WEIGHT NETTERVILLE IS THE ACTUAL OPINION.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS THE RESULT OF MANAGEMENT.
MANAGEMENT PROVIDES THAT INFORMATION.
THEY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
WE DO PROVIDE, UM, NON AUDIT SERVICES AS FAR AS HELPING KIND OF COMPILE IT ALL JUST TO KIND OF GET IT ALL TOGETHER.
AND THEN ALSO WITH THE DATA COLLECTION FORM TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO I DO WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMEND THE SCHOOL BOARD ON ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS AND ALSO HOW WELL, YOU KNOW, INTERNALLY THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ARE COMMUNICATING AND ASSISTING WITH THIS PROCESS SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BE HERE ON, YOU KNOW, DECEMBER THE 15TH WITH PLENTY OF TIME BEFORE THE DEADLINE AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE AUDIT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE.
UM, AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ASSIST Y'ALL THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND SO, ONE OTHER THING I DO WANNA POINT OUT IS, UM, LAST YEAR THE SCHOOL BOARD ALSO DID RECEIVE THE G F O A AND THE, UM, ASBO AWARD LETTERS, WHICH IS A GREAT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, A GREAT REPRESENTATION OF THE WORK THAT GOES INTO EVERYTHING.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THEY'LL BE APPLYING FOR THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, WE EXPECT TO KNOW NO DIFFERENCES IN THE RESULTS FROM THAT AS WELL.
SO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS IS, UH, UH, AN AMAZING PRESENTATION.
[00:25:01]
SIMPLE QUESTION.IN YOUR EXPERT FINANCIAL OPINION, UH, OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS IN SOUND SHAPE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THE, THE, THE INFORMATION AND THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE ADEQUATELY SUPPORTED.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT SEEING SIGNIFICANT DEFICITS IN ANY OF YOUR FUNDS, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT THERE WOULD BE OVERSPENDING.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE IS FACING CHALLENGES, OBVIOUSLY FROM A, AS COST ARISING PAYROLL, COST ARISING, REVENUES ARE TIGHTER, YOU KNOW, SO, I MEAN, IT'S A CONSTANT BALANCE OF TRYING TO BALANCE THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AS OF JUNE 30TH, THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICITS AND THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT, UM, LIKE AUDIT ISSUES THAT HAVE POPPED UP THAT WOULD LIKE GIVE US, YOU KNOW, CONCERN ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF THESE, THIS NUMBERS.
ISN'T MS. LOPEZ IN THE BUILDING? SHE IS.
MS. LOPEZ, I JUST WANT TO SAY I COMMEND YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE AMAZING WORK.
YOU KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE AND YOU MAKE SURE OUR BOOKS ARE BALANCED AND CLEAN.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY KUDOS TO YOU, KUDOS TO HR AND ANYONE ELSE THAT HELPED TO COMPILE THIS INFORMATION.
I KNOW IT'S A DUELING PROCESS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SHOW SOME LOVE TO THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED TO MAKE THIS WORK, UH, FLOW.
UH, MR. LANIS TOOK BASICALLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, SO THAT'S FINE.
BUT I ALSO LIKE TO INCLUDE OUR INTERNAL AUDIT DEPARTMENT.
UH, THAT IS A GROUP THAT VERY SELDOM GETS ANY RECOGNITION, BECAUSE WHEN SOMEONE HEARS INTERNAL AUDITS COMING, THEY RUN FOR THE DOORS.
AND, UH, THEY PROVIDE A VERY VALID, VALUABLE SERVICE TO US.
AND I JUST DIDN'T WANT THEM TO GO WITHOUT MENTION.
SO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
THANK, AND THE, THE BOARD IS CLEAR.
[D.1. Update from Superintendent]
MOVE ON NOW TO, UH, ITEM D ONE UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT, DR.UH, THANK YOU PRESIDENT CHAPMAN.
UH, JUST I WANTED TO SHARE A FEW THINGS AND THEN ALSO, UM, JUST, UM, PROVIDE A FEW UPDATES, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE BOARD.
UH, ONE IS, AS A REMINDER, ALL E B R SCHOOL, UH, SCHOOLS AND SITES WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 19TH THROUGH MONDAY, JANUARY 2ND FOR THE HOLIDAY BREAK, WILL REOPEN, UH, ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 3RD, 2023.
SO WE ARE WORKING, UM, WE WILL NOT BE WORKING DURING THOSE TIMES, BUT THERE'LL BE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL BE GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS WHEN THE SCHOOL, UH, OFFICES ARE CLOSED.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS ALSO WE WANTED TO UPDATE ON IS ON SECURITY.
UH, I KNOW THE BOARD, UM, UH, WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE MORE SECURITY, ESPECIALLY WHAT HAPPENED, UH, IN, IN ALDI AS WE BEGAN TO A LOOK AT WHAT OUR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE.
SO WE'VE BEEN PUSHING VERY HARD TO, UM, BE ABLE TO PROVIDE UPDATES.
SO, UH, TO CLOSE OUT THE 2022 YEAR, I WANT, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE JUST, UH, JUST A SMALL UPDATE AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON GETTING OFFICERS IN SCHOOLS.
UM, OUR AVERAGE DAILY COUNT OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT ARE WORKING DAILY IS 14 WITH 18 SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, CONTINUOUS SUPPORT ON THE DAYS WITH THE MOST COVERAGE.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, ADDED A TOTAL OF EIGHT NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OFFICES OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, AND B R P D.
UH, WE'VE SEEN A SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE IN WEAPONS FOUND IN SCHOOLS AND MAJOR FIGHTS.
UH, WE'VE ALSO HELD SEVERAL ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAININGS HOSTED BY HOMELAND SECURITY AND LSU, AS WELL AS N C B R T.
UH, AND WE'VE ALSO WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UM, SECURE THE PERIMETERS IN SCHOOLS, UH, WITH, UH, LIST THAT LOOKING AT WHERE THE MOST TARGETED AREAS ARE OF CHALLENGES IN OUR CITY.
AND SO WE WANTED TO, UH, CONTINUE TO LET THE, UH, PUBLIC KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE AS WELL, OUR FACULTY AND STAFF, UM, AND, UH, CONTINUE TO MOVE, UH, TOWARDS, UH, PROVIDING MORE UPDATES ON THAT.
UH, THE, THE OTHER UPDATE I WANTED TO PROVIDE IS, UM, OH, YES, YOU, YOU HAD A QUESTION.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE OF A STATEMENT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND OUR TEAM.
I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN REALLY, UM, MAKING YOU WORK REALLY HARD ON THIS AND, AND, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS, UH, THE, THE LONG PHONE CALLS, THE MEETINGS AND ALL THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
WE'RE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE, BUT AT LEAST WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS THAT GOAL.
UM, I AM, UH, VERY PLEASED THAT WE'RE GROWING THAT.
UM, I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR IT WAS MISSTATED IN THE
[00:30:01]
ADVOCATE AND ALSO, UM, IN THE CAMPAIGN THAT WE HAD, UM, GIVEN UP ON THE IDEA OF ACTUALLY HIRING, UM, OUR OWN, UM, STAFF TO MAN, UH, THESE POSTS AT OUR SCHOOLS AND, AND FOR OUR SCHOOL SAFETY.AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
IN FACT, AT A MEETING WE CLEARLY DISCUSSED THAT IT WAS, UM, A STOP GAP MEASURE THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE DOING, UH, IN ORDER TO, UM, TO GET US TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD BE FULLY STAFFED OURSELVES.
UM, AND IN NO WAY WAS THIS EVER INTENDED TO, UM, AS, AS HAS BEEN DEFINITELY MIS, UH, LED TO THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IN NO WAY IS NEGATING OUR CONTRACTS, OUR EXISTING CONTRACTS AND, AND TEAM THAT WE HAVE ALREADY THROUGH THE, UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE BATON ROUGE PD.
THIS IS NOT IN REPLACE OF THOSE CONTRACTS.
THIS WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS IN ADDITION TO, AND THEY ARE HELPING US GROW THIS WHILE WE CONTINUE TO RESEARCH AND WORK THROUGH ALL OF THE LEGALITIES OF BUILDING OUR OWN, UH, MANPOWER ON THIS EFFORT.
I JUST WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU, BUT ALSO TO, UM, ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE THIS PUSH.
AND IT'S CRITICAL BECAUSE MY TRUE BELIEF IS THAT WE CANNOT EVEN THINK ABOUT EDUCATING KIDS UNTIL WE CAN MAINTAIN THAT.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE, THEIR SAFETY AND OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY FIRST AND FOREMOST.
THANK YOU MS. DYSON, AND THANKS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THAT.
SO, UH, THE OTHER, UH, ANNOUNCEMENT, WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT, WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THAT E B R HAS BEEN AWARDED THE T-MOBILE DIGITAL EQUITY AWARD FOR 2.3 MILLION.
UH, THIS, THIS AWARD WILL DIRECTLY SUPPORT STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND TEACHER OUTREACH EFFORTS, WHICH AUTHENTICALLY IMPROVES STUDENT OUTCOMES AND NARROWS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
UPON RECEIVING THIS AWARD, EBR R CAN ACCEPT A PLETHORA OF SUPPORT FROM T-MOBILE, INCLUDING AN IMPLEMENTATION TEAM, BEST IN CLASS STRATEGIES, AND A KNOWLEDGEABLE TEAM OF INDUSTRY EXPERTS TO ENSURE THIS INITIATIVE IS SUCCESSFUL.
I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO EBR R'S, DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE, TER JAMESON.
TURKA, ARE YOU HERE? IF YOU COULD JUST STAND, UH, AND ALSO, UH, T-MOBILE SENIOR EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, DAN MCG MCG GARBIN.
I KNOW DAN, YOU'RE HERE FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK, UH, LEADING THIS INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE THE DISTRICT'S ENTIRE TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEM.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO BRING UP THE T-MOBILE PUBLIC SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES TO PRESENT OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT WITH THIS AWARD.
AND I THINK THEIR WHOLE BIG TEAM IS HERE WITH A BIG CHECK FOR US.
BUT I WILL, AS I SHARED TO THEM, I'M ALWAYS A FAN OF ACCEPTING CHECK FOR KIDS.
SO, UM, IF YOU GUYS COME ON UP, I'LL LET YOU COME UP AND SAY ANYTHING TO THE BOARD AND HAVE THAT, UH, I'D LIKE ALL BOARD MEMBERS TO COME DOWN.
WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE WITH THEM OR THAT.
THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AND, UH, PRESIDENT, UH, OF THE BOARD, UH, TAMAN AND, AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, YEAH, PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, T-MOBILE IS A, A COMPANY THAT'S EXTREMELY COMMITTED TO BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
UH, TODAY WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, CONNECTING OVER 4 MILLION KIDS TO THE INTERNET, WORKING WITH SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE YOURS, UH, TO REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE OUTCOMES OF STUDENTS.
AND REALLY, AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
AND THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE'VE INVESTED, UH, DEDICATED TO INVEST OVER 10 BILLION OF OUR OWN FUNDS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SO, UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THIS, YOU KNOW, COVID, UM, THE COVID PANDEMIC MADE, MADE, MADE, MADE THIS PROBLEM THAT HAD EXISTED FOR A LONG TIME, JUST THAT MUCH MORE VISIBLE.
AND, UM, AND MANY SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE YOURS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, STARTED DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOVE ABOUT THE WORK THAT, THAT, THAT YOU GUYS ARE ALL DOING HERE IN EAST BATON ROUGE IS, IS YOU'RE REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE REALLY DOUBLING DOWN, RIGHT? AS THE PANDEMIC ENDS, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW, HOW, HOW TO MAKE THESE THINGS, THESE THINGS SUSTAINABLE AND, AND, AND CHANGE THE, THE OUTCOMES OF STUDENTS AND FOR THE LONG TERM.
SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HELP, YOU KNOW, INVEST WITH YOU AND, UH, AND HAVE A REALLY STRONG PARTNERSHIP.
AND, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU GUYS ARE, ARE, ARE GONNA BE DEPLOYING, CONNECTING CHROMEBOOKS FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH LTE TO YOUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
AND BY THE WAY, WE'RE ALSO SEEING A TREND THAT IS BEGINNING TO HAPPEN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED DOING A LOT OF HOTSPOTS, YOU KNOW, WITH STUDENTS.
[00:35:01]
AND MANY SCHOOLS THAT ARE, THAT ARE INNOVATING ARE, ARE, ARE STARTING TO GO OUT AND START CONNECTING LAPTOPS AND CHROMEBOOKS AND PROVIDE A CHILD THAT HAS A DEVICE THAT IS UNDER POSSESSION THE ENTIRE TIME THAT DOESN'T GET LOST.SO, BE PROUD THAT YOU'RE ONE OF THE PIONEERS IN THIS BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS A, A, A PROCESS THAT IS BEGINNING TO HAPPEN.
SO YOU SHOULD FEEL PROUD ABOUT THAT.
AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE, THE, THE LARGEST DEPLOYMENT THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, TOO.
UH, SO, SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF, AND, AND WE ARE PROUD OF BEING HERE, A PARTNER WITH YOU ON THIS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVESTING IN THE STUDENTS, AND THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS ALSO FOR THE, FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK THE PRESIDENT THAT WE COULD SUSPEND OUR POLICY ON NO PLACARDS AND SIGNS FOR THIS OCCASION, SO THAT THEY CAN PRESENT US WITH THIS CHECK
THIS IS THE TYPE OF PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION THAT WE NEED ACROSS OUR DISTRICT.
UH, I JUST WANNA SAY AT AND T YOU'RE ON THE CLOCK.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA SWITCH OVER TO T-MOBILE AFTER THIS.
UH, BERNARD, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
UM, I, I JUST WANNA ALSO RECOGNIZE OUR CHIEF OF TECHNOLOGY.
SHE'S ALWAYS IN THE BACKGROUND.
YOU'VE DONE 10 MINUTES LAB LEADING THE ENTIRE DIVISION.
UM, SO WE'LL COME DOWN AND ACCEPT THE CHECK.
AND ALSO I'D LIKE THE WHOLE BOARD TO COME UP JUST SO WE CAN TAKE A PICTURE WITH HIM.
1, 2, 3, LOOK AT ALL OF US AT ONE TIME, ALL PUT AT CAMERAS.
UH, SO TWO MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, UH, ONE IS, UH, WE'RE JUST DAYS AWAY FROM OUR INAUGURAL REDS STICK BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL TO TOURNAMENT.
UH, UH, WE ARE EXCITED TO HOST STUDENT ATHLETES, FAMILIES AND FANS WHO'LL BE JOINING US FROM ROUND THE STATE AND BEYOND.
ON DECEMBER 19TH THROUGH THE 21ST, THE GAMES WILL BE PLAYED AT AUMA HIGH SCHOOL, LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL IN SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND WE'RE ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO ATTEND DURING THE HOLIDAY BREAK.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE ABOUT 42 TEAMS THAT WILL BE.
UM, AND I WANNA JUST GIVE A HAND TO OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, LIN LEWIS AND HER TEAM.
IF YOU GUYS ARE, CAN YOU PLEASE STAND? JUST SO I CAN JUST RECOGNIZE, UM, THIS IS A BIG, BIG DEAL, UM, NOT ONLY FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT ALSO WE'RE BRINGING MANY FOLKS FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO COME BACK TO BATON ROUGE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PARTICIPATE WITH STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, I WANTED TO JUST SAY, UH, UM, FINALLY AS A SUPERINTENDENT, UH, TO OUR, UH, AS MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW, THIS IS OUR, UM, FOR A FEW BOARD MEMBERS.
THIS WILL BE THEIR LAST BOARD MEETING.
UM, AND AS SUPERINTENDENT, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MYSELF AND BOARD MEMBERS IS A SPECIAL ONE.
UH, AND, UM, AS WE WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF STUDENTS AND OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING THE PASSION AND DEDICATION OF THIS BOARD.
SO TONIGHT, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME TO HONOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS WHOSE SERVICES WILL BE CONCLUDING THIS EVENING.
THE COLLECTIVE AMOUNT OF YEARS SERVED BETWEEN THESE OUTGOING MEMBERS, SHOW TENACITY AND COMMITMENT, IF NOTHING ELSE.
BUT IT ALSO SHOWS THAT THEIR BELIEF IN OUR DISTRICT AND IN OUR STUDENTS, 41,000
[00:40:02]
PLUS AND 6,000 TEACHER FACULTY AND STAFF.AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE DEDICATED TIME THAT THEY HAVE ALL DONE ON THIS BOARD.
UM, I DO NOT KNOW ANY OTHER BOARD BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN THE BOARD MEMBER SINCE THE DAY I'VE LANDED IN LOUISIANA TO SERVE.
UH, AND I'VE BEEN THANKFUL FOR JUST BEING ABLE TO SPEND TIME AND CONNECT WITH YOU, UH, AROUND THIS WORK.
SO I'VE, WE'VE PUT A LITTLE BIT OF A TRIBUTE VIDEO FOR MANY OF YOU.
UH, SO I THOUGHT IT'D BE GOOD FOR US TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WITH YOU.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, I'M GONNA GET UP TO THE PODIUM, UH, TO SAY A LITTLE SOMETHING.
SO WOULD YOU MIND CUEING THE VIDEO? SO I FIGURED I'D TAKE THE PODIUM THIS WAY.
UM, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS.
YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THE WORK OF BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS, BUT EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION ON HOW TO DO IT.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BEAUTIFUL THING I LEARNED, UM, AS I WAS ABLE TO, UH, GET CLOSER TO WORK WITH SUPERINTENDENTS WAS TO
[00:45:01]
SEE WHAT BOARD MEMBERS REALLY GO THROUGH.AND, UM, UH, ALL OF YOU'VE HAVE HAD PASSION AROUND THE WORK, AND ALSO YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN DEDICATED CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
UH, AND THE GREAT THING IS THIS, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD BE THANKFUL TO HAVE ANYONE THAT SERVICES BECAUSE YOU HAD 41,000 REASONS TO GET IT RIGHT.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU.
AND SO WE FIGURE WE, UH, GIVE YOU A FEW LITTLE THINGS, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT WON'T BE THE SAME, CUZ I KNOW YOU LOVED HANGING OUT WITH ME ALL NIGHT TALKING ABOUT ISSUES.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO, UM, PASS YOU SOME PLAQUES AND METALS, UH, FOR YOUR SERVICE.
SO, UM, I WOULD LOVE FOR THE, UH, PUBLIC TO, UH, JUST, UH, EVERY TIME I, UH, MENTION THE NAME OF THOSE YEARS OF SERVICE TO GIVE OUR FOLKS A HAND.
UH, UM, AND ALSO I WOULD WELCOME, IF ANY BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING, IT'D BE A GREAT THING TO, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME, BUT JUST TO SAY JUST A FEW THINGS BECAUSE, UH, I BELIEVE YOU DESERVE THAT TIME FOR THAT.
BUT I WILL PUT A TIME LIMIT ON YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING.
SO, UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR BOARD PRESIDENT DAVID CHAPMAN, DISTRICT NINE, WHO HAS SERVED FROM JANUARY, 2011 TO DECEMBER, 2022.
PRESIDENT CHAPMAN, PLEASE COME DOWN AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE SUPERINTENDENT'S MEDAL
UH, AND JUST PLEASE STAND UP HERE WITH YOUR PLAQUE WHEN YOU GET HIM.
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED
UH, NEXT I'D LIKE TO, UM, RECOGNIZE MADAM VICE PRESIDENT DAWN SHANA COLLINS, DISTRICTS FOUR, WHO SERVED FROM MARCH, 2016 TO DECEMBER, 2022.
UM, NEXT I'D LIKE TO HAVE JILL DYSON, DISTRICT SIX, WHO SERVED FROM JUNE, 2001 TO DECEMBER, 2022, ONE OF THE LONGEST, UH, RUNNING, UH, BOARD MEMBERS IN THE HISTORY OF E B R.
NEXT I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE CONNIE BERNARD, DISTRICT A WHO SERVED FROM OCTOBER, 2010 TO DECEMBER, 2022.
LET'S GIVE HER NEXT, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE BOARD MEMBER EVELYN.
WHERE? JACKSON? DISTRICT FIVE.
WHO SERVED FROM JANUARY, 2011 TO DECEMBER, 2022.
AND FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE TRAMEL HOWARD, DISTRICT THREE, WHO SERVED FROM JANUARY, 2019 TO DECEMBER, 2022.
AND HE NOW HAS BRAIDS IN HIS HAIR COMPARED TO THE HAIR HE HAD BEFORE.
SO FOLKS, I WANTED TO JUST SAY, THESE ARE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT TOOK TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY AND THEIR FAMILY DAY TO HELP SUPPORT OUR 41,000 STUDENTS.
[00:50:27]
I'VE ALSO NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, SO I GUESS I BETTER GET USED TO IT.BUT, UM, I JUST REAL BRIEFLY, UH, IF I START NAMING ALL THE STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN SO INCREDIBLE TO ME IN THE YEARS THAT I WAS HERE, I WOULD FORGET SOMEBODY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO CHILDREN, TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE TODAY, PRESENT IN THOSE BEFORE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN.
AND, UH, BUT I HAVE SOMEBODY SPECIAL IN THE AUDIENCE THAT'S MY WIFE AND MY SON STAND UP.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT PAY THE PRICE FOR OUR SERVICE.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO WE'RE NOT HOME ON THURSDAY NIGHTS OR ON WEEKENDS, AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO REALLY DID DO IT.
I WAS THINKING OF MY SON EARLIER TODAY WHEN I WAS ON THE WAY HERE, AND I THOUGHT WHEN I STARTED THIS 12 YEARS AGO, HE WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND NOW HE'S A MECHANICAL ENGINEER.
HE'S GOING TO BUILD AIRCRAFT CARRIERS IN SUBMARINES.
UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU APRIL, UH, LYNN, WHEREVER YOU ARE, UH, DES MOINES.
NO, I GOTTA LOOK, YOU KNOW, GWEN, I GOTTA THANK DES MOINES.
UH, WE WENT THROUGH THE TRACKS, BUT THANK YOU, GWEN.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING TO MY FRIENDS HERE, MY SIDEKICKS AND EVERYBODY, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
ANY BOARD MEMBER, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY, WE COULD NOT DO THIS.
THE THING THAT I'M GONNA MISS THE MOST IS ALL OF YOU WHO WORK IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND SUPPORT OUR WORK EVERY DAY.
UM, AND THE FAMILIES AND THE STUDENTS THAT I HELP.
ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? ANYBODY ELSE? UH, MS. WARE JACKSON, THANK YOU.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S BEEN BITTERSWEET, UH, MOSTLY SWEET THOUGH.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE DISTRICT FIVE AND THE ENTIRE DISTRICT FOR, UM, FOR THIS LENGTH OF TIME.
I NEVER IMAGINED THAT IT WASN'T ON MY BUCKET LIST OF THINGS TO DO, BUT IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN, UM, A, A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.
AND, UM, I'M JUST SO APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE SUPPORT FROM, UH, THE CONSTITUENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT I'VE LEARNED AROUND EDUCATION IN THE LAST DECADE.
UM, AND ALL OF THE SUPPORT FROM STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THIS TIME.
AND, UM, I JUST APPRECIATE YOU ALL, LOVE YOU ALL PIECES.
AND, UH, I'M SURE THAT FOR QUITE A WHILE ON THE FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAYS
SO, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND I'M HOPING THAT, UM, THAT THE DISTRICT WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH A NEW BOARD WITH, UM, A MINDSET THAT IS, UH, SO PARENT AND STUDENT FOCUSED AND, UM, THINGS THAT WILL BE IN THE VERY BEST INTEREST OF THE DISTRICT AND OF, AND OF COURSE, UH, THE ENTIRE PARISH.
SO I THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE YOU ALL SO MUCH.
JACKSON, MS. COLLINS, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, I'M LEAVING THE BOARD MOVING ON TO ANOTHER, WELL, NOT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CHAPTER, BUT FOCUSING ON, UH, A PROFESSIONAL TRANSITION TO ENHANCE THE ADVOCACY WORK THAT I'VE BEEN DOING LONG BEFORE I GOT ON THE BOARD.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THE STAFF, UH, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, UH, LONG BEFORE BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING BEING AN ADVOCATE AND NOT SEEING THINGS COME TO FRUITION.
BUT IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME, EVEN THOUGH YOU JUST ONE OF, OF, OF ONE OF YOUR BOARD COLLEAGUES WHEN
[00:55:01]
IT COMES TO A VOTE, SOMETIMES JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH A STAFF PERSON, YOU CAN GET THINGS DONE CUZ IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE A VOTE.UH, AND SO THIS HAS BEEN A VERY BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE FOR ME, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ACTUALLY GET SOME THINGS DONE IN ADDITION TO HAVING THE PASSION AND DOING THE WORK.
AND SO I THINK ALL THE STAFF PEOPLE, EVEN THE ONES THAT MAY HAVE THOUGHT I WAS TRYING TO BE PERSONALLY, AND I ABSOLUTELY WOULDN'T.
AND TO ANYBODY WHO DOES FEEL THAT WAY, I DO LOVE YOU AND I LOVE ALL OF YOU, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE HELP THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TO MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED, UH, SERVICE FOR THE CHILDREN IN OUR PUBLIC, UH, SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OUR COMMUNITY.
CUZ WE GONNA ALL KEEP FIGHTING A GOOD FIGHT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, PRESIDENT CHAPMAN.
SO, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, MY FAMILY, UM, FOR MAKING OR HAVING A SACRIFICE FOR GIVING ME THE SACRIFICE TO, TO, TO TAKE ON THIS MOMENT, UM, TO TAKE ON THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I TAKE FOR GRANTED, UM, THAT THE COMMUNITY ALLOWED ME, UM, AS THE YOUNGEST PERSON EVER ELECTED TO THIS BOARD, DARIUS, UM, TO, TO REALLY TO LEAN IN ON WHAT I BELIEVE WAS TRUE AND PASSION.
UM, WHEN I RAN FOR SCHOOL BOARD, THERE WAS A MISSING VOICE IN MY MIND.
THERE WERE NO BLACK MEN ON THIS BOARD.
AND SO IF I'D DONE NOTHING ELSE, I HOPE THAT I'VE MADE OTHER BLACK MEN PROUD.
I HOPE THAT I, UH, MADE KIDS SEE THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE THAT THE WORK THAT WE DID, WHILE IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY, WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE AND WE ALWAYS DON'T GET ALONG.
THE WORK THAT WE DID WAS FOR KIDS.
AND SO MY, MY MESSAGE AND MY, MY ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE FOLKS AND TO THE BOARD, UM, THAT'S COMING HERE IS TO ALWAYS THINK ABOUT KIDS FIRST, PUT STUDENTS FIRST.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES THAT WE HAVE ALLOWED ADULT ISSUES TO GET IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS OF YOUTH.
UM, AND SO I REALLY WOULD JUST LET LIKE THE NEXT BOARD TO REALLY, UM, FOCUS IN ON WHAT IT MEANS FOR STUDENTS AND HOW EDUCATION CAN TRULY SAVE LIVES.
BECAUSE EDUCATION SAVED MY LIFE TO THE STAFF.
UM, I, I DON'T WANT TO CALL NAMUS, BUT I HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE TO THANK YOU PERSONALLY.
APRIL, UM, FROM THE DAY ONE WHEN I STEPPED PUT ON THIS BOARD, YOU REALLY, IT WAS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BELIEF IN ME THAT ALLOWED ME TO DO THIS WORK FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
I DON'T TAKE WHAT YOU DO FOR THIS BOARD LIGHTLY.
I DON'T TAKE WHAT YOU HAVE MEANT TO ME AS A PROFESSIONAL LIGHTLY.
UM, YOU HAVE REALLY ENCOURAGED ME TO MOVE ON TO GREATER PASTURES AND TO CONTINUE TO DO WORK.
SO I DON'T WANT TO CALL NAMES SPECIFICALLY, BUT APRIL, UM, YOU ARE A GYM AND PEOPLE SHOULD APPRECIATE YOU, UM, TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF FLACK FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, BUT I SEE YOUR COMMITMENT, I SEE YOUR HEART, AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE WITH HEART AND VISION TO DO THIS WORK BECAUSE IT'S NOT EASY TO THE PEOPLE, TO THE DISTRICT, TO THE FOLKS WHO WORK IN THIS DISTRICT.
YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LITERALLY CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY IN LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
DON'T ALLOW BAD DAYS, IMPERFECT DAYS TO GET IN THE WAY OF WHAT YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS DISTRICT RIGHT NOW THAT ARE FIGHTING EVERY SINGLE DAY TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF STUDENTS.
REMEMBER THAT IF YOU ARE MAD AT A PERSON OR YOU HAVE A PERSONAL BEEF WITH AN INDIVIDUAL, LET THAT GO FOR THE SAKE OF CHILDREN.
LITERALLY, I'M A YOUNG MAN FROM A SINGLE PARENT HOME WHO HAS, WHO'S ABLE TO SIT ON THIS BOARD BECAUSE OF EDUCATION.
DON'T TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY LIGHTLY TO MY COLLEAGUES.
WE HAVE HAD SOME FIGHTS,
GETTING UP EVERY DAY TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS TO MAKE THE SACRIFICE, TO DO WHAT WE BELIEVE AND OUR HEART OF HEARTS IS BEST FOR KIDS, UM, TO DISTRICT THREE.
UM, I MAY BE LEAVING THIS SEAT, BUT I'M NOT LEAVING THE WORK AND THE ADVOCACY THAT IT TAKES TO REALLY CHANGE IN WHAT WE NEED FOR EVOLUTION AND REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION.
SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE HERE AND SERVING AS YOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. HOWARD AND, UM, MS. DYSON.
WE WERE GONNA LET THE, UH, PEOPLE GO.
NO, ACTUALLY IF WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, UM, DOC, UH, MR. LANIS, MAN, Y'ALL ARE TURNING ME INTO A SOFTY.
UH, I'M REALLY TRYING MY BEST NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL BECAUSE REGARDLESS OF THE BATTLES WE HAVE INSIDE OF THIS ROOM, EVERYBODY DOES IT FOR KIDS.
AND YOU ALL HAVE MADE ME GROW INTO A MUCH BETTER LEADER BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA NEED IT MOVING FORWARD.
AND EVEN THOUGH YOU ALL MAY NOT BE HERE PHYSICALLY, YOUR SPIRIT WILL STILL BE INSIDE OF THIS ROOM.
[01:00:01]
WANT TO PERSONALLY THINK EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, NO MATTER THE DIFFERENCES THAT WE SERVED, THE PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD, I WANT YOU TO KNOW I TRULY APPRECIATE YOU.I LOVE YOU, AND GOD BLESS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
AND, UH, UM, I KNOW BETTER GO FAST.
I KNOW I'M ON A TIME WHEN I'LL, I'LL I'LL START WITH, UH,
I, I I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM ALL OF YOU AND, UH, I, UH, I HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF ALL OF YOU.
UH, I'LL START WITH THE YOUNGEST AND, UH, AND MR. HOWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THANK YOU FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS YOU MADE, UH, TO THE BOARD AND ON DURING YOUR TERM.
UM, THEY'VE, THEY'VE BEEN MEANINGFUL, YOU KNOW, JUST GIVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES.
THE, UH, CHARTER SCHOOL, UH, ACCOUNTABILITY POLICY, UH, YOU CONTRIBUTED YOUR TALENTS TO ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND, AND DRAFTING THAT POLICY.
AND, UM, ALSO OUR, OUR BOARD MEETING POLICY, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT HOW OUR, WE HAD MEETINGS RUNNING INTO THE, THE MORNING HOURS AND, UH, WE NEEDED TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT.
AND YOU, YOU, UH, PLAYED A BIG PART IN, IN DRAFTING, UH, SOME CHANGES THAT HAVE REALLY, UH, HELPED, HELPED WITH OUR, UH, THE FLOW OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS.
AND, AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE AND, AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR PASSION AND ENTHUSIASM.
I, I KNOW, UH, WHEN I, WHEN I WAS THE NEW PERSON ON THE BOARD, UH, YOU KNOW, I, MY BIGGEST FEAR WAS I'D SAY SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE ME LOOK STUPID.
AND, AND YOU, YOU CAME ON AS A NEW PERSON AND, AND, UH, THAT DIDN'T HOLD YOU BACK AT ALL.
YOU, UH, JUMPED RIGHT IN AND FIGURED YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD ASK FOR FORGIVENESS LATER.
BUT, BUT THAT'S WHAT MADE YOU SUCH A GOOD BOARD MEMBER WAS THAT, THAT, UH, PASSION AND ENTHUSIASM.
AND, UM, FOR THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE ME, UM, MS. WARE JACKSON AND MS. DIOCESE, UH, PRESIDENT CHAPMAN, AND, UH, MS. BERNARD, UH, APPRECIATE ALL THAT I'VE LEARNED FROM YOU.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW THIS BOARD, UH, HAS BEEN CONTENTIOUS AT TIMES, BUT, UH, THEY KIND OF FORGET, YOU KNOW, BACK, UM, WHEN, WHEN Y'ALL FIRST CAME ON THE BOARD, THERE WERE, THERE WERE SOME PRETTY BIG BATTLES YOU HAD.
AND, UH, I PROBABLY WOULD, WOULD NOT HAVE, UH, BEEN WILLING TO SERVE ON THE BOARD IF, IF YOU HADN'T COME BEFORE.
AND, AND, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ACCOMPLISHED A LOT AND HAD SOME REALLY TOUGH BATTLES THAT, UH, MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE, UH, AS FAR AS PROFESSIONALISM ON THE BOARD.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU, YOU'VE DONE, UH, COMING BEFORE ME.
UM, I JUST WANNA START BY THANKING THE CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT SIX FOR THE TRUST AND OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THEM FOR OVER 21 YEARS.
IT'S TRULY BEEN THE HONOR OF A LIFETIME.
FROM THE VERY FIRST NIGHT WHEN I WAS APPOINTED IN 2001, I AGREED TO SERVE AS LONG AS I WAS MAKING A VALUABLE AND PRODUCTIVE IMPACT.
WHILE I KNEW COMING INTO THIS THAT IT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE PEOPLE, AND GOD, I HAD NO TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIMITLESS WAYS I WOULD BE BLESSED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE IN MY DISTRICT AND ACROSS THE THE PARISH.
IT HAS BEEN A HUMBLING AND INCREDIBLY REWARDING EXPERIENCE.
I AM PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED FOR THE CHILDREN OF EAST BATON ROUGE.
AND I'M AL AND I'LL ALWAYS CHERISH THE FRIENDSHIP OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW FROM MANY TERMS, THE ADMINISTRATION, SCHOOL SITE, STAFF, AND SO MANY STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE MAPPED THE COURSE, ACCELERATED OUR PACE, AND MOVED WITH PURPOSE, CONVICTION, AND COURAGE TO PUT THE WHEELS IN MOTION ON EXPANDED PRE-K, INCREASED LITERACY AND MATH INSTRUCTION,
[01:05:01]
EXPANDED CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPROVING TEACHER PAY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.AND WHILE WE HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN, WE ARE ALREADY SEEN IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICATIONS OF IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN ACROSS OUR DISTRICT.
IN SPITE OF THE POLITICS, THE PANDEMIC, THE FLOODS, AND FAR TOO MANY OBSTACLES TO NAME, WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS FOR CHILDREN, AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.
THE WORK THAT WE HAVE PUT IN MOTION CAN HAVE REAL RESULTS IF FUTURE BOARDS STAY THE COURSE, MY TIME ON THE BOARD IS ENDING.
HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I WON'T STILL BE WORKING TO KEEP THINGS ON TRACK, BUT IN A DIFFERENT ROLE.
I'M CONVINCED THAT GOD HAS SOME BIG THINGS IN STORE AHEAD.
MY FINAL WORDS WOULD BE TO THE COMMUNITY OUTSIDE INTERESTS AND THE INCOMING BOARD.
THIS PAST ELECTION WAS NOTHING SHORT OF, OF RIPE WITH DIRTY POLITICS BY A FEW SEEKING CONTROLLING POWER.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT ANYONE SHOULD BE PROUD OF.
AS I'VE ALWAYS CONDUCTED MYSELF WITH THE UTMOST INTEGRITY, WITH THE SAFETY, WELLBEING AND EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENTS, WHILE BUILDING COMMUNITY RE-ENGAGEMENT AS MY FIRST PRIORITIES, I CHOSE TO RUN MY CAMPAIGN IN THE SAME PROFESSIONAL MANNER, EVEN WHEN DECEITFUL POLITICS TOOK PLACE.
I TAKE PRIDE IN SERVING AS AN EXAMPLE OF TRUE LEADERSHIP FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY.
MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT THE NEXT BOARD CAN NOT ONLY PUT THE DIVISIVENESS ASIDE AND OTHER, AND ANY OTHER THINGS THAT DIVIDE, INCLUDING OUTSIDE INTERESTS, WHO WANT TO CONTROL TO INSTEAD AGGRESSIVELY WORK TO COME TOGETHER TO BRIDGE GAPS THAT HAVE EXISTED FOR FAR TOO LONG AND ULTIMATELY CAUSED OUR KIDS TO FIND THEMSELVES MANY TIMES ON THE LOSING END.
I'M PROUD OF THE MANY PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE NOW DISPERSED ACROSS OUR DISTRICT.
DISTRICT SIX FINALLY HAS SO MANY OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHER DISTRICTS ACROSS OUR PARISH HAVE HAD FOR A LONG TIME.
I'M PROUD OF THE NEW MAGNET PROGRAMS THAT WE BROUGHT.
I'M PROUD OF THE INCREASED TALENTED AND, UM, GIFTED CLASSES, INCLUDING THE UPCOMING YEAR, THE, THE, UM, PRE-K GIFTED AT ONE OF OUR DISTRICT SIX ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
WE MUST CONTINUE WITH THIS KIND OF PROGRESS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING THE TWO NEW SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT THAT ARE SO VERY NEEDED AND CAN BRING SO MANY MORE FROM OUR COMMUNITY INTO OUR SCHOOLS.
I'M SO, SO PROUD OF THE WORK ACROSS THE DISTRICT IN, AND WE HAVE A FACILITY PLAN THAT I HOPE THIS BOARD CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IN THEIR FIRST TERM, AS WE INTENDED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE FIRST TERM OF THIS NEXT TERM, SO THAT WE CAN RIGHTSIZE OUR DISTRICT, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES AT EACH AND EVERY SCHOOL FOR THE CHILDREN WE SERVE.
WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH BOLD LEADERSHIP, AND I HOPE THAT WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO WORK FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH OUR CHILDREN AS OUR ULTIMATE PRIORITY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND I THANK MY FAMILY BECAUSE THEY HAVE GROWN.
I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST DECIDED THAT I WOULD RUN AFTER BEING APPOINTED, I REMEMBER MY SON AT A SWIM MEET SAYING, BUT WHO'S GONNA BE HERE TO YELL, GO MEAL? AND THE PARENTS LOUDLY
[01:10:01]
SAID, WE WILL.AND I HAVE HAD TREMENDOUS HELP AS A SINGLE MOM DOING THIS WORK.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN SO IMPORTANT TO ME, AND I APPRECIATE MY FAMILY FOR ALL THAT.
ALL OF THE TIMES THEY HAD WISHED THAT I WAS THERE, I WAS ALWAYS WITH THEM IN SPIRIT AND IN MIND AND IN HEART.
AND THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL BE ALWAYS IN MY MIND AND MY HEART AND IN MY SPIRIT.
ONE OF THE, UH, DETRIMENTS OF GOING LAST BY SAY, MR. BELU JUMPED IN BEHIND ME.
ONE OF THE VETERANS ARE GOING.
LAST IS EVERYONE SAID MANY OF THE THINGS, UH, BEFORE, BUT, UH, TWO THINGS I WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY MENTION.
UH, ONE, I CAME INTO THE BOARD, UH, AS AN APPOINTEE AND I REALLY WANTED TO THANK THE BOARD FOR HAVING THE FAITH IN ME TO MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT.
AND ALSO TO THANK THE BOARD FOR ACCEPTING ME VERY QUICKLY AS A MEMBER AND SHOWING ME THE ROPE, BECAUSE, UH, HOWEVER MUCH YOU THINK YOU MIGHT KNOW ABOUT THIS JOB, YOU REALLY DON'T, UH, UNTIL YOU GET INTO IT AND FIGURE OUT HOW THINGS MOVE.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR HAVING THE CONFIDENCE AND LETTING ME BE YOUR PRESIDENT FOR A WHILE.
AND THAT WAS A VERY TRYING TIME BECAUSE THAT WAS ALL THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND DOING, DOING EVERYTHING WITH ZOOM MEETINGS AND ALL OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
PLUS, JUST FOR ATTIC FUN, WE WENT THROUGH TWO SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT.
AND, UH, THROUGH ALL OF THAT, UH, WE SHARED MANY DIFFERENT OPINIONS AS WE GO THROUGH.
BUT ONE OF THE BEAUTIES ABOUT SHARING MANY DIFFERENT OPINIONS IS THE FINAL OPINION USUALLY TURNS OUT BETTER THAN ANY ONE PERSON'S OPINION GOING IN.
AND SO, UH, I REALLY COMMEND YOU ON THAT.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO THIS BOARD AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO THIS COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
MR. BELU, YOU'RE ON FIRE TONIGHT.
UH, MR. SHALIN, I DEBATED SAYING SOMETHING HERE, BUT I WILL SAY SO.
SO, WISE MAN, ONCE SAID, THE BEST WAY TO FIND YOURSELF IS TO LOSE YOURSELF IN SERVICE TO OTHERS.
AND I, I, I SAT HERE AS I LISTENED TO YOU GUYS TALK, AND, AND YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS BAPTIZED ME.
THIS IS THE BOARD THAT TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE A GENERAL COUNSEL.
UM, AND I WANNA SAY THAT EACH OF YOU, IN MY OPINION, LOST YOURSELF AT SOME POINT IN SERVICE AND TAUGHT ME SOMETHING ABOUT SERVING OTHERS.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, I WON'T FORGET EACH OF YOU, EACH OF YOU CHALLENGED ME IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
UM, SOME OF YOU PUSHED ME TO THE EDGE, AND THAT THAT'S A GOOD THING.
IT, IT, IT, IT, YOU KNOW, IT HONES YOU AND IT MAKES YOU BETTER.
UM, BUT EACH OF YOU BROUGHT SOMETHING TO THE TABLE THAT IMPROVED ME AS A PERSON, AND THAT, AND IT WAS THROUGH YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I WON'T SAY MUCH ELSE OTHER THAN THANK YOU.
AND IF YOU NEED ME, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE FOR YOU.
PRESIDENT CHAPMAN, THAT IS MY REPORT.
WE, UM, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE MS. BERNARD FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ASK THAT MR. WOODY JENKINS, WHO'S A FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA FOR 28 YEARS, ONE OF THE LONGEST RUNNING MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES, WHO AUTHORED AND, AND PUSHED THROUGH MANY, MANY PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT BENEFIT OUR STUDENTS IN THE STATE AND A PROUD GRADUATE OF AUMA HIGH SCHOOL, IF HE WOULD COME TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE US A COUPLE OF WORDS, MR. JENKINS.
I AM, UH, A GRADUATE OF ARO HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I WAS THINKING THE OTHER DAY THAT EVERYTHING I REALLY HAVE IN LIFE HAS COME FROM THREE THINGS.
THE LORD OF US, MY FAMILY, AND DESTRA HIGH SCHOOL.
EVERYTHING FROM THE TIME I WALKED IN THOSE FRONT DOORS, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE GRANTED TO ME, I MET MY WIFE THERE.
I WAS ABLE TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT COUNCIL, WHICH LED TO BEING A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THE SCHOOLS THAT WE OPERATE IN THIS PARISH ARE SO IMPORTANT.
I WANT TO TALK TONIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MAKE A LASTING CONTRIBUTION TO
[01:15:01]
THIS COMMUNITY.I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU COME HOME LATE AND YOU GET THAT PHONE CALL FROM A HURTING PARENT OR TEACHER, AND YOU'RE SO TIRED, YOU'VE REALLY DON'T FEEL LIKE RETURNING THAT CALL.
AND YOU'RE ABLE TO TOUCH THEM, AND YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES.
AND FOR ALL OF THOSE PERSONAL ONE-ON-ONE THINGS THAT YOU DO ALMOST EVERY DAY ON BEHALF OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.
BUT ALSO, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IN LIFE AND ON A SCHOOL BOARD, YOU GET TO DO SOMETHING REALLY GREAT THAT IMPACTS A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THOSE.
IT WAS, HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GREAT SCHOOLS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IT WAS THE LARGEST SCHOOL IN THE STATE.
ALMOST 2000 STUDENTS, 10TH, 11TH, AND 12TH GRADE, THE GREATEST RUN OF STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL TEAMS IN OUR HISTORY OF OUR STATE.
ALSO THE FIRST SCHOOL EVER TO HAVE HONORS PROGRAMS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THE FIRST SCHOOL EVER HAVE A WEIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM IN HIGH SCHOOL IN THE NATION.
BUT OVER THE YEARS, THE STREAMER WENT INTO DECLINE.
IT WAS DECLARED A FAILING SCHOOL.
THE STATE TOOK OVER A STRUM HIGH SCHOOL SOMEWHERE AROUND 2010.
THE STATE HAD NO BETTER SUCCESS.
THERMA HIGH SCHOOL WAS DOWN TO FEWER THAN 160 STUDENTS.
IT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH STUDENTS TO REALLY HAVE A BUDGET THAT WOULD PAY FOR THE TEACHERS AND STAFF THAT WERE THERE.
AND SO THE DECISION WAS MADE BY THE STATE THAT IT WOULD BE CLOSED AND IT WAS GONNA BE BULLDOZED.
NOW, THINK ABOUT NORTH BATON ROUGE, THE AREA I GREW UP IN, WHERE I STILL LIVE, 40,000 PEOPLE WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL.
IT'S LIKE SAYING CENTRAL WITHOUT A CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, OR ZACHARY WITHOUT A ZACHARY HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE WAS NO ESTRO HIGH SCHOOL ANYMORE.
BUT THERMA GRADS GOT TO WORKING LIKE DR.
JACKIE MIMS. AND REALLY THOUSANDS OF ASRM OF GRADS, CUZ THERE WERE PROBABLY 15,000 IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THEY DEMANDED SOMETHING BE DONE.
AND WE HAD A NEW SUPERINTENDENT, WARREN DRAKE AND WARREN DRAKE MADE THE DETERMINATION, WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THIS.
WE'VE GOT TO REOPEN THIS SCHOOL.
AT THAT TIME, NO SCHOOL EVER TAKEN OVER BY THE STATE OF LOUISIANA HAD EVER BEEN GIVEN BACK TO A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO THE PROBABILITY OF IT HAPPENING WAS VIRTUALLY ZERO PLUS.
WHERE WOULD THE MONEY COME FROM? THERE WAS NO MONEY, BUT HE WAS VERY CREATIVE.
AND THIS BOARD WAS VERY CREATIVE.
YOU DECIDED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND SO YOU FOUGHT AND YOU WORKED, AND YOU CONVINCED THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO GIVE A STRUMMEL BACK TO THIS SYSTEM.
AND MR. DRAKE CAME UP WITH THE PLAN TO DELAY SOME AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING, AND CAME UP WITH $30 MILLION TO BUILD VIRTUALLY A NEW ESTR HIGH SCHOOL.
AND WE CAN LOOK AT NORTH BATON ROUGE AND 7 0 8 0 5, AND WE CAN SAY THERE ARE A THOUSAND PROBLEMS. BUT LET ME JUST TELL YOU THIS, THERE IS HOPE IN THAT AREA BECAUSE THERE IS A STRUM HIGH SCHOOL.
EVERY GREAT COMMUNITY HAS TO HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL AROUND IT TO SERVE IT.
AND IF YOU HAVE DONE MORE TO TURN AROUND WHAT'S GOING ON IN NORTH BATON ROUGE BY PUTTING A STRUM HIGH SCHOOL, A GREAT FACILITY WITH GREAT TEACHERS, GREAT PRINCIPALS THERE TO BUILD BACK THAT COMMUNITY.
AND I JUST HOPE THIS, THINK BACK YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THE LONG HOURS, THE FACT THAT NOBODY'S PROBABLY GONNA THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID.
THE FACT THAT NOBODY ON THIS BOARD'S GONNA EVER GET RICH BY BEING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT'S NOT A POLITICAL STEPPING STONE FOR ANYBODY.
YOU NEVER HEAR IF SOMEBODY ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, THEY'RE ELECTED TO SOMETHING HIGHER.
BUT I JUST HOPE YOU HAVE TIME JUST TO PASS BY.
WALK IN AND SEE THE PLAQUE ON THE WALL HAS YOUR NAME ON IT.
AND I HOPE THE PEOPLE IN NORTH BATON ROUGE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE MADE A GREAT DIFFERENCE.
THE 40,000 PEOPLE LIVING IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND THAT WAS YOUR POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK TO THE AGENDA.
WE NOW MOVE TO, UH, E ONE, UH, REPORTS FROM BOARD APPOINTEES TO COMMITTEE COMMITTEES OR
[01:20:01]
AGENCIES, ANY REPORTS? I'M NOT SEEING ANY.[F.1. Mid-Year Sign-On Bonus]
ITEM F ONE CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A $2,000 MID-YEAR SIGN-ON BONUS FOR TEACHERS HIRED IN JANUARY, 2023, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXE EXCELLENCE, AND EXEMPLARY CUSTOMER SERVICE FUNDING SOURCE S R TWO ACTION TWO.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY? UM, MOVED BY MR. HOWARD AND SECONDED BY MS. DYSON.
SEEING NO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
LET ME CHECK MY TRUSTEE CARD BOX HERE.
I'VE BEEN TOLD FOR 17 YEARS, LSU AND PURDUE WOULD NEVER BE ON THE SAME FIELD.
IT IS HAPPENING, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, I SEE THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN YOU TWO OPTIONS.
NOW, OPTION B, UM, I REALLY LIKE THAT IT ISN'T JUST TEACHERS, IT'S PULLING EVERYBODY IN PARIS, BUS DRIVERS, ANYBODY THAT WAS HIRED BETWEEN OC OCTOBER 1ST AND OCT AND DECEMBER 31ST.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, BOARD MEMBERS TAKING UP THAT COMMENT FOR THOSE TEACHERS.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A TEACHER THAT CAME TO ME WHO DRIVES HERE FROM MISSISSIPPI, UM, TO COME.
SHE TAUGHT HERE LAST YEAR, GOT MARRIED, MOVED TO MISSISSIPPI.
SHE WAS TRYING TO COME TONIGHT, BUT SHE COULDN'T GET BACK.
UM, AND SHE'S DRIVING HERE, UM, FROM MISSISSIPPI.
AND SHE, HER HIRE DATE, I THINK WAS OCTOBER 14TH OR SOMETHING.
BUT, UM, I, I DO HOPE THAT, UH, SOMEONE WILL PICK UP THE QUESTION.
I WANTED TO KNOW HOW MANY, UH, PEOPLE WE HIRED BETWEEN OCTOBER 1ST AND, WELL, WHAT WILL BE DECEMBER 31ST? SO HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD THIS AFFECT? BECAUSE IT, OPTION B DOES LOWER IT FROM THE 2000 TO 1000.
UM, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS JUST A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO BECAUSE THAT IS A BUDGETED AMOUNT AND WE'RE USING THE LEFTOVER AMOUNT TO DO THIS, IF WE HAD HIRED SO MANY PEOPLE, IF THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE NUMBER DROPPED, BECAUSE IT IS INCLUDING SUPPORT STAFF AND EVERYBODY INSTEAD OF JUST TEACHERS.
AND ALSO, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE HOPING TO HIRE IN JANUARY WITH THE BLITZ? DR.
JAMES FINNEY, A 12 ON OQ DRIVE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.
I DON'T KNOW TO SAY IT ANOTHER TIMES I'M UP HERE.
UM, IF, AS MS. MATTHEW SUGGESTED, BECAUSE I DIDN'T, DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT THE BACKUP ON THIS, IF THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS OFFERED TO YOU, I WOULD HOPE IT'S CLEAR WHEN YOU VOTE WHICH OPTION YOU ARE APPROVING OR IF YOU'RE GIVEN THE SUPERINTENDENT THE CHOICE OF TWO OPTIONS.
BUT MOSTLY I'M HERE TO SUGGEST THAT A AN EVER-CHANGING SET OF SIGNING BONUSES IS NOT THE SOLUTION.
IF THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE AREN'T PAYING PEOPLE ENOUGH OR DON'T HAVE, UM, THE APPROPRIATE WORKING CONDITIONS FOR FOLKS TO WANNA WORK HERE, YOU'VE GOTTA FIX THE SALARY SCHEDULE OR FIX RECRUITING OR FIX THE RESPECT THAT FOLKS GET WHEN THEY WORK FOR THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THAT'S AT LEAST AS IMPORTANT AS WHATEVER YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS VERY TEMPORARY STOP GAP SIGNING BONUS.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE'S NOT A GAP WHERE PEOPLE MADE THE MISTAKE OF GETTING HIRED TOO SOON, THEY LOSE OUT ON THAT BONUS.
UM, KRON DE CORLEY, GOOD AFTERNOON.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS MID-YEAR SIGN-ON BONUS ON THE INEQUITY AS IT RELATES TO THOSE THAT ARE EMPLOYED IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ARENA.
WE ARE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE EQUITY EQUITABLE PAY AS IT RELATE TO COMING INTO THAT AREA.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN ON THE NEWS MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT THE SHORTAGE THAT WE HAVE AS IT RELATES TO HAVING, UH, PEOPLE WORK WITH OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.
I'VE EVEN BEEN HERE EVERY SINGLE MEETING AND COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, UH, REFLECTING ON HOW MY CHILD JUST RECEIVED ONE, UH, TEACHER LAST MONTH.
[01:25:01]
THAT IS NOT, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, LEGAL IF YOU WANNA, UH, IF WE WANNA BE BLUNT ABOUT IT, LEGAL AS IT RELATES TO OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND ADHERING TO ALL OF THE FEDERAL LAWS THAT EMBODY THEM.SO I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE SAY THAT WE'RE GONNA GIVE ALL TEACHERS A, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PAY, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CHIL, THOSE TEACHERS THAT ARE WORKING WITH OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES ARE RECEIVING THE SAME AMOUNT.
AND I'M NOT TALK, I'M TALKING ABOUT THOSE THAT JUST CAME TO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AS WELL AS THOSE THAT CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT.
I THINK THOSE THAT'S COMING OUT OF RETIREMENT SHOULD ACTUALLY RECEIVE A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE MORE.
I THINK IT'S A SLAP IN THE FACE WHEN YOU TELL OUR PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FROM OUTTA RETIREMENT THAT, HEY, YOU MAY LEAVE, YOU MAY LOSE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU'RE RECEIVING FROM YOUR RETIREMENT TO COME OUT TO COME AND WORK AND TO HELP US IN A SHORTAGE.
Y'ALL NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE I TAKE A PERSONAL, UH, MOMENT OF PRIVILEGE TO THANK MY SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, MS. EAST, WHO CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT BECAUSE SHE SAW THAT EACH AND EVERY CHILD DESERVES AN A, A PROPER, A PROPER EDUCATION.
AND SO SHE CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT TO FILL THAT VOID.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT SHE, ALONG WITH OTHER SPECIAL ED, UH, TEACHERS AND STAFF, SHOULD BE AWARDED AND AFFORDED THAT SAME AMOUNT OF PAY.
AND THEY SHOULD DEFINITELY BE PATTED ON THE BACK CUZ IT TAKES A SPECIAL TYPE OF PERSON TO WORK WITH OUR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES BECAUSE THEY NEED A LOT OF ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS THAT IS SOMETIMES HARD TO DO, THAT THEY'RE DOING OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS.
SO I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THEM, APPRECIATE THEM, AND SHOW THEM SOME EQUITY AND FAIRNESS.
DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR.
UH, SUPERINTENDENT NACI AND BOARD MEMBERS, UH, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA AND OFFERING THIS MID-YEAR SIGN AND BONUS.
UM, BUT I WANNA SAY IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF E B R THAT WORKED HERE FOR 10 YEARS, EIGHT OF THEM, I DID NOT HAVE A STEP.
UH, THAT IS WHY I LEFT THIS PARISH.
UH, MY HUSBAND HAD 10 YEARS IN THIS PARISH IN EIGHT OF THEM WITHOUT A STEP RAISE.
THIS IS NOT GONNA BRING EITHER ONE OF US BACK.
THIS, THIS IS, THIS RECRUITMENT MONEY.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE THESE PEOPLE A PAY RAISE.
THAT'S THE ONLY, IF YOU WANNA RECRUIT AND RETAIN QUALITY PEOPLE, PLEASE DO THAT, SIR.
UM, I DON'T WANT TO OPPOSE THIS BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DECIDED TO COME OR WILL COME, YOU NEED THEM TO FILL THESE JOBS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, PLEASE GET THESE PEOPLE A PAY RAISE.
THAT IS, UH, CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT BACK TO THE BOARD.
UH, FIRST I'VE HEARD SOME REALLY, REALLY, UH, GOOD COMMENTS AND A LOT OF WHICH I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH.
UM, I DO BELIEVE ALSO THAT THE STIPENDS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING IS NOT ENOUGH.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT THOSE ARE INCREASED ACROSS THE BOARD.
I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT EDUCATORS.
I MEAN EVERYONE, CAFETERIA WORKERS, UH, UH, UH, OUR, UH, BUS OPERATORS.
UH, AND SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO DO GREAT WORK ON THE FRONT LINES EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I THINK THAT'S JUST A SIMPLE SHOW OF OUR APPRECIATION TO THEM.
UH, BUT SOMETHING I DO WANT US TO CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD, THOUGH, BECAUSE THIS CAME TO ME, UM, FROM SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY LEFT HER SCHOOL TO COME INTO THE DISTRICT AND SHE WAS EXPECTING TO RECEIVE, UH, A BONUS, BUT SHE DIDN'T BECAUSE SHE MISSED THAT THRESHOLD BY A FEW DAYS.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, SHE WON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF HER FAMILY, UH, DURING THIS CHRISTMAS TIME.
AND I UNDERSTAND THIS COULD BE VERY TRYING TIMES FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT FAMILIES.
SO SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO STRONGLY CONSIDER, AND I GUESS I'M TALKING ILLEGAL ON THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, IS THAT, UH, WE GO BACK, POSSIBLY LOOK AT THE POLICY THAT WE APPROVED A FEW MONTHS AGO AND THAT WE, UH, AMENDED SO THAT IT'S RETROACTIVE FOR ANYBODY THAT, UH, THAT CLOSE TO THAT THRESHOLD THAT LEFT A JOB TO COME HERE UNDER THE GUYS THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE THAT BONUS.
AND I KNOW IT MAY TAKE SOME, UH, BUDGET REALLOCATION, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S FAIR FOR SOMEONE WHO, UH, HAS UPROOTED THEMSELVES TO COME BACK AND BE A PART OF THIS DISTRICT, THAT WE SHOW THEM THAT MUCH, UH, THAT LEVEL OF RESPECT.
UM, SO THAT'S JUST, UH, SOMETHING I WANTED TO PUT OUT THERE, AND I WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT WITH YOU, MS. HALL, AND ALSO WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE REST OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, MR. YOU WANT TO GO NEXT? YEAH.
I, I KNOCKED YOU OFF THE QUEUE.
UH, MS. HALL, COULD YOU, UH, COULD, I DIDN'T HIT MY BUTTON TO RE SPEAK FAST ENOUGH BEFORE WE WENT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, WE NOW HAVE AN OPTION A AND AN OPTION B,
[01:30:01]
UH, BEFORE US.AND WE DID NOT SPECIFY IN THE MOTION WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE DOING OPTION A OR OPTION B.
COULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT IS OPTION A AND WHAT IS OPTION B FOR US AND THE PUBLIC? YES.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE THIS UP CUZ IT'S TALLER THAN MOST PEOPLE.
SO OPTION A WAS THE ORIGINAL, UM, MOTION THAT WAS, OR THE ORIGINAL MEMO THAT WAS PUT FOR AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING ON DECEMBER 1ST.
UH, IT WAS A MID-YEAR SIGN ON BONUS FOR $2,000.
SO WE HAD LEFTOVER MONIES FROM, UM, I THINK IT WAS, UH, AUGUST, OR WE HAD THE SIGN ON BONUS OF 7,504 CORE TEACHERS, RIGHT? SO WE HAD SOME, A POCKET OF MONEY LEFT OVER.
SO WE WANTED TO DO ANOTHER INITIATIVE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE, OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO WHEN WE HAD THE MEETING THE LAST TIME, IT WAS PROPOSED THAT WE GO BACK AND RESEARCH TO SEE HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST IF WE GAVE EVERYONE $3,000, UH, THE $3,000 STIPEND BASED ON THE MONIES THAT I HAD LEFT OVER, IT WAS, IT WOULDN'T BE FEASIBLE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE ALL THAT MONEY TO, FOR $3,000 PER EMPLOYEE.
SO BETWEEN OCTOBER 1ST, AND I'M GOING TO ANSWER SOMEONE'S QUESTION THAT CAME UP HERE.
BETWEEN OCTOBER 2ND UNTIL YESTERDAY, 192 NEW EMPLOYEES WERE HIRED, NOT JUST TEACHERS ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, THE GOAL WAS, IS TO TRY TO MAXIMIZE MY RESOURCE BY UTILIZING, YOU KNOW, UM, THE FUNDS THAT I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT I TAKE CARE OF THE 1 92 PLUS TO SEE IF I COULD HIRE ANOTHER 60 TEACHERS UP UNTIL JANUARY 31ST.
SO WITH THE FUNDS THAT I HAVE LEFT, THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF IT AS A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER, UM, A THOUSAND DOLLARS PAYMENT PER EMPLOYEE.
SO OPTION B WOULD BE A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER EMPLOYEE FROM WHOEVER IF YOU'RE HIRED FROM OCTOBER 1ST UNTIL JANUARY 31ST, 2023.
AND THE ORIGINAL STIPENDS WENT THROUGH THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
SO OCTOBER 1ST WAS A CUTOFF FOR THE $3,000 STIPEND.
SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE AMEND THE PLAN BECAUSE WE JUST HAD THE THING SEWING THAT, UH, WE'RE IN GOOD BUDGET SHAPE AND GOING THROUGH THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE PLAN TO MAKE THIS A $2,000 BONUS FOR TEACHERS, UH, AND CERTIFIED STAFF AND $1,000 BONUS FOR THE OTHER EMPLOYEES.
UH, FOR THIS TIMEFRAME, UH, THAT WE COME INTO HERE.
UH, I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE SEVERAL, MAYBE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR SOMETHING IF WE MAKE THAT CHANGE OR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, $200,000 AS IT CURRENTLY STAND BASED ON WHAT, UM, YOU SAID HUNDRED 92.
BUT ALL OF THOSE ARE NOT TEACHERS.
SO THE HUN, THE 192 VERSE FOR ALL STAFF, RIGHT.
UM, THAT WAS HIRED SINCE OCTOBER 1ST.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOVE THAT WE AMEND THAT PLAN TO BE $2,000 FOR TEACHERS AND $1,000 FOR ALL OTHER STAFF, UH, AS A BONUS AND TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, UH, WE DO HAVE A COMMITMENT TO MAKE AN 8% PAY RAISE NEXT YEAR.
UH, WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT STIPENDS ARE NOT THE WAY TO GO.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB IN BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE MONEY, HOPEFULLY TO BUILD, NOT HOPEFULLY TO HAVE THE MONEY TO, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, $2,000 FOR, UH, TEACHERS AND $1,000 FOR ALL OTHER STAFF FROM OCTOBER 1ST, UH, THROUGH THE END OF JANUARY.
IS THAT THE TIMEFRAME? MY APOLOGIES.
MOVED BY, UH, MR. GODDE SECONDED BY MS. DIOCESE.
UM, WE ARE NOW ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
MR. GODDE, WHAT WAS THE START DATE OF THE OCTOBER? OCTOBER 1ST.
PRESIDENT CHAPMAN, IF I MAY, UH, INSTEAD OF MAKING THAT A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, I MIGHT ASK IF THE ORIGINAL MOVERS WOULD ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
THAT WOULD BE MR. HOWARD AND MS. DYSON.
AND I MEAN, I GET, UM, I NEED YOU BACK UP HERE NOW BECAUSE I WAS JUST GONNA TAKE THE SUBSTITUTE AS WHAT I WOULD VOTE ON, UM, BASED OFF OF THE FRIENDLY SOON TO BE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT OR SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
IS YOUR CALCULATIONS INCLUSIVE? IT, LIKE, DO YOU HAVE THE MONEY IN YOUR BUDGET FOR THAT PARTICULAR OPTION TO OCCUR? UM, AND THE REASON THAT I ASK IS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU JUST SAID THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BASED OFF OF YOUR BUDGET'S HERE, SO WITH THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT OR SUBSTITUTE MOTION, BE WITHIN YOUR BUDGET.
SO WITHIN MY GROWER OWN PROGRAM, WHICH IS A STRICTLY HR INITIATIVE,
[01:35:01]
THIS FUNDS THE FUNDS THAT 192 PLUS THE 60, UM, THE 1000 PER EMPLOYEE WOULD COME DIRECTLY FROM MY BUDGET.BETH FOR ASSISTANCE ON THAT QUESTION.
SO, UH, BOARD MEMBER HOWARD, UH, I BELIEVE, UM, UH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SPACE.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO FIND THE ADJUSTMENT FOR THAT.
SO I'D LIKE TO, WE'LL, WE'LL WORK ON, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN, UH, FIND THAT.
YEAH, NO, SO I THINK THAT THAT WOULD, I WILL ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT LIKE, AS, AS A COLLECTIVE, LIKE WE SHOULD, WE SHOULDN'T BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO.
LIKE IF THAT'S GONNA BE THE OPTION THAT FOLKS WANT TO GO WITH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MS. HALL SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME HERE PREPARED TO SAY, X, Y, AND Z IS COMING FROM X, Y, AND Z AS OPPOSED TO JUST FINDING THE MONEY.
SO JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M LEAVING.
SO IT'S YOUR PRIORITY, BUT
BUT I'LL ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AND ALLOW FOLKS TO VOTE ON HOW THEY FAVOR.
SO WE'RE ON THE PRIMARY MOTION THAT HAS NOW BEEN FRIENDLY, VERY FRIENDLY, AMENDED, UM, MR. SHALIN? UH, YES.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THE SECOND ACCEPTS, THE SECOND ACCEPTS THAT AMENDMENT.
THAT'S ALL YOU GOT MR. SHALIN? UM, MR. GODDE, YOU WERE, THAT WAS IT.
AND, UM, YOU HAD SOMETHING, JUST WANTED ONE QUICK YEAH, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, UM, UH, I THINK, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER, UH, THE TEACHER THAT WAS HERE, UM, WE, WE WANT YOU BACK IN THE E V R, I THINK SHE SAID HER AND HER HUSBAND, UM, AS, UH, MS. JACKSON, MS. JACKSON.
UM, SO, UH, I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO REITERATE THIS, AS WE SAID, FROM THE STATE OF THE SCHOOL ADDRESS, MICHAEL, IS TO MS. JACKSON MAKE US ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAID SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
AND SO WE WILL BE BRINGING A BUDGET WITH THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RAISE PAY ACROSS THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I JUST WANTED TO, TO, UM, PUT ANOTHER SHOUT OUT TO THE INCOMING BOARD THAT, UM, WE ALSO, UH, DEFINITELY HAVE PLANS.
UM, AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL SEE THEM THROUGH FRUITION, UM, TO, WE'VE, WE'VE DONE THE EXTENSIVE, UH, RESEARCH ON OUR SALARY SCHEDULES, AND WE DO NEED TO BUILD IN THESE, UH, RAISES INTO OUR, UM, PAY STRUCTURE, INTO OUR BUDGET THIS COMING FOR THIS COMING, UH, BUDGET COMING UP.
AND SO THESE REALLY ARE JUST WHAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW DURING OUR CURRENT BUDGET IS THE, THESE STIPENDS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE CHOSEN TO DO IT THAT WAY IN THE TIME BEING, BUT FULLY INTENDED TO, UH, WORK ON THAT.
UM, 8% COMING IN THE NEXT BUDGET.
SO I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER THAT A PRIORITY AS WELL.
UM, MADAME SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
APRIL, CAN YOU DO A ROLL CALL? VOTE? I MEAN, YEAH.
DISTRICT FOUR, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
DISTRICT NINE PRESIDENT CHAPMAN? YES.
MOTION CARRIERS ITEMS APPROVED.
[F.2. Memorandum of Understanding(MOU): External Healthcare Providers]
TO ITEM F TWO, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF AN M O U TEMPLATE BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE POWER SCHOOL BOARD AND VARIOUS EXTERNAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS TO SUPPORT THE RECRUITMENT OF EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT SERVICES, POWER PROFESSIONALS TO THE DISTRICT'S STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT AND RECRUITMENT.DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOVED BY MR. HOWARD? SECONDED BY MR. BELU.
MR. TAMAN, BEFORE YOU GO TO THE PUBLIC, UM, THERE
[01:40:01]
WAS A FORM OF THE TEMPLATE SUBMITTED WITH REVISIONS AS REQUESTED BY SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS.I WANNA MAKE SURE THE MOTION TO ADOPT IS ADOPTING, IS ADOPTING THAT TEMPLATE WITH THE REVISIONS.
I HAD PLANNED TO HAVE, UM, A COUPLE OF OWNERS OF HEALTH, UM, HOME HEALTH AGENCIES AND SOME WORKERS HERE, BUT I HAD A STROKE LAST WEDNESDAY.
SO, UM, YEAH, THAT KIND OF MESSED UP THE PLAN.
SO, UM, THE FAX SHEET IS VERY NICE, UM, VERY HELPFUL.
UM, YES, EBR R DOES PAY WAY MORE THAN HOME HEALTHCARE WORKERS AS ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS THAT THEY'RE SO UNDERSTAFFED.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DOES LEAVE ME CONFUSED IS IT LISTS B RCC, MEDICAL TRAINING, COLLEGE, DELTA COLLEGE, ET CETERA, THAT WE WOULD BE HIRING FROM.
UM, BUT ARE WE, WHEN, UH, STAFF CAME UP HERE, THEY SAID AGENCIES PRIOR.
SO ARE WE HIRING FROM HOME HEALTH AGENCIES OR HEALTHCARE TRAINING FACILITIES? I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S A TEMPLATE WHICH DOESN'T TECHNICALLY NEED TO BE PASSED INTO POLICY, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING ANYWAY.
UM, IF GOING THROUGH AGENCIES, THOSE INDIVIDUALS, PEOPLE WHO WORK IN HOME HEALTHCARE AGENCIES, THEY DON'T GO THROUGH THESE SCHOOLS.
IF YOU'RE HIRING LPNS, IF YOU'RE HIRING CNAS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, YES, THEY DO GO TO THESE TYPES OF SCHOOLS.
SO, BUT IF YOU'RE HIRING HOME HEALTHCARE WORKERS, THEY DO NOT GO TO THOSE SCHOOLS.
I HAVE FORWARDED THE EMAILS FROM THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, AND I ALSO SENT STAFF CALLED ME A LIAR ON THE MIKE LAST BOARD MEETING.
I ALSO SENT, EMAILED CUZ I BRING RECEIPTS, UM, THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER, UM, AND I HAVE IT HERE TODAY, HIGHLIGHTED WHERE YOU ARE ALLOWED TO LIVE WITH THE RECIPIENT, UM, AND BE THE WORKER BECAUSE OF COVID AND COVID ONLY.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT CLEAR IS WHAT'S BEING COMMUNICATED TO STAFF, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MEDICAL TRAINING.
UM, IF YOU ARE TRAINING WITH, FOR A TRACH AND YOU WORK FOR A HOME HEALTHCARE AGENCY, THEY CONTRACT A NURSE AND A NURSE COMES INTO THE AGENCY AND DOES THE TRAINING.
AND THE TRAINING IS UNDER THAT NURSE'S LICENSE.
SO AGAIN, THEY DON'T GO TO BCC MEDICAL TRAINING COLLEGE DELTA COLLEGE CUZ YOU DON'T GO TO COLLEGE TO MAKE $8 AN HOUR.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.
SO ARE WE CONTRACTING TO DO THIS THROUGH HOME HEALTH AGENCIES OR THROUGH THESE SCHOOLS FOR LPNS AND CNAS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? THAT IS STILL NOT CLEAR.
SO THIS ONE IS VERY NEAR, OH, I'M SORRY.
DO YOU NEED ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF? THANK YOU.
BOARD PRESIDENT, YOU CAN JUST SAY YOUR NAME.
THIS IS CORINTH COLEY, PROUD PARENT AND NATIONAL DISABILITIES ADVOCATE.
AND CORINTH IS A FUTURE SELF-ADVOCATE, BUT HE'S IN TRAINING.
UM, AND THIS ONE IS ONE THAT IS VERY MUCH NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEART BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD IMPACT HIM IN THE SCHOOL ARENA.
UM, ON TUESDAY, THE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACTUALLY SPOKE ABOUT THE REVISIONS THAT THEY WERE PROPOSING AS IT RELATES TO, UM, HEALTH CARE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY DEFERRED.
AND IT WAS DEFERRED BECAUSE, UM, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE PROPOSING TO DO IS NOT ACTUALLY IN LINE WITH THE ACTUAL BOARDS THAT ACTUALLY CERTIFY AND THAT THOSE, UH, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ACTUALLY HAVE TO ANSWER TO.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, THESE PROVIDERS AND THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD REQUIRES IS THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO GRADUATE FROM AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL.
AND NOT ONLY DO THEY GRADUATE FROM THAT ACCREDITED SCHOOL, BUT THEN THEY ACT ACTUALLY HAVE TO PASS A LICENSURE TEST.
SO IF THEY ARE AN LPN, A RN, OR A NURSE PRACTITIONER, THEY HAVE TO PASS THE NCLEX.
AND SO AFTER THEY PASS THE NCLEX, THEN ONLY THEN CAN THEY WORK AS A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.
SO WE CANNOT HAVE PEOPLE, AS YOU KNOW, UM, THE LAW DOES NOW REQUIRE ALL STAFF TO ACTUALLY, UH, BE TRAINED IN SEIZURE PRECAUTIONS.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO EVALUATING
[01:45:01]
OR ASSESSING ONE OF OUR STUDENTS, POST A, UH, EPI, UH, EPILEPTIC EPISODE, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE A NURSE OR A NURSE PRACTITIONER TO DO THE ASSESSMENT.MEDICAL ASSISTANCE CANNOT LEGALLY MAKE ASSESSMENTS.
THEY CAN LEGALLY ADMINISTER INJECTIONS, THEY CAN LEGALLY ADMINISTER SOME VACCINATIONS, BUT THEY CANNOT LEGALLY DO AN ASSESSMENT OR AN EVALUATION.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, WHO WILL THESE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ACTUALLY BE SERVICING THE BOARD CENTRAL STAFF? BECAUSE THEY DEFINITELY WON'T BE SERVICING THE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THAT HAVE IT WRITTEN INTO THEIR IEPS, MINDFUL FOR ONE.
SO, UM, I DO THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO LOOK AT.
IF FOR ANY REASON THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW THE INFORMATION, THE BOARD THAT MS. MATTHEWS SPOKE ABOUT, I DO SIT ON THAT BOARD AND I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION AS WELL AS I CAN CONNECT YOU TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHICH IS MS. JULIE FOSTER HAGEN WITH THE OFFICE FOR CITIZENS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, BECAUSE WE DID ACTUALLY ADDRESS THIS ON YESTERDAY AS WELL.
AND OUR INFORMATION WILL BE ROLLING OUT IN JANUARY.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE KNOW THAT THERE IS SO MANY, UH, CRITERIA THAT IS REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR A PERSON TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS.
AND I USED THE EXAMPLE LAST TIME BEFORE OF MR. HOWARD PROVIDING AN INJECTION TO MR. GOE.
HE WOULDN'T WANT THAT AND WE NOT GONNA ACCEPT IT EITHER.
BEFORE YOU VOTE FOR ANYTHING, YOU NEED TO BE CLEAR THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE VOTING FOR AND BASED ON THE BACKUP, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT YOU WOULD BE CLEAR WHAT YOU'RE VOTING FOR IF YOU SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL.
I CAN'T TELL WHETHER THIS IS TO TRY TO IDENTIFY PARAPROFESSIONALS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS OR MEDICALLY TRAINED EXPERTS TO WORK WITH MEDICALLY FRAGILE STUDENTS THAT MAY BE IN REGULAR EDUCATION CLASSES, BUT HAVE MEDICAL NEEDS THAT NEED TO BE ATTENDED TO.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF A BLANK CHECK YOU'RE TRYING.
THE ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO GET YOU TO SETTLE THE NEW BOARD WITH.
MR. LANIS, YOU CAN COUNT ON HEARING.
IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS ASKING FOR, VOTE NO OR DEFER THIS TILL JANUARY, GIVE THE ADMINISTRATION THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE ASKING YOU TO DO.
THERE IS A VERY CLEAR STATEMENT IN THE BACKUP FROM TWO WEEKS AGO THAT SAYS THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH FINDING PARAPROFESSIONALS BECAUSE THEY AREN'T PAID WELL.
SO DO YOU FIX THAT BY FINDING AN EXTERNAL PROVIDER AND HAVING AN MOU? NO.
YOU FIX IT BY PAYING THEM BETTER.
THAT IS, UH, ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER, UM, AREA OF M O U, UH, THAT I'VE SEEN.
SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE BASIC PURPOSE OF US PASSING A TEMPLATE? UH, WHEREAS IN ANY OTHER TIME WE'RE LOOKING AT AN M MOU OR ANYTHING DEALING WITH AN MOU, IT'S ALREADY PREPARED, UM, BY STAFF AND IN THE BOARD BASICALLY VOTES FOR IT UP OR DOWN OR, OR ADS OR SUBTRACTS, ANYTHING TO IT.
MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR REVISIONS, UH, ESPECIALLY AROUND SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION AROUND, UM, WHETHER WE'RE USING HOME HEALTH AGENCIES OR COLLEGES THAT WERE MENTIONED AS, UM, THE RESOURCES FOR FINDING THE STAFF THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, THIS IS ALL A, A STILL A BIT CLOUDY AND, UM, SEEMS TO STILL HAVE, UM, SOME CONFUSION AROUND IT.
AND, UH, SO I'M NOT REALLY COMFORTABLE APPROVING, UH, THIS TEMPLATE.
I I THINK IT PROBABLY WOULD'VE WORKED BETTER IN A, A WORKSHOP SITUATION WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT NOT ONLY THE, UM, THE CONTENTS OF THIS MOU, BUT PERHAPS OTHERS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE REVISING SOME TEMPLATES AND MOU AND CONTRACTS IN GENERAL IN A WORKSHOP TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DISTRICT IS NOT VIOLATING ANY LAWS
[01:50:01]
OR CIVIL RIGHTS IN ANY WORK THROUGH ANY COLLABORATIONS OR PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH MOU WITH THE WORLD CHANGING AS IT HAS.UH, SO WE MAY WANT TO CONSIDER DOING THIS IN THE NEAR FUTURE, UM, IN EARLY, UH, 2023.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT THE PURPOSE OF, OF PASSING A TEMPLATE INSTEAD OF, UM, AN MOU THAT WE NORMALLY WOULD AND, AND WHETHER WE'RE LOOKING AT HEALTH AGENCIES OR, UM, COLLEGES.
I'LL TRY TO ADDRESS THE ANSWER AND I MIGHT HAND OFF TO HR IF I DON'T GO FAR ENOUGH.
BUT, UM, THIS IS AKIN TO THE BOARD, UM, SEVERAL YEARS BACK, UM, APPROVING A TEMPLATE FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACT FOR INTERNAL EMPLOYEES.
THE BOARD APPROVED THE TEMPLATE, UH, FOR THAT CONTRACT.
WE UTILIZE THAT CONTRACT TO THEN CONTRACT WITH ADMINISTRATORS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
UM, IT'S THE SAME CONCEPT HERE.
MOU ARE LESS, UM, MOU, THE OBLIGATION WITH MOU IS LESS THAN THE OBLIGATION OF A CONTRACT.
IT'S MORE OF AN AGREEMENT TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH A PURPOSE.
AND SO THE BOARD WOULD BE APPROVING A TEMPLATE THAT HR AND STAFF WOULD BE ABLE TO UTILIZE WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES TO BRING IN INDIVIDUALS TO FILL THOSE AREAS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT EXPLAINS IT ENOUGH, BUT I CAN HAND IT OFF TO HR MAYBE TO PROVIDE MORE ABOUT SPECIFICALLY, UM, HOW IT'LL BE USED.
BUT A TEMPLATE GENERALLY WILL BE USED ACROSS THE BOARD WITH DIFFERENT ENTITIES TO, TO ACCOMPLISH THAT PURPOSE.
IF THE, IF THE MOU IS APPROVED IN A CERTAIN FORM, IF IT'S CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY, IT HAS TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE APPROVED.
BUT IF THE BOARD APPROVES THE TEMPLATE IN A FORM AND WE USE THAT FORM TO ITS T THEN WE CAN USE IT IN A FLEXIBLE WAY.
YEAH, THE, I GUESS THE ONLY AREA THAT'S LEFT IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ENTITIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT KINDS OF ENTITIES, WHETHER WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE HOME HEALTH AGENCIES TO FIND THE STAFF OR THE, UH, COLLEGES.
SO YES, THE GOAL IS TO BE COMPETITIVE.
THE GOAL IS TO BE THE FRONT AND CENTER OF, UM, STUDENTS WHO ARE LEAVING HOME HEALTH AID AGENCIES.
THE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE HAVING AND WE'RE ENCOUNTERING IS THAT WE HIRE FOLKS TO COME IN.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA THE JOB THAT ENTAILS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING A PARAPROFESSIONAL, ESPECIALLY ESS PARAPROFESSIONAL.
I COULD HIRE 10 TODAY AND BY TOMORROW THEY'RE GONE.
IT'S BECAUSE SOON AS THEY GET IN THE, THE WORK THAT THEY ENVISION IS NOT WHAT IT IS.
AND THE REASON THIS CAME UP, BECAUSE I AM A HOME HEALTH PAID CERTIFIED HOME HEALTH AID IN CONNECTICUT, AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M GONNA GET INTO ONCE I, PER AN AGENCY CALLED ME TO GO IN FOR A JOB, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M GETTING INTO.
SO WE WERE TAPPING INTO A MARKETPLACE THAT WE, WE HAD NO BUSINESS BEING INTO.
SO WE NEED TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO THIS IS WHY THIS CAME UP, WAS JUST TO BEING MORE INTENTIONAL AND TARGETED AND ALSO TO WIN.
I'M JUST TIRED OF GETTING THE, THE BACK END OF THE LEFTOVERS.
I FEEL LIKE ONCE FOLKS GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM, THEY'RE TRAINED.
ONCE THEY COME TO E B R, WE HAVE OUR OWN INTERNAL, UH, TRAINING, UM, UM, UH, CERTIFICATION PROCESS WHICH WE'RE DEVELOPING WITH E ESS AND, UH, THE, UH, STUDENTS, UH, SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HIRE THEM, BUT WE WANT 'EM TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
IT'S HARD THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE PAYING IN HIRING AND TRAINING AND THEY GO, WE CANNOT RECOUP IT.
SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY HOW TO HIRE AND RETAIN GOOD, TALENTED INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO DO THE WORK.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE A LOT OF CHILD SPECIFIC PARAS WHO CAN'T COME ON BOARD AND THEY GROW WITH THE CHILD.
YOU KNOW, JUST THINK ABOUT A CHILD AT STARS FROM KINDERGARTEN AND BY THE TIME THEY'RE REACHED SIXTH GRADE, THAT CHILD SPECIFIC PARA IS GONE, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY HOW TO KEEP THEM ON WITH OUR STUDENTS ALONG THE WAY.
SO THIS CAME FROM A REALLY GOOD PLACE OF TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUSTAINABLE AND, AND HAVING SOME LEVEL OF LEVEL FOOTING BECAUSE IT'S TIRESOME, IT'S TIRESOME OF TRYING TO RECRUIT AND THEY LEAVE AND RECRUIT.
SO THIS IS JUST SOMETHING ELSE FOR US TO FIGURE OUT.
HOW CAN WE MAINTAIN, RETAIN, BE ATTRACTIVE? YES, WE MAY NOT PAY THE BEST, BUT IF WE ARE BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THIS WOULD WORK.
AND WHERE THERE HAS BEEN NO COMMITMENT TO ANY ONE FACILITY, THIS IS JUST A CONVERSATION.
I AM REALLY TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY MAKING SURE THAT I'M COMING TO THE BOARD TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHATEVER I'M TRYING TO DO.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION WITHOUT GOING TOO FAR DOWN.
UM, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
[01:55:21]
THE MOTION CARRIES.[G. Consent Agenda]
G THE CONSENT AGENDA.THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE TO BE APPROVED AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED WITH ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF ITEMS UNLESS A BOARD MEMBER.
SO REQUEST IN WHICH EVENT THIS 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, TWO NAMING OF TARA HIGH SCHOOL FOOT SOFTBALL FIELD, THE BARRY JACKSON FIELD CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO NAME THE TARA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL FIELD, THE BARRY JACKSON FIELD THREE GRANTS BUILDING MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE BUILDING.
MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION R AND D PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE MATH EQUITY GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,499,026 TO PROVIDE K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP WITH DREAMBOX LEARNING AND LSU SOCIAL RESEARCH AND EVALUATION CENTER TO INCREASE STUDENT MATH PERFORMANCE AND RELATED MATTERS.
THE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT IS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PART, UH, NUMBER FOUR, PART-TIME BUS OPERATOR PAY INCREASE A CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL TO INCREASE THE PART-TIME BUS OPERATOR RATE FROM $10 AND 50 CENTS PER HOUR TO $13 AND 29 CENTS PER HOUR TO CREATE RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CANDIDATES TO FILL THE 62 BUS OPERATOR VACANCIES.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN EXEMPLARY CUSTOMER SERVICE.
FIVE TRANSPORTATION SOFTWARE RFP SELECTION.
CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF FOURTH OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SELECTION OF TRIP SPARK AS A PROVIDER FOR BUS TRANSPORTATION SOFTWARE.
AND TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT.
THE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, THE FUNDING SOURCE IS A GENERAL FUND SEYMOUR SIX SMAR SELECTION BARBELL MIDDLE SITE.
IT IS A CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SMAR SELECTION COMMITTEE OF LEMO LUSTER GROUP TO PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE BROADER MIDDLE SITE.
THIS STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE FUNDING SOURCE TAX PLAN SEVEN RFQ ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSULTING SERVICES, BATON ROUGE CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
IT IS A CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO ISSUE AN RFP.
I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, AN RFQ REQUESTED QUALIFICATIONS TO PROVIDE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSULTING SERVICES FOR BATON ROUGE CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT IS OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND THE FUNDING SOURCE IS A TAX PLAN.
EIGHT RQ ENERGY MANAGEMENT SERVICES IS A CONSIDERATION REQUEST AUTHORIZING STAFF TO ISSUE REQUESTS FOR QUALIFICATIONS TO SEEK PROPO PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE AN ENERGY MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICES.
THE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT IS OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
THE FUNDING SOURCE IS TAX PLAN PAYS FOUR NINE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS.
FEDERAL CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND THE FOLLOWING, LEXI LEARNER SYSTEMS LLC AND THE AMOUNT OF 38 300 $18,260 TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE LITERACY DEVELOPMENT.
THE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT.
THE FUNDING SOURCES, THE COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY STATE DEVELOPMENT GRANT B CITY YEAR IN THE AMOUNT OF 115,000 TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FOR AN SOURCE S S SO TWO ACTION.
TWO THREE SP STRATEGIES IN THE AMOUNT OF 27,000 TO PROVIDE EXCEPT EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
THE FUNDING SOURCES I B E A 60 11 AND I D E A SIX 19 B D ASSOCIATED PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION OF LOUISIANA AAL IN THE AMOUNT OF 48,000 TO PROVIDE MENTOR TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS.
THE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT IS EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT.
THE FUNDING SOURCE IS EXTRA TWO ACTION TWO 10 PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT GENERAL FUND CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND MANSHIP THEATER AND THE AMOUNT OF $41,206 TO PROVIDE TICKETS AND FEES ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS TOURED PRODUCTIONS.
THE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT IS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, THE FUNDING SOURCES GENERAL FUND 11 CONTRACT RENEWAL.
THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE ADULT EDUCATION EBR R PRISON.
CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL TO RENEW A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
AND THE AMOUNT OF 130, UH, EXCUSE ME, $134,110 TO ALLOW THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM ADULTS, UH, DEPARTMENT OF ADULT AND CONTINUAL EDUCATION TO CONTINUE PROVIDING ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES.
AND HI, HI SAID, TESTING FOR INMATES AT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2023 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.
THE FUNDING SOURCE IS CITY OF BATON ROUGE GRANT.
[02:00:01]
G C D A IS A CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF SCHOOL BOARD POLICY J J G C D A.UM, 13 LITIGATION CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM GWEN SHALIN, GENERAL COUNSEL, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND THE MATTERS OF RENISHA SIMMONS VERSUS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD.
AND TRACY MARTIN, DOCKET NUMBER 679 8 22 19 JDC, EASTBOUND NURSE PARISH, LOUISIANA, AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS ISO MOVE.
SO BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, I DO WANNA, UM, NOTE TO THE BOARD AND TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT ARE NOW ABSENT FROM THE MEETING OR POLICY.
THE SUPERINTENDENT RUNS THE MEETING IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PRESIDENT, UNLESS THE BOARD WOULD CHOOSE TO SELECT THE PRESIDENT TO SERVE TEMPORARILY FOR THIS MEETING IN THAT SPOT.
IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RUN THE MEETING.
SO DOC NACY, SINCE WE'RE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, GENERALLY, UH, AT THIS POINT YOU'D ASK IF ANY ITEMS, IF ANY BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANY ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, IS THERE ANY ITEMS THAT'D LIKE TO BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? YES.
ANY OTHER ITEMS? YES, ITEMS. UH, SIX AND SEVEN.
JACKSON, ANY OTHER ITEMS? SO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, YOU GO TO THE BOARD FIRST FOR COMMENT, WE'LL GO TO THE BOARD FOR COMMENT.
YEAH, MY SCREEN DOESN'T, UH, CLICK THROUGH LIKE THAT.
BOARD MEMBER JACKSON, I JUST WONDERED IF, UH, IF MR. JACKSON WAS PRESENT OR, UH, UM, TARA HIGH SOFTBALL FIELD.
JUST WONDERED IF HE WAS PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, MORE COMMENT FROM THE BOARD.
UH, NOW WE'LL GO TO THE PUBLIC ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND, UH, UH, DR.
PLEASE CONFIRM WHICH ITEMS ARE PULLED.
WITH RESPECT TO ALL THE ITEMS, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE THREE OF YOU THAT WILL STILL BE ON THE BOARD NEXT MONTH WOULD QUIT SENDING THINGS THROUGH FROM THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE TO THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING THAT ARE NOT ABSOLUTELY COMPLETELY THOROUGHLY EXPLAINED AND JUSTIFIED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
THE TWO OTHER ITEMS THAT I WOULD'VE WISHED HAD BEEN PULLED ARE NUMBER NINE, THE FEDERAL CONTRACTS, BECAUSE EVENTUALLY ALL THE SER MONEY WILL BE GONE WITH NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT.
AND ITEM NUMBER 10, SUBSIDIZING THE MANSHIP, UM, THEATER.
I THINK THAT'S GOING BACKWARDS.
I THINK IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FROM THE GENERAL FUND PAY FOR KIDS TO GO TO CONCERTS, THEN WE PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO BE PAYING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FOUNDATION FREE B ER STUDENTS.
AND IF YOU TAKE THAT $95,000 PLUS UM, BENEFITS AND TAKE THE 40,000 THAT YOU'RE GONNA USE TO BUY TICKETS, HE COULD BUY THE FULL-TIME PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OF TWO OR THREE MORE ART OR MUSIC TEACHERS.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER USE OF MONEY.
SO I WISH 909 AND 10 HAD BEEN PULLED.
AND GOING FORWARD, I WOULD HOPE THE BOARD MEMBERS INSIST ON BETTER EXPLANATIONS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.
[02:05:01]
UM, WE HAVE NOW MS. TABBY JACKSON.UM, I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THE MONEY, UH, THE BUS DRIVE.
UH, IT'S GREAT, UH, THAT IT'S AN INCREASE.
ANYONE GETTING EXTRA MONEY, IT'S WONDERFUL CUZ AGAIN, I'VE BEEN HERE THAT LONG WITHOUT A PAY RAISE.
UH, BUT I WOULD LIKE, I HOPE THAT THE 8%, UH, PAY RAISE THAT YOU SPEAK OF INCLUDES EVERYONE ACROSS THE BOARD INCLUDED THE BUS DRIVERS CUZ WE NEED THEM.
IT'S A SHORTAGE, NOT ONLY HERE, IT'S A SHORTAGE OF MY PARISH.
IT'S A SHORTAGE IN ALMOST EVERYONE'S PARISH.
SO THEY CAN BE INCLUDED AS WHETHER OTHER SPORTS STAFF.
NO, NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD OF MADAM SECRETARY.
DO WE HAVE THE CARD FOR THAT? MA'AM? HOLD ON ONE SEC.
WE'RE JUST GONNA PULL THE CARD.
UM, THERE'S NO OTHER, NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.
MS. DYSON, THE MOTION CARRIES.
[G.5. Transportation Software RFP Selection]
FIVE OF G FIVE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.TRANSPORTATION SOFTWARE, RFP SELECTION, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SEC SELECTION OF TRIP SPARK AS THE PROVIDER FOR BUS TRA TRANSPORTATION SOFTWARE.
AND TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE FUNDING SOURCE GENERAL FUND.
UH, MOVED BY BOARD MEMBER BERNARD.
UM, THANK YOU BOARD PRESIDENT.
NACI, UH, MY QUESTION IS MS. BALDEN IN THE ROOM DOING OKAY? JOB, BY THE WAY,
UH, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE SOFTWARE CHANGE WHILE WE'RE MAKING THIS SWITCH? RIGHT NOW? LET ME CALL UP MR. JORDAN CLEMENS.
I'M A DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT FOR THE DISTRICT.
SO, UH, THIS RFP WAS ISSUED BACK IN JUNE OF 20 THIS PAST YEAR.
SO, UH, THE REASON FOR THE CHANGES, THE SOFTWARE THAT WAS BEEN UTILIZED HAS BEEN, UH, UTILIZED FOR 15 TO 20 YEARS, 15 PLUS YEARS.
SO, UH, THE DISTRICT DECIDED, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO SEE WHAT WAS OUT THERE, TO SEE IF THERE WAS, UM, WHAT OPTIONS WERE AVAILABLE TO THE DISTRICT THAT COULD ENHANCE OUR, OUR SOFTWARE.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT MAKES THIS SOFTWARE BETTER THAN THE ONE WE'RE CURRENTLY
[02:10:01]
USING? SO THE CURRENT SOFTWARE IS ANTIQUATED.THE ROUTING SYSTEM IS, DOES NOT HAVE THE CORRECT STREETS THAT ARE CURRENTLY WITHIN THE SYSTEM WI WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND THE, UM, THE, UM, SOFTWARE THAT THE PARENTS USE VIA NOW WILL BE UPGRADED AS WELL.
SO PARENTS WILL BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THEIR STUDENTS DIRECTLY, UM, WITHOUT THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT HAVING TO ENTER THOSE CHANGES BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE 5G AND WE'LL HAVE, UM, R F I D, UM, THAT WILL TRACK THE STUDENTS.
AND SO IT'S JUST BETTER SOFTWARE.
THE OTHER SOFTWARE IS OLDER, IT'S ANTIQUATED.
IT DOESN'T, UM, IT'S NOT AS ACCURATE.
IT DOESN'T ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE AS MANY EFFICIENCIES.
AND SO THE CURRENT SOFTWARE IS JUST GOING TO SERVE THE DEPARTMENT BETTER.
SO WE USE THE SOFTWARE FOR 15 YEARS MM-HMM.
SO THIS IS A MUCH NEEDED UPGRADE AND CHANGE.
ESPECIALLY THE FACT THAT WE CAN NOW TRACK STUDENTS, WHICH HELPS US IN TERMS OF LIABILITY, BUT IT ALSO GIVES THE PARENTS THAT SENSE OF, UH, SECURITY THAT THEIR CHILD IS SAFE WHILE THEY'RE ON THE BUS.
AND, UH, I CAN APPRECIATE THAT.
MY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE, UH, DOES THIS MAKE THE JOB EASIER FOR OUR CURRENT BUS DRIVERS THAT WE HAVE? IT WILL DEFINITELY BE MORE ACCURATE AND MORE TIMELY AND MORE EFFICIENT.
I JUST ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT, CUZ WE WENT INTO PRETTY DEEP DISCUSSION OF THIS AT THE, UH, COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, THIS SOFTWARE WILL ALSO, UH, TIE INTO THE CURRENT, UH, SOFTWARE WE'RE IMPLEMENTING ON HR AND FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THEY WILL BE INTERFACES THAT WILL GO FROM THIS SOFTWARE TO THE OTHER.
SO WHILE IT'S NOT TOTALLY INTEGRATED INTO IT, IT DOES HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PASS INFORMATION BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THOSE.
SO, UH, I THINK THIS IS A MUCH NEEDED UPGRADE, SOMETHING WE SHOULD HAVE DONE YEARS AGO, BUT QUITE HONESTLY, BECAUSE WE'RE UPGRADING ALL OF OUR OTHER SYSTEMS, THIS IS A PERFECT TIME TO DO IT.
BOARD MEMBER JACKSON, UH, JUSTICE SOFTWARE HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE, UH, TRANSFER SYSTEM OR THE, THE, THE TRANSFER ROUTES AND THE, THE TIMING OF, UH, GETTING KIDS FROM HOME TO SCHOOL IN A HOPEFULLY POSITIVE MANNER.
SO AS THE ROUTING WILL BE MORE ACCURATE, THERE WILL BE MORE EFFICIENCIES AND TIMELINES TO CREATE THE ROUTES.
AND THE GOAL OF THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT NEXT YEAR IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REMOVING THE REMAINDER OF ELEMENTARY TRANSFER STUDENTS THERE.
BUT, UM, THE EFFICIENCIES ARE, ARE PART OF THE ROUTING SYSTEM.
UM, NO MORE COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD BACK TO THE PUBLIC.
AN UPGRADE IN SOFTWARE IS CERTAINLY NECESSARY BECAUSE IT WILL REMOVE AN EXCUSE THAT THE SYSTEM HAS HAD FOR NOT HAVING AN EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
SO WHAT NEEDS TO COME WITH THIS SOFTWARE IS A COMMITMENT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO TRY TO OFFER EVERY STUDENT AT EVERY SCHOOL EVERY DAY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A SAFE DIRECT BUS RIDE TO THEIR SCHOOL.
SO I WOULD HOPE THE PEOPLE POWER FOLLOWS THE SOFTWARE AND THAT THERE'S A COMMITMENT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD TO ENCOURAGE BUS RIDERSHIP RATHER THAN ACTIVELY DISCOURAGING IT LIKE THEY DID BEFORE THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
CORLEY, CORINTH, CORLEY, PARENT AND SELF.
THE CHILD IS A SELF-ADVOCATE IN TRAINING.
UM, THIS, I I'M SPEAKING FOR THIS, Y'ALL KNOW, I DON'T, I I DON'T NORMALLY SPEAK FOR SOMETHING.
SO SEE BOARD MEMBER LANDIS, Y'ALL GOTTA BE APPRECIATIVE FOR THIS.
I ACTUALLY LIKE THIS SOFTWARE.
UM, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT IN ACTION AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED TODAY.
I I'VE ACTUALLY, I ACTUALLY SAW, UM, THE BOY, THE BUS DRIVERS DO AN AMAZING JOB AND THIS, THIS SOFTWARE ACTUALLY HELPS THEM CUZ IT ALLOWS TRANSPORTATION TO BE ABLE TO SEE IF A BUS IS LATE, WHERE EXACTLY IS THAT BUS, HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE THAT BUS TO ARRIVE AT THE SCHOOL DESTINATION.
LIKE, UH, TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC IS HECTIC TRYING TO GET
[02:15:01]
TO THIS BUILDING, BUT LET'S SAY WE HAD THE STUDENTS ON THE BUS AND WE NEEDED TO, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE 30 MINUTES AGO AND THEY'RE NOT HERE.WE COULD ACTUALLY LET THE FAMILIES KNOW, HEY, THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE STUCK ON COLLEGE DRIVE AND THEY'LL BE HERE IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
IT, IT, IT, IT IS JUST THAT SPECIFIC WHERE IT CAN SHOW YOU THEIR EXACT LOCATION.
IT LETS YOU KNOW, UM, IF STOPS ARE BEING PASSED UP AND WHAT STOPS ARE THE ACTUAL STOPS FOR THE STUDENTS.
SO I DO THINK THAT THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE SHOULD USE, THAT WE SHOULD KEEP.
AND I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD ACTUALLY TRY TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF SOFTWARE OR PROGRAMMING TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EVERY SYSTEM THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM SO THAT, SO LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THIS SOFTWARE COULD ACT IF A BUS IS GONNA BE LATE, IT CAN LET CHILD WELFARE KNOW THAT HEY, ALL THOSE KIDS THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO THAT BUS WILL BE LATE.
SO DO NOT GIVE THEM A TARDY THAT IS AN EXCUSE LATENESS DUE TO WHATEVER, UM, IS GOING ON WITH TRANSPORTATION, ET CETERA.
AND I THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL BECAUSE IT WOULD PREVENT OUR FAMILIES FROM GOING INTO TRUANCY.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, TRUANCY IS SOMETHING THAT IS IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS ALL THE TIME AND IT ALSO IS AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE ON THE FAMILIES.
SO I, I JUST REALLY AND TRULY THINK THAT WE WILL BE GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH BY ACTUALLY HAVING THE SOFTWARE AND HAVING THIS SOFTWARE BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PREVENT UNNECESSARY EXPENSES ON THE FAMILIES AND PREVENT LITIGATION.
AND OF COURSE, I'LL BE BACK ON LITIGATION IN 33 SECONDS.
UH, NO OTHER, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UH, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
[G.6. CMAR Selection: Broadmoor Middle Site]
SIX, UH, CMAR SELECTION, BROADMORE MIDDLE SITE CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CMAR SELECTION COMMITTEE OF LEMOYNE LUSTER GROUP TO PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE BROADMORE MIDDLE, MIDDLE SITE.BROADMORE CONSERVATORY STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE FUNDING SOURCE TAX PLAN, UH, BOARD MEMBER LANIS.
SECOND BOARD MEMBER BALU COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD BOARD MEMBER JACKSON.
UH, COUPLE OF QUESTIONS JUST FOR, UH, PUBLIC CLARITY AROUND THIS, UH, SCHOOL.
UH, THIS IS THE, UM, ARTS CONSERVATORY AND THE GRADE CONFIGURATION IS SIX 12, RIGHT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
AND, UH, WHAT IS THE, THE BUDGET FOR COMPLETION AND, UH, ACCORDING TO THE, UH, TAX PLAN, AND WHAT ARE THE PLANS TO HELP SUPPLEMENT, UM, THE BUDGET TO PRODUCE A SCHOOL, THE, AN ARTS, A QUALITY ARTS, UM, CONSERVATORY WITH CONSIDERATION OF THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION? UH, WE'RE, UH, IF WE CAN GET, UH, MS. JUDITH ANDERSON, MS. BRANDY MORHOUSE, PLEASE COME ON UP TO, UH, ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE BUDGET.
WE ARE JUST UNDER 10 MILLION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION BUDGET FOR THE RENOVATION.
UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT THE STEPS THAT WE'RE TAKING TO ADDRESS BUDGET, YOU GONNA, SO WE'RE MEETING IN-HOUSE TOMORROW TO TALK ABOUT BUDGETARY, TALK ABOUT, UH, PROGRAM FOR THE BUILDING.
WHAT IS NEEDED, UM, WHAT IS GONNA NEED TO BE DONE.
UH, THE SEYMOUR SELECTION PROCESS IS, IS TO PICK THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK FOR THIS SO THAT THEY CAN HELP US WORK THROUGH THIS DESIGN PHASE AND SAY, HEY, OKAY, WHAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO THE BUILDING? HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU HAVE? UM, WHAT IS THE PRICE THAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO DO THIS KIND OF STUFF? UM, WHICH IS ALSO WHY WE'RE MEETING IN-HOUSE TOMORROW, AGAIN, TO TALK ABOUT CURRICULUM.
UM, CUZ THE CONSERVATORY IS A BIT DIFFERENT THAN A NORMAL K-12 SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST CLASSROOMS, IT'S DANCE ROOMS, IT'S, UM, THEATERS, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE MONEY WE HAVE, WHAT CAN BE DONE, AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO EVEN MOVE US INTO THAT BUILDING TO START WITH.
UH, WE'RE ALSO INVESTIGATING, UH, OTHER OUTSIDE SOURCES OF, OF FUNDING TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE.
UM, IS THERE MAY BE PARTNERSHIPS OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO, UH, IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL MONEY'S NEEDED.
SO THAT'S PART OF YOUR CONVERSATION IN SOME UPCOMING MEETINGS? YES, MA'AM.
I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WERE ANY IDEAS ON TAP AT
[02:20:01]
THE MOMENT, BUT FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE NONE.I JUST WANTED TO GET CLARITY, UM, FOR THE VIEWING AUDIENCE, UM, AND THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE ARCHITECT.
THIS IS NOT IN RE IN PLACE OF THE, WE'VE ALREADY CHOSEN THE ART ARCHITECT AND THEY'RE GONNA BE INVOLVED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS AS WELL.
IT'S, SO IT WILL BE A JOINT EFFORT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, UH, NOW TO THE PUBLIC, DR.
JAMES FINNEY, HAVING A DEDICATED ARTS HIGH SCHOOL, FOUR BLOCKS FROM A HIGH SCHOOL THAT ALREADY HAS A STRONG ARTS PROGRAM, IS A REALLY BAD IDEA.
SPENDING 10 OR 11 MILLION WITHOUT A PLAN FOR THE PROGRAM AND NO MASTER PLAN FOR, FOR FACILITIES IS ALSO A REALLY BAD IDEA.
YOUR OFF SKILL SCHEDULE IN EVERY OTHER COMPONENT OF THE TAX PLAN, NOTHING WILL BE LOST IF YOU DEFER THIS FOR ONE MONTH AND HEAR FROM THE NEW BOARD.
SO I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DEFER THIS ITEM FOR AT LEAST ONE FULL MONTH.
NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
[G.7. RFQ Architectural Design Consulting Services: Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts]
SEVEN, UM, RFQ ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSULTING SERVICES, BATON ROUGE CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO ISSUE AN RFQ REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS TO PROVIDE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSULTING SERVICES FOR BATON ROUGE CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE FUNDING SOURCE TAX PLAN.
UM, MS. BERNARD, UM, SECOND, UH, BOARD MEMBER JACKSON, UH, COMMENT FROM THE BOARD.
UH, PEOPLE THE PUBLIC IS SO EXCITED ABOUT, ABOUT THIS PROJECT, ABOUT, UH, BATON ROUGE CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND HOW THE, UM, THAT REIMAGINE PROPOSAL AFFECTS THE, UM, THE FUTURE OF, UM, BATON ROUGE CENTER, UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE TIMELINES AND THE, UM, INFORMATION AROUND THE REIMAGINED SAYS ONE THING, AND THE TAX PLAN OR, UM, B R C V P A IS FOR AN, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE SOME CLARITY FOR THE PUBLIC'S SAKE AND THE BOARD AS WELL AROUND THE, UM, THE, THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, AS FAR AS GRADE CONFIGURATION AND, UH, INFORMATION THAT, UH, I RECEIVED EARLIER TODAY.
A AROUND THE, UH, REIMAGINED PROPOSAL AND THE TIMELINES ON THAT.
AND, UM, ALSO, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE HAVE, WE, WE HAVE THE FORESIGHT FOR THE, THE TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED WITH THE TEACHER, TEACHER SHORTAGE, ESPECIALLY ARTS TEACHERS.
I KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE REASSIGNED TO, UH, DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT JOBS INSTEAD OF, UH, THEIR USUAL ARTS, UM, TEACHING.
SO, CAN WE ADDRESS THIS? CAN WE MAKE THIS CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC IS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE, THE, UH, PARENTS AT, UH, BATON ROUGE CENTER AND AT FLAME.
AND, UH, OF COURSE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALSO WANTING TO KNOW, UH, HOW THE PARENTS AND TEACHERS WILL BE INCORPORATED
[02:25:01]
INTO ANY PLANS, ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT THAT IS NOT IN THE TAX PLAN THAT, UH, THAT WE VOTED ON.UH, IF I CAN GET, UM, MS. SPALDING AND MS. SMITH, IF YOU COME UP, IF YOU CAN CLARIFY FOR BOARD MEMBER JACKSON, JUST THE, WHAT THE, UH, EXPANSION WILL BE AT B R C D P? YES.
SO, UM, EARLIER TODAY WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM, UM, BOARD MEMBER JACKSON AND SOME OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND THE QUESTION THAT WAS POSED IN THAT EMAIL WAS PERTAINING TO A STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE AT THE COW ABOUT THE MODIFICATION TO THE GRANT APPLICATION FOR BOTH B R CPA AS WELL AS BATON ROUGE FLAME.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM FROM MS. JACKSON AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT WE SUBMITTED AN AMENDMENT TO FOR THE GRANT APPLICATION TO THE STATE, TO CHANGE OUR REQUEST, TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF GRADE LEVELS AND ONLY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SEATS AT GRADE LEVELS, GRADE LEVELS PRE-K THROUGH THREE AT EACH ONE OF THE SCHOOLS.
AND THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE STATE ON NOVEMBER 16TH.
SO THAT IS THE, THAT IS THE CLARIFICATION THAT WAS REQUESTED EARLIER TODAY.
HOW, HOW ABOUT THE, UM, INCLUSION OF, UH, PARENTS AND OR TEACHERS IN ANY OF THE, THE PLANNING OR EXPANSION? AND EVEN IF WE EXPAND WIDE, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL THING BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE, WERE ASKING FOR, UH, INITIALLY WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT REIMAGINE, WAS THAT THE, UH, THERE'S SUCH A DEMAND FOR THE, THE PRESENT SEATS THERE, UM, EVEN IN AN EXPANSION THAT WAY.
WHERE WILL THE FUNDING COME FROM WITH REGARD TO WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET AND THE TAX PLAN AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH REGARD TO INFLATION WITH THE, UH, RISING COSTS AND THEN ADDING MORE SEATS? IS THERE A PLAN FOR, UH, SUPPLEMENTING THAT BUDGET WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, UM, THE EXPANSION OF MORE CLASSROOMS AT BRC V P A AND AT FLAME? WELL, AS YOU MAY RECALL, UM, WITH THE PRESENTATION FROM THE CONSULTANTS FROM L D E, THEY EXPLAIN TO THIS BOARD THAT THERE ARE TWO PHASES TO THE REIMAGINED GRANT.
THE FIRST PHASE IS A, IS A PLANNING PHASE, AND THAT'S THE PHASE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN.
AND THEN THERE'S A SECOND PHASE THAT COMES WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING, AND THAT'S THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT WOULD BE TO GIVE US ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS AND THOSE, THOSE, UM, THOSE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE TO FIND IN OUR GRANT APPLICATION.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING WOULD COME FOR FROM.
BETH HERE WHO I HAS BEEN WORKING IN MANAGING THE, UM, PROJECT AND ANY FISCAL MATTERS THAT YOU WANT TO ADDRESS SPECIFICALLY, UM, DR.
BETH WOULD BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT MAYOR JACKSON, YOU'RE OUT OF TIME.
SO, ANY, UH,
I WAS, I, I'M ON THE QUEUE NOW MM-HMM.
CAN YOU CLARIFY? SO I'M INVITING, UM, JUDITH ANDERSON FROM CSR S TILLAGE, WHO'S OUR PROGRAM MANAGER.
SHE CAN SPEAK TO YOUR QUESTIONS, UH, THAT YOU WERE ASKING BOARD MEMBER JACKSON RELATED TO SUPPORTING THE STAFF AND PARENTS, UM, RELATED TO, UM, THE DESIGN BUILD, PLEASE.
UM, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FACULTY, STAFF, COMMUNITY, PARENTS, AND EVEN THE STUDENTS, UM, WITH THE ARCHITECTS THAT ARE SELECTED.
UM, WE COULD HAVE WORKSHOPS WHERE WE BASICALLY HOLD DESIGN SHUNTS WHERE WE CAN GAIN FROM THEM WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE SCHOOL AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS AND OPERATES, AND JUST TO HAVE SOME INVOLVEMENT, UM, SO THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE, UM, SOME INPUT INTO WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE AS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT'S THERE.
UH, NO MORE COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
UH, NOW WE GO TO THE PUBLIC, DR.
ANYBODY WHO, WHO WAS, UH, NOT FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET A SEAT AT THAT SCHOOL AND LIVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAS THE MISFORTUNE OF DRIVING DOWN ACADIAN THROUGHWAY IN THE AFTERNOON, MIGHT TAKE ISSUE WITH THE CONCEPT THAT YOU'RE GONNA PUT MORE STUDENTS ON THAT CAMPUS.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY BAD IDEA.
[02:30:01]
WOULD, WITH THIS ITEM, ENCOURAGE DEFERRING IT FOR A MONTH TO LET A NEW BOARD WEIGH IN ON WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE TO STACK ALL THE MAGNET KIDS WITHIN TWO MILES OF EACH OTHER RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM ACADIAN THROUGHWAY TO, UH, UM, COLLEGE DRIVE, AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING SOME OTHER MAGNETS SPRINKLED AROUND THE, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT.I'M SURE MS. DIASON MAY HAVE AN OPINION ON THAT.
SO I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DEFER THIS, REBUILD THE SCHOOL.
I MEAN, IF YOU WANNA DO AN RFQ, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T TAKE THAT AS, UM, ASSUMING THAT THIS TRAIN CAN'T BE TURNED AROUND AND PUT ON THE RIDE COURSE, BECAUSE PUTTING MORE STUDENTS ON A CAMPUS THAT YOU ALREADY DON'T ALLOW STUDENTS TO WALK TO AND YOU DON'T HAVE A TRAFFIC PLAN FOR IS A REALLY BAD IDEA AND A DISSERVICE TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
I SERVE AS THE PTO PRESIDENT AT B R C V P A.
UM, WE ARE ELATED, UM, THAT THIS IS COMING TO FRUITION.
UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, UM, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO COME ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS, UM, PARENTS AND TEACHERS TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S TRANSPARENCY AND COLLABORATION IN THE PLANS THAT GO FORWARD.
AND THEN ALSO THAT I KNOW THAT THIS IS ONLY OUR RFQ TO SELECT A ARCHITECT OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT WE WANT TO COME ON THE FOREFRONT, UM, TO ALSO SAY THAT THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU CAN KIND OF, UM, PLAN FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE GONNA HAPPEN, HAPPEN WITHOUT ALSO HAVING SOME TYPE OF PLAN OF, UM, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THE REIMAGINED GRANT.
UM, SO FAR, AND I DID HEAR THE, UM, REPRESENTATIVES SAY THAT THEY WILL DO, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND CHARETTES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT TO DATE, NONE OF THAT HAS HAPPENED WITH PARENTS.
AND THAT IS, UM, A LITTLE DISHEARTENING.
UM, SO WE DO WANT TO SAY HERE PUBLICLY THAT WE DO, UM, EXPECT, AGAIN, TRANSPARENCY AND COLLABORATION IN THE PATH FORWARD.
CORLEY, KODA CORLEY, CORINTH, CORLEY, PARENT SELF-ADVOCATE RIGHT HERE.
SO THE, UM, CONTRACT FOR THE AGRICULTURE DESIGN.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO CHOOSE A COMPANY THAT IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BUILD A SCHOOL THAT IS IN AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT COMPLIANCE.
AND SO WHEN I MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT YOU WOULD ACTUALLY CONSULT WITH SOME, UM, NATIONAL PEOPLE, UM, THAT DEAL WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE TOO MANY BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOT IN ADA COMPLIANCE, WHICH MAKES IT EXTREMELY HARD FOR CHILDREN AND STAFF ALIKE THAT HAVE DISABILITIES.
I KNOW I USE OUR CENT, UH, I USE THIS ROOM A LOT CUZ IT'S NEWLY, UM, RENOVATED.
BUT I'M GONNA USE ANOTHER BUILDING THAT WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY, UH, TO BUILD.
AND THAT IS BROADMORE ELEMENTARY.
WE USE TO THE TUNE OF 30 MILLION TO BUILD A SCHOOL THAT IS NOT IN ADA COMPLIANCE.
WHEN YOU GO TO A HOSPITAL OR TO A DOCTOR'S OFFICE, OR I TOOK HIM OUT TO STATE BUILDINGS, YOU CAN PRESS A BUTTON THAT ACTUALLY MAKES THE DOOR OPEN.
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT AT BROADMORE ELEMENTARY YET.
BROADMORE ELEMENTARY HAS CLASSROOMS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
CHILDREN WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE SEVERE PROFILE, Y'ALL BUST THEM TO JEFFERSON TERRACE.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT IN ADA COMPLIANCE.
AND THAT'S PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE CHILDREN THAT HAVE ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENTS, WHEELCHAIRS, ET CETERA, THAT CANNOT MATRICULATE INTO THE BUILDING SAFELY.
NOW, I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE, UM, OF YOU HAVE SPOKEN WITH ANY ATTORNEYS, UM, BESIDES MR. SHAMLEY, CUZ I KNOW MR. SHALIN CAN TELL Y'ALL AS WELL.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ADA A, WE DON'T HAVE TO SUE THE BOARD, UH, COLLECTIVELY, WE CAN SUE THE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY BEHIND ADA.
ADA DOES ALLOW US TO SUE FOR THINGS THAT DOES NOT, UM, DOES NOT COMPLY WITH OUR CHILDREN'S
[02:35:01]
IEP OR DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH EDUCATION THAT FALLS UNDER TITLE TWO.SO I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE VERY PRUDENT ABOUT WHAT COMPANY OR WHAT ENTITY WE DO CHOOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS EQUITABLE AND EQUALLY ABLE TO BE ACCESSED BY OUR INDIVIDUALS, WHETHER THEY ARE ABLE OR DISABLED.
AND THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ACTUALLY BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH MAKING SURE EVERY STUDENT EVERY DAY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE EDUCATION.
UH, NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
NOW, BACK TO THE BOARD, BOARD MEMBER JACKSON.
UM, AROUND THE, UH, I KNOW WE, WE DON'T HAVE OUR, UH, DISTRICT, DISTRICT WIDE PLAN.
UH, SO WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE DEMOGRAPHICS SAYS FOR NEEDS, UH, WHAT WE DO.
WE DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A DEMAND, ALWAYS A DEMAND AT B R C V P A AND AT FLAME.
UM, HOWEVER, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE REIMAGINED FUNDS CAN'T BE USED FOR, UH, CAPITAL, UH, PROJECTS.
UH, CAN'T BE USED FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UH, WE'LL NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
AND, UM, ALSO AROUND, UM, LEMME SEE, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION AROUND THE, THE TEMPORARY LOCATION.
UH, THERE WILL BEEN QUESTIONS AROUND WHETHER STUDENTS WILL NEED TO BE LOCATED AT A TEMPORARY SITE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION, UH, OF BRC.
V P A, UH, FLAME HAS NO PROBLEM CUZ EVERYTHING IS AL ALREADY ON SITE FOR THAT EXPANSION.
BUT, UM, WHAT ABOUT THAT QUESTION AROUND THE, UH, LOCATION FOR THOSE STUDENTS AT BRC V P A? DO WE HAVE A, UH, A TEMPORARY, A SWING SPACE? WILL THEY NEED TO BE MOVED TO A SWING SPACE? MS. SCOTT, SWALLOWING QUESTIONS CONCERNING SWING SPACE FOR B R C D P A? YES, SIR.
WE'VE LOOKED AT SEVERAL SITES.
I HAVE MR. RANDY MORALES HERE, CHIEF OF PHYSICAL PLANT SERVICES, AND HE CAN SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE CURRENT LOCATION IN CONSIDERATION.
SO WE'VE LOOKED AT A COUPLE LOCATIONS.
WE'RE TRYING TO DO SITE ASSESSMENTS.
WE'VE LOOKED AT EBR R READINESS, WE'VE LOOKED AT KENILWORTH, UM, TRYING TO SEE WHAT BUILDINGS WE HAVE AVAILABLE AND WHAT KIND OF CONDITION THEY'RE IN.
AND ALSO GET A COST ANALYSIS FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IT GONNA COST THE DISTRICT TO OCCUPY THOSE BUILDINGS.
WELL, I'M, I'M SURE THAT, UH, THEY'D APPRE THEY DO APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION AND I'M SURE YOU'LL HAVE MORE IN THE, THE MEETINGS THAT ARE COMING UP IN JANUARY OR IN FEBRUARY AT BOTH OF THOSE SCHOOLS.
NO OTHER COMMENT FROM THE BOARD.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
[H.1. Superintendent Evaluation]
NEW BUSINESS SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION DISCUSSION REGARDING THE RESULTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FOR 2022.THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS REQUESTED THAT HIS EVALUATION OCCUR IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
PER POLICY OF THE BOARD, UH, REQUIRES A TWO-THIRDS VOTE.
UH, FIRST, A MOTION FOR A SECOND AND A TWO TWO THIRDS VOTE.
MOVE BY BY MS. BERNARD, SECONDED BY MS. DIASON.
AND A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THOSE MEMBERS PRESENT IS FOUR.
SO WE'LL LET MS, UM, UH, UH, I'M SORRY.
WE'LL, UH, ALLOW THE BOARD TO COMMENT.
FIRST GO TO THE AUDIENCE AND BACK TO THE BOARD.
UH, NO COMMENT FROM THE BOARD, UH, NOT COMMENT, UH, TO THE PUBLIC.
I THINK AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WOULD BE MOST UNFORTUNATE.
AND AS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF A LARGE EMPLOYER THAT TOUCHES EVERY PART OF THE COMMUNITY, I THINK IT WOULD BE ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR WHAT THE BOARD MEMBERS THINK OF YOUR PERFORMANCE.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE SEVERAL OF YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THE IDEA OF DOING THIS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[02:40:01]
NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
WE'LL CONVENE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
RETURN AFTER AND RETURN AFTER.
WE WILL, UH, WE'LL RESUME, UH, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO
[H.2. Capitol High School Resolution]
ITEM H TWO, UH, CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL RESOLUTION, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, SUBJECT TO FURTHER LEGAL REVIEW TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS TO ESTABLISH A LOUISIANA NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.I HAVE A MOTION, UH, BOARD MEMBER LANIS SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER GOE.
UM, PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
I HAVE A QUESTION, SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE, THE APPOINTMENTS FOR THE BOARD BE MADE BY THE SUPERINTENDENT, UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO JUST MAKE IT AS NEUTRAL AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO I WOULD WONDER IF THE MAKER AND THE SECOND WOULD ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY, THAT, THAT, THAT THE BOARD, THAT THE BOARD OR COUNCIL FOR THE SCHOOL BE APPOINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT? YES.
JUST TO KIND OF REMOVE IT FROM ANY SORT OF, I DON'T KNOW.
NO, THAT'S INFLUENCE OF ANY KIND.
JUST MAKE SURE FOR THE LANGUAGE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE SOME
AND YOU CALL ME BOARD MEMBER SHALIN.
I MEAN, SORRY, COUNCILMAN SHALIN.
SO IT'S A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO ALLOW THE SUPERINTENDENT TO APPOINT THE, UM, THE, UM, APPOINT THE NON-PROFIT BOARD FOR CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL IS THE ADDITION OF THE LANGUAGE.
SO TO LIKE THE, THE ITEM WOULD READ, UH, MS. UH, ARMAND WOULD READ CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL SUBJECT TO FURTHER LEGAL REVIEW, TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS TO ESTABLISH A LOUISIANA NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
AND TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO APPOINT BOARD MEMBERS FOR THAT NONPROFIT TO APPOINT, TO APPOINT MEMBERS OF THAT BOARD, MEMBERS OF THAT, OF THE BOARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW.
SO THAT THERE'S NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THAT IF THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO ANY SORT OF ETHICS TRAINING OR, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? MR. CHALIN? OKAY.
MS. ARMAND, DO YOU HAVE THAT TO APPOINT MEMBERS OF THAT BOARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW OR IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW? SO, UM, DO WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE CORRECT FOR THAT? YES.
WELL, YOU WANT US TO READ IT AGAIN? MR. ARMINE, A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO CONSIDER THE REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL SUBJECT TO FURTHER LEGAL REVIEW, TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS TO ESTABLISH A LOUISIANA NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF CAPITOL HIGH SCHOOL, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO APPOINT MEMBERS OF THAT BOARD IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW.
IS THAT ACCEPTABLE FOR MAYOR MITMAN? OKAY.
UH, WE'LL HAVE COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, BOARD MEMBER BELU, BOARD MEMBER JACKSON.
CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE, THE PURPOSE OF THE RESOLUTION SINCE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE, UH, NOT DONE BEFORE.
AND, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, AND BRINGING CAPITAL HIGH BACK, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT
[02:45:01]
BRINGING THEM, BRINGING CAPITAL HIGH BACK.AND WE'D LIKE TO KNOW, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, THE RESOLUTION, YOU KNOW, WHY WE, WE WANT TO DO THIS? UH, YES.
UH, COUNCIL CHALIN? YES, MA'AM.
UM, UH, SO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, SPECIAL COUNSEL, UH, DENNIS BLUNT, WHO'S HERE TONIGHT, HE'LL COME UP, BUT I'LL START BY SAYING THAT SUPERINTENDENT CHALLENGED COUNSEL TO, UH, LOOK AT OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THE CAPITAL HIGH FACILITY NEEDS.
AS YOU KNOW, BESLEY VOTED TO RETURN THE SCHOOL, UH, TO THE DISTRICT.
UM, AND WE ARE WORKING OUT THE, THE, THE STIPULATIONS IN TERMS OF THAT FINAL, UH, RETURN.
BUT THE FACILITY NEEDS ARE STILL OUT THERE AND STILL A REQUIREMENT FOR US TO ADDRESS.
UM, ONE OF THE WAYS WE DO THAT IS LOOKING AT THE CREATION OF A NONPROFIT, UM, TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO THAT FACILITY.
UM, I'LL LET, UH, SPECIAL COUNCIL BLUNT TAKE US INTO ANY, ANY SPECIFIC DETAILS BECAUSE HE'S BEEN KIND OF ASSIGNED THIS PROJECT TO HANDLE, UM, UNDER MY OFFICE.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HIM TO GIVE US A LITTLE FURTHER INFORMATION.
UM, MR. SHALIN, UM, SUPERINTENDENT SLASH BOARD PRESIDENT NARCIS, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THIS IS, UH, UM, AN INTERESTING PROJECT.
I, I THINK THERE, THERE ARE SEVERAL LAYERS TO, UH, WORKING THROUGH HOW WE HANDLE BOTH FINANCING AND MANAGEMENT OF, OF CAPITAL AS IT RETURNS TO THE DISTRICT.
I THINK THERE ARE ARE PLENTY OF MODELS OUT THERE THAT ALLOW A WHOLE LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE THE PROCESS BY WHICH YOU, UM, AS BEST I CAN SAY IT, UM, BUILD THE PLANE WHILE YOU'RE FLYING IT BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO TAKE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF REHAB FOR A FACILITY THAT HAS NOT HAD, YOU KNOW, THE SORT OF UPKEEP THAT IS REQUIRED AND SORT OF CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL, ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL THAT YOU HAD RETURNED TO YOU.
UM, THERE ARE CHALLENGES, CHALLENGES TO MEET.
UH, THE STRUCTURE OF THIS WILL BE, UM, COULD BE THE SAME, COULD BE DIFFERENT.
UH, EMBEDDED IN THE RESOLUTION IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO EITHER ONE OF FOUR DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
THE, UM, AND THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WE INTEND TO CREATE WILL GIVE YOU MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY FOR A, UH, QUICKLY REHABBING THE FACILITY BASED UPON A FINANCE STRUCTURE THAT, YOU KNOW, ALLOWS, UH, QUICKER FINANCING THAN THE, THAN SOMETHING THROUGH THE TAX PLAN.
OR IF THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO, TO CONTINUE WITH TAX PLAN FINANCING OF, OF THE REHAB OF THE FACILITY, THAT OPPORTUNITY IS THERE AS WELL.
BUT I THINK THE, THE LONG AND SHORT OF WHERE THIS GOES IS, UM, YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A, EITHER A WHOLLY OWNED ENTITY THAT EBR R OWNS AND OPERATES THAT OPERATES AND HANDLES THE CONSTRUCTION SEPARATELY OF THE FACILITY.
OR YOU'LL HAVE AN ENTITY, UH, SORT OF LIKE THE E B R FOUNDATION THAT IS AN ENTITY RELATED THAT YOU ENTER INTO AN M MOU WITH, THAT ACTUALLY WILL HANDLE THE DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT WITH EBR R.
UH, THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT IS EITHER ONE WILL BE AN ENTITY THAT IS EBR R OPERATING, MANAGING AND HANDLING THE FINANCING OF THE SCHOOL.
THIS STRUCTURE JUST ALLOWS ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY TO HAVE IT FINANCED MORE QUICKLY.
BOARD MEMBER JACKSON? YEAH, I'M SURE THAT, UH, I'M SURE THAT, UH, THE, THE CAPITAL, UM,
UM, IT, THERE ARE CHALLENGES, BUT, BUT I, I DETAILS, I GENUINELY THAT DETAILS WE CAN MEET THEM.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, CUZ THERE'S REALLY NO, NOTHING HERE THAT'S TELLING US ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, EXCEPT THAT THEY WOULD BE LOOKING AT, UH, MANAGING AND OPERATING.
BUT WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE NITTY GRITTY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE ARE GOING TO IMPROVE THAT SCHOOL CAMPUS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG PIECE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ON EVERYBODY'S MIND.
AND THIS STRUCTURE, I DON'T THINK WOULD BE NECESS IS, IS REALLY NECESSITATED BY THE, THE FINANCING CHALLENGE.
AND ABSENT OF FINANCING CHALLENGE, UH, I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE HOOPS.
UM, BUT THIS STRUCTURE AS PROPOSED WILL, I THINK GIVE THE FLEX FLEXIBILITY TO THE BOARD.
AND AS THE RESOLUTION SHOULD YOU AUTHORIZE IT AS IT OUTLINES, YOU WILL HAVE THE, UH, UH, THE BELTS AND SUSPENDERS OF KNOWING THAT PRIOR TO, YOU KNOW, E B R ENGAGING IN THE PROCESS, WE WILL HAVE ALL NECESSARY,
[02:50:01]
YOU KNOW, STATE, REGULATORY, LEGAL, UM, SIGN-OFFS.IT'LL, SO YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE, THE NOTION OF HAVING ENGAGED IN SOMETHING AND THEN FINDING OUT THAT YOU'VE GONE LEFT AND SHOULD HAVE GONE.
SO, UH, THAT'S EMBEDDED WITHIN THE RESOLUTION AS WELL.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT.
UH, WELL, ATTORNEY DENNIS BLUNT, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A FEW YEARS, HUH UH, BUT NO, SERIOUSLY, I LIKE THIS IDEA FOR TWO PRIMARY REASONS.
THE DISTRICT DOESN'T LOSE ANY DOLLARS THAT THOSE DOLLARS FLOW AND, AND, AND GO, COME RIGHT BACK INTO OUR DISTRICT ON TOP OF THE ABILITY TO ENHANCE WHAT'S CURRENTLY ALREADY HAPPENING ON A CAMPUS.
AND TWO, GIVEN THE COMPLEXITY OF WHAT CAPITAL HAS DEALT WITH IN THE PAST, THIS SCHOOL NEEDS THE AUTONOMY TO BE ABLE TO GROW, UH, IN THEIR OWN SPACE.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD MOVE.
I THINK YOU DID AN AMAZING JOB, UH, THANK YOU HELPING US WITH THIS PROCESS.
AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, FOR, UH, THE IDEA.
I, I, IF I COULD, UM, ADD ONE, ONE THING THAT I, THAT I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED, UM, BEFORE I MADE A, A SINGLE COMMENT WITH REGARD TO CAPITAL I, I WOULD LIKE, UH, FOR THE, UM, THREE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE REMAINING, THAT WILL NOT BE CARRYING FORWARD INTO 2023, UM, I HAVE, UH, IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO SERVE YOU.
AND I, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER DYSON.
I JUST WOULD, UH, REALLY LIKE US TO BE VERY CAREFUL GOING FORWARD.
I WOULD LIKE FOR, UM, US TO REMEMBER THAT, UM, WE, WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND OUR FACILITY MASTER PLAN.
THAT PLAN IS GOING TO, UM, HOPEFULLY RIGHT AWAY IN THE FIRST QUARTER, UH, HELP US WITH SOME EFFICIENCIES ACROSS THE DISTRICT ALSO.
AND, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE DONE IT ONCE AND WE TOOK ALL THE MONEY THAT WE USED TO CALL THE SUMMER PROJECT MONEY AND USED IT ALL FOR ONE PROJECT.
AND SO THERE WERE A LOT OF D THERE'S A LOT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THAT AND THINGS, UNEXPECTED THINGS THAT COME UP WITH PARKING LOTS OR, UH, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COME UP THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN THROUGH, THROUGHOUT OUR TAX PLAN, UM, WE, WE JUST REALLY HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE THERE, AS I'VE ALWAYS SAID, THERE IS, UM, ALWAYS BOTH A PETER AND A PAUL.
AND WE JUST, WE CAN'T NEGLECT, UM, DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ANY LONGER.
AND SO WE NEED THOSE DOLLARS THAT ARE, CUZ WE ALWAYS BUDGET HIGH ON PROJECTS AND THINGS FOR THE, UM, TAX PLAN AND, AND ALLOW FOR SOME EXTRA DOLLARS THAT HELP US WITH THAT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
AND WE'VE NOT DONE THAT AS OF LATE.
AND WE, UH, I STRONGLY BELIEVE WE'VE GOT TO GET BACK DOING THAT AT THE VERY LEAST.
THANK YOU BOARD MEMBER HOWARD.
THANK YOU, PRESIDENT SUPERINTENDENT NORTHEAST.
UM, SO I THINK FOR ME, I, I FIRST OF ALL, LIKE THIS HAS BEEN, UH, A LONG AWAITED PROCESS, UM, SINCE MY VERY FIRST MEETING GOING THE SCHOOL BOARD.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT CAPITOL HIGH SCHOOL.
SO TO BE IN MY FINAL MEETING, UM, AND TO FINALLY SEE SOME LIKE CONTINUOUS RESOLVE WITH THE SCHOOL, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TO APPLAUD ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO'VE PUT THESE THINGS, UM, INTO PLACE.
I THINK MY QUESTION, OR JUST, YOU KNOW, POINT OF CLARITY IS LIKE, WHILE DR.
NARCIS, I KNOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND, UM, THE BENEFIT OF BRINGING CAPITAL BACK TO OUR DISTRICT.
AND I THINK THAT YOU GET THE IDEA OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SCHOOL TO THE, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE RESOLUTION ALLOWS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO HAVE A LOT OF DISCRETIONARY POWER.
SO TODAY IT'S GREAT YOU'RE HERE.
YOU UNDERSTAND IN THE FUTURE IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN AND THERE'S ANOTHER SUPERINTENDENT WHO MAY NOT BE SO GREAT OR NOT, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCHOOL.
I WOULD JUST CAUTION THE REMAINING BOARD MEMBERS TO, TO TAKE A, A LOOK AT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE SCHOOL.
UM, CUZ I THINK ABOUT SOME BOARDS NOW IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE, ARE LED BY GOVERNORS AND INDIVIDUALS.
AND AS THE GOVERNORS AND LEADERSHIP CHANGE, IT'S ALWAYS LIKE A, A PAUSE TO SEE WHAT COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE OR WHAT COULD BE THE SHIFT.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS YOU GUYS CONSIDER THAT, UM, I WOULD JUST LOVE TO KNOW SOME CLARITY AROUND LIKE HOW IT BECOMES A SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION AND NOT A BOARD DECISION TO DECIDE THE BOARD, UM, ET CETERA.
IF YOU CAN JUST PROVIDE CLARITY ON
[02:55:01]
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME AND, AND ALSO FOR THE, I GUESS, REMAINING BOARD.UH, THANK YOU, UH, BOARD MAYOR.
SO THE, THE, UM, GOAL THAT I HAVE, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS IS TO, AS SOON IF THE BOARD ACCEPTS THAT I APPOINT, I WILL, UH, MY GOAL IS TO MOVE, UH, IN CREATING THAT, UH, THAT, OR TO HELP WITH THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF THE SCHOOL.
AND A PART OF THAT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME IS THAT NOT ONLY THAT IT INCLUDES INDUSTRY PARTNERS, BUT ALSO COMMUNITY BASED FOLKS FROM THAT COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF THAT.
UM, AS WELL AS, UH, PART OF EBR R STAFF AND OTHER ENTITIES WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THE STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE OF THAT SCHOOL AS THEY WOULD SUPPORT THE SCHOOL LEADERS STAFF AND THOSE PIECES.
SO THAT IS WHERE, UH, THE APPOINTMENT WOULD BE FOR THEIR NO, I, I, UNDER, I A HUNDRED PERCENT UNDERSTAND THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS AND, AND WHAT THE, THE STRUCTURE THAT THOSE FOLKS WILL HAVE.
I WOULD JUST CAUTION THE REMAINING BOARD MEMBERS TO TAKE, TO KEEP A HEAVY EYE IF THERE IS A SHIFT IN LEADERSHIP ON WHAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY MEAN FOR THE BOARD REMAINING IN AS THEY CONT IF THIS IS THE MODEL THAT WE GO WITH, THAT THAT BOARD WOULD STILL EXIST WAY PAST YOU.
AND CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL WOULD STILL BE HERE WAY PAST YOU.
AND SO HAVING THAT AT LEAST NUGGET IN YOUR MIND TO KNOW THAT LIKE THERE COULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO AMEND TO THIS RESOLUTION TO ENSURE THAT THE QUALITY OF THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE SCHOOL LASTS PAST THE SUPERINTENDENT IS WHAT MY CONCERN IS.
HEY, UH, UH, THANK YOU ATTORNEY.
UM, AUDIENCE, UH, UM, NOW TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AUDIENCE, UH, WE WILL GO TO DR.
UM, I AM A 77, UH, 1977 GRADUATE.
AND, UH, I'VE SEEN THE SCHOOL AT ITS HIGH LEVEL AT ITS BEST, AND I'VE SEEN IT APPEAR TO BE A RESTROOM WHERE PAID AND POLI PAID AS WELL AS ELECTED POLITICIAN GO TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES.
I'M GRATEFUL TO THIS BOARD THAT YOU SAW THE GARDEN THAT IT USED TO BE THAT YOU'RE CHOOSING TO SOW SEEDS AND TO GROW SOMETHING BETTER.
SO I, UM, I REPRESENT UNITED FAITH LEADERS, UH, GROUP OF 231, UH, ENTITIES OR MINISTRIES, MINISTERS, PASTOR CEOS, AND I SENT LETTERS OUT TO THEM.
I SENT A LETTER OUT TO YOU ALL TODAY, UH, IMPLORE YOU KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO TO THE NE OKAY.
SOMETIMES YOUR SELF-ADVOCATE DECIDES THAT THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE ADVOCATING.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA KIND OF RESPECT THEY WISHES AT TIMES.
BUT CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, I AM SO HAPPY, ESPECIALLY AFTER SPEAKING WITH MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, MR. DUNN, ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WORKED OUT AS IT RELATES TO THIS RESOLUTION.
I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY THAT CAPITAL HIGH IS COMING BACK, AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT CAPITAL HIGH AND HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO THE STAFF AND TO THAT COMMUNITY.
NOW, WHAT I WOULD HOPE THAT Y'ALL WOULD CONSIDER IS ON THAT STEERING COMMITTEE, IF YOU CAN GLADLY ADD ME, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA NEED SOMEBODY THAT KNOW ABOUT, UH, DISABILITIES AND ALL THAT DISABILITY LAW, AND I CAN DEFINITELY HELP Y'ALL OUT ON IN THAT AREA.
BUT, UM, I, I DO HOPE THAT Y'ALL REALLY AND TRULY WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT CAPITAL HIGH ALLOWED THE STUDENTS TO GO BACK TO BEING ABLE TO DO INTERNSHIPS AT LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, UM, ACTUALLY HELPED A LOT OF THE STUDENTS THERE, AND IT ACTUALLY GAVE THEM MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT AFTER THEY GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY SHOULD LOOK AT.
AND NOT JUST FOR CAPITAL HIGH, BUT FOR ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS WITH ACTUALLY DOING A PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY COUNCIL, UM, AND WITH OTHER STATE AGENCIES TO ALLOW THEM TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, I KNOW DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ACTUALLY OFFERS THAT PROGRAM.
[03:00:01]
COULD DEFINITELY, UH, MAKE YOU WITH, UH, GIVE YOU THAT CONNECTION LATER.BUT CAPITAL HIGH SHOULD DEFINITELY RETURN, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT Y'ALL MAKE IT YOUR, UM, MAKE IT A, A REALLY GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS CAN RETURN TO THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING THE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODEL.
I THINK THAT IF WE ALLOW THE KIDS FROM CAPITAL ELEMENTARY GO TO CAPITAL MIDDLE AND BE ABLE TO GO TO CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS ALLOW THE CHILDREN FROM PARK ELEMENTARY BE ABLE TO GO TO CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A REAL TRUE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODEL.
UM, THANK YOU MISS CORLEY
THE RETURN OF CAPITAL HIGH TO LOCAL CONTROL AS A DIRECTLY RUN LOCAL SCHOOL IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
THE ASSUMPTION THAT YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL AND WEIRD AND QUITE POSSIBLY ILLEGAL IS A REALLY BAD IDEA.
NARCIS WANTS SOME PRIVATE COMPANY TO COME IN AND BULLDOZE THE SITE, RED APPLE REALTY BEING LIKELY IN THAT CONVERSATION, AND FOR YOU TO FOREVER OWE THEM SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN RENT, NO MATTER HOW BADLY HE WANTS THAT TO HAPPEN, NO MATTER HOW MUCH HE WANTS EXCLUSIVE CONTROL, TO APPOINT AN ENTIRE BOARD AND TAKE YOUR POWER AWAY FROM YOU, DOESN'T MEAN IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
CAPITAL HIGH, COMING BACK TO THE LOCAL CONTROL IS GREAT, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK WHEN A HUNDRED BLACK MEN HAD IT AS THEIR OWN SPECIAL PROJECT 20 YEARS AGO OR HOWEVER LONG THAT WAS.
IT APPARENTLY DIDN'T WORK WITH ALL THE ATTEMPTS THE STATE DID TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS OTHER THAN A LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD RUNNING IT WITH EMPLOYEES OF THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD.
I HATE TO SAY THIS OUT LOUD, BUT I HAVE TO AGREE WITH WOODY JENKINS.
HE WAS VERY ELOQUENT WHEN HE SAID THAT THE BOARD DID A GREAT THING.
WHEN YOU ACCEPTED A STREAM OF BACK FROM THE STATE, IT WAS A MESS.
YOU SPENT A LOT OF MONEY AND YOU DIDN'T NEED TO CREATE A RIDICULOUS NONPROFIT TO TRY TO DO STUFF UNDER THE RADAR.
EVERYTHING WAS DONE IN A FULLY PUBLIC PROPER MEETING.
THE PEOPLE OF CAPITOL HIGH, PLEASE DON'T DISRESPECT THEM SO MUCH THAT YOU FORCE THEM TO TAKE A BAD DEAL AS THE ONLY WAY THEY DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR OWN SCHOOL BACK.
THEY DESERVE TO HAVE A REAL PUBLIC SCHOOL, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE IS NOTHING DEFECTIVE ABOUT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SAYS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK IS IF WE GIVE ALL THE CONTROL TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.
LET HIM PICK A PEOPLE OF A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD AGREE WITH WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO.
AND FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS, HOLY, IF YOU'RE LEAVING THIS BOARD IN ANOTHER HOUR, DO NOT SUPPORT THIS AND STICK YOUR SUCCESSORS WITH A REALLY BAD IDEA.
DEFER THIS TILL JANUARY, DEFER THIS TILL JUNE.
I DON'T SEE A REAL PROBLEM WITH LETTING THE CAPITAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION OR WHATEVER THAT CURRENT ORGANIZATION IS CALLED, OPERATED FOR ANOTHER YEAR UNDER THE SAME SORT OF ARRANGEMENT THEY HAVE WITH THE STATE.
I DON'T HAVE THE IMPRESSION THEY'RE DOING A HORRIBLE JOB.
PLEASE DO NOT PASS THIS BAD IDEA.
MY NAME IS BARBARA KING AND I'M WITH, UH, UNITED STATES LEADERS HERE REPRESENTING, UM, ALA MICHAEL OF MY CONS.
UM, I AM NOT, UM, A GRADUATE OF, UM, CAPITAL HIGH, BUT, UM, I HAVE SIBLINGS AND FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE, I'M A GRADUATE OF BATON RETIRE, SO I DO, UM, APPRECIATE ALL THE CONSIDERATION THAT IS GOING INTO BRINGING THE SCHOOL BACK AND I DO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.
UH, MS. UH, SHAQUITA TATUM BROWN.
[03:05:04]
UH, GOOD EVENING.UM, I'M SHAQUITA TATUM BROWN, AND, UM, AND I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO AID IN SUPPORT AND BRING CAPITAL BACK.
I THINK IT IS NEEDED AND IT GIVES THE COMMUNITY A VOICE IN THE PROCESS.
BUT I HOPE AND PRAY YOU DO NOT TREAT CAPITAL THE WAY YOU DID AT STRONGER HIGH SCHOOL.
THE DISTRICT WILL TELL YOU IT'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO BECAUSE ESTRO IS NOT UNDER THE TAX PLAN.
WELL, THE LAST TIME I LOOK, CAPITAL IS NOT UNDER THE TAX PLAN EITHER.
IT'S LIKE ROBBING PETER TO PAYPAL.
STREAMER HAS AN AUDITORIUM THAT HAS NOT BEEN RENOVATED AFTER SIX YEARS.
THEY HAVE MAJOR LEAKS, AND THE BUILDINGS ON THE CAMPUS HAVE MILDEW AND OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT FINISHED.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THINGS I'VE SEEN WITH MY OWN EYES.
WHEN THE STROMER REOPENED SIX YEARS AGO, THEY STARTED WITH DISPLACED TEACHERS, WHICH ARE HORRIBLE, AND THEY ARE STILL THERE.
STROMAN HAS AN ADVISORY BOARD THAT'S FILLED WITH POLITICAL FIGURES WHO SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE ONLY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR NAME ON THE PLAQUE THAT EBR R PUT ON THE WALL.
MY DAUGHTER WENT TO STROMAN FOR THREE YEARS, AND I COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE.
SO I TOOK MY DAUGHTER OUT OF THAT SCHOOL.
NAIS, I KNOW THAT, THAT THIS HAD DID, THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN UNDER YOU, BUT I WANT YOU TO, UM, THINK ABOUT AND PLEASE BE SMART AND, UM, ABOUT CAPITA AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
HELLO, MY NAME IS JACK HARRELL.
I'M A 1981 GRADUATE OF CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M A 1977 GRADUATE OF PARK ELEMENTARY.
I'M, I'M FULLY FOR THE FOCUS PROGRAM AND I SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION.
AND WHAT I DIDN'T HEAR, I HEARD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE BEFORE ME SAY THE WORD STEERING COMMITTEE IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION IS TIED TO POSSIBLY CREATING THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
I COULD BE WRONG, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING.
AND I KNOW THAT THE, THE COUNCIL CAME UP HERE AND HE SPOKE ON THE SITUATION FINANCIALLY BECAUSE OF THE PLUSES THAT I WOULD HIT THAT, THAT THE STEERING COMMITTEE WOULD PROVIDE WITH THAT.
WELL, MY EMPHASIS ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE IS ON THE ACADEMIC SIDE.
THAT'S TO ME MY STRENGTH OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
SO WHATEVER MEMBERS GET, GET PICKED, WE KNOW THAT CAPITAL SCORES ARE SLOWLY COMING UP.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT IF WE PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON THE ACADEMIC SIDE OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, THAT THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
AND TO ONE OF THE SPEAKERS BEFORE THE CAPITOL PEOPLE, WE, WE CAN SPEAK FOR OURSELVES.
WE DON'T HAVE NOTHING RAN DOWN OUR THROAT.
AND, AND I SUPPORT EVERYBODY UP HERE.
LAF FONDA HEARD FOUNDER OF ON THE MOVE FOR CHRIST FAITH MINISTRY AND A UNITED FAITH LEADER.
Y'ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART BECAUSE I TOO LOST MY HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I AM IN SUPPORT.
I THINK THE NONPROFIT IS A GREAT IDEA.
I KNOW EVERYBODY TRYING TO SHUT IT DOWN, BUT, UM, AND I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF IT BEING UNDER, NOT BEING UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.
BUT IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT NON-PROFITS, AND BECAUSE I HAVE ONE MYSELF, WE ARE VERY MUCH UNDER THE MICROSCOPE WHEN IT COMES TO FINANCING.
OKAY? SO IT'S NOTHING THAT HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO PULL THE RUG OVER YOUR EYES WIT, WITH THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
HAVING A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF MY OWN, OKAY? THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND I PRAY THAT AS WE HAVE SOWN THIS SEED, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WATER IT UNTIL IT GROWS TO FRUITION.
UH, OUR LAST CARD, I WANTED TO, UM, UH, WE HAVE COUNCILMAN CLEVE DUN, THATS HERE, UM, WHO IS A, I KNOW A CAPITAL ALUMNI AS WELL.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO OUR BOARD MEETING.
I'M ACTUALLY HERE IN MY CAPACITY AS THE CAPITOL HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, AND I FIRMLY
[03:10:01]
SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.WHAT I HEARD, UH, ATTORNEY BLUNT SAY, AND WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO US IS THIS RESOLUTION GIVES US OPTIONS ON FINANCING OPTIONS TO APPOINT A BOARD, TO OVERSEE THE OPERATIONS OF THE, UH, SCHOOL, THE CURRICULUM AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, NOT ONCE DID I HEAR ANYONE PRESENT OR SAY THAT A DECISION WILL BE MADE ON X, Y, OR Z.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS, IT GIVES US OPTIONS.
UH, MANY OF US HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE RETURN OF CAPITAL FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
BOARD MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, BESSIE, BOARD MEMBERS AND INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE IN AND AROUND THE SCHOOL.
AND WE'VE BEEN IN A SITUATION, IF YOU SPEAK ABOUT THE TAX AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE ARE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN OUR LOCAL DISTRICT AND THE STATE OF WHO'S BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR THIS UPKEEP.
AND THE FACILITY IS IN A BAD, SIT IN A BAD PLACE.
WE NEED ALL THE OPTIONS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD.
I RECEIVE AND LISTEN TO ALL THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED HERE TONIGHT AT BESSIE IN THE PUBLIC.
AND WE TAKE ALL THOSE THINGS UNDER CONSIDERATION.
WE DON'T REALLY TAKE ANYTHING OFF THE TABLE RIGHT NOW.
WE WANT TO EVALUATE, SCRUTINIZE, AND LOOK AT ALL OPTIONS THAT WE CAN BRING OUR SCHOOL BACK AND RETURN IT BACK TO GLORY.
NACYS FOR COMING TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, MAKING A COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY, MAKING A COMMITMENT TO OUR ALUMNI THAT HE WILL RETURN TO SCHOOL.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HAVING US AND THE COMMUNITY BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
WHEN THE PLAN WAS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED TO US, IT WAS PRESENTED ONE WAY, BUT DUE TO FEEDBACK FROM THE, THE C FOLKS, BESSIE, UH, EBR R MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY, THE PLAN EVOLVED.
AND WE WANT TO ASK YOU TO CONTINUE THAT SPIRIT OF KEEPING ALL STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED, CONSIDERING ALL INFORMATION.
AND LET'S DO THIS TOGETHER BECAUSE THIS HAS TRULY BEEN, UH, A TEAM EFFORT, COMMUNITY BOARD, STATE AND LOCAL, AND THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU BOARD MEMBERS.
I KNOW WOODY WAS HERE SPEAKING ABOUT YOU GUYS, AND THIS BOARD RETURNED, UH, STREAMER HIGH SCHOOL.
WELL, HEY, YOU RETURNED ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL, BACK TO THE LOCAL DISTRICT, AND WE THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THAT.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, I NOTICED THAT, UH, THE CEO OF BATON ROUGE GENERAL HOSPITAL HERE, UH, MR. EL GARO 10, UH, I KNOW THAT HE'S BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED AS WELL, AND HE ALSO SITS ON THE PARK ELEMENTARY BOARD, UH, WHICH HAS MADE, UH, ONE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROGRESS COME BACK IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
SO, UM, MR. TERO, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
YES, NACI AND THE, AND THE BOARD FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS A, A DREAM THAT I'VE HAD FOR, UH, FOR MANY YEARS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN CONNECT THE MID-CITY HOSPITAL AND ALL THE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING ON FLORIDA WITH ACADIAN TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO PARK ELEMENTARY AND TO CAPITAL.
AND THEN CONNECT THAT, UH, FROM A DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE AND A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING ON PLANK ROAD.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ACADIAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, FACILITIES FROM, UH, BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
WE ALSO HAVE A, A, UH, RADIOLOGY TECH SCHOOL.
AND, UH, AND WE NEED A PIPELINE OF, OF, UH, OF WORKERS, UH, FOR THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A BEACON OF HOPE AND, AND, UH, DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THE, UH, FOLKS WHO LIVE IN MID CITY, WHO LIVE IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
AND SO WHO LIVE IN THE SURROUNDING, UH, AREA.
UH, LIKE IT WAS SAID BEFORE, IT IS, UH, WE'RE BUILDING A PLANE WHILE WE'RE, WE'RE FLYING, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT.
BUT WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO HERE NOW IS, IS BUILD THE, THE FRAMEWORK, THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF A PLANE SO THAT AS THE OPPORTUNITIES COME FORWARD, WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.
SO WE'RE FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
UH, I'VE HAD, UH, EARLIER TODAY, WE HAD A COUPLE OF STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE HELPING ME WITH THAT, UNFORTUNATELY HAD TO LEAVE.
BUT IF I COULD, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SHARE WITH YOU THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE STAFF AT BAT ROUGE GENERAL IN WANTING TO PARTNER WITH PARK AND WITH CAPITAL TO DEVELOP, UH, IN ESSENCE, UH, A NEW MODEL OF HOW WE'RE GONNA PARTNER WITH, UH, WITH INDUSTRY, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE KIDS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR THEIR FUTURE, UM, AS THEY, UM, AS THEY MATURE.
UH, ANOTHER COMPONENT THAT I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA STOP WITH, WITH JUST THE HIGH SCHOOL AND, AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GENERAL, BUT I ALSO WANT TO ATTACK WHAT'S HAPPENING BETWEEN AGES ZERO AND FOUR ALSO IN THAT COMMUNITY.
AND REALLY MAKE THAT AS A, AS A POTENTIAL, UH, UH, UH, MEDICAL HOME, UH, FOR THE STUDENTS,
[03:15:01]
FOR THE FAMILIES AND, AND FOR THE, UH, FOR THE TEACHERS.SO, I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
AGAIN, A DREAM THAT IS COMING TRUE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND DR.
ANDI'S SUPPORT FOR THIS, UH, FOR THIS PROJECT.
UH, NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, BACK TO THE BOARD, UH, BOARD MEMBER GOE.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, AND MR. TERINO, I DON'T KNOW IF I PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME CORRECTLY, BUT I ALSO WANT JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT, UH, THE OUTSTANDING JOB THAT WAS DONE AT PARK ELEMENTARY, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M AN ENGINEERS, I ALWAYS LOOK AT NUMBERS, BUT PARK ELEMENTARY IN 2019 HAD A 49.8 SPS IN 2021, THEY HAD A SIMULATED, UH, S SPS SCORE, 46.3.
AND IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THAT, NOW, NOW AT A 61.1.
SO THEY WENT FROM A, UH, AN F TO A C.
AND WHAT I ALSO UNDERSTAND IS THE ENROLLMENT IN THAT SCHOOL IS UP BY, I THINK, 60 PLUS, UH, STUDENTS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORTS THAT YOU'VE DONE INTO THAT.
AND THIS MODEL CAN WORK AND BE A SUCCESS.
AND, UH, I, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T CELEBRATE SUCCESSES ENOUGH AROUND HERE, BUT THAT, THAT IS A WONDERFUL SUCCESS.
AND I EXPECT 'EM TO BE A B NEXT YEAR.
YOU KNOW, I, I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY STAFF HAS BEEN VERY ENTHUSIASTIC IN PARTNERING, BUT IT REALLY, IN TERMS OF PARK, IT'S THE STAFF, UH, AND THE PRINCIPAL THERE HAVE BEEN SO EXCITED ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP.
SO, UH, IT IT, IT'S JUST A TEAM EFFORT.
AND, AND I THINK WHEN YOU GO AND VISIT PARK, YOU, YOU, YOU FEEL THAT ENERGY.
THERE IS A, UH, THERE, THERE IS A GARDEN ALREADY AT, AT THE CAPITOL.
IT'S FULL OF SEEDS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN PLANTED AND THEY'RE GROWING.
AND IN FACT, I TOOK SOME, UH, I WENT TO VISIT AND GOT VEGETABLES THERE THE OTHER DAY.
UH, AND I THINK THAT, THAT WE WILL SEE SIMILAR IMPROVEMENT IN CAPITAL AS ALL OF THIS COMES TOGETHER.
AND I'LL ALSO JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT, UH, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE, UH, PRINCIPAL OF PARK ELEMENTARY, UH, HOW I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO THEIR STAFF, THE, THE EBR R STAFF, THAT TEACHERS OVER THERE, AND THE GREAT JOB THAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND THERE WERE PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT SAID, OH, WHEN WE DO THIS, THE STAFF ISN'T GONNA LIKE IT AND DO THIS.
OUR PRINCIPAL, THE PRINCIPAL THERE WAS TELLING ME SHE WAS HAVING TO TELL STAFF TO GO HOME BECAUSE THEY WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT, UH, WHAT THEY WERE GETTING AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING OVER THERE.
SO, JUST A SHOUT OUT TO THE PRINCIPAL, AND I ADMIT I'M OLD, I CANNOT REMEMBER HER NAME, BUT TAKE MS. TATE.
UH, MY APOLOGIES, MS NO OFFENSE MEANT TATE, BUT TO YOU AND TO ALL OF YOUR FACULTY AND STAFF AT PARK FOR THE GREAT JOB THAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND I WANNA SEE THAT REPEATED AT CAPITOL.
UM, SUPERINTENDENT NARCIS, UM, I'M, I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE, UH, THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS I THINK WHAT, WHAT, UM, MS. BERNARD DID WAS CHANGE SOME WORDING IN THAT YOU WOULD BE CHOOSING THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW, WHAT KIND OF MAKEUP ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? YOU KNOW, I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THE COMMUNITY PIECE BEING INVOLVED IN, IN THAT BOARD.
UM, DO YOU HAVE CERTAIN IDEAS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF KINDS OF POSITIONS THAT, THAT, UM, YOU'D BE LOOKING TO, UH, IMPLEMENT THERE? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT QUESTION.
MORGAN JACKSON? UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH PARK, UH, WE WOULD HAVE THE INDUSTRY PARTNER, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE CEO OF BATON ROUGE GENERAL.
UM, THE, UH, ALSO, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, AS YOU NOTICED, WE HAVE OUR, UM, UH, CAPITAL ALUMNI.
UH, WE ALSO LOOK AT ADDING FAITH BASE ON THERE, UH, AS WELL AS ANY ADDITIONAL PARTNERS, UH, WITH SUPPORT FROM EBR R STAFF AS WELL BEING ON THERE.
SO, UH, IN OUR CURRENT FOCUS CHOICE BYLAWS, UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, A'S A TOTAL MEMBER OF, UH, COUNCIL, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE FOCUS CHOICE MIND IS ABOUT 11 MEMBERS, IS THAT CORRECT? I BELIEVE SO, YES.
AND SO IN THAT BYLAWS AND THAT, THAT IS THE MAKEUP OF MOST OF OUR FOCUSED CHOICE SCHOOLS, THE BOARD, UM, UH, THE, THE 5 0 1 CUN
UM, BUT THAT WOULD BE THEIR DECISION.
UH, BUT THE CORE MAKEUP IS COMMUNITY, UH, UH, CAPITAL ALUMNI COMMUNITY, UM, UH, THE INDUSTRY PARTNERS YOU SAW AT BATON ROUGE GENERAL WILL BE A PART OF THAT.
UM, ALSO, UH, FAITH-BASED WILL BE A PART OF THAT.
UM, AND, UH, UM, ALSO EBR R STAFF FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR STAFF.
[03:20:01]
BOARD IS FORMED, THEY, THEY THEN CAN DECIDE ON, UH, BASED ON THE FOCUS CHOICE BYLAWS, WHETHER TO ADD SOMEONE, TAKE ONE OFF, AND SO THAT THEY WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ALUMNI AND YOU KNOW, PROBABLY SOME OF THEM HAVE, HAVE, UH, YES.
SO, SO THE, ONCE THE CORE PART OF THE BOARD IS PUT TOGETHER, THEY THEN WILL BEGIN TO WORK THROUGH ON CHOOSING VARIOUS COMPONENTS AND MORE THAT'S CORRECT.
MORE COMPONENTS, BUT WE, WE ALWAYS, IN OUR CURRENT FOCUS CHOICE MODEL, MAKE SURE MINIMALLY THAT THERE IS A COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THERE, UH, THE INDUSTRY PARTNER, UH, FAITH-BASED, BE A PART OF THAT.
UH, AND ALSO, UH, EBR R STAFF.
AND THEN THEY DECIDE ON WHAT ADDITIONAL ADDITIONS ON THERE, UH, TO BE ON THAT.
AND THAT'S JUST OUR CORE FOR ANY FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL.
SO SIMILAR TO PARK ELEMENTARY'S, UH, MAKEUP NOW.
WELL, UH, OH, AND ALSO THE WATER COASTAL SCHOOL WITH LSU
THE WHAT? I'M SORRY? OUR WATER COASTAL SCHOOL.
SO IT'S THE SAME KIND OF MODEL.
WELL, WELL, I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU ALSO CONSIDERING THAT AS WE LOOK AT THE WHOLE REIMAGINE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, TO, TO ADD THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, IN PARTICULAR, UH, PARENTS WHO ARE INVOLVED, JUST AS WE WOULD DO WITH, UH, WITH, WITH THIS MODEL.
CUZ THEY DEFINITELY NEED TO, TO BE AT THE TABLE, UH, IN, IN THE DEVELOPMENT THERE, AS WELL AS IN EVERY COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, IN PARTICULAR AT, AT, UM, PARK AND CAPITAL AND, UH, AND BASICALLY ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE UNDERGOING SOME CHANGES.
UH, NO OTHER COMMENTS I SEE FROM THE BOARD.
UH, MADAME SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
UH, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, I'LL JUST SAY POINT OF PUBLIC, PUBLIC PRIVILEGE, PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 15 MINUTES REMAINING.
AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT LEFT ON THAT, UH, ON THAT NEW BUSINESS, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP EVERYBODY MINDFUL OF THAT.
[H.3. J. K. Haynes Charter School-Charter Surrender]
ITEM THREE, JK HAYNES CHARTER SCHOOL, UH, CHARTER SURRENDER, UH, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO ACCEPT THE SURRENDER OF A CHARTER BY JK HAYNES CHARTER SCHOOL, UH, BOARD.UM, UH, MR. SHALIN, UH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO THE BOARD THE CONTEXT OF THIS.
UH, AND I WILL LET THE BOARD KNOW WE RECEIVED COMMUNICATION AFTER THE 5:00 PM DEADLINE ON YESTERDAY.
I MAILED A MEMO FROM THEIR COUNSEL TO THE BOARD TODAY, UM, HEAD OF THIS MEETING.
UH, ESSENTIALLY, UH, IF YOU REMEMBER, WE HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH CHILDREN'S CHARTER A YEAR AGO.
UH, ONE OF OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS TYPE ONE CHARTERS IS SURRENDERING A CHARTER PER THEIR COUNCIL.
THEIR BOARD HAS ALREADY VOTED TO DO SO.
UM, AND SO THIS IS JUST REALLY AN ACTION BY OUR BOARD TO ACCEPT THAT SURRENDER.
AND IF I COULD JUST ADD ADDITIONAL CONTEXT TO THAT, UM, UH, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, THE JK HAYNES, UH, UH, BOARD AND, UH, THEIR PARTNERS.
I SEE MS. UH, THE HAYNES, UM, UH, FAMILIES HERE, UM, WHERE WE, UH, DISCUSSED ABOUT BECOMING, UH, THE, CREATING THE FIRST TEACHER SCHOOL.
UM, AND, UH, THE, UH, WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH, UH, THE JK HAYNES, UM, UH, SCHOOL AND, UH, BOARD AND DISCUSSED THE PROPOSAL, UH, UH, CONCERNING THAT.
UM, AND ALSO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LSU AND SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
UH, I KNOW I DID THINK I SAW SOME OF THE PROFESSORS THAT WERE HERE.
I THINK I DO SEE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, AND I'LL GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, BUT THE GOAL WOULD BE IS, UM, THAT IN OUR DISCUSSION IS THAT THEY WOULD BECOME A FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL.
AND IN THAT FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL, UH, WOULD BECOME OUR TEACHER, UH, FOCUS CHOICE TEACHER SCHOOL.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PIPELINE SHORTAGE THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AROUND BECOMING A TEACHER SCHOOL.
UM, LSU AND SOUTHERNER DEANS AND PROVOST, WHO HAS ALSO SPOKE WITH THE PRESIDENTS OF, UH, THE UNIVERSITY, WERE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THE, UM, WE HAD THE CONVERSATION, UH, WITH, UH, THE JK HAYNES, UM, UH, BOARD AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.
AND, UH, WE FELT THAT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP, UH, TO GO IN THIS INNOVATIVE WAY.
AND, UH, UM, WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND SO, UH, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE.
BUT THE BOARD ACTION WOULD BE TO, UH, THEY WOULD SURRENDER THEIR CHARTER, AND THEN WE WILL THEN, UH, BRING THE, UM, THE PROPOSAL FOR
[03:25:01]
GRAY CONFIGURATION, UH, AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, UM, CONCERNING, UH, THIS TEACHER'S SCHOOL.AND I ALSO, UM, UH, SO WHAT WE CAN DO IS I'LL GO THROUGH BOARD MEMBER LANA TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE ON THE QUEUE.
OH, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? WE NEED THE MOTION.
YOU HAVE A MOTION? UH, BOARD MEMBER HOWARD, UH, MOTION IS THERE A SECOND BOARD MEMBER LANIS.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, CUZ YOU ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED THE HAYES FAMILY, AND I KNOW THIS, YOU KNOW, MUST HAVE BEEN A DIFFICULT DECISION.
UM, BUT YOU'RE MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, AS FROM THE DISTRICT LEVEL, THE JK HA'S NAME WILL NOT DIE, IT WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE ON, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPLIFT THAT NAME ALL THROUGHOUT THIS DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
IT'S STILL BREATHING AS LONG AS YOU ARE ALIVE, AS LONG AS KIDS CAN GO TO THAT SCHOOL, IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO BE THAT WAY.
WE'RE GONNA NOW GO TO THE PUBLIC.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT JK HAYNES CHARTER SCHOOL.
I, I'M NORMALLY IN OUR POSITION OF A LOT OF CHARTERS, HOWEVER, JK HAYNES CHARTER IS THE FIRST CHARTER SCHOOL THAT WE HAD IN THIS ENTIRE STATE.
JK HAYNES CHARTER SCHOOL FIRST STARTED HERE AS A VISION OF WANTING TO HELP CHILDREN, ALL CHILDREN SOCIOECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE, DISABLED RICH LANGUAGE SPEAKING, UH, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, IT DIDN'T MATTER.
EDUCATING CHILDREN WAS THE FOCUS AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN HELPING THE CHILDREN AND HELPING THEIR FAMILIES.
THIS, THIS SCHOOL STARTED OFF ON TJ JEMISON STREET AT FIRST MOUNT ZION, AND IT MOVED TO THE OLD HARDON ELEMENTARY BUILDING.
THIS SCHOOL HAS BEEN A PHENOMENAL ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE STATE.
I WILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO ANY AND EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT JK HAYNES CHARTER CAN ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO BE THE LIGHT IN THE, IN THE CITY AND IN THE STATE THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN.
THIS SCHOOL EXEMPLIFIED ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE TO THE EXTREME.
IF I COULD TELL MS. HAYNES, BOTH OF THEM, I LOVE THEM AND I LOVE THEIR SCHOOL BECAUSE THEIR SCHOOL IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE FAMILY CAN THRIVE.
HELPING EVERY MEMBER IN THE FAMILY HELPS THE CHILD, AND THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
WE TALK ABOUT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, BUT THEY ACTUALLY SHOW IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I THINK THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN LEARN A LOT FROM JK HAYNES CHARTER SCHOOL, BUT I THINK WE JUST REALLY NEED TO PUT THE FUNDING THERE TO HELP THEM.
THIS SCHOOL, THAT SCHOOL MADE SURE THAT THEY HAD A ACTUAL, UH, GARDEN TO ALLOW ACCESS TO FRESH FOOD IN A AREA THAT'S A FOOD DESERT.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT SCHOOLS LIKE THAT EXIST AND CONTINUE TO EXIST IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY'RE, THAT NIGHT, THEY NOT ONLY HAVE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE ESPORTS.
AND WE ONLY HAVE THREE SCHOOLS IN THIS ENTIRE STATE THAT HAVE ESPORTS, JK HAINES, CHARTER, NORTHEAST HIGH AND SOUTHERN LAB.
SO WE HAVE TO KEEP SCHOOLS LIKE THIS THAT ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I KNOW THAT MR. HOWARD AND MR. LANDIS AND I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT WE AGREE ON THIS.
JK HAYNES CHARTER IS A BEACON OF LIGHT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY, THEY FAMILIES, AUNTS, UNCLES, GRAND GRANDCHILDREN, AND EVERYBODY IN, IN BETWEEN, INCLUDING THE DOG MATTER.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THEM AND GIVE THEM EVERYTHING AND THEN SOME.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY ONE THING.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE ESPORTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.
UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY ONE OF THE LEADING DISTRICTS OF ESPORTS, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T JUST SAY THREE
SO, UH, BUT, UH, BUT THANK YOU MS. CORLEY FOR THAT.
WELL, WE, WE, WE DO NEED TO, UH, UM, UH, UH, ATTORNEY CHALIN, JUST, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE WE'RE AT 8 52.
SO, PER POLICY, PER DISTRICT POLICY AT EIGHT 50, TECHNICALLY, UH, WE NEED TO TABLE THIS MOTION TEMPORARILY AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO EXTEND THE MEETING BY 30
[03:30:01]
MINUTES.THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE THIS.
IF THE MOTION SUCCEEDS, UH, WITH A, WITH A, AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, WE RETURN TO THE TABLED MOTION AND CONTINUE THE MEETING UNTIL NINE 30.
IF THE MOTION FAILS, WE WILL FINISH THE ITEM THAT WAS TABLED AND THEN CLOSE THE MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND, MR. JACK? A SECOND.
UM, WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT, DON'T WE? YES, SIR.
WE, WE'LL HAVE TO GO TO THE AUDIENCE YEP.
SO, I, I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ALSO MAKE THE COMMENT THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF TIMES SENSITIVE, UH, DEADLINE ITEMS FOLLOWING THIS, UH, MOTION.
SO, UH, I ASK THAT THE, UH, BOARD AND THE AUDIENCE BE VERY, UH, CONSCIOUS OF, UH, EXTRANEOUS COMMENTS.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE ALONG THE AGENDA BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME THINGS ON THE, THE PUPIL PROGRESSION AND THE TEST SECURITY THAT ARE TIME SENSITIVE THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE.
UH, SECOND, MS. JACKSON, MS. WARD.
WE'LL GO TO THE PUBLIC ON THE MOTION OF EXTENDING THE MEETING FOR BY 30 MINUTES.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD IDEA TO PUT AN ARTIFICIAL TIME LIMIT ON MEETINGS, AND THIS IS WHY.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MS. CORLEY? GIVE ME ENOUGH TIME TO WRITE.
UM, I, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD EXTEND THE MEETING, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD, UH, LEAVE IT JERMAINE TO 30 MINUTES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TOPICS THAT MAY TAKE LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES.
PLUS YOU HAVE THE, UH, PRESENTATIONS AND TRYING TO LIMIT PUBLIC INPUT THAT IS GONNA BE A VIOLATION OF LAW.
AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE UNNECESSARY LITIGATION, WHICH I KNOW LITIGATION EXPENSES IS ONE OF OUR PRESENTATIONS THAT'LL BE COMING UP.
SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE EXTEND THIS MEETING, THAT WE DO NOT TRY TO LIMIT THE PUBLIC COMMENT, BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE INTERFERING WITH THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT.
TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE THOROUGH COMMENTARY ON THESE TOPICS AS DESCRIBED IN OPEN MEETING LAW AND ROBERT RULES OF WATER.
SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT, I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO FILE.
JUST GO AHEAD AND EXTEND THE MEETING TO JUST SAY THAT WE ARE GONNA EXTEND THE MEETING UNTIL WE END IT AND MAKE IT MAYBE 45 MINUTES.
I DON'T THINK Y'ALL PRESENTATIONS ARE GONNA BE 20 OR 30 MINUTES.
SO IF WE CAN LIMIT THE PRESENTATIONS, BUT NOT LIMIT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, THEN WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE IN, UH, WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW.
NO OTHER COMMENTS BACK TO THE BOARD.
UM, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
WE WILL, UH, GO BACK TO, UM, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
JAMES FINNEY, THIS SAYS, COMMENT ON THE J KA HAYES CHARTER SCHOOL SURRENDER.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JK HAYNES AS A TYPE ONE CHARTER BOARD, DOES NOT INTEND TO OPERATE IN THE COMING YEAR.
HOWEVER, THEIR BOARD HAS NOT LEGALLY MET BASED ON THE FACT THAT THEIR LAST MEETING WAS VIRTUAL.
AFTER VIRTUAL MEETINGS ARE NO LONGER LEGAL, AND NOR THEREFORE, IN ORDER TO HAVE EVERYTHING PROPER, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT BOARD TO HAVE A LEGAL PUBLIC MEETING VOTE TO, UM, SURRENDER THE CHARTER AND DO THAT PROMPTLY.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE STAFF TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHARTER BOARDS UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION'S CONTROL START COMPLYING WITH OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
UM, AND WITH RESPECT TO ANYTHING YOU INTEND TO DO WITH FOCUS CHOICE, I WILL BE COUNTING ON SEEING A COPY OF THOSE BYLAWS AND THOSE 11 MEMBER COMMITTEES, BECAUSE WHEN I ASK FOR THE FOCUS CHOICE BYLAWS, THEY DIDN'T EXIST YET.
I'M GONNA GUESS THEY REALLY DON'T EXIST STILL, BUT I'M WILLING TO BE PROVEN INCORRECT TOMORROW.
[03:35:02]
OR PROFESSOR JEAN DYER.WHAT? COME HERE, PROFESSOR DYER.
YOU WANT TO, UH, TELL ME YOU REPRESENT WHICH UNIVERSITY? YES,
JEAN DIER, CLINICAL DIRECTOR FOR, UH, RESIDENCY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK, UH, ON HAVING TO APPROVE THE JK HAYNES FOCUS SCHOOL, AND THAT WE WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH THEM AND LSU ALL ALONG IN, IN PROMOTING THIS, UH, PROJECT.
UM, I WAS JUST ASKED TO COME UP HERE AND ASK THAT, UH, WHATEVER WAS PROVIDED TO THE BOARD ON THIS ITEM.
ALSO BE UPLOADED TO BOARD DOCS, PLEASE.
UH, I HAVE, UH, MS. UH, KIMBERLY HAYNES, UH, WHICH I'D LIKE TO ALLOW.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, MS. HAYES, ONE MORE THING.
IS THERE A PROFESSOR FROM LSU? I, ANYONE FROM THE LSU SIDE HERE? I THINK I SAW SOME FOLKS BEFORE.
KIMBERLY HAINES, THE CURRENT DIRECTOR OF JK HAES CHARTER SCHOOLS, INC.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OUR FACULTY AND STAFF ADMINISTRATOR AND OUR SCHOLARS, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEXT VENTURE.
WE JUST CELEBRATED OUR 25TH, OUR SILVER ANNIVERSARY AS ONE OF THE OLDEST CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO 25 PLUS MORE YEARS WITH THIS NEW INITIATIVE.
WE'RE VERY HAPPY, UH, SUPERINTENDENT NAIS AND ATTORNEY SHALIN FOR WORKING WITH US ON THIS VENTURE.
WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE VENTURE STAYS AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT WE BOTH, BOTH PARTIES WORK DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL COMES TO FRUITION.
WE APPRECIATE YOU, UM, UH, BOARD, UH, BOARD MEMBER LAK, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE.
THIS COMES AT A GREAT TIME FOR US BECAUSE AS WE ARE, WE'RE CELEBRATING 25 YEARS WITH MY MOTHER, DIANA HAINES, AND MY FATHER, MAURICE HAYNES, BUILDING THIS LEGACY THAT WAS NAMED AFTER MY LATE GRANDFATHER, JK HAYNES.
UM, HE WAS A TRUE CIVIL RIGHTS TEACHER RIGHTS ADVOCATE, AND FOR US TO BE EMBARKING ON THIS VENTURE, UH, BEING ABLE TO EMBRACE SCHOLARS AND STUDENTS WHO ARE FOCUSED ON TEACHING AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO BE IN THIS VENTURE WITH EAST BAN ROUGE PARISH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE MANY, MANY ROADS AHEAD.
NO OTHER COMMENTS BY THE BOARD.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
UH, RIGHT BEFORE WE GO, JUST WANTED TO THANK THE HAYNES FAMILY AND THE BOARD.
UM, THIS IS GOING TO BE, UM, WE THINK TREMENDOUS FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO HAVE A SCHOOL FOCUS ON THE TEACHING PROFESSION.
UH, WHEN WE WENT AND HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESIDENT SHIELDS, THE NEW PRESIDENT AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, AND DEAN PEOPLES, AND THE FACULTY AT SOUTHERN, AS WELL AS DEAN ROLAND MITCHELL, NOT HERE, UH, AND ALSO THE PROVOST, THE NEW PROVOST AT LSU AROUND, UH, THIS EXCITEMENT ABOUT, UH, US, UH, CREATING THE FIRST TEACHING SCHOOL WHERE THE TEACHING PROFESSION, UH, THEY WERE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND WE WANT TO THANK THE HAYNES FAMILY AND THE, THE BOARD ON EMBARKING WITH US IN ENTRUSTING, UH, THE E B R SCHOOL SYSTEM, UH, TO HELP WITH THIS TRANSITION.
WE WILL, UH, BE BRINGING A PROPOSAL BACK TO THE NEW BOARD, UH, CONCERNING CONFIGURATION.
UH, BUT WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE TREMENDOUSLY EXCITED, AND THIS BOARD IS ALSO, UH, TREMENDOUSLY EXCITED.
WE DID A WORKSHOP AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT EVERY BOARD MEMBER SAID WE NEEDED THIS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR ONCE AGAIN LEADING, UH, THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IN THIS SPACE.
[H.4. Pupil Progression-Revised]
ITEM, UH, FOUR PUPIL PROGRESSION.REVISE H FOUR, I'M SORRY, H FOUR CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE ADDITION TO THE 2022 2023 PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN AS REQUIRED BY THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
UH, SO MOVE BOARD MEMBER GODDE.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BOARD MEMBER DYSON.
UH, ANY, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? NO COMMENT FROM THE BOARD.
UH, ANY COMMENTS FROM, NO COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC.
[03:40:01]
GO BACK TO THE BOARD.AND I LOST MY NOTES RIGHT WHEN I NEEDED THEM A AROUND THAT, BUT THERE WAS SOME DATES ON THE MEMORANDUM THAT SEEMED OFF.
UM, IT, IT MENTIONED I THINK, UH, 2021 AND THEN, UM, SOMETHING WITH, ANYWAY, THERE WAS SOME, SOME DATES IN THERE.
THERE WERE BOARD MEMBER WRONG.
CHIEF OSKY COULD PROBABLY RESPOND THAT FROM, YEAH, THE MEMORANDUM IN FRONT OF ME IF THERE WAS A TYPO, BUT I THINK I CAN LEND SOME CLARITY TO THE TIMELINE FOR YOU THAT MIGHT HELP ON DECEMBER THE SECOND AND THEIR SYSTEM LEADERS CALL THE, THAT'S THE DAY AFTER THE CAL, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INFORMED SUPERINTENDENTS AND DISTRICT STAFF THAT BEST, THAT DUE TO THE FACT THAT BESSIE CHANGED BULLETIN 1566 IN OCTOBER, IT'S OUT ON NOTICE OF INTENT.
IT WILL BECOME OFFICIAL IN FEBRUARY OF 2023.
THEN ALL LOCAL DISTRICTS AND CHARTERS WHO SERVE AS THEIR OWN E A, HAVE TO ADOPT AN, UM, ADDENDUM TO THEIR PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN.
THERE IS NO PROMPT WHERE THE LO WHERE THE LOCAL AGENCY CAN RESPOND OR HAVE FLEXIBILITY.
AND SO IN THAT BACKUP, YOU'LL SEE THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MEMO WITH THE ADDENDUM THAT THE EXACT VERBIAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADOPTED, AS WELL AS THE SIGNATURE SHEET FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD PRESIDENT.
UH, THIS IS TIMELY AND WE DO HAVE TO SUBMIT IT IN JANUARY.
AND THERE'S A TYPE OF APOLOGIZE THAT WAS IN OUR RUSH TO GET THIS IN BECAUSE, UH, WE OBVIOUSLY MISSED THE COW.
AND THE SUBMISSION DUE DATE WAS OCTOBER 1ST, 2021.
THAT'S WHEN WE SUBMITTED IT ORIGINALLY.
AND THEN ONE OTHER THING IN THE LIST OF, UM, THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.
UM, 1.8 SAYS THERE IS AN ANNUAL THREE TO FIVE PERCENTAGE POINT INCREASE IN THE DROPOUT RATE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON, YOU'VE MEANT DECREASE, RIGHT? WE PROBABLY MEANT DECREASE.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, PROGRESSION CONTRIBUTES TO MANY OF OUR KPIS.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WASN'T TIED INTO NO, MA'AM.
UH, I SEE NO OTHER QUESTIONS BY THE BOARD.
UH, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
OH, DID WE GO TO POLL? I THOUGHT WE DID FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[H.5. Test Security Policy]
H FIVE TEST SECURITY POLICY, CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE 2022 2023 EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM TEST SECURITY POLICY.UM, IS THERE A MOTION, MOTION BOARD MEMBER HOWARD? IS THERE A SECOND BOARD MEMBER GO DAY? UH, I SEE NO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
UH, THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.
[H.6. Property Casualty Insurance RFP Selection]
H SIX, PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURANCE, R F P SELECTION.CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SELECTION OF MARSH MCLEAN AGENCY ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER INSURANCE SERVICES TO PROVIDE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE BROKER SERVICES, AND TO AUTHORIZE A SUPERINTENDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, FUNDING SOURCE GENERAL FUND.
MR. MOTION, UM, MOTION FROM BOARD MEMBER GO DAY.
THERE'S SECOND BOARD MEMBER HOWARD.
UH, THERE'S NO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
UH, AND THERE ARE NO COMMENT CARDS.
UH, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.
[03:45:25]
UH, IF IT'S NOT REGISTERED, COULD WE JUST DO A ROLL CALL? UH, JUST GO AHEAD.JUST, Y'ALL GONNA HAVE TO VOTE AGAIN.
OH, UM, I GOT YOU NOW, BUT EVERYBODY'S GOTTA VOTE AGAIN.
CAN WE CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE? IS THAT TOO MUCH? THE ROLL CALL? OH, NO, I, THIS IS MY LAST VOTE, SO I WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
[I.1. Litigation Expenses]
UH, THIS IS PRESENTATION.LITIGATION EXPENSES, REVIEW OF LITIGATION EXPENSES.
I ACTUALLY CALL UP MS. LOPEZ AND SHE COMPILED THE NUMBERS FOR US.
I THINK SHE CAN, UH, SPEAK TO SOME OF THIS.
UM, SO I'VE COMPELLED THREE YEARS FROM 19 20, 20 21 AND 2022 BECAUSE IT GIVES ME A FULL YEAR OF LITIGATION EXPENSES.
SO FOR 1920, OUR BUDGET WAS 350,000.
OUR WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS WERE THREE AND A HALF MILLION.
AND OUR RISK MANAGEMENT CLAIMS WERE 600,000, $27,000.
AND THE REASON I MENTIONED THIS IS BECAUSE LITIGATION CHARGE EXPENSES ARE VERY HARD TO JUDGE.
UM, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT LAWSUITS ARE GONNA POP UP.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE'S GONNA GET HURT.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS TIE INTO IT.
OUR LITIGATION BUDGET WAS $475,000, BUT WE HAD AN ACTUAL BUDGET OF $550,000, WHICH SEEMS LIKE AN EXCESSIVE OVERAGE.
BUT AT THAT SAME TIME, WE HAD WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS OF 7.3 MILLION IN RISK MANAGEMENT OF 2.4.
THAT WAS AN EXTREMELY HIGH YEAR.
SO THOSE LITIGATION CHARGES ARE ACTUALLY MUCH LOWER THAN THEY PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
UM, WE CLEARED A LOT OF THINGS OFF THE BOOKS THAT YEAR.
WE, WE CLEARED A LOT OF OLD CLAIMS, THINGS THAT NEEDED TO GO AWAY BECAUSE THEY JUST KEPT PILING UP, PILING UP, PILING UP.
WE HAD AN ACTUAL BUDGET OF 478,000.
OUR WORKERS' CLAIMS ACTUALLY WENT DOWN TO 3 MILLION.
OUR RISK MANAGEMENT CLAIMS WERE STILL UP AT 2.3, BUT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT CUZ SOME CASES TAKE YEARS TO ACTUALLY SOLVE.
YOU CAN SEE ACTUALLY WHEN THEY DID THE ACTUARY COST TO THE OPEB AND THE PENSION, A LOT OF THAT STUFF, THE WORKERS CLAIMS, THESE, THESE OLD CASES, THESE OLD STAFF MEMBERS OR WHATEVER THAT WERE STILL IN THE BOOKS ARE SLOWLY COMING OFF.
THEREFORE, OUR PENSION LIABILITIES, ALL OF OUR LIABILITIES ARE GOING DOWN.
SO WHILE YES, OUR LITIGATION CHARGES HAVE GONE UP, UM, WE HAVE CLEARED A LOT OF OLD THINGS OFF OF WORKER'S COMP.
OUR WORKER'S COMP IS GONNA START GOING DOWN.
I FORESEE LITIGATION GOING DOWN, BUT I CAN'T PROMISE THAT BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE LIVE IN A VERY LITIGIOUS SOCIETY.
I MEAN, AND ONCE THESE THINGS COME UP, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM.
UM, SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
UM, I FEEL THAT THEY HAVE BEEN IN PERFECTLY GOOD RANGE.
WHEN YOU COMPARE THEM TO WHAT WE DO WITH THE FUNDING, THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE RIGHT WHERE THEY OUGHT TO BE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, BOARD MEMBER? LANCE? YES.
UM, I JUST, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, HOW MANY DIFFERENT FIRMS ARE WE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH? WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, FOR LITIGATION PURPOSES, TWO FIRMS APPROVED BY RESOLUTION, PHELPS DUNBAR HAMMONDS, AND SEALS.
WE UTILIZE SOME OTHER FIRMS FOR VERY SPECIALIZED WORK, UH, SUCH AS TAX ELECTION WORK.
SO WE, WE HAVE SOME FIRMS USE FOR SPECIALIZED WORK, BUT OUR TWO PRIMARY FIRMS ARE HAMMONDS AND SEALS PHELPS DUNBAR.
NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? UH, THANK YOU.
WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO ON PRESENTATION'S DAY OF HOPE LITIGATION UPDATE.
[03:50:01]
BOARD MEMBER SHALIN.AGAIN, YOU MAY BE A BOARD MEMBER.
WE'LL, COUNCIL, WE WILL NEED TO PAUSE THE MEETING AS WE ARE, WE ARE BELOW A QUORUM AT THIS POINT.
SO DO YOU WANNA, WE WILL NEED TO PAUSE THE MEETING UNTIL OUR FIFTH MEMBER RETURNS.
UH, SHE WENT, DID SHE LEAVE? SHE DID NOT LEAVE.
TEMPORARY UNTIL WE HAVE A QUORUM.
ARE WE RECONVENE THE MEETING? UH, BOARD MEMBER SHALIN, I MEAN, COUNCIL SHALIN.
SO, UM, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THIS NEXT CONVERSATION,
[I.2. Day of Hope Litigation Update]
UH, RELATED TO DAY OF HOPE, UH, THERE WAS A REQUEST, ACTUALLY A VOTE TAKEN BY THE BOARD BACK IN OCTOBER, WHICH FAILED, UH, TO, TO SEEK A REPORT ON DAY OF HOPE.UM, AS COUNSEL, I DECIDED TO MOVE AHEAD, UH, TO PROVIDE THE SUPERINTENDENT WITH SOME INTERNAL INFORMATION FOR IMPROVEMENTS AND CHANGES.
UM, I'VE ASKED COUNSEL, UM, DENNIS BLUNT, TO BE HERE AS HIS FIRM CONDUCTED THAT FORCE INDEPENDENTLY.
WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, BECAUSE SOME OF THE INFORMATION SHARED, UM, IS OF A NATURE THAT BY STATUTE, UM, IT IS, IT'S AN EXEMPTION FROM OUR OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
UM, AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND A SECOND TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, FOLLOWED BY AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF TWO THIRDS OF THE VOTE OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT.
SO, I, I THINK THAT'S THREE OF FIVE.
I I'LL MOVE THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MR. BELU, IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? MR. BLUE? OKAY.
ANY, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, MS. JACKSON? NO.
THEN WE WILL GO TO THE PUBLIC.
I COULD BE MISTAKEN, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THAT THIS AGENDA ITEM HAD WITH IT THE REQUIRED LANGUAGE WITH RESPECT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IS THAT I WOULD DISCOURAGE YOU FROM GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? NOT THAT IT'LL DO ANY GOOD.
AND AS THE TIME DRAWS NEAR, I'M TEMPTED TO STAND HERE FOR TWO HOURS.
TWO MINUTES AND 34 SECONDS, BUT I WON'T.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY.
UM, BOARD MEMBER JACKSON, I REALIZE WE NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT JUST SO THE PUBLIC WILL KNOW, THE, THE MAIN QUESTION IS, IS AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHAT INVESTIGATION AND OUTREACH, UH, TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS WHO WERE IMPACTED HAS BEEN DONE.
SO, UH, WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
JUST REAL QUICK, JUST REAL QUICK.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT, UM, SOME OF US BOARD MEMBERS WERE FULLY AWARE AND HAD BEEN, UM, AND IT HAD BEEN CONFIRMED THAT AN, UH, INVESTIGATION WAS ONGOING ALREADY WHEN THE AGENDA ITEM CAME ABOUT THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND I'D LIKE TO GO ON RECORD AS SAYING THAT I HAD FULL KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE I DO MY HOMEWORK AS A BOARD MEMBER AND KNEW THAT GOING INTO THAT VOTE.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GET IN THE SYSTEM.
DISTRICT FIVE, MS. WARE JACKSON? YES.
WE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[J.1. Organizational Items]
J ONE, BOARD MEMBER BELU.UM, THERE WILL BE A SWEARING IN CEREMONY TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 5TH, 2023 AT 4:30 PM AT THE IRC.
UH, SPECIAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 5TH, 2023 AT 6:30 PM IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE BOARDROOM.
[03:55:01]
TRAINING TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 6TH, 2023 AT THE LOUISIANA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION OFFICE.SOME OR ALL BOARD MEMBERS MAY ATTEND.
THERE WILL BE A BOARD RETREAT TO BE HELD JANUARY 13TH THROUGH 14TH, UH, 2023 AT A LO LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED.
UH, THERE WILL BE A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 12TH, 2023 AT 5:00 PM IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE BOARDROOM, AND A REGULAR BOARD MEETING TO BE HELD JANUARY 19TH, 2023 AT 5:00 PM IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE BOARDROOM.
THAT CONCLUDES THE ORGANIZATIONAL ITEMS. AYE.
MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN
EVERY, UH, FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAY I MOVE TO ADJOURN AND START MY NEW LIFE.