[00:00:03]
OKAY.[A. Notice]
WELCOME EVERYONE.THIS IS THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THIS MEETING IS BEING TAKEN PLACE VIRTUALLY.
AND SO I WILL READ THE NOTICE.
UM, THIS NOTICE IS IN REFERENCE TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD CERTIFICATION, PURSUANT TO GUBERNATORIAL PROCLAMATION JV E 2020 DASH 30 REGARDING BOARD MEMBER PARTICIPATION BY TELEPHONE OR VIDEO CONFERENCE, AS IT RELATES TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT DUE TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY CAUSED BY THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 COVID-19 AND THE STAY AT HOME ORDERS ISSUED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND GOVERNOR EDWARDS.
THE EAST BOUNDARY IS FAIR SCHOOL BOARD DURATION.
THIS IS EMERGENCY CONDUCT BOARD MEETINGS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS ELECTRONICALLY VIA TELEPHONE.
AND OUR VIDEO CONFERENCE, THE REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED JULY 16TH, 2020 AT 5:00 PM WILL BE STREAMED LIVE VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS. HE HITS A LINK TO WATCH THE MEETING CAN BE FOUND ON BOARD DOCS LOCATED ON THE SCHOOL BOARDS WEBSITE, UH, EDR SCHOOLS.ORG/ABOUT A PERIOD FOR WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE PROVIDED BEFORE THE MEETING, AS WELL AS BEFORE EACH ACTION IS TAKEN BY THE BOARD ON AN ACTION ITEM, INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE PROPOSED POSTED ACTION ITEMS WILL NEED TO CLICK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM ON BOARD DOCS AND SUBMIT VIA THE HIGHLIGHTED PUBLIC COMMENT HYPERLINK ON THE AGENDA ITEM DETAILS.
AND I WILL ADD AT THIS POINT UPON CLOSING AND THE COMMENTS THE BOARD PRESIDENT WILL READ INTO THE RECORD, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT I SUBMITTED, AND I WILL ADD THAT, UH, ANONYMOUS COMMENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.
YOU MUST STATE YOUR FULL NAME WITHIN THE, IN THE COMMENTS.
[B. Meeting Opening]
SO WITH THAT, WE WILL HAVE THE CALL TO ORDER, UH, AND THE INVOCATION, THE INVOCATION WILL BE DONE BY VICE PRESIDENT TRAMELL HOWARD AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WHERE MARK BELIEVES OR MR. HOWARD, THANK YOU PRESIDENT, IF YOU COMPLETED BY YOUR HEAD, UM, AS WE GO BEFORE THE LORD IN PRAYER, FATHER, GOD, I JUST THANK YOU RIGHT NOW FOR THIS MOMENT AND THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MEET BEFORE YOU AND ME BEFORE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, AS WE MAKE DECISIONS RELATED TO OUR STUDENTS AND RELATED TO OUR FAMILY AND FATHER, GOD, WE KNOW THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, BUT THEY DO A PANDEMIC IN OUR SOCIETY.FATHER, GOD, WE ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND YOUR STRENGTH AS WE PERSEVERE THROUGH THIS MOMENT.
AND AS WE ALWAYS DO, WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AS WE MAKE DECISIONS ON TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR SAFE TRAVELS WITH THOSE WHO'VE HAD TO TRAVEL NEAR AND FOR ME TO GIVE YOU ALL THE GLORY ON THEIR PRICE FOR THIS DAY IN JESUS NAME, I PRAY AMEN.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU NOW PLEASE CONDUCT THE ROLL CALL DISTRICT SEVEN PRESIDENT GO DAY HERE, DISTRICT THREE, VICE PRESIDENT HOWARD DISTRICT ONE.
MR. BLUE DISTRICT TWO, MR. LANDIS HERE DISTRICT FOUR.
MS. COLLINS PRESENT DISTRICT FIVE, MS. WARD JACKSON.
THIS IS WHERE JACKSON DID WE LOSE HER?
[C. Minutes]
UH, FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM C ONE, THE MEETING MINUTES APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES OF THE JUNE, 1820 20 REGULAR BOARD MEETING JULY 1ST, 2020 AND JULY 9TH, 2020 SPECIAL BOARD MEETINGS AND THE JULY 9TH, 2020 COMMITTEE.THE WHOLE MEETING AS PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REGISTER MOVES ON THE MINUTES.
UH, DO I HAVE A SECOND SECOND BY MR. HOWARD? ANY,
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ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD REGARDING THE MINUTES SEEING NONE? THERE ARE COMMENTS, UH, ON THE COMMENT LINE, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE MISPLACED ON DIFFERENT ITEMS. UH, UH, I WILL HOLD THESE COMMENTS TO THE ITEMS, UH, COME UP.ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD SEEING NONE.
I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE COW.
DO YOU WANT TO ABSTAIN? YOU CAN QUICK ABSTAIN, MR.
[D1. Monthly Financial Report]
WE MOVE ON TO ITEM D ONE, THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT, WHICH IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.UH, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ARE QUESTIONS AROUND THE MONTHLY FINANCIALS SAYING NONE.
[D2. Personnel Changes]
WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM D TO THE PERSONNEL CHANGES, WHICH IS AGAIN FOR INFORMATION ONLY PULLING THEM UP.ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS SURROUNDING THE PERSONNEL REPORT? SEEING NONE
[E1. Update from Superintendent]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE ITEM E ONE, UH, THE UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT, MR.AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE NATALIE ROY WAS A SEMIFINALIST FOR THE, UH, LOUISIANA TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
SHE HAS BEEN NAMED A FINALIST THIS WEEK.
SO GREAT NEWS FOR GLASGOW, NATALIE ROY, AND FOR EAST BATON ROUGE, PARIS.
SO NATALIE ROY IS A FINALIST FOR THE LOUISIANA TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A POINT OF PRIVILEGE HERE.
UH, THIS IS MY LAST BOARD MEETING, UH, IN FIVE YEARS, I HAVEN'T MISSED A BOARD MEETING IN FIVE YEARS.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AND THE COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO SAY THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO SAY ABOUT SOME OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS THAT, UH, IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS WE HAVE PASSED TO 10 YEAR TAXES, ONE UP ONE SENTENCE SALES TAX, ONE, A 10 YEAR PROPERTY TAX OVERWHELMINGLY IN THE UPPER SIXTIES.
SO I THINK WE HAVE BROAD SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT WAS EVIDENT FROM THAT.
WE'VE ALSO, UH, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS IN THE LAST FOUR OUT OF FIVE YEARS, WE'VE GROWN ACADEMICALLY.
THE ONLY YEAR WE DID NOT GROW ACADEMICALLY WAS THE YEAR OF THE FLOOD.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS WHY THAT HAPPENED.
BUT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN IN THE TOP 10 IN GROWTH IN THE STATE.
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I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.UH, I KNOW OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT COMING IN.
LESLIE BROWN HAS TOLD ME SEVERAL TIMES THAT SHE'S WORKED WITH OUR STAFF, HOW GOOD THEY ARE AND HOW MUCH SHE'S EXCITED TO GET HERE AND WORK WITH THEM.
ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT WE'VE BALANCED THE BUDGET.
THIS WILL BE TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS THAT WE'VE BALANCED THE BUDGET AND THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE FOR, UH, FOR A WHILE.
NOW AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE PURCHASED OVER 40,000 COMPUTERS.
WE ARE NOW A TRUE ONE-TO-ONE DISTRICT.
WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A PRE K THROUGH TWO COMPUTERS.
AND SO NOW EVERY STUDENT IN OUR DISTRICT HAS COMPUTERS.
SO I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THAT.
I THINK WE'VE REVAMPED BRANDED OUR SYSTEM AND, UH, I WANNA REALLY GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO OUR STAFF, OUR CABINET AND OUR STAFF HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL, JUST REALLY, REALLY GREAT.
AND I WANT TO THANK OUR PRINCIPALS AND ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND EVERYONE IN OUR SYSTEM.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO BE THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR REPORT, SIR? YES.
[E2. Suspend Rule]
AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND INTRODUCE AN ITEM TO THE AGENDA.MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL ON SUSPENSION OF THE RULES, MR. MR. GOLDA, YOU NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND ASPECT.
SO I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. BY MS. DYSON AND A SECOND BY MR. LANICE.
JUST GIVE ME A SECOND, CAUSE I NEED TO MOVE IT INTO, I NEED TO ADD THE ITEM INTO WORD DOCS.
YOU'LL ALSO NEED TO ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THE BOARD IF NECESSARY AND FROM THE PUBLIC.
SO THAT IS, THAT IS BEEN MOVED TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW THE INTRODUCTION OF A RESOLUTION.
IS THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD HEARING AND SEEING NONE? I WILL GO TO THE WEBSITE AND THERE IS NO COMMENTS THERE BACK TO THE BOARD SEEING AND HEARING NONE.
MADAM SECRETARY, AS SOON AS YOU PREPARED, WE CAN TAKE A BREAK WHO MADE IT? I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T GET THE, UH, MAKER IN THE SECOND.
YOU MISS DIAS MAKER, MOTION ICE, AND MADE THE MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES.
AND MR. LANICE MAKE THE SECOND THAT MOTION.
YOU'RE ALL GONNA NEED TO REFRESH YOUR BOARD DOCS THOUGH.
I THINK FOR Y'ALL TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT I DON'T TO VOTE TO VOTE.
[E3. Resolution-Celebration of Warren Drake]
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION AND WE CAN TAKE A SECOND AT THE END.THERE'S THE RESOLUTION EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD CELEBRATION OF THE EXEMPLARY SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATION BY WARREN DRAKES.
WHEREAS AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE HIRING AND EMPLOYING OF EXTRAORDINARY SUPERINTENDENTS AND DISTRICT LEADERS.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT THE, UH, MR. DRAKE'S VIDEO BE PUT ON THE SCREEN IF HE'S STILL LIE.
[00:15:01]
THE DEBT OF GRATITUDE OWED TO SUPERINTENDENT WARREN DRE FOR OVER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.AND ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM THROUGH ROLES AS PARENT TEACHER, TEACHER LEADER, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, PRINCIPAL, AND SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, OR AS WE CELEBRATE THE UPCOMING RETIREMENT OF SUPERINTENDENT, WARREN DRAKE ON JULY 31, 2020.
WHEREAS AS A COMMUNITY, DURING HIS TENURE, WE HAVE WITNESSED ACADEMIC GROWTH AND PROGRAMMATIC IMPROVEMENTS WHILE DEMONSTRATING RESILIENCY IN THE MIDST OF HISTORIC FLOODS, A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND COMMUNITY STRUGGLES.
WHEREAS OUR COMMUNITY AND TEACHER REQUIRE WELL-EQUIPPED LEADERS WHO ARE NOT ONLY MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS, BUT ALSO STATE AND DEMAND EFFECTIVE STRUCTURES TO ENSURE ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO THRIVE.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, THAT MEMBERS OF EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH, PUBLIC SCHOOL, BOARD, AND STAFF EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO SUPERINTENDENT, WARREN DRAKE FOR HIS NUMEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO IMPROVING THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT REPRESENTS APPRECIATES THE FOLLOWING LESSONS LEARNED DURING SUPERINTENDENTS DRAKE'S TENURE.
ONE, IF YOU'RE NOT FIVE MINUTES EARLY, YOU'RE LATE TO EVERYONE IS A TEACHER AND HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN A CHILD'S ACADEMIC SUCCESS THREE AND ALL THAT YOU DO REMEMBER IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE, NOT THE PROGRAMS. THREE SUCCESS COMES THROUGH ACADEMICS, ARTS, ATHLETICS, AND CHARACTER.
FIVE ATTENTION TO DETAIL IS THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE SIX WHEN PROBLEM SOLVING CONSIDER BOILING DOWN THE GUMBO SEVEN, IF YOU THINK YOU'RE LEADING TURN AROUND, IF NO ONE IS FOLLOWING YOU OR JUST OUT FOR A WALK, HEY EVERYONE, EXCUSE ME.
IF YOU DO NOT TELL YOUR OWN STORY, SOMEONE ELSE WILL TELL THEIR VERSION.
NINE HISTORY TEACHES THE GREATEST LESSONS THROUGH ITS STORIES.
CHAN HOMER LOUISIANA IS INDEED THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.
LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED THAT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD CELEBRATES THE CAREER OF WARM DRAKE AND APPLAUD SAM FOR CREATING ONE TEAM WITH ONE MISSION CRITICAL TO BUILDING THE FUTURE OF BATON ROUGE.
LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD ON BEHALF OF ITS STAKEHOLDERS, WISHES SUPERINTENDENT WARM DRIVE, CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ALL ENDEAVORS AND EXPRESSES HIS HOPE FOR CONTINUED HEALTH, SAFETY, AND LIFELONG LEARNING.
LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD PRESENTS A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO SUPERINTENDENT WARM, DRY AS A TOKEN OF HIS RESPECT AND APPRECIATION ADOPTED THE 16TH DAY OF JULY, 2020, AND TO BE SIGNED BY ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND PRESENTED FRAMED TO MR. DRE, DO I HAVE A SECOND, MS. DYSON SECONDS, IF ANY BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO ADD DISCUSSION TO THIS, PLEASE DO SO SEEING NONE AT THE MOMENT WE WILL GO.
SO THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM AND SO WE WILL GO BACK TO THE BOARD.
YEAH, WE, WE, WE WILL HAVE, UH, WE WILL HAVE SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THIS.
MR. TAPPIN, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT.
UM, I JUST, UH, WANTED TO, UH, EXPRESS MY INCREDIBLY DEEP APPRECIATION FOR WARREN.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW, WARREN, UH, TO MY DETRIMENT BEFORE HE BECAME OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
I REMEMBER, AND I'M SURE WARREN REMEMBERS THE FIRST TIME WE MET.
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AND THE ONE THING I KNOW ABOUT WARREN IS, IS HE, HE OPERATED WITH A, WITH A SENSE OF INTEGRITY AND HONOR, UH, AND EVERYTHING THAT HE DID, UH, HE WAS, UH, I CAN NEVER REMEMBER WALKING INTO ANY SETTING, WHETHER IT WAS, UH, A COMMUNITY MEETING IN ANY PART OF THE DISTRICT, NORTH BATON ROUGE, SOUTH BATON ROUGE, NO MATTER WHERE WE WENT, WE PEOPLE WOULD COME UP TO WARREN AND, AND HE WAS TREATED MUCH LIKE A ROCK STAR.UH, HE, IF SOMEONE IN THE CROWD WAS HE WAS THEIR TEACHER OR THEIR COACH OR THEIR PRINCIPAL, AND HE WAS JUST SO WELL RECEIVED IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DID IN OUR DISTRICT.
HE CERTAINLY MADE MY JOB EASIER AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
AND I HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF SERVING TWO TERMS AS PRESIDENT WITH WARREN AND I, AND I JUST WANT TO, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU WARREN, FOR NOT ONLY THE WORK THAT YOU DID WITH US IN THE EAST BATON ROUGE POWER SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT YOUR LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT EDUCATION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, YOU KNOW, CAN, UH, COME UP WITH LITTLE, UH, LITTLE SAYINGS OR LITTLE SOUNDBITES, BUT NO ONE HAS LIVED EDUCATION IN MY WORLD.
I'VE NEVER MET ANYONE WHO LIVED IT EVERY DAY OF HIS LIFE.
AND IT IS MY HONOR TO HAVE WORKED WITH YOU.
I THINK OUR BOARD WAS BRILLIANT WHEN WE HIRED YOU FIVE YEARS AGO, DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT LONG.
AND, UM, I JUST, I, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, FROM MY FAMILY'S HEART, FROM THE MEMBERS OF DISTRICT NINE FROM MY CONSTITUENCY.
UH, AT THIS POINT, UM, BEFORE WE GO AHEAD.
SO OUT, I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS BRIEF BECAUSE THERE IS A LITTLE SOMETHING COMING, UH, WHERE MORE OF MY THOUGHTS AND APPRECIATION AND LOVE SHALL BE SHARED, UH, FOR YOU MR. DRAKE.
BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'VE COME TO KNOW YOU, UH, AND YOUR FAMILY, UH, AND, UH, MY LIFE IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR IT.
AND YET SOMETIMES WE BOLT HEADS A GREAT DEAL.
WE BOTH, UH, KNEW AND UNDERSTOOD AND KNOWING AND UNDERSTAND RATHER THAT, UH, WE REALLY WANT THE BEST FOR THESE CHILDREN AND WE FIGHT FOR FIGHT HOR FOR THESE CHILDREN.
UM, AND SO I'LL MISS YOU, RIGHT MS. WHERE JACKSON, THANK YOU.
I COULDN'T FIND THE REQUEST TO SPEAK JUST NOW, BUT, UH, I WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT, UH, ABOUT MR. DRAKE.
UM, SOMETIMES WE'VE HAD UPS AND DOWNS, BUT, UH, WE'VE HAD A GOOD, A GOOD STEADY RIDE.
AND, UM, I WAS PROUD AS A BOARD PRESIDENT IN 2017 TO, UH, EXTEND, EXTEND THE CONTRACT FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER, SO WE COULD KEEP YOU JUST A HAIR LONGER.
AND, UH, BUT THE ONE THING THAT, UH, I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE AND THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO WAS, UM, THAT ONE TEAM, ONE MISSION SLOGAN REALLY STUCK WITH ME.
AND I REALLY WANTED TO, UM, REALLY PUSH THAT WHEN I WAS BOARD PRESIDENT.
SO I MADE IT A POINT THAT EVERY TIME BEFORE WE ENDED THE MEETING, AS I DROP THE GAVEL, I WOULD ALWAYS SAY ONE TEAM, ONE MISSION BEFORE WE WERE ADJOURNED.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU SPENT WITH US AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU IMPARTED INTO THE DISTRICT AND, UH, WISH YOU WELL.
UM, YOU'RE STILL A YOUNG MAN, SO WE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME IN YOUR RETIREMENT.
I GET THE STAFF GETTING AN ECHO, SORRY, AT THIS TIME, COULD THE STAFF PLEASE UP SET UP THEIR PRESENTATION, THE VIDEO? SO I MISSED THE DRAKE.
THIS IS SOME COMMENTS FROM MANY OF US, UH, THAT THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER.
THE FIRST TIME I MET MR. DRAKE WAS RIGHT AFTER I WAS APPOINTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND HE HAD BEEN ON THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND IT WAS ALSO AT THE TIME WHEN THE
[00:25:01]
PARISH WAS JUST STARTING TO RECOVER FROM THE GREAT FLOOD OF 2016.THE THING I REMEMBER THE MOST ABOUT HIM WAS HIS CALM IN, IN THE FACE OF A DISASTER THAT IMPACTED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND HOW GRACIOUSLY HE HANDLED THAT.
AND IT WAS JUST A CALMING FACTOR ON EVERYONE.
WHEN EVERYONE AROUND WAS LOSING THEIR HEADS, HE WAS CALM AND QUIET AND GOT THINGS DONE.
I HAD THE DISTINCT HONOR TO BE PRESIDENT WHEN WARREN DRAKE CAME ABOARD AS OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
ONE THING YOU ALWAYS KNEW ABOUT WARREN IS THAT HE WAS GOING TO OPERATE WITH AN INCREDIBLY HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY WITH THE UTMOST HONESTY.
IT WAS VERY WARM, UH, JOVIAL SPIRIT, UH, AND HE'S SOMEONE THAT, UH, TRUST EVERYONE BECAUSE, UH, HE OPERATES IN A WAY THAT'S TRUSTWORTHY HIMSELF.
I THINK THAT WITH, WITH WARREN, HE HELPED BUILD THE BRAND OF ONE TEAM, ONE MISSION.
AND I THINK HE DID THAT VERY WELL.
AND I THINK THAT THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE FELT, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
WELL, MY STORY BEGAN WITH SUPERINTENDENT DRAKE AND IT BEGAN AT GLENOAKS HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN THE FLOOD OF 2016.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A PRETTY BIG FIGHT THAT WE HIT AT THAT TIME.
EVEN THOUGH HE UNDERSTOOD ALL OF THE HOSTILITY OF GOING INSIDE OF THAT BUILDING THAT DAY, HE STILL CAME OUT TO THAT COMMUNITY AND HE SPOKE TO US.
AND NOT ONLY DID HE DO THAT, BUT HE HELD UP HIS END OF THE BARGAIN BY SAYING THAT I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THIS SCHOOL, THE NEXT STATE OF THE ART SCHOOL IN NORTH BATON ROUGE, HE HAS DONE THAT.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE THAT'S GOING TO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
I WOULD DESCRIBE HIM AS FUNNY.
UM, I THINK PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW FUNNY MR. DRAKE REALLY IS LIKE OUTSIDE OF BOARD MEETINGS.
SO FUNNY, UM, WISE AND, UM, ALYSSA THINGS HAVEN'T BEEN EASY FOR MR. GREG HE'S, HE'S HAD TO GO THROUGH QUITE A FEW CHALLENGES.
I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE FLOOD OF 2016, THE COVID PANDEMIC MORE RECENTLY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HE'S, I ALWAYS APPROACHED IT THE SAME WAY AS APPROACH TO EVERYTHING ELSE, JUST TO A GREAT DEAL OF ENTHUSIASM.
RESPECT FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND JUST PROFESSIONALISM AND, AND LOTS OF WISDOM.
WARREN SPENT HIS WHOLE LIFE IN EDUCATION STARTED OFF AS A SCHOOL TEACHER WAS LATER, A COACH BECAME A PRINCIPAL, WAS A SUPERINTENDENT AT A NEWLY FORMED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HE HASN'T BEEN SUPER COMMON SOMETIMES FOR ME, IT'S BEEN TO CALL, UM, BECAUSE HE, NO MATTER WHAT THE ISSUE IS, NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING, WHERE LIKE SOMETIMES FOLKS WHO ARE LIKE EXTREMELY PASSIONATE AND JUST LIKE REALLY ROBUST CONVERSATION, HE ALWAYS HAS THE SAME TONE.
UM, AND IT JUST REALLY SHOWS YOU THAT, LIKE, WE'RE, IT'S A, IT'S A POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND EDUCATION IS A VERY COMPLEX SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE HAVE VERY DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT HOW THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN.
UM, BUT HE WAS ABLE TO ALWAYS KEEP THAT CALMNESS, UM, AT EVERY MEETING, NO MATTER WHAT WAS GOING ON, THE WILLINGNESS HE HAS TO, TO SERVE EVERY PART OF PBR, UH, COMMUNITY.
SO HE DIDN'T JUST FOCUS ON ONE SIDE OF TOWN.
HE FOCUSED ON BOTH SIDES OF TOWN.
AND, AND, AND THAT, I APPRECIATE HE'S REALLY LEAVING US IN A GREAT PLACE WHERE WE HAVE THE FOUNDATION TO BUILD UPON AND A FOUNDATION OF GANGS THAT HE MADE DURING HIS TENURE.
WARREN IS A IRREPLACEABLE ASSET TO EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH SCHOOLS.
AND I WILL MISS HIM A SUPERINTENDENT DIRECTOR.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, MAN, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR DISTRICT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE GOT THERE AND IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR VISION.
UM, ARE WE GOING TO MISS YOU? WOW, GUYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH EVERY ONE OF YOU AND AN HONOR, AND A PLEASURE.
IT'S BEEN OUR HONOR AND PLEASURE ALSO.
AND, UH, I JUST HOPE THAT BEFORE WE TAKE THIS VOTE, I HOPE THAT YOU'RE MUCH BETTER IN RETIREMENT THAN I AM, THAT SHE SUCCEED IN IT BETTER THAN I, AND I JUST REGRET NOW I'M GOING TO BE THE OLDEST PERSON IN THE MEETING.
SO, BUT, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS? YES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. DRAKE.
UH, SO WITH THAT, THAT MADAM SECRETARY, MAY WE VOTE ON APPROVING
[00:30:01]
THE RESOLUTION? YES.OUR, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO, UM, REFRESH THEIR SCREENS AGAIN.
MS. COLLINS, MS. MARY JACKSON.
[E4. Update from Staff]
AT THIS TIME, UH, I BELIEVE THE, UH, STAFF HAS, UH, SOMETHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO ALSO PRESENT, UH, YES, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS, MR. DRAKE.UM, IT IS TRULY, IT IS TRULY MY PRIVILEGE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT STAFF AS A COLLECTIVE TEAM.
UH, WE WANT TO SINCERELY THANK MR. DRAKE FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO THIS DISTRICT AND NOT JUST TO THIS DISTRICT, BUT OVER THE COURSE OF HIS LIFE, TO FAMILY, TO STUDENTS AND TO EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, HIS VISION HAS SERVED AS A NORTH STAR TO US THIS PAST FIVE YEARS, UM, GUIDING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ITS HIGHER PURPOSE, AS I SAT AND THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT MR. DRAKE MEANS.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE STAFF, MR. DRAKE, BUT ALSO, UM, MY PERSONAL FEELINGS.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UM, I THOUGHT ABOUT, UH, YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE AND, AND SOME OF THE THINGS YOU PERSONALLY BROUGHT TO THE TABLE AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO ME.
AND I HAVE THREE QUOTES I WANT TO READ TO YOU.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THESE EXEMPLIFY YOU AND WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS DISTRICT, EMPLOYEES, FAMILIES, AND ESPECIALLY THE CHILDREN.
THE FIRST QUOTE IS FROM ELEANOR ROOSEVELT AND IT READS TO HANDLE YOURSELF, USE YOUR HEAD TO HANDLE OTHERS, USE YOUR HEART.
THE SECOND QUOTE COMES FROM JIM ROME.
THE CHALLENGE OF LEADERSHIP IS TO BE STRONG, BUT NOT RUDE BECAUSE MIND, BUT NOT WEAK, BE BOLD, BUT NOT A BULLY, BE THOUGHTFUL, BUT NOT LAZY, BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT TIMID, BE PROUD, BUT NOT ARROGANT HAVE HUMOR, BUT WITHOUT FALLING.
AND THE FINAL QUOTE COMES FROM MY ANGELO.
AND THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
I'VE LEARNED THAT PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU SAID.
PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU DID, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I WILL BE SITTING IN THIS CHAIR WITHOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUR FAITH AND GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT I DO.
UM, AND I KNOW I'M NOT ALONE IN SAYING THAT, UM, I SAT IN MANY MEETINGS WITH YOU.
EVERY DECISION I'VE SEEN YOU MAKE, IT HAS BEEN WITH ONE DRIVING BELIEF THAT YOU'RE DOING IT FOR WHAT IS BEST FOR CHILDREN.
I CAN TRULY SAY THAT FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, AND I SIT IN A LOT OF MEETINGS ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE GAMUT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BOARD, WITH YOU AND WITH THE STAFF, UM, YOU HAVE, YOU'VE SET AN EXAMPLE FOR ME AND FOR MANY OTHERS LIKE ME, UH, WHO LOOK AT THIS JOB, NOT JUST AS A JOB, BUT AS A SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO READ, UH, FROM AN AWARD THE STAFF HAS GOTTEN FOR YOU BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS SO, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE THIS ON MY LITTLE COMPUTER SCREEN, THIS IS A LIFETIME OF LEADERSHIP AWARD, UH, PRESENTED TO YOU BY THE STAFF.
UM, THIS IS TO WARREN DRAKE, EBY, RPSS SUPERINTENDENT 2015 TO 2020 EXEMPLARY SERVANT LEADERSHIP.
AND I THINK THE KEY WORDS HERE ARE SERVANT LEADERSHIP.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL REMEMBER AS WE KINDA MOVE FORWARD WITH WORKING, TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE ABILITY TO UNITE EBR SCHOOLS THROUGH VISIONARY GUIDANCE.
ONE TEAM, ONE MISSION, MR. DRAKE, ON BEHALF OF THE STAFF ON HAVE BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US.
WE WISH YOU WELL AS YOU GO FORWARD.
I APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL OF OUR STAFF AND OUR BOARD.
I DIDN'T REALIZE MY MIC WAS OFF.
UM, THANK YOU, MR. DRAKE, FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
[00:35:01]
AND, UH, I'M WISHING WE ALL WISH YOU THE BEST SUCCESS IN HEALTH AS YOU GO FORWARD.WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM E TWO, AN UPDATE FROM STAFF.
AND SO I THINK, IS IT MR. CASE WE'LL BE DOING THIS? YES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.
NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MR. CASE, WHILE THEY GET THE, UH, THE POWERPOINT OF THIS, THIS IS, UH, THE WORK THAT THE STAFF AND, AND LESLIE BROWN HAVE BEEN DOING.
AND ALL OF US HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST TWO TO THREE WEEKS TO GET READY FOR THE RETURN TO, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS PANDEMIC IS CREATING CHAOS ALL OVER THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY IN THE UNITED STATES AND ESPECIALLY GOING BACK TO SCHOOL AND HOW THAT LOOKS.
AND SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO BEN TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE ARE ON THIS.
UH, BUT LET ME SAY THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, THERE, THERE'S NO PERFECT ANSWER.
WHEN WE GO BACK TO SCHOOL, WE HAVE TO HAVE A VIRTUAL OPTION.
WE HAVE TO HAVE AN END SCHOOL OPTION, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS COMES DOWN TO.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO BEN TO LET HIM, UH, DISCUSS THE DETAILS.
AND, UM, IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND BRING UP THE PRESENTATION, WE'LL BEGIN.
PRESIDENT GOAT, EIGHT VICE PRESIDENT HOWARD MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. DRAKE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
I'M GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO PREVIEW FOR YOU.
THE EBR REOPENING BLUEPRINT AND A, THIS PRESENTATION ALONG WITH A VARIETY OF SUPPORT, RESOURCES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN A COMPANION WEBSITE POSTED ON THE EBR SCHOOLS WEBSITE THIS EVENING.
UM, AS I BEGIN THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE DETAILED DOCUMENT THAT THIS PRESENTATION SUMMARIZES IS CALLED THE REOPENING BLUEPRINT.
AND THAT NAME IS SIGNIFICANT, YOU KNOW, AS WITH ALL BLUEPRINTS, THE DOCUMENT SERVES AS A STARTING POINT OR FRAMEWORK THAT IS NEEDED TO BUILD SOMETHING.
AND AS WITH ALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, THERE'LL BE A NEED FOR MAKING CHANGES OR ADJUSTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE THE BEST FINAL OUTCOME.
UM, ALSO IN ADDITION, EVEN AFTER THE BUILDING WAS COMPLETE REPAIRS OR IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE MADE MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO AGAIN, THAT IS WHAT THIS BLUEPRINT REPRESENTS A VERY FLEXIBLE PLAN THAT WILL ALLOW US REALLY TO PREPARE FOR A VARIETY OF FUTURE CONTINGENCIES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MOVING FORWARD AND PREPARING FOR THE REOPENING OF SCHOOL, UM, AS WITH MOST PLANS AND INITIATIVES, THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.
UH, SCHOOL LEADERS AND TEACHERS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO CREATE SCHOOL LEVEL PLANS THAT FIT THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND OUR TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND COLLABORATE WITH SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES MOVING FORWARD.
UM, TODAY, AS WE REVIEW THE PLANS ARE TODAY, WE REVIEWED THE PLANS WITH PRINCIPALS AND DEPARTMENT TEAMS AND IN THE PROCESS, WE'RE SETTING UP A SMALL GROUP COHORT MEETINGS STARTING MONDAY AND TUESDAY TO REALLY DIG DOWN AND DISCUSS THE SCHOOL LEVEL SUPPORTS AND CONCERNS, UH, THAT THEY'LL HAVE MOVING FORWARD.
AND, UH, WE ARE ALSO SO PROUD OF THE WORK DONE BY OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF, AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM, TO MAKE THE SCHOOL YEAR SUCCESSFUL AND WHATEVER SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES IN.
UH, IN ADDITION TO TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION, WE'LL ALSO BE WORKING WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS, UH, CONTINUOUSLY AND THE BOARD AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
UH, SO CAN WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? OKAY.
SO ONE THING THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO THINK IS ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND EVERYONE WHO PROVIDED FEEDBACK, GUIDANCE SUPPORT ON THIS BLUEPRINT, UM, STARTING WITH THE MEMBERS OF OUR STAKEHOLDER TASK FORCE, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, WAS A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE ENTIRE PARISH.
UM, ALSO OUR PARENTS AND, UH, OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF WHO, UH, SUBMITTED SURVEYS AND, AND CALLED AND EMAILED AND GAVE US, UH, UH, IDEAS TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO, UH, GAVE US GUIDANCE TO THE, UH, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND THEN DISTRICT STAFF WHO ALSO HELPED SUPPORT AND BUILD THESE PLANS AND COMMITTEES.
AND SO, SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE, UM, AND AGAIN, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS BLUEPRINT TRULY FOLLOWED THAT SPIRIT OF ONE TEAM, ONE MISSION, WHICH WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, A MOMENTS AGO, UH, REALLY TRYING TO GET IN EVERYBODY'S VOICE AND EVERYBODY'S, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMITMENT TO THE PLAN.
NO, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT YOU SEE HERE WERE DEVELOPED BY THAT REOPENING TASK FORCE AND OUR WORK GROUPS AND COMMITTEES, AND IT TRULY CAPTURES THE BENCHMARKS THAT WE'LL USE TO GUIDE OUR PLANNING FOR THE 2020 AND 2021 SCHOOL YEAR.
EACH OF THESE AREAS REALLY REPRESENT A CONTINUUM OF GOALS THAT WE WILL IMPROVE UPON AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH OUR PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION PHASES.
[00:40:01]
UM, IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO USE THESE PRINCIPLES AS THE LITMUS TEST, TO REALLY GUIDE OUR DECISIONS, MOVING FORWARD.NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE NOW, TO OUR INITIAL RECOMMENDATION.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL GO THROUGH DETAILS OF ALL THE PHASES AND, AND ALL THE OPTIONS AS WELL, BUT OUR, UH, RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME, AND AFTER RECEIVING INPUT FROM AGAIN, SO MANY STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH GROUPS, SMALL GROUPS, COMMITTEES SURVEYS, SCHOOL LEVEL DISCUSSIONS, AND MORE, WE FOUND THAT, UH, PARENTS WERE ALMOST EQUALLY DIVIDED ON THEIR, UH, PREFERRED INSTRUCTION OPTIONS.
AND AGAIN, THAT WAS SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.
SO WE KNOW THAT THINGS HAVE ALREADY CHANGED TO THIS POINT, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO CHANGE IN THE FUTURE BASED ON WHAT'S TAKING PLACE WITH THE PANDEMIC.
BUT AT THE TIME A THIRD OF PARENTS BASICALLY ALL CHOSE EITHER FACE TO FACE HYBRID OR VIRTUAL.
UM, AND AS WE REVIEWED ALL OF THESE OPTIONS, REALLY PLANNING FOR PRE-K 12 HYBRID MODEL WOULD ALLOW US THE MOST FLEXIBILITY FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, BY BUILDING MASTER SCHEDULES IN THIS FORMAT, WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADAPT AND PIVOT QUICKLY TO A FULL VIRTUAL OR PHASED IN FACE TO FACE MODEL PENDING NATIONAL STATE AND LOCAL GUIDANCE.
AND ALSO IN CASES, UH, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN A HYBRID FORMAT, UH, WE'LL EXPERIENCE, OR AT LEAST LEARN FROM VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS EACH WEEK.
AND THAT WOULD PROVIDE EXPERIENCE MOVING FORWARD.
IF WE HAD TO PIVOT BACK TO AN ALL VIRTUAL MODEL, UM, AND IMPORTANT OPTION ALSO LISTED HERE, UM, IS THAT ALL FAMILIES CAN ALSO OPT INTO A FULL VIRTUAL PROGRAM THROUGH THEIR CURRENT SCHOOL.
SO AGAIN, WE'LL GO INTO MORE DETAILS WITH THIS, BUT WHILE WE'RE RECOMMENDING A HYBRID APPROACH WHERE STUDENTS WILL ATTEND TWO DAYS A WEEK, AND YOU'LL SEE KIND OF WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE IN A SCHEDULE, UM, WE ARE ALSO OFFERING PARENTS A CHOICE, AND THAT'S WHAT HYBRID AT LEAST PROVIDES US TO DO IS THAT CHOICE WHERE IF THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH COMING BACK TO SCHOOL FACE TO FACE, THEY CAN ATTEND A VIRTUAL PROGRAM, OUR VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THEIR HOMESCHOOL, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THAT'S THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED THAT THEY WANTED THAT CONNECTION WITH THEIR HOME SCHOOL.
UH, THE HYBRID APPROACH ALSO REALLY ALLOWS US, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE APPROPRIATE SPACE IN, AT ALL LEVELS AND GRADE BANDS, YOU KNOW, WHILE THE STATE GUIDANCE ALLOWS MORE STUDENTS AT LOWER GRADE LEVELS, THE TEAM REALLY WANTED TO HONOR THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND TEACHERS AND OTHERS THAT REALLY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE SPACING REQUIREMENTS, UM, WERE MAINTAINED AT ALL LEVELS.
AND SO, AGAIN, UH, WITH THIS PLAN, WE'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GO ABOVE THE MINIMUM EXPECTATIONS AND ENSURE THAT ALL GRADE LEVELS HAVE SIX FOOT OF SPACE IN BETWEEN STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.
ALSO PLANNING TO ATTEND SCHOOL IN A HYBRID FORMAT, REALLY ALSO PROVIDE STUDENTS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET TEACHERS IN PERSON AND KIND OF THE BEGINNING OF THAT BUILDING OF RELATIONSHIPS.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR INSTRUCTION TO BE EFFECTIVE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE MAY HAVE TO ADJUST AGAIN, BASED ON PHASE GUIDANCE AND CHANGES IN THE FUTURE, IF WE GET SOME INITIAL CONTACT WITH TEACHERS AND SCHOOL TEAMS, THAT'LL BE IMPORTANT AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, THE OTHER THING, THE HYBRID APPROACH ALLOWS US FOR US TO AGAIN, PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS TO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WHO DESPERATELY NEEDED THAT SINCE MARCH.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE PICTURE HERE, THIS ILLUSTRATES REALLY THE DIFFERENT PHASES, UH, THAT WILL, UH, COULD POSSIBLY MOVE IN AND OUT OF THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, AND AS WE PLAN FOR THE HYBRID MODEL, IT REALLY IS THE BEST APPROACH THAT BALANCES MULTIPLE LEARNING MODELS.
SO AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF WHAT PHASE OR MODEL WE FIND THE DISTRICT IN NEXT, YOU KNOW, MOVING INTO THE YEAR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT NO MATTER WHAT PHASE WE'RE IN OR WHAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN THAT STATE LAWS AND POLICIES PERTAINING TO SCHOOLS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE 20, 21 SCHOOL YEAR.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE A MEMBER WHILE MOST SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE LAST YEAR HAD TO ABRUPTLY CLOSED JUST LIKE US, YOU KNOW, THIS LED TO A VARIETY OF POLICY OR LAW WAIVERS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN.
WHEREAS MOVING INTO THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS MADE CLEAR THAT ALL LAWS AND POLICIES ARE IN PLACE.
SO ITEMS SUCH AS COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE AND GRADING AND PROMOTION POLICIES WILL APPLY TO STUDENTS.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT MOVING FORWARD, THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE SPRING.
THIS IS WE'RE IN A REQUIRED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
UH, SO VIRTUAL LEARNING AGAIN, WE
[00:45:01]
TOUCHED ON THIS AND AGAIN, THIS IS WALLETS REQUIRED.UH, YOU, THIS MAY BE THE OPTION WE MOVE INTO.
IF WE, UM, MOVE BACK INTO A PHASE ONE TYPE GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE, UM, WE ALSO CAN ALLOW THIS OPTION TO STRETCH THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR PARENTS.
SO PARENTS WHO CHOOSE TO REGISTER FOR A VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAM AT THEIR HOME SCHOOL WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO DO SO.
UH, THIS EVENING WE'LL BE POSTING A LINK TO THE VIRTUAL LEARNING REGISTRATION PORTAL, UH, FOR ALL EBR AND ALSO NON EBR STUDENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE THAT OPTION.
UH, ONCE FAMILIES COMPLETE THE FORM SCHOOL TEAMS WILL THEN REACH OUT TO THE PARENTS, UM, AS THEY COMPLETE THE SCHEDULING PROCESS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
AND THE LEARNING OPTION IS FLEXIBLE AND FAMILIES WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN BACK TO THEIR SCHOOLS IF THEY PREFER A FACE TO FACE OPTION OR CAN CONTINUE WITH THE VIRTUAL OPTION, IF THEY CHOOSE TO EVEN IF A FACE TO FACE OPTION IS A OR MODEL IS MOVED BACK INTO.
SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH SOME FLEXIBILITIES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON TIMES WHEN THEY CAN, UH, COME BACK INTO THE SCHEDULE, UH, BASED ON THE BEST, UH, TIMES DURING THE GRADING PERIODS.
BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH OPTIONS ON WHATEVER WHICHEVER MODEL THEY CHOOSE TO GO THROUGH.
AGAIN, WE DISCUSSED THE HYBRID APPROACH.
SO WE'LL KIND OF GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL HERE, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES FURTHER.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE, UM, THE HYBRID APPROACH ALLOWS STUDENTS TO ATTEND SCHOOLS REALLY TWICE A WEEK.
UM, AND IT WILL BE BASED ON ALPHABET.
SO STUDENTS, UH, WITH THE LAST DAY MAY THROUGH K WOULD ATTEND ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND WITH L THROUGH Z WOULD ATTEND ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, AND IT GIVES SCHOOLS WILL WORK WITH PARENTS, SO ON OUR REQUEST TO MAKE SURE THEY MATCH, UH, SIBLING SCHEDULES OR FAMILY SCHEDULES, UH, FOR STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE LAST NAME OR OTHER EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THAT TO MAKE SURE FAMILIES CAN BETTER COORDINATE CHILDCARE DURING THE WEEK, AND ALSO MATCH THOSE DATES SO THAT PARENTS CAN PICK A BLOCK OF TIME FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE CHILDCARE INSTEAD OF STAGGERED DAYS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
UM, ALSO ONE OTHER THING THAT THIS MODEL ALLOWS FOR IS THAT BY MATCHING GROUPS ON THE MONDAY, TUESDAY AND THURSDAY AND FRIDAY ALSO BETTER ALLOWS US, UH, YOU KNOW, TO CASE MANAGE ISSUES.
IF THERE'S REPORTING OF CASES AND ISOLATIONS AND CLEANING ARE NEEDED.
SO IT'LL BETTER ALLOW US TO KIND OF KEEP GROUPS SEPARATE THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS.
SLIDE DETAILS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF KIND OF WHAT I'VE TALKED OVER, UM, AND TALKS THROUGH WHAT PHASE ONE, TWO, AND THREE LOOK LIKE.
UM, WE KNOW AS WE KIND OF LOOK AT PHASE TWO, ONE IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS IS THAT WHILE WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE SCHEDULE IS THAT WHILE WE'RE RECOMMENDING STUDENTS, UM, RETURN BACK IN THIS PHASED APPROACH, ONE THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO CLOSELY WATCH OVER THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF SCHOOL IS WHAT WOULD STAFFING LOOK LIKE? UM, IMBALANCED STAFFING, LIKE WE NORMALLY WOULD AFTER THE 10 DAY COUNT PERIOD, UH, LOOK AT SCHOOL CAPACITIES, LOOK AT WHAT STUDENTS HAVE RETURNED, WHICH STUDENTS ARE TRULY OPTED IN THE VIRTUAL.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT, WE CAN BEGIN MAKING DECISIONS AT, DO WE ALLOW STUDENTS MORE TIME ON CAMPUS? WE WOULD FOCUS WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD FIRST PRE K TO TWO AND ALLOW STUDENTS TO RETURN MORE TO CAMPUS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WEEK.
AND THEN WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT OTHER GRADE LEVELS AS, AS THAT DATA ALLOWS US TO DETERMINE WHICH GRADE LEVELS COULD THEN ALSO PHASE BACK AND IN THAT PHASE TWO APPROACH.
AND AGAIN, BY PHASE THREE, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE DATA AND LOOK AT HOW DO WE PHASE STUDENTS BACK IN AT SOME POINT, IF WE'RE ABLE TO REACH PHASE THREE AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, THIS SLIDE IS, UH, INCLUDED IN THE, UH, BLUEPRINT DOCUMENT AND KIND OF EXPLAINS TO A PARENT WHAT THAT DAY LOOKS LIKE IN A VISUAL FORMAT.
SO AGAIN, YOU COULD SEE, UH, OLIVIA IS A SIXTH GRADE STUDENT WHO'S FOLLOWING THAT A SCHEDULE.
UH, SHE WOULD GO TO SCHOOL FACE TO FACE ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND FOLLOW WHAT WOULD FEEL LIKE A NORMAL SCHOOL SCHEDULE, OF COURSE, WITH SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE THAT WILL COVER, UM, ON WEDNESDAYS, ALL STUDENTS WOULD BE IN A VIRTUAL, UM, SITUATION AND WOULD LEARN VIRTUALLY.
AND IN HER CASE, HER DAYS TO LEARN VIRTUALLY WOULD ALSO BE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
UH, THE DISTANCE EDUCATION STAFF AND TEAMS ARE WORKING TO CHANGE PACING GUIDES AND ALSO PROVIDE MORE, UH, CLASS SUPPORTS SO THAT TEACHERS CAN NOT ONLY DO THE FACE TO FACE LESSONS, BUT CAN RECORD THEIR LESSONS, UH, LIVE OR STREAM THEM IN PERSON AS WELL.
[00:50:01]
WHO ARE ON VIRTUAL, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, TIME CAN ACTUALLY LOG INTO THE CLASSROOM AND PARTICIPATE.THERE MAY BE SOME SYNCHRONOUS OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL WITH GOOGLE CLASSROOM, WHERE THEY CAN COLLABORATE WITH PEERS ON DOCUMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS.
UH, AND SO AGAIN, WE WANT THAT TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE TO CONNECT AND THE LEARNING TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WEEK.
AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, BROKEN UP THROUGHOUT THE WEEK FOR GROUPS ALSO ON WEDNESDAY, UM, THAT ALLOWS FOR ARAMARK TO DO THEIR WEEKLY DEEP CLEAN.
UM, CURRENTLY ONCE A WEEK, THEY DO A DEEP CLEANING, AND THAT WOULD BE THE DAY THAT THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE, UM, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT HAVING STUDENTS OR STAFF IN THE BUILDING OR SOME STAFF IN THE BUILDING THAT ALLOW FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE MUCH BETTER.
UM, OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS ALSO IS THAT, UM, TEACHERS BE ALLOWED TO, AND SOME STAFF AS WELL BE ALLOWED TO WORK REMOTELY SO THAT, UH, TO DEAL WITH CHILDCARE NEEDS AND ISSUES AS WELL FOR THAT.
UM, THE RECOMMENDATION ALSO ALLOWS FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF TO HAVE STUDENTS ACTUALLY, UM, THEIR STUDENTS ATTEND SCHOOL FOUR DAYS A WEEK, AGAIN, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, MAXIMIZE OUR STAFF AVAILABILITY IN THE SCHOOLS EACH DAY.
OUR CURRENT US SCHEDULE A IS THAT WE WOULD GO BACK TO SCHOOL ON THE SIXTH.
UM, AT THIS POINT LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE, WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT ON THE SIXTH STUDENT GROUP, A THROUGH K WOULD ATTEND AND USE THAT DAY AS AN ORIENTATION DAY, UH, POSSIBLY PICK UP DEVICES OR ALSO KIND OF GET ORIENTED INTO SOME OF THE NEW PROTOCOLS AND THINGS THAT THEY'LL SEE ON CAMPUS.
AND THEN ON THE SEVENTH, THE
YOU WOULD THEN HAVE A FULL SCHOOL WEEK THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO WHAT THE HYBRID WOULD LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, WITH THAT AGAIN, VIRTUAL DAY IN THE MIDDLE AND A DEEP CLEANING DAY AS WELL.
IF YOU NOTE ON THE 21ST, YOU'LL SEE UPDATES TO A HYBRID SES.
UM, OUR GOAL IS TO BENCHMARK EVERY TWO WEEKS MOVING FORWARD, AND THAT WOULD HELP US TO KIND OF LOOK AT A STATE LOCAL GUIDANCE.
LOOK AT OUR STAFFING COUNTS, LOOK AT STUDENT COUNTS AND CAPACITIES AND BUILDINGS, AND THEN MAKE DECISIONS ON GRADE LEVELS THAT MAY ROLL UP TO ATTENDING SCHOOL MORE TIMES A WEEK.
AND, UH, IF WE HAD CAPACITY TO DO THAT THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT SAFELY, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THIS SLIDE BASICALLY COVERS FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION AGAIN.
UM, THIS WOULD BE MOVING MORE TOWARDS WHAT WE WOULD LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN A NORMAL TRADITIONAL SCHOOL YEAR.
OUR FOCUS AGAIN, WILL BE ON PRE K TO TWO STUDENTS.
AND THEN AGAIN, ROLL-UP ELEMENTARY STUDENTS MOVING FORWARD AS WELL.
THIS SLIDE DETAILS KIND OF THE HEALTHY DAY BLUEPRINT.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH PRINCIPALS AND TEAMS RIGHT NOW TO REALLY DETAIL OUT PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN KIND OF DEVELOP THAT WITHIN THEIR OWN SCHOOL SYSTEMS. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, OF COURSE, ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS WILL DO IS TEMPERATURE CHECKS UPON ARRIVAL, OR WHEN THEY ENTER THEIR FIRST HOUR CLASS OR HOMEROOM PERIOD, UM, STUDENTS WILL HAVE PROTOCOLS FOR MOVING TO CLASSES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE ONE WAY HALLWAYS AND THINGS THAT WILL HELP SUPPORT THAT EACH CLASSROOM WILL HAVE HAND SANITIZER AND PURELL, UH, SANITIZING WIPES AND THEM, UH, THAT ACTUALLY ARE SANITIZING WIVES, NOT JUST CLEANING WIPES.
AGAIN, THAT'S A STEP FURTHER THAN WHAT THE RECOMMENDED GUIDANCES.
SO WE'RE GOING WITH SANITIZING WIPES, NOT JUST CLEANING WIPES.
UM, AND AGAIN, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THAT APPROPRIATELY AT HIGHER GRADE LEVELS.
STUDENTS CAN ACTUALLY WIPE THEIR OWN DESK DOWN AND HAVE HAND SANITIZER AVAILABLE AS WELL AS THEY ENTER CLASSES AND CLEAN THEIR DESK AS THEY EXIT AS WELL.
UM, ONE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE SCHOOLS WERE PROVIDED EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO START SCHOOL.
UH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED TO GO LOOK FOR, GO PURCHASE ON THEIR OWN.
SO IT GIVES SCHOOLS WILL RECEIVE A FULL COVID-19 SUPPLY PUSH PACKAGE.
AND SO ALL THEIR INITIAL SUPPLIES WILL COME IN AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE DISTRICT PLANS TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT THEY HAVE ALL OF THEIR SUPPLIES AS RECOMMENDED OR EVEN MORE THAN WHAT'S RECOMMENDED.
UM, EXAMPLES FOR THIS OF COURSE, WOULD BE ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF OR RECEIVE TO MASK A CLOTH MASK THAT COULD BE REUSED A WHITE FOR EVERY CLASSROOM.
UM, WE'LL ALSO BE SENDING IN A HAND SANITIZER PLEXI GLASS SHIELD ALLOCATIONS, UH, FOR THE, UH, OFFICER COMMON AREAS, UM, FACE SHIELDS AND LATEX GLOVES ARE SELF CONTAINED CLASSES AND OTHER SPECIALIZED AREAS NEEDED.
AND THEY WERE ALSO PROVIDING THEM WITH A LARGE ALLOTMENT OF SIGNAGE.
[00:55:01]
WHETHER IT'S SOCIAL DISTANCING SIGNS, HAND, WASHING SIGNS, FLOOR SPACING CIRCLES, OR DIRECTIONAL ARROWS, THEY'LL RECEIVE A PUSH PACKAGE WITH ALL OF THAT.UM, AT THE END OF THE MONTH THAT THEY'LL SIGN FOR AND THEY'LL KNOW THAT THEY HAVE READY BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.
ONE REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE TO THE PLAN, A FOLLOWS UP WITH PROVIDING SUPPORT TO OUR ESS STUDENTS.
UM, AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM ARE A DISTANCE EDUCATION TEAM AND HR TEAM AND ESS TEAM ARE WORKING ON IS MAKING SURE STUDENTS HAVE THOSE CONNECTIONS AND HAVE THE RIGHT SUPPORTS, UH, THE WEDNESDAY VIRTUAL DAYS HELP WITH SOME OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, TEACHERS WILL HAVE TIME TO DO SMALL GROUP WORK.
THEY CAN, UM, ALSO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH OFFICE HOURS AND MORE ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORTS.
AND ONE THING THAT WE'RE REALLY DEDICATED TO, AND IT WILL BE REALLY IMPORTANT IS, UH, WE WANT TO ALLOW THE LOW INCIDENT SELF CONTAINED CLASSROOM STUDENTS TO A TN FOUR DAYS A WEEK, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AS MUCH SUPPORT AS POSSIBLE.
THOSE CLASSROOMS ARE ALREADY AT A LOW STUDENT TEACHER RATIO AND FALL WITHIN THE GUIDELINES.
AND AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ALL THE PROPER PPE AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY'LL NEED TO SUPPORT THAT WORK, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE STUDENTS ARE SUPPORTED AS DURING THE WEEK AS POSSIBLE.
UH, SO MOVING THAT TO A FOUR DAY A WEEK, UM, ATTENDANCE, THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN WE COME TO OUR, OUR, OUR FINAL PAGE, OUR SUPPORT PAGE, UH, WHILE THIS PRESENTATION WAS AN OVERVIEW OF THE BLUEPRINT.
UM, WE DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE ONCE THE BLUEPRINT IS POSTED, UH, TO LOOK AT THAT MORE IN DEPTH, UH, IT'LL BE ON OUR FRONT PAGE, UH, THIS EVENING ALSO, UH, YOU CAN, UH, REACH OUT, UM, TO US AT HOTLINE AT EBR SCHOOLS.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, OF COURSE WE ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, ANY SCHOOL LEVEL QUESTIONS GO TO THE SCHOOL FIRST AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN HELP YOU DIRECTLY, BUT BY ALL MEANS THE HOTLINE QUESTION IS THERE AS WELL, IF THERE'S OTHER QUESTIONS OR SUPPORTS THAT ARE NEEDED.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT SCHOOLS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE TAKING THIS INFORMATION IN AND REACHING OUT TO PARENTS.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE ASKING SCHOOLS TO BEGIN COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND THEIR STAFFS OVER THE NEXT WEEK.
AND THROUGHOUT THAT TIME AS WELL, REACHING OUT TO PARENTS AND PROVIDING THEM MORE SCHOOL LEVEL INFORMATION MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO WITH THAT SAID, WE'LL CLOSE THE PRESENTATION AT THIS TIME.
UH, I'M, I'M, UH, GET BACK TO THE BOARD WITH THE REQUEST FOR SPEAK, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THIS ONE COMMENT.
THERE ARE MANY COMMENTS IN THE COMMENT LINKS COMING IN RELATED TO THE STARTER SCHOOLS.
UH, THIS IS, UH, FOR INFORMATION ONLY RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M GOING TO HOLD ALL OF THESE COMMENTS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT FOR THE ITEM I WANT TO BELIEVE IT IS, WHICH IS THE SCHOOL CALENDAR.
SO I WILL READ IN THE COMMENTS.
I JUST WANT READ HIM IN NOW I'M A, HOLD IT TO THE APPROPRIATE TIME AT THAT.
SO WITH THAT, MR. HOWARD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR MR. GO TODAY.
THE ITEM IS THE BOARD MEETING CALENDAR THAT WE'RE HAVING TO RE VOTE ON.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN TO READ THESE IN, UH, CAUSE THIS IS INFORMATION ONLY RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, I'LL READ IT IN WITH THE HEALTH BENEFITS THEN.
UH, SO MR. HOWARD, THANK YOU, MR. GORDON.
UM, THANK YOU FOR, TO EVERYONE WHO HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY ON THIS PLAN TO FIGURE OUT A SCHOOL YEAR OPENING.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS RELATED TO WHAT WE SEE HERE SO FAR.
UM, I'VE SHARED SOME OF THESE COMMENTS WITH, UM, MY COLLEAGUES AS IT RELATES TO, UM, SCHOOL REOPENING.
UM, THE FIRST COMMENT THAT I WILL MAKE IS THAT I, AGAIN, I AM NO EXPERT IN, IN, IN PANDEMIC RESEARCH AND PANDEMIC STUDIES AND THE SCIENCE ATTENDANT MAKES SENSE AND HOW TO BEST MAKE DECISIONS RELATED TO PANDEMICS.
BUT I AM KIND OF CONCERNED WITH THE, THE RUSH FOR US TO, UH, START BACK SCHOOL, UM, ON AUGUST THE SIXTH, AS RIGID AS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED BY THE PLAN.
I JUST DON'T THINK THAT WHERE WE ARE WITH THE SCIENCE OF THE CONTINUOUS, LIKE EVERY DAY, THIS IS A DEVELOPING PANDEMIC.
AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT AUGUST SIX GIVES US ENOUGH TIME TO PROPERLY PREPARE, UM, TO, TO GET OUT FAMILIES AND STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
SO, AS I ASKED YESTERDAY, I WILL REQUEST THAT WE START THE SCHOOL YEAR AND A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL PLATFORM.
AND THEN AFTER LABOR DAY REVISIT OUR HYBRID APPROACH, UM, GETTING PEOPLE INTO THESE BUILDING FAITHFULLY WHILE PARENTS HAVE A A HUNDRED PERCENT OPTION TO BE VIRTUAL THROUGHOUT THIS, THROUGHOUT THIS PLAN, THERE IS NOTHING THAT'S HOW OUR SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES OUR VULNERABLE
[01:00:01]
TEACHER POPULATION OR OUR OR OTHER VULNERABLE SUPPORTS THAT POPULATION THAT HAS TO ENTER INSIDE OF THESE BUILDINGS.SO I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE JUMPING THE GUN AS IT RELATES TO THE START DATE.
UM, I, I SUPPORT THE, THE MIX, UM, OPTIONS THAT PARENTS HAVE TO CHOOSE FOR STUDENTS.
BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR FAMILIES INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, I DO NOT THINK THAT STARTING ON AUGUST THE SIXTH GIVES US THE BEST AND MOST SAFE, UM, WAY TO ENTER INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE OVER JUST THIS DAY, UM, SINCE THE CONVERSATION WE HAD ON LAST NIGHT, UM, ABOUT 10 SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE ALREADY PUSHED THEIR STAR BACK TO AT LEAST AFTER LABOR DAY, TO GIVE MORE PREPARATION TIME, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PUTTING OUR PEOPLE IN, UM, IN SAFE BUILDINGS AND SAFE PLACES AND SAFE ENVIRONMENTS.
AND SO WHILE SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE MADE THIS, THIS CRAZY, UM, APPROACH ABOUT LIKE, OH, WE WILL LOSE 20 TEACHERS AND 500 STUDENTS.
ANY LIFE LOSS IN THIS MOMENT IS, IS TOO MANY.
AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE US A HUNDRED PERCENT ENCOURAGE US TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR OFF A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUALLY AND THEN REVISIT IT AFTER LABOR DAY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT THAT I KNOW THIS WORK IS DIFFICULT.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS JUST, THERE IS NO WINS IN THIS SITUATION.
IT'S A LOSE, LOSE ACROSS THE BOARD IF YOU ASKED ME.
UM, BUT I WOULD JUST, UH, EMPLOY THAT WE THINK ABOUT PUSHING OUT, START DATE BACK BECAUSE AUGUST THE SIXTH IS JUST TOO SOON TO MAKE PROPER, PROPER PRECAUTIONS TO BE THE MOST SAFE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR FAMILY.
SO I JUST WANT TO AMPLIFY THAT.
UM, I, I SHARE MY COLLEAGUES' CONCERNS.
UM, I AM GLAD TO HEAR IN TERMS OF WHEN WE DO THE HA YOU KNOW, AT WHATEVER TIME THAT THE HYBRID APPROACHES IS TAKEN, THAT SIBLING PAIRING AND COORDINATION IS BEING THOUGHT OF.
UM, BUT I'M NOT EVEN SURE WE'RE CLEAR ON WHAT'S OUR TRIGGER.
WHAT'S EBR, DISTRICT'S TRIGGER POINT FOR SAYING AUGUST 6TH OR WHATEVER THEY WERE TOOL HYBRID WE'RE DOING FACE TO FACE.
ARE WE SAYING THAT WE WAITING FOR THE GOVERNOR TO SAY, BEAT ME PHASE ONE RIGHT NOW ON AUGUST SIX WEEKEND, PHASE TWO ON AUGUST SIX, WE IN FACE, LIKE, WHAT IS OUR, WHAT ARE WE HOLDING OURSELVES TO, TO SAY IS, AND THEN THAT WAS THE TECHNICAL THING IS IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD HAS TO VOTE ON, OR THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S STRICTLY GUIDED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, WE I'VE BEEN GETTING FEEDBACK FROM, UH, BOTH SIDES, MOSTLY FROM EDUCATORS, UM, WITH SAFETY CONCERNS.
UH, I PERSONALLY DON'T COMPREHEND HOW MY THREE YEAR OLD GRANDSON WILL KEEP PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCE IN SCHOOL.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL IS I, I, YOU KNOW, THE ADULTS, AREN'T DOING A GOOD JOB WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING.
UM, THERE'S UNFORTUNATELY, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY EVEN MASS HAVE BEEN POLITICIZED.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN DO THIS SAFELY WITH THE NUMBERS CONTINUING TO GO UP.
AND WHILE THE DEATH NUMBERS HAVEN'T BEGUN TO SPIKE THE HOSPITAL NUMBERS, THAT THE CASE NUMBERS HAVE A PROPORTIONATE TO THE TESTING.
SO YOU CAN'T JUST BLAME IT ON THE TESTING.
UM, THE HOSPITAL NUMBERS ARE GOING UP AND IT'S NOT GONNA TAKE TOO LONG, UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE DEAF NUMBERS TO START GOING BACK UP.
UM, I DO, I DO HEAR THE VALID CONCERNS OF BUSINESS OWNERS AND, AND PEOPLE, UH, UH, DOCTOR'S OFFICES AND WHAT NOT SAYING WELL, THEIR STAFF HAVE CHILDREN THAT NEED TO BE IN SCHOOL.
SO THE STAFF CAN SHOW UP TO WORK.
I THINK RIGHT NOW, AS A COMMUNITY, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SOME GIVE AND TAKE, AND THIS MIGHT SOUND ODD, OUTLANDISH OR DIFFERENT, BUT WE IN DIFFERENT TIMES, AND THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HAVE THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENT, BE CHILD FRIENDLY, THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE A CONSIDERATION BECAUSE WE ALL ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TRADE ON THIS.
Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR STAFF COMING INTO WORK, US TOO.
UM, AND, AND THE NUMBERS OF CASES ARE GOING UP AND CHILDREN ARE NOT EVEN CONGREGATING IF FACILITIES RIGHT NOW TO PASS THE GERMS AROUND AND BRING THEM BACK HOME TO MOMMY AND DADDY AND GRANDMA AND THEIR GRANDMA AND MOM AND DADDY BRINGING IT TO WORK.
SO IT'S, AS MY COLLEAGUES SAID EARLIER, IT'S LIKE REALLY A LOSE, LOSE SITUATION.
UH, WE COULD, WE, WE COULD LOSE AND BE SAFE, OR WE COULD NOT
[01:05:01]
BE SAFE IN THIS STILL LOSE BECAUSE AT SOME POINT TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE OUT OF WORK.ANYWAY, I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THE BEST APPROACH TO TAKE, BUT APPALOOSA, SAINT ST.
LANDRY PARISH DID MAKE THE BOLD MOVE OF BEING ONE OF THE FIRST ONES IN THE STATE TO THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL.
I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US AS A COMMUNITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEST SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING, IT'S GOT TO BE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WAY, UM, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND PERHAPS THE, UH, PERHAPS THE COVID TASK FORCE FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEEDS TO LOOK MORE LIKE, UM, YES, WE THOUGHT THROUGH THE LOGISTICS OF HOW WE CAN DO PHASE ONE, TWO AND THREE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT MAYBE IT NEEDS TO TRANSITION INTO WHAT ARE SOME UNIQUE APPROACHES AS A COMMUNITY.
WE COULD TAKE A, TO HELP EACH OTHER, AND MAYBE WE COULD FIGURE OUT SOME BETTER SOLUTIONS THEN, UH, AN ABSOLUTE LOSE ON, UH, EITHER, EITHER APPROACH.
SO THAT'S MY THOUGHTS ALSO TOO, WHO WILL BE CLEANING THE BUILDINGS ON THE OWN WAY AS THIS IS THAT JANITORIAL STAFF, OR WE EXPECTED TEACHERS TO ALTER, TO BE THE ONES TO DO THE WEDNESDAY CLEANINGS.
UM, AND, AND, AND AS IT RELATES TO ARAMARK, AND I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION A MILLION TIMES OVER THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, UH, BEYOND THEIR IN HOUSE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T ANSWER IT, PERHAPS YOU CAN ANSWER IT AT THIS MOMENT, IF YOU CAN'T.
I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK TO THAT.
YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE IT THIS TIME IS IN REGARDS TO THE RETURNING, LIKE HOW TO MOVE THROUGH PHASES.
IS THAT YOUR QUESTION, MS. COLLINS? YEAH.
UM, AGAIN, I THINK THAT IS DRIVEN MOSTLY BY WHATEVER'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS.
SO DEPENDING ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT PHASES CAN NOT ONLY BE STATEWIDE, BUT THEY CAN BE PARISH WIDE.
AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE REASONABLE THING IF WE'RE IN PHASE ONE AT ANY POINT, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE FULL VIRTUAL PHASE TWO.
AGAIN, THERE'S PROBABLY SOME TYPE OF, UH, OF CONTINUUM THERE WHERE WE CAN MAKE SOME CHOICES INVESTED FOR THE DISTRICT.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD HAVE THE MOST FLEXIBILITY AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, TO DETERMINE HYBRID OR ROLL BACK OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE CHOSEN.
SO, UM, SO MY CONCERN IS THIS AUGUST SIX IS FOR ALL, UM, AUGUST 6TH IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
AND SO PARENTS AND STAFF NEED TO BE ABLE TO PREPARE.
AND I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US AS A DISTRICT TO SAY SOMETHING BEYOND WEEK ON, SEE LIKE EARLY ON, MADE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE.
AND WE STILL REALLY DON'T KNOW, BUT, BUT PERHAPS AS WE COME INTO THE 11TH HOUR, PERHAPS THAT'S THE POINT WE DON'T KNOW.
SO SINCE WE DON'T KNOW VAN THIS, WHAT WE DOING COME ALL THE SIX, SO THAT FOR BETTER OR WORSE, PEOPLE CAN BEGIN TO PREPARE BECAUSE IF COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE FIGURE OUT HOW TO COME TOGETHER TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR KIDS OR WHAT NOT, THEN I WAS SCHEDULED DICK'S T YOU KNOW, HOW WE DECIDE TO APPROACH THIS, DICTATES THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING.
UM, WE'VE HAD A GAZILLION SPECIAL MEETINGS.
I KNOW EVERYBODY ELSE IS TIRED, BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE OURSELVES A DEADLINE BEFORE THE DAY BEFORE SCHOOL, BEFORE WE SAY, UM, THIS IS THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.
UM, PARENTS AND STAFF AND STAFF AND, AND, AND PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO NOW, WE'VE HAD THE TIME, UH, AND WE NEEDED TO TIME TO THINK THROUGH WHAT DIFFERENT OPTIONS COULD LOOK LIKE.
I THINK Y'ALL HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB IN THAT REGARD.
AND, AND SO THEN MY PLEA TO MY COLLEAGUES AND APPROPRIATE STAFF, UM, IS THAT WE FIGURE OUT WHAT I DID.
MINE IS GOING TO BEAT TO GIVE PEOPLE AN ANSWER ON HOW WE GONNA APPROACH THIS.
UM, I DON'T, I DEFINITELY DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE, UM, THE LAST WEEK OF JULY OR THE FIRST WEEK AUGUST.
I, UM, IT'S A HARD DECISION TO MAKE.
WHICHEVER ONE WE MAKE, PEOPLE WILL BE ANGRY BECAUSE THIS IS A MAJOR DISRUPTION IN EVERYONE'S LIFE.
UM, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
[01:10:02]
THANK YOU, MS. COLLINS, WE NOW GO TO BOARD MEMBER DYSON.UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS HERE THAT I'M HOPEFUL THAT MR KNEE CASE CAN HELP US WITH.
AND I'M ALSO GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK WHILE THIS MEETING'S GOING ON.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I WANTED TO ASK IS, SO IF OUR PRE-K NOW CAN BE A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS AS A WAY, UH, TO ALLOW MORE STUDENTS INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, THAT THEY WOULD BE ATTENDING FOR KINDERGARTEN AND BE ABLE TO DO OUR VIRTUAL, GET USED TO SOME, AT LEAST SOME OF THE, UM, THE TEACHER AND THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, BUT BE IN THAT GROUP OF STUDENTS, VIRTUALLY FOR PRE-K.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT, CAN WE, UM, INCREASE OUR CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO TEACH OUR PRECARIOUS THAT WILL BE COMING INTO OUR KINDERGARTEN SCHOOLS FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
I'VE PLAYED THIS AS A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY THAT I WOULDN'T LIKE TO MISS.
I KNOW, UH, MR. SMITH AND HIS TEAM HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO LOOK AT CAPACITY, ESPECIALLY AT THE LOWER GRADE LEVELS.
AND, UH, I KNOW HE CAN PROBABLY JUMP IN HERE AND KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME DETAILS THERE.
UM, THAT MAY BE DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO EXPLORE.
UM, BUT THERE'S ALSO TEACHING, UH, CAPACITY ISSUES AS WELL, BUT I'LL LET HIM KIND OF GO INTO DETAILS ON THAT.
AND I'M THINKING IF, IF IT WOULD BE A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL AND A TEACHER WOULD BE DEDICATED TO FOUR DAYS A WEEK, A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL, UM, AND, AND IF A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL, IF THERE'S A WAY TO, UM, SINCE IT'S VIRTUAL, DO WE HAVE THE LAW LIMITING THE CLASS SIZE AND THAT KIND OF THING, CAN WE PUT A TEACHER? AND LIKE WE DO AT MAYFAIR, A SUPPORT TEACHER, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ENGAGE COMMUNITIES THIS WAY.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE REALLY NEED TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX AND REALLY REACH OUT TO THAT BECAUSE THEN IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN SHOW THEM THAT WE CAN DO THIS AND THAT THEIR STUDENTS ARE LEARNING IN OUR ENVIRONMENTS, THEN HOPEFULLY THEY WILL CHOOSE US FOR KINDERGARTEN AND THEY'RE ON.
SO I'M REALLY HOPING WE CAN BE PROACTIVE HERE AND TAKE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND MAYBE THE PAST TEACHERS DEDICATED SOLELY TO A VIRTUAL AND WITH A SUPPORT, AND THEN JUST THE LAW LIMIT OUR CAPACITY AS IT WOULD IF IT WAS IN PERSON.
AND THEN I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT LET'S SEE MS. DEATH, SO I CAN GET CLARITY ON YOUR QUESTION WITH THE PRE-K.
ARE YOU ASKING FOR PRE-K TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL? I'M ASKING IF WE HAVE ADDITIONAL ZONE STUDENTS THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR SCHOOLS? PRE-K CAN WE INCREASE OUR TEACHING CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE A GROUP THAT DIDN'T GET IN BECAUSE OF THE NUMBERS FOR THE END PERSON, BUT WE CAN REACH BACK OUT AND, AND, AND ALSO MARKET TO THEM, BUT COME JOIN US NOW AND A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL AND GIVE THEM THAT OPTION.
AND THIS TEACHER THEN JUST A HUNDRED PERCENT A VIRTUAL WITH THEM.
AND THEN DOES THE LAW REQUIRE IF IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL, CAN WE INCREASE THE STUDENT NUMBER PER TEACHER? I COULD SPEAK, HEY ADAM, BEFORE YOU JUMP IN, I'LL SAY THAT WE NEED TO WORK UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE LAW CONTINUES TO LIMIT THOSE CLASS SIZES IN THE ABSENCE OF A WAIVER REQUEST.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK INTO A LITTLE MORE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO WORK FORWARD WITH THAT ASSUMPTION THAT THOSE, THE LAW, THE LAW REMAINS IN EFFECT.
WE'VE NOT GOTTEN ANYTHING THAT TELLS US ANYTHING DIFFERENT WITH REGARD TO THE CLASS SIZE.
THIS BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO SEE US ASK THIS, YOU KNOW, BY TOMORROW,
[01:15:01]
BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE MORE PEOPLE THAN WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY.AND I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I DON'T WANT TO WASTE ANY TIME ON.
UM, BUT ALSO WE CAN START PREPARING FOR THAT SAME CLASS NUMBER.
AND THEN ONCE WE GET AN ANSWER, POSSIBLY ADD TO THAT, BUT WE COULD START OFFERING SOME HUNDRED PERCENT FOR STUDENTS THAT THEIR NUMBER ONE PICK OR THEIR ZONED SCHOOL THEY CAN'T GET INTO, BUT WE CAN LET YOU IN NOW THIS WAY.
AND THEN, BUT ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY BE ASKING THAT QUESTION.
SO WE HAVE SOME GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
THIS IS DAPHNE WITH THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
SO WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE SOME, SOME OPTIONS AND SOME FLEXIBILITY THAT WE ARE, UM, LOOKING AT.
AND WE WILL DEFINITELY PROVIDE SOME EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE WE CAN MOVE WITH THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE ONLINE EDUCATION AND, UM, INFORMATION WITH REGARDS TO, UM, HOW THAT WOULD LOOK IN A VIRTUAL SETTING.
WE DON'T WANT TO OVERLOAD A TEACHER, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A VIRTUAL SETTING, JUST LIKE IN COLLEGE, YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY WOULD TEACH 200, 300 STUDENTS.
WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT TO A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, BUT WE DO WANT TO STAY WITHIN THE CONFINES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN STILL PROVIDE A QUALITY EDUCATION, MAYBE HAD AN AID.
AND ALL OF OUR PRE-K CLASSES, WE DO HAVE A PAIR OF PROFESSIONAL THAT WORKS WITH THE TEACHER.
SO WE WILL STAY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF, UM, STATE LAW, BUT WE, WE DO, WE ARE ABLE TO BE VERY, A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE.
AND SO WE DO HAVE THOSE PLANS, THE WORKS AS THE DEMAND IS THERE.
UM, UM, AND THAT WAS JUST MY FIRST QUESTION.
SO, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CLEANING AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MR. NICK KAY SAID THAT IT WOULD BE DONE BY THE ARAMARK TEAM ON WEDNESDAYS.
AND MY QUESTION IS ABOUT CLEANING THE PLAYGROUNDS AND WILL THAT BE COVERED UNDER ARAMARK? UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION AMONGST, UH, POSSIBLY, UH, STAFF MEMBERS WHO MIGHT THINK THAT, UM, THE TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE ASKED TO GO OUT AND CLEAN THE PLAYGROUNDS.
IS THAT CORRECT? OR THAT'S YEAH, WE CAN CHECK INTO THAT SPECIFICALLY ON WHAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION AND HOW OFTEN THEY CLEAN THE ELEMENTARY PLAYGROUNDS.
WE'LL DEFINITELY CHECK INTO THAT.
I DIDN'T THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD BE ASKING TEACHERS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ON THE WEDNESDAYS.
UM, THEN I ALSO WANTED TO ASK, SO IF FAMILIES ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE MONDAY, TUESDAY, BECAUSE OF THEIR ALPHABET LETTER, UM, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY ALSO BRING THEM ON THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BE INSTRUCTING OUR TEAM TO DO AT THAT POINT? WE'LL HAVE TO HANDLE THAT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE PART OF THEIR SCHEDULE.
I MEAN, WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK ON THAT ON A CASE BY CASE, BUT THEY WOULD ONLY REALLY BE ALLOWED THERE ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY.
AND CAUSE AGAIN, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE PLANNING FOR CAPACITY AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, PREDICTABILITY THAT HAS TO GO INTO THAT.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO HANDLE THAT THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE CONCERNED THAT WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE WITH A PLAN FOR WHEN THEY ARRIVE ON THE OTHER DAYS, WHAT THEN DO THEY DID AT THAT POINT? SO I THINK WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH THE WHAT IFS AND BE READY AND, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE EVEN PUT, PUSH THAT INFORMATION OUT THAT THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THAT CASE.
AND, UM, ALSO, UH, SO TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS, THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO
[01:20:01]
BRING THEIR CHILDREN ON ALL FOUR OF THE DAYS SO THAT WE CAN ASSURE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE AVAILABLE.IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM CORRECT.
THE RECOMMENDATION DONE ANY, UM, SCENARIOS OF IF EVERY TEACHER IN EBR CHOOSES THAT, WHAT CAPACITY DOES THAT LEAVE US WITH WITH THE REDUCED NUMBERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ALLOWED KIND OF SCALE THAT YES.
AND DEFINITELY AS YOU SPREAD OUT BY ALL SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT FROM OUR SURVEYS, LOOKING AT THE PERCENTAGE OF PARENTS WHO WERE LOOKING AT A VIRTUAL OPTION, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT AND THEN FACTOR IN NORMAL ATTENDANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, AS WELL.
AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, SO A TEACHER THAT'S TEACHING IN PERSON ON TUESDAY, MONDAY, TUESDAY IS ALSO TEACHING THE OTHER HALF OF THEIR CLASS VIRTUALLY ON THOSE SAME EVAN, THAT SAME DAY, THAT SAME TEACHERS DO IT BOTH WAYS.
THE WAY THAT IT MOST DURING THE WEEK IS FOR EXAMPLE, A TEACHER WOULD TEACH MONDAY AND TUESDAY A SET OF LESSONS, UM, ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AND THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO THEY'RE NOT JUST RETEACHING THE SAME INFORMATION TO THE NEXT GROUP OF KIDS.
AND SO THE STUDENTS WHO ARE LEARNING AND IN PERSONAL MONDAY AND TUESDAY, THE THURSDAY, FRIDAY, KIDS WOULD EITHER BE LOGGING IN WATCHING LIVE, OR THEY WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A RECORDED LESSON AND THEN ITEMS POSTED IN THE GOOGLE CLASSROOM OR LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THEY'RE USING.
AND THEN IT'D BE EXPECTED TO DO THOSE ACTIVITIES WHILE THEY'RE AT HOME DURING THEIR VIRTUAL TIME.
UM, SO AGAIN AND AGAIN, WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT TEACHING AND EVERY INCH SPACING DIFFERENTLY.
AND IN WORKING WITH EDS AND PRINCIPALS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USED TO SEEING CLASSROOMS WHERE TEACHERS ARE MOVING AROUND AND KIDS ARE IN SMALL GROUPS, THIS IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN SPACING.
YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE A TEACHER WORKING MORE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CLASSROOM, YOU KNOW, AT A SCREEN THAT CAN BE RECORDED, JUST SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO STUDENTS WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THAT AS WELL.
AND, UM, I JUST WOULD APPRECIATE IF WE COULD GET EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN A WAY THAT WE CAN ALL SHARE THIS INFORMATION VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL START, UH, PUSHING OUT INFORMATION VIA NEWS CHANNELS AND EVERY MARKETING OPTION THAT WE CAN RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THE, THE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT ARE OFFERING A A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, DISTANCE LEARNING THAT HAVE ALWAYS DONE THAT.
I KNOW PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THEM NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING MAILERS AND THEY'RE SEEING COMMERCIALS AND ALL, AND I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY BE PROACTIVE WITH THIS AND SHUT OFF OUR ABILITY TO EMBRACE THIS NEW STYLE AND THAT WE'RE, WE'RE READY AND ABLE AND WANTING OUR COMMUNITY KIDS.
SO, UM, I'LL BE WATCHING TO SEE WHAT I CAN START SHARING.
I MEAN, MS. DYSON, UH, NEXT WE HAVE MR. LANDIS FOLLOWED BY MS. WARE JACKSON FOLLOWED BY MS. COLLINS FOLLOWED BY, UH, MR. HOWARD, MR. LANICE.
AND GO THERE FIRST, BEFORE I BEGAN TO A DIALOGUE ABOUT THE TOPIC, I WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE TEAM.
I NOTICED COULDN'T HAVE BEEN EASY.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING COUNTLESS HOURS AROUND THE CLOCK TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET THROUGH THIS? THIS IS SOMETHING NOBODY HAS PLANNED FOR.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN WRAPPING OUR HEADS AROUND AND TRY TO FIND RESOLVE WITH.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY MY HAT GOES OFF TO YOU, BUT NOW I THINK IT IS TIME WHERE WE HAVE TO JUST COME INTO FRUITION ABOUT A LOT OF EFFECTS THAT WERE JUST, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
AND MY HAT GOES OFF TO VICE PRESIDENT.
TREMINO HOWARD FOR SAYING THAT WE NEED TO POSTPONE OPENING SCHOOLS, UH, ON AUGUST SIX, AT LEAST UNTIL AFTER LABOR DAY.
ONE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL COVID CASES, 70% OF COVID CASES, UH, IN LOUISIANA SPECIFICALLY, AND ALSO IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH HAVE BEEN AFFECTING PEOPLE OF COLOR.
WE SERVE A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS 81% AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS THAT LINGERS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.
AND I THINK IT SHOULD LINGER IN THE BACK OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON'S MIND, NOT JUST THE BACK, BUT IN THE FRONT OF OUR MINDS,
[01:25:01]
AS WE TALK ABOUT OUR MOST PRECIOUS, UH, HIGHLY VALUE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.AND THAT'S OUR STUDENTS, THOSE ARE THOSE EFFECTS THAT WE JUST SIMPLY CAN'T IGNORE.
UM, ALSO I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT, UM, WHY ARE WE NOT HAVING DISCUSSIONS AROUND MAKING SURE OR PUSHING THAT OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR STUDENTS GET TESTED BEFORE WE COME BACK INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
WE HAVE THE TIME AS OF RIGHT NOW, UM, MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON, WESTERN BROOM IS PUSHING AN INITIATIVE OVER THE NEXT 12 DAYS TO DO AT LEAST 5,000 TESTS A DAY.
I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE A HUGE PUSH FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW, UH, WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY IS SICK BEFORE WE ENTERED BACK INSIDE OF OUR BUILDINGS.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE DESERVE TO HAVE THAT, RIGHT.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS.
ALSO, WE ARE A SCHOOL BOARD AND WE'RE HOLDING OUT MEETING VIRTUALLY BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID OF CATCHING KOBE.
SO I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT OUR TEACHERS, THINK ABOUT OUR SUPPORT STAFF, THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO GO BACK INSIDE OUR BUILDINGS.
OUR CAFETERIA WORKERS ARE JANITORS.
THINK ABOUT OUR BUS DRIVERS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE OF THE AGE WHERE THEY ARE MORE, THE MOST SUSTAINABLE TO CATCH THIS VIRUS.
AND AS IT STANDS, WE'RE REQUIRING OUR JANITORS TO WORK FIVE DAYS A WEEK, CLEANING BUILDINGS, DOING THE HEART DIRTY WORK.
WE'RE REQUIRING OUR CAFETERIA WORKERS AND OUR BUS DRIVERS TO WORK AT LEAST FOUR DAYS A WEEK.
BASED OFF THIS MODEL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TWO DAYS ON AND TWO, THREE DAYS OFF, UH, AND TWO DIFFERENT, UH, GROUPS OF STUDENTS THAT WILL BE COMING IN BASED OFF YOUR LAST NAME.
AND I WANT US TO ALSO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT WE HAD 7,830 CONFIRMED IT'S IN EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH ALONE.
WE HAVE HAD OVER EIGHT 80,000 CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID IN LOUISIANA ALONE.
AND WE ARE ONE OF THE HIGHEST STATES AND HAVE REMAINED ONE OF THE HIGHEST STATES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
WE NEED TO SERIOUSLY AND STRONGLY THINK ABOUT THIS.
AND I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON SOMETHING THAT MY BOARD COLLEAGUE, DON COLLINS HAS BROUGHT UP ACCOUNTABILITY AROUND CLEANING PROTOCOL.
WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH CLEANING IN THE PAST WITH ARAMARK, AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ARAMARK.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THEIR PART.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WANT TO CLEAN OUR BUILDINGS THOROUGHLY, BUT THAT HAS TO BE IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS, THAT WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS BEFORE WE'RE CLEANING.
SO HOW WAS THAT GOING TO CHANGE? WHAT ARE THE CLEANING PROTOCOLS? ARE WE WRITING DOWN WHAT THE ROUTINE IS EVERY DAY? ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STOCKING OUR SCHOOLS? ARE WE, ARE WE DOCUMENTING THIS? ARE WE RECORDING THIS? IS IT GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO OUR STAFF? IS IT GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO THE PRINCIPALS IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO OUR BOARD SO THAT WE CAN DISSEMINATE THE INFORMATION OUT TO PARENTS PEOPLE'S IS KNIVES ON THE LINE.
AND I THINK THAT IF YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO DO SOMETHING AS MUCH AS, AS RISK THEIR LIFE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERY SINGLE THING POSSIBLE AND AVAILABLE TO ENSURE THAT THAT, THAT WE ARE ADDING AN EXTENDED LAYER OF PROTECTION FOR THEM.
AND I JUST WANTED TO COME TO THIS LAST THING, CAUSE I HEARD MY BOY COLLEAGUE, UH, UH, MS. JILL DODSON BRING THIS UP.
AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO TURN INTO IS A CONVERSATION AROUND ATTENDANCE LINES AND ZONING, BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY THAT'S ALMOST WHAT THIS SONG'S LIKE.
WE TALK ABOUT STUDENTS GOING TO SCHOOLS INSIDE OF THEIR DISTRICTS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT PRESCHOOLERS, BUT LET'S ALSO REMEMBER THE FACTS AND I WANT TO THANK MS. LOPEZ FOR DELIVERING THIS INFORMATION.
THANK YOU, MS. LOPEZ, IF YOU'RE LISTENING AND IT'S SURROUNDING THE EVIDENCE AND FORCE AS THE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 119 TEACHING REDUCTIONS OF WHICH 36 ARE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.
SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THIS WORK INSIDE OF SCHOOL, INSIDE OF THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES WHEN WE'RE LOSING TEACHERS OR WE'VE ALREADY LOST TEACHERS, 10 OF WHICH ARE PRESCHOOL SPED TEACHERS, 20 OF WHICH ARE SUPPORT TEACHERS.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE, WE NEED TO STRONGLY CONSIDER GOING BACK AT THIS PLAN AND SOMEHOW, UH, REALLY NOT JUST SURVEYING TEACHERS WITH THOSE LOOSE ENDED QUESTIONS OF SURVEYING PARENTS WITH THOSE LOOSE ENDED QUESTIONS, BUT REALLY, REALLY ASKING THEM QUESTIONS WHERE YOU CAN GET THEIR DIRECT FEEDBACK.
CAUSE IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE EVEN WITH THE, UH, THE SURVEY THAT WE DID HAVE, THE QUESTIONS WERE ALREADY PRE PRE CREATED, ALLOW THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONCERNS TO ASK THE QUESTIONS, UH, THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL YOU OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING QUESTIONS AND I CAN'T EVEN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS ANYMORE.
I WAS JUST AT THE BESSIE MEETING THE OTHER DAY, AND PEOPLE HAD THE SAME CONCERNS ALL AROUND OUR STATE.
IT ISN'T, IT'S NOT JUST THESE BEVERAGE REPAIRS.
IT HAS BEEN ALL AROUND OUR STATE.
AND I JUST REALLY WANTED TO GIVE A STRONG PUSH AND SAYING, I REALLY HOPE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR PART AND OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN ENSURING THAT WE ARE ADDING EXTENDED LAYERS OF PROTECTION FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON, NOT JUST TEACHERS, NOT JUST STUDENTS, BUT OUR SUPPORT STAFF, OUR JANITORS, OUR CAFETERIA WORKERS, AND, UH, ALL BUS DRIVERS, BECAUSE THEY DESERVE IT.
YOU CAN'T ASK YOU TO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE.
THEY HAVE A STILL SO MANY UNCERTAINTIES AND I'LL JUST END RIGHT THERE.
NEXT WOULD BE MISS A BOARD MEMBER WHERE JACKSON.
[01:30:01]
OKAY, THANK YOU.UH, THANK YOU FOR PRESIDENT GO DAY.
UM, SOME OF MY QUESTIONS I BELIEVE ARE, UH, HAVE, HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, BUT I WANTED TO STILL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY ON THE DATE THAT WE'LL DEFINITELY KNOW, UM, WHICH TEACHERS ARE RETURNING, UM, HAS, HAS THAT DATE PASSED AND IS THAT WHERE THE NUMBERS CAME FROM IN THE DOCUMENT THAT WE RECEIVED ABOUT HOW MANY TEACHERS ARE NOT, UH, HOW MANY AS, AS FAR AS, UH, THE REDUCTION IN FORCE IS, UH, OR ARE, IS THERE ANOTHER DATE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TO, TO SEE WHAT'S THE FINAL NUMBER OF THE TEACHER CAPACITY, MS. WHERE JACKSON, I THINK IT WORKS HAND IN HAND.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO, UH, OUR FACULTY, AS WELL AS OUR STUDENTS, UM, AS, UH, AS IN MANY OF THE SURVEYS THAT WE SEND OUT, WE REALIZED THAT WE WERE ONLY GETTING INFORMATION FOR CERTAIN, CERTAIN FAMILY MEMBERS.
AND THERE WAS A GROUP OF FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO REACH.
AND, UH, WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS AND, UH, AND SO I THINK WHAT, WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM MY PRINCIPALS IS THAT OUR PARENTS, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR TEACHERS, I WANT TO KNOW HOW WE RETURN BEFORE THEY MAKE THE DECISION OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD CHOOSE A FULL VIRTUAL OPTION OR IF THEY WILL CHOOSE TO LEAVE.
SO I THINK A DECISION HAS TO BE MADE ON HOW WE RETURN BEFORE WE GET THE INFORMATION ON HOW OUR EMPLOYEES, WHAT, WHAT ACTIONS OUR EMPLOYEES WILL TAKE, BECAUSE THE DATE FOR SCHOOL HAS ALWAYS, HASN'T BEEN SENT SINCE PRIDE BEFORE US GETTING OUT WE'LL, COVARIATE THE BOARD APPROVED THE CALENDAR THAT AUGUST SIX WILL BE THE FIRST START FIRST DAY FOR STUDENTS.
AND SO STAFF HAS BEEN PLANNING SINCE COVID ON HOW WE RETURN AND HOW WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.
BUT WE'RE AT A POINT RIGHT NOW, A DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE ON HOW WE WILL RETURN, BECAUSE THEN WE'LL BE LATE.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD GET BETTER DATA FROM MY PARENTS, AS WELL AS OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW WE'RE RETURNING, IF IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL OR IS IT A HYBRID TYPE MODEL, AND THEN PEOPLE CAN START TO MAKE SOME INFORMED DECISIONS.
AND THAT JUST POINT, AND AT THIS POINT, THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE VIRTUAL OPTION FOR THOSE WHO SELECTED AND A HYBRID MODEL FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO MADE, WHO CHOSE FROM THE SURVEY OF FACE TO FACE OPTION.
AND IN SPEAKING OF THE SURVEY AND THE DIFFERENT CHOICES FOR A VIRTUAL LEARNING, UM, WE, WE HAVE ALL OF THE COMPUTERS IN PLACE, ALL OF THE, THE CHROMEBOOKS IN PLACE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
I'M WONDERING ABOUT WHY AND, UM, UM, THE TECHNOLOGY THAT THE FAMILIES ARE GOING TO NEED.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY PARTNERS IN HELPING TO PROVIDE WIFI? UH, I THINK PART OF THE REASON THAT WE'RE NOT HEARING FROM, UH, SOME MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT IS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE, UM, THEY DON'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY EXCEPT FOR THE PHONE THAT'S, THAT'S IN THEIR HANDS.
AND, AND, UH, I DON'T THINK KIDS WILL BE ABLE TO, NO KIDS WON'T BE ABLE TO DO ANY LESSONS, UH, ANY KIND OF WORK, JUST USING A PHONE AND NO WIFI IN THE HOME.
DO WE HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PROVISIONS FOR WIFI, FOR SOME FAMILIES THAT DON'T HAVE IT PARTNERS IN IT? YES, WE DO HAVE SOME PARTNERS.
I KNOW, UH, EXXON HAS PURCHASED SOME, UH, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM? THE HOTSPOT DEVICES FOR A STREAMER AND, UH, BROOKSTOWN, UH, WE'VE TURNED SOME OF OUR FACILITIES INTO MOBILE SITES.
SCHOOL SITES LIKE CAPITOL ELEMENTARY OF FAMILY IS THERE'S ENOUGH BANDWIDTH WHERE YOU CAN PULL UP IN THE PARKING LOT AND YOU CAN GET THE WIFI.
UH, ALSO THE DEVICES IS NOT THE ISSUE.
THE CONNECTIVITY IS AN ISSUE, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE OFFERED THE HYBRID TYPE MODEL FACE TO FACE, BECAUSE CONNECTIVITY IS AN ISSUE IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG CONCERN.
I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE STILL NEED TO FIND, GET ALL THE INFORMATION ON.
AND, UM, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT, UM, I REALLY DO SUPPORT, UM, HAVING SCHOOL START LATER, LIKE PERHAPS AT LEAST AFTER LABOR DAY, UH, SO THAT WE HAVE MORE TIME TO FILL IN ALL THE HOLES AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GOOD PLAN AND, YOU KNOW, BESIDES THE FACT THAT COVID IS SPIKING RIGHT NOW, UM, AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT, THAT WE CAN, UH, WE CAN REALLY DO ABOUT THAT.
[01:35:01]
UH, I'M HOPING THAT PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE, THE TESTING SO THAT THEY'LL KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WHERE THEY, UH, WHERE THEY ARE HEALTH WISE.AND, UM, I DO APPRECIATE THAT BLENDED FAMILIES HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED IN THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THIS.
I KNOW IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE TO TRY TO FIGURE ALL OF THIS OUT.
UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE BLENDED FAMILIES WITH DIFFERENT LAST NAMES AND DIFFERENT SCHOOL AGES, UH, DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW ONE FAMILY IN PARTICULAR THAT'S THAT WAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME OF THE STUDENTS, SOME OF THE KIDS IN THE FAMILY WANT TO BE AT HOME, SOME WANT TO BE AT SCHOOL AND, UH, THE YOUNGER ONES TEND TO WANT TO BE AT SCHOOL.
UM, AND, UM, BUT IT, IT CAN BE A BIT PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE, I JUST HAVE A FEAR AND IT'S, I'M SURE IT SEEMS LOGICAL ONE, KNOWING KIDS THAT WHEN THEY SEE ONE ANOTHER, IT'S BEEN ALL SUMMER, IT'S BEEN PART OF THE SPRING THAT THEY HAVEN'T SEEN ONE ANOTHER, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO SOCIAL DISTANCE.
AND, UM, I CAN JUST IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, SOME KIDS SAYING, I LIKE YOUR MASS BETTER THAN MINE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST ALL KINDS OF NIGHTMARES, THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN.
AND, UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, AND WITH THE SPIKE THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, I'M JUST, UH, I'M JUST AFRAID.
AND I HATE TO USE THE WORD AFRAID, BUT I AM AFRAID THAT WE GET BACK IN AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE SHUT DOWN EVERYTHING, UM, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE AN EVEN GREATER SPIKES.
SO I BELIEVE THAT IF WE PUSH IT BACK A LITTLE FARTHER, AT LEAST IT, IT MIGHT GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE SAFETY.
AND I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY CRINGING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE IN THE WORKFORCE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING BACK TO WORK AND WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO WITH THE KIDS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT, BUT, UM, I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH ISSUES AND, UM, DEATH RATES SPIKING AS, AS WELL.
UM, SO I THINK I'VE COVERED EVERYTHING.
OH, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT A BOARD MEMBER DIASON BROUGHT UP.
CAUSE THEN IN EVERY CRISIS THERE THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY.
AND, UH, THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE WHERE WE MAY BE ABLE TO, TO AT LEAST IN ENGAGE, UM, SOME OF OUR FAMILIES THAT ARE NOT WITH US NOW, IF THEY CAN GET INTO A SCHOOL AT LEAST VIRTUALLY AND, UH, AND TRY US OUT.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S IT FOR ME.
THIS HAS BEEN A MAN MAKE A QUICK POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
UM, ONE THING AS WE KIND OF SPEAK THROUGH THIS, UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO NOTE, UM, IF WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION, UH, THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT, UH, PUSHING THE YEAR BACK AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE OF COURSE ARE TO KEEP THE START DATE THE SIXTH, BUT BEGIN VIRTUALLY.
THAT MEANS THAT WE ACTUALLY CONTINUE THE SCHOOL YEAR AS PLANNED.
IF WE ACTUALLY MOVE THE OFFICIAL START DATE OF THE YEAR BACK, THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO THEN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THINGS LIKE CONTINGENCY DAYS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS AND IMPOSSIBLY HOLIDAYS TO ENSURE WE HAVE SEAT TIME AND OTHER THINGS.
SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE TALK THROUGH THIS, UM, TO ME, THAT WAS CLEAR.
THAT REMINDED ME, THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I WANTED TO MENTION.
SPEAKING OF THOSE DAYS, WE HAVE THOSE DAYS IN OCTOBER, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, UH, MARDI GRAS, YOU KNOW, DOUBT SERIOUSLY, THAT WILL BE AT THE MARDI GRAS IN, UH, 21.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN CONSIDER.
UM, BUT, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT UP THAT YOU'VE DONE.
THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON, THE BOARD MEMBER CONE I'M COMING.
SO LOOK, I HAD, UM, SOME MORE QUESTIONS.
SOME CLARITY AROUND GIFTED AND TALENTED.
THE PRESENTATION MENTIONED ESS STUDENTS.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE SAY ESL STUDENTS, WE THINK ONLY OF OUR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT GIFTED AND TALENTED.
AND SO FOR CLARITY IN THE PRESENTATION, WHEN WE SAID, UH, FOUR
[01:40:01]
DAYS A WEEK, POTENTIALLY FOR THE ESS STUDENTS, DO WE INTEND TO INCLUDE GIFTED AND TALENTED.AND I GUESS ACTUALLY WE PROBABLY HAVE TO BY LAW, IF YOU DO FOR ONE GROUP OF ESS KIDS, YOU HAVE TO DO IT FOR ANOTHER GROUP.
UH, AND I COULD SEE THAT POTENTIALLY HAVING SOME DISPARATE TREATMENT BECAUSE THE GIFTED AND TALENTED BABIES, UM, GETTING FOUR DAYS A WEEK IN YOUR STRUGGLING STUDENTS, NOT THAT THAT MIGHT BE A WHOLE NOTHER CAN OF WORMS. UM, THE TRADITIONAL STRUGGLING STUDENTS, NOT THE ESS STUDENTS WHO HAPPEN TO STRUGGLE.
UM, AND SO I NEED CLARITY ON, ON THAT PART ALSO THE SANITIZING ON WEDNESDAY, BUT IS THERE GOING TO BE SANITIZED AND OVER THE WEEKEND FOR THE JUST CLARITY? CAUSE WE ONLY MENTIONED THE WEDNESDAY ASSUME MAYBE THE FRIDAY OR THE WEEKEND WASN'T MENTIONED BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE REGULAR CLEANING, A DEEP CLEANING THAT GOES ON.
AND THEN ALSO I'M GETTING FEEDBACK THAT IN TERMS OF THE CLEANING, UM, WHEN WE'RE SAYING DEEP CLEANING ON WEDNESDAY, THAT'S JUST THE HOTSPOTS THAT ARAMARK ARE GONNA, IT'S GONNA GET IN THAT TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE GIVEN OF THE SANITIZING MATERIAL FOR, FOR THE, UH, AND WHEN I SAY HOTSPOTS, THE FEEDBACK I'M GETTING IS OKAY, SO THE, THE, THE FRONT BUILDING DOOR, THE CAFETERIA OR WHATEVER, WHERE EVERYBODY EATS THE COMMON SPACES, BUT IN TERMS OF THE CLASSROOM SPACE ON WEDNESDAY, THAT IS FOR THE TEACHER AND STAFF TO DO NOT NECESSARILY THE ARAMARK'S I NEED, I NEED CLARITY ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT THAT'S PROPER FEEDBACK.
AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION, UH, I'M GLAD THAT BEN BROUGHT UP THE, THE, THE QUESTION ABOUT STARTING AT A LATER DATE IS MY OPINION.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS AGAINST WHAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE MENTIONING.
I'M JUST LIFTING IT UP, UH, IN LINE WITH WHAT, UH, MS.
I THINK THAT IF WE HAVE CONCERN ON STARTING LATER, PERHAPS WE MAY AS WELL START VIRTUALLY ON AUGUST 6TH, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA TAKE TIME FOR PEOPLE TO GET USED TO.
I MEAN, YES, WE HAD THE, UH, CHROMEBOOKS AT HOME AND ALL OF THAT STUFF AT ONE POINT AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, LAST YEAR, BUT NOW I'M SURE WITH, WE HAVE CERTAIN PROTOCOL IN PLACE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, WE TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME IN AND OF ITSELF.
AND SO THEN MY CONCERN IS I'M SAYING START BACK.
AND I SHOULDN'T THEN WHEN SOME OF US ARE SAYING START LATER, WE MEAN START LATER IN PERSON, NOT NECESSARILY START THE SCHOOL YEAR, UM, AFTER AUGUST SIX.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO LIFT UP, PERHAPS IT, A CONSIDERATION FOR MY COLLEAGUES, IF THEY DID INTEND THAT IS OKAY.
IF WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO PUSH THE DATE BACK, THEN LET'S JUST DO WORK.
LET'S JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST MAKE A FIRM DECISION, START VIRTUAL TO BE SAFE.
UH, CAUSE IT'S GONNA TAKE US SOME TIME FOR EVERYBODY TO GET THEIR SEA LEGS ABOUT THEM.
UH, AND THEN I KNOW I HAD A LADY EMAILED ME AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE I DON'T HAVE TO PUT REQUEST TO SPEAK AGAIN.
SO LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I GET IT DOWN.
CLARITY, LAST POINT OF CLARITY IS OKAY.
THE TEACHER THAT, SO STUDENTS A THROUGH K ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY, DEEP CLEAN DAY ON WEDNESDAY WITH SOME VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION, UH, FROM THE TEACHER AT THEIR REMOTE SPACE AND THEN K THROUGH ON L THROUGH Z.
WHAT HAVE YOU ON TUESDAY? I MEAN, EXCUSE ME ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, THE QUESTION IS HOW IS THAT LOGISTICALLY LESS? SO LET'S LOOK AT WHAT THE WEEK LOOKS LIKE FOR A THROUGH CASE STUDENTS.
THEY COME TO THE BUILDING MONDAY AND TUESDAY, SOME VIRTUAL TIME WITH THE TEACHER ON WEDNESDAY, WHAT DOES THURSDAY OR FRIDAY LOOK LIKE FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, STUDENTS AND, AND, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT WEEK LOOK LIKE FOR THE TEACHERS? BECAUSE THE CONCERN, THE CONCERN IS, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE TEACHER IS SUPPOSED TO BE, I GUESS IN SOME CLARITY, IS THE TEACHER SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE, THE S THE SCREEN VIRTUALLY UP FOR STUDENTS
[01:45:02]
ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY, AND THEN SUPPOSED TO INTERACT WITH THE IN FACE INSTRUCTION IN PERSON, EXCUSE ME, INSTRUCTION AS WELL AS KEEP UP WITH THE VIRTUAL SCREEN ON ALL DAYS DEPENDENT, YOU KNOW, UH, SO SOME CLARITY AROUND THAT.AND I THINK THAT'S, THOSE ARE ALL, YES, MA'AM MS. COLLINS, I'LL START WITH EDUCATION QUESTION, AND I KNOW ADAM MAY JUMP IN AS WELL AND THEN GO INTO THE CLEANING AS WELL.
UM, UNDER THAT EDUCATIONAL MODEL, LIKE YOU DESCRIBED IT, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF VARIATION AND WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, LET TEACHERS IN SCHOOLS WORK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE DETAILS.
UH, AN EXAMPLE MAY BE, AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAY, THE STUDENTS WHO AREN'T ATTENDING IN PERSON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, UM, AS WE'RE DOING WORK IN GOOGLE CLASSROOM OR IN OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, LEARNING PLATFORMS, THE TEACHER COULD STREAM THAT CLASS LIVE JUST LIKE WE'RE DOING HERE.
UM, THEY CAN ALSO HAVE ASSIGNMENTS POSTED THAT THEY'RE SIMULTANEOUSLY WORKING ON WITH THEIR PEERS.
SO WHILE THEY'RE NOT IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING, THEY HAVE THAT CONNECTIVITY.
SO IT COULD BE LIVE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A TON OF EXTRA EFFORT TO MAKE ANOTHER LESSON PER SE, UM, OTHER THINGS AS THEY COULD CONSTANTLY RECORD ALL THEIR LESSONS AND HAVE THOSE POSTED, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS, UH, JUST LIKE THIS ONE WILL BE AS WELL.
UM, ONE OTHER POINT THAT MR. SMITH REALLY SPOKE TO, AND AS IMPORTANT AS WE ALSO KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROVIDE MORE CONNECTIVITY TO ALL STUDENTS, IF THERE'S GAPS THERE, IF A STUDENT DOES RETURN TO THE SCHOOL BUILDING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, A TEACHER COULD KNOW IF ONE BETTER, IF THEY NEED A SPECIFIC DEVICE AND WE CAN POSSIBLY GET THAT FOR THEM, OR CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH WORK, TO TAKE HOME AND AT LEAST HAVE BRIDGE MATERIALS TO COME BACK TO THE CLASSROOM.
SO I HOPE THAT KIND OF ANSWERED SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF THOSE VARIATIONS IN DETAILS, THE DISTANCE EDUCATION TEAMS, WORKING WITH SCHOOLS TO EXPLORE ALL THOSE OPTIONS RIGHT NOW.
AND I JOTTED DOWN THE FIRST QUESTION ABOUT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY, MRS. COLLINS, THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO THAT COME BACK FOUR DAYS ARE THOSE LOW INCIDENTS, SELF CONTAINED CLASSES, BECAUSE THOSE CLASSES ARE ALREADY REDUCED NO MORE THAN NINE TO 10 STUDENTS PER CLASS.
AND STUDENTS WERE REFERRING TO US AS ARTISTIC, SEVERE AND PROFOUND DEVELOPMENT DELAYED, AND THE COMMUNITY BASE HEARING IMPAIRED AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS.
SO THOSE SERVICES MORE BETTER PROVIDED AT A SCHOOL SETTING THAN IN A VIRTUAL WORLD.
AND SO, UM, WE FELT IT WAS A NEED TO BRING THOSE KIDS IN AT LEAST FOUR DAYS A WEEK.
AND AS THERE'LL BE MORE OR LESS, UH, CLARIFIED IN THE IEP THOSE NEEDS.
AND ONE PIECE THAT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT, WE WERE GOT ON STAR BACK AUGUST SIX, AND WE NEEDED TO HAVE SOME FACE TO FACE TIME WAS THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL AND THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A DISCONNECT.
WE HADN'T REALLY HAD OUR HANDS ON OUR KIDS SINCE AUGUST, I MEAN, MARCH 13TH.
AND, UH, MR. HOWELL WAS SPOKE TO THAT, SPOKE TO THAT IN OUR MEETING, THAT THERE ARE SOME FAMILIES WHERE KIDS ARE IN LESS DESIRABLE SITUATIONS AT HOME.
AND SO WE'RE MORE RELEVANT AS TO KIND OF GET OUR HANDS ON THOSE KIDS TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO THOSE FAMILIES.
AND SO THAT WAS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE FELT LIKE IF WE CAME BACK IN A HYBRID TYPE MODEL, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE COGNITIVE OR THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, BUT THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO COVER THOSE NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE SPOKEN WITH PRINCIPALS ABOUT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO ELEVATE AND MAKE SURE WE LOOK AT DIFFERENTLY.
YOU KNOW, THE CLEANLINESS OF A BUILDING IS IMPORTANT AT ALL TIMES, BUT NOW IT'S ENTERING INTO A WHOLE DIFFERENT AREA, A SAFETY ISSUE, EVEN BEYOND WHAT NORMAL CLEANING WOULD BE.
UM, AND SO I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM THE DIRECTOR STAFF, EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, OURSELVES, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON MORE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PART'S IMPORTANT, BUT I THINK THE SAFETY ASPECT, REGARDLESS OF HOW, AND WHEN WE COME BACK TO SCHOOL, THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOT TO FOCUS ON FIRST THIS YEAR, UM, TO GIVE YOU KIND OF AN IDEA OF HOW CLEANING TAKES PLACE.
UM, NORMALLY, UH, ARAMARK WOULD DEEP, CLEAN ONE DAY A WEEK, AND THEN THEY WOULD SPOT CLEAN FOUR DAYS A WEEK.
UM, NOW THAT WE'RE KIND OF GOING INTO THIS NEW SITUATION, THEY'VE ELEVATED SANITIZING REALLY, REALLY FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
UM, WHEREAS THEY USED TO ONLY CLEAN FOUR DAYS A WEEK AND SANITIZED ONCE, BUT USING OXFORD, YOUR WIVES AND THE THINGS THAT WE PURCHASED, UH, THROUGH THE LAST BOARD MEETING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY BE DOING THAT ON HIGH TOUCH AREAS,
[01:50:01]
YOU KNOW, ALL DAY.SO IN ADDITION TO ARAMARK DOING HIGH TOUCH SERVICES AND THOSE COMMON SPACES AT THE SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ALSO WILL HAVE HAND SANITIZER IN THE CLASS AND ACCESS TO THE WIPE, THE CLEANING WIDES TO PURELL WIPES THAT ARE SAFE FOR HANDS, THAT THEY CAN CLEAN THEIR OWN DESK AS WELL IN THEIR OWN SERVICES, WHICH IS PART OF THE LDH AND EL DOE GUIDANCE PROVISIONS AS WELL.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A MULTI TIMES A DAY.
THINGS ARE GETTING SENT ON TIES, UH, BY MULTIPLE GROUPS.
TEACHERS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT FOR THEIR COMMON SPACE IN THE CLASSROOMS THAT THEY CAN CLEAN AS WELL.
SO ARAMARK IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO SPOT CLEANING FOUR DAYS A WEEK, AND THEN SANITIZING HIGH TOUCH AREAS EVERY DAY, THAT FULL DAY IS THE CLEAN DAY.
UM, AND SO THAT BECOMES THE ACTUAL LIFE.
YOU WILL MOP THE FLOORS, NOT JUST LOOK AT THE, YOU KNOW, SPOT THAT'S DIRTY, EVERYTHING'S MOCKED, YOU'RE CLEANING THE WALLS, YOU'RE CLEANING A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH EACH WEEK.
SO THAT'S KINDA THE WAY THAT WOULD WORK ON WEDNESDAY AND THE DIFFERENCE IN VARIATION.
SO FOR CLARITY, THAT ONLY HAPPENS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY, OR WHAT HAVE YOU, RIGHT UNDER THE NORMAL MODEL.
UM, A LOT OF THIS TYPE OF THE SANITIZING OR CLEANING WORK HAPPENS, UH, WITH THE NIGHT CREWS.
SO SOME OF THAT WILL STILL CONTINUE TO CLOSE OUT THAT WEEK ON FRIDAY.
UM, UH, DID GET ANOTHER QUESTION.
I APOLOGIZE, BUT IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANT TO OVERLOOK ANY, UM, QUESTIONS, UM, WHERE MAYBE I DID CATCH, IT LOOKED LIKE I CAUGHT IT.
IF NOT, I JUST HAVE TO DO ANOTHER REQUEST TO SPEAK, BUT I THINK I, I THINK I'M GOOD.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER COLLINS.
UH, NEXT WE GO TO VICE-PRESIDENT HOWARD.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO, I DIDN'T WANT TO COMPLETE A REQUEST TO SPEAK, BUT THINGS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN, UM, IN THE CONVERSATION.
AND I JUST THINK THAT, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP A NEW THING, IF WHATEVER THE FINAL PLAN IS, IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE BOARD ACTION.
I WOULD REACH OUT TO WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
IF WE CAN HAVE A PLAN BY NEXT THURSDAY AND HAVE A SPECIAL MEETINGS AND GET THE VOTE AND DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, THAT IT LEADS TO GIVE THE FAMILY TWO WEEKS TO TRY TO PREPARE FOR AN AUGUST THE START DATE, WHETHER IT BE VIRTUALLY, WHETHER IT BE WHATEVER.
UM, AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT, UH, WE WERE STILL THERE SO MANY MISSING PIECES THAT WE ARE STILL DISCUSSING EVEN IN THE 11TH HOUR.
THAT REALLY BOTHERED ME ABOUT STARTING IN ANY CAPACITY, UM, ON AUGUST 6TH.
UM, I THINK AS, AS MS. COLLINS ALLUDED TO, LIKE WE DO IN THE MRS. SMITH, WE DO HAVE TO MAKE ASSESSMENTS FOR, FOR TEACHERS.
AND THIS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE WHAT HAPPENED ON MARCH 14 WHEN WE ROLLED DOWN IN RICHMOND, AS OPPOSED TO ACTUALLY FULL LIKE VIRTUAL LEARNING FOR OUR DISTRICT.
BUT THERE'S SO MANY QUESTIONS, EVEN IN THIS LAST 30 MINUTES THAT WE CAN HAVE THE ANSWERS TO.
UM, AND, AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS IN OUR LEADERSHIP MEETING YESTERDAY.
UM, WE STILL HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF A TEACHER TEST POSITIVE, WHAT HAPPENS IF A STUDENT HAS POSITIVE? LIKE I KNOW THAT THERE'S TALKS ABOUT SELF ISOLATION ROOMS AND LIKE ALL OF THESE THINGS, BUT THERE HAS TO BE LIKE, THIS IS LITERALLY PEOPLE'S LIVES ON THE LINE.
AND SO TO HAVE ALL OF THESE UNKNOWNS IN THIS MOMENT, IT REALLY BOTHERS ME.
AND I WON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE AS A BOARD MEMBER VOTING TO SEND PEOPLE BACK, UNLESS I KNOW FOR SURE THAT WE'VE DONE EVERY SINGLE THING IN OUR POWER TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SAFETY PRECAUTION HAS BEEN PUT INTO PLACE.
SO THERE'S JUST TOO MANY UNKNOWNS IN THIS MOMENT FOR AN AUGUST SIX START DATE.
SO I WOULD EMPLOY US TO HAVE A MEETING ON NEXT THURSDAY, DISTRICT STAFF, GO IN AND HEAR WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS TODAY AND SUBMIT TO US A FINAL PLAN ON NEXT THURSDAY TO BE VOTED ON SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT ENVIRONMENT WHEN WE'RE SENDING OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES BACK INTO.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I'LL TOUCH ON IS JUST LIKE THERE, THERE ARE LITERALLY PEOPLE AND TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WHO ARE LITERALLY DEFINITELY AFRAID TO ENTER BACK INTO OUR BUILDING.
SO I DON'T WANT US TO HAVE LIKE THESE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS GOING INTO IT, LIKE, WELL, WE'LL THINK ABOUT THIS WHEN IT HAPPENS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHEN SOMEBODY GETS COVID, IT'S LIKE IF SOMEBODY GETS COVID IS WHEN THEY CATCH IT.
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING TO ENSURE THAT THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES ARE IN SAFE ENVIRONMENTS.
AND I JUST DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE AS A VOLUME BOARD MEMBER RIGHT NOW TO VOTE FOR A PLAN, UM, TO SEND OUT, GIVE BACK AND TALK TO DOWN WITH ALL OF THESE UNKNOWN QUESTIONS.
SO MY LAST THOUGHT WOULD BE THAT WE HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT THURSDAY TO VOTE ON A FINAL LIFE PLAN SO THAT WE CAN
[01:55:01]
JUST PUT IT ALL ON THE TABLE AND THEN AT LEAST LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO PREPARE FOR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAINTING.SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ENGAGING IN THAT DISCUSSION.
SOME SORRY, UH, PRESIDENT GO DAY.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO TOUCH ON SOMETHING AS IT REGARDS OR LIFT SOMETHING UP AS IT REGARDS TO DEVICES AND RESOURCES.
UM, AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY I AM ASKING W PUSH THIS, UH, AUGUST SIX DATE BACK MUCH LIKE VICE PRESIDENT OF HOWARD, BECAUSE THERE ARE STILL STUDENTS THAT DO NOT HAVE DEVICES.
HOW DO I NOTICE? BECAUSE ONE PARENT HAD TO REACH OUT TO ME BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE CALLED THE SCHOOL FOR HER CHILD, GOES TO SCHOOL SEVERAL TIMES.
I HAVE SEVERAL PARENTS THAT HAVE DONE THIS AND, AND IN MY POSITION AND TRYING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH THE SCHOOL.
I CALLED THE SCHOOL AND I COULDN'T GET IN CONTACT WITH THEM.
AND SO WHAT I HAD TO DO WAS GO TO IT DEPARTMENT.
I GO TO IT DEPARTMENT AT CENTRAL OFFICE AND GO GET THOSE DEVICES.
I GET SOME EXTRA DEVICES THAT WE, THAT WE HAD LAYING AROUND AND GIVE IT TO THOSE TEACHERS FOR THAT SIXTH GRADER AND THAT FOURTH GRADER.
AND I JUST WANT US TO JUST HAVE THOSE THINGS IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS, THAT WE'RE SAYING THAT WE WANT TO GO AND START SCORING SIX, BUT WE STILL HAVE STUDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE DEVICES.
AND THAT, THAT MEANS EITHER AS A HOTSPOT OR COMPUTERS, UM, HOW ARE WE FOLLOWING UP WITH, TO MAKE IT, TO ENSURE WITH SCHOOLS, ONE THAT SOMEBODY IS AT LEAST ANSWERING THE PHONES, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A TIME WHEN YOU CAN'T, WE CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO ANSWER PHONES RIGHT NOW.
I'M SORRY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS SURROUNDING HOW WE REOPENED SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW.
AND IN THE VERY LEAST, HOW ARE WE DOING A CHECKS AND BALANCE SYSTEM AROUND GIVING OUT DEVICES? AT THIS POINT, WE ARE LITERALLY WHAT TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM SCHOOL STARTING BACK AND FAMILIES STILL DON'T HAVE DEVICES FOR THEIR KIDS.
HOW ARE THEY GOING TO GO ABOUT GETTING THEM? AND AGAIN, IF THE SCHOOLS AREN'T ANSWERING THE PHONES, THEN WHO THEN DO THEY TALK TO, BECAUSE IT CAN'T GIVE COMPUTERS TO EVERY SINGLE FAMILY THAT COMES TO THEM BECAUSE THEY WON'T HAVE ENOUGH.
SO I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, LIFT THAT UP AND HOPE THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING ALL OF THESE THINGS AS WE GET READY TO MOVE FORWARD.
AS ESSENTIALLY WE'RE ASKING OURSELVES ARE ASKING US, YOU KNOW, WHAT SIZE IS OUR DISTRICT? AND WE'RE 40,000 STUDENTS.
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF WORKERS, ALMOST 50,000 PEOPLE TO ASSUME THAT NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
I THINK THAT'S THE WRONG IDEA THAT THE WRONG APPROACH TO TAKE.
SO AGAIN, IF WE ARE ON THIS VIRTUAL MEETING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE AFRAID FOR OUR LIVES, THINK ABOUT THE OTHER PEOPLE TOO.
WE'LL GO TO A BOARD MEMBER DIOCESE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK ON THIS.
I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH, ABOUT P E AND WHAT OUR PLANS ARE FOR THAT.
UM, I KNOW IT'S A STATE MANDATED, UM, CLASS, AND I HOPE WE'RE BEING CREATIVE ABOUT WAYS THAT, UM, I SAW SOME OTHER DISTRICTS THAT WERE EVEN INCORPORATING YOGA AND MINDFUL AND MINDFULNESS TIME AND THAT KIND OF THING INTO THEIR PE PLANS.
AND I WANTED TO SEE WHAT OURS ARE, MR. NICK YESTERDAY.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S ALL PART OF WORKING THROUGH SCHOOLS AND THROUGH, UM, THE DISTRICT TO DO THAT.
WE KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO DO ALREADY CREATIVE THINGS WITH PE THAT CAN BE DONE IN A SPACED, UM, SITUATION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CLASSES THAT ARE DOING MINDFULNESS AND OTHER ITEMS LIKE THAT AS WELL.
SO WHETHER IT'S STUDENTS DOING EXERCISES AT THE APPROPRIATE DISTANCES, UM, OR OTHER ACTIVITIES, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE SPACED, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.
SO WE'LL BE LEANING ON OUR TEAMS AND, UM, MS. WILLIAMSON AND HER, UH, GROUP TO DEFINITELY COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS.
MA'AM, UH, BOARD MEMBER WHERE JACKSON DID IT AGAIN.
UM, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ARE ONE AROUND TRANSPORTATION.
UM, I KNOW USUALLY ON A, IN A NORMAL SCHOOL YEAR, THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, IT CAN BE A BIT NIGHTMARISH WITH TRANSPORTATION.
SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OF OUR DUCKS IN A ROW WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
UM, AND, UM, WHAT'S THE DATE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THE FACE TO FACE? IS IT THE SAME
[02:00:01]
TIME, AUGUST SIX, WE'RE ROLLING EVERYTHING OUT AT THE SAME TIME AND, UM, HAD A LITTLE FEEDBACK THERE.AND, AND ANOTHER THING I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE, UH, ARE WE PROVIDING ANY KIND OF TRAINING FOR PARENTS WHO WILL BE HELPING TO EDUCATE THEIR KIDS WITH THE ONES THAT ARE AT HOME? UM, WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO GET ANY KIND OF GOOGLE PLAQUE, GOOGLE SCHOOL, CLASSROOM PLATFORM TRAINING.
UM, THAT COULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
KNOW IF, IF I WERE, IF IT WAS ME, I DEFINITELY NEEDED.
SO I'M WONDERING, ARE WE PREPARED TO DO THAT? AND, UM, OH, YES.
UH, THE OTHER THING ABOUT THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM, UM, IF, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING A QUESTION FROM A COUPLE OF TEACHERS AROUND, WHETHER IF, IF THEY'RE IN THE FRONT, IF THEY'RE IN FRONT OF THE CLASSROOM, IT'S A DIFFICULT TO DO VIRTUAL TRAINING WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR EYES ON THE SCREEN WITH YOUR KIDS AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, UM, THEY'RE WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IF THE KIDS AT HOME WILL GET A DILUTED VERSION OR JUST BEING ABLE TO WATCH THEM IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO, UM, I'M WONDERING HOW, HOW WE COVER THOSE CONCERNS.
WE COULD START WITH THE, UM, QUESTION ABOUT, UH, PARENTS, UH, GETTING TRAINING OR GETTING SUPPORT.
I KNOW ONE THING IS A LOT OF SCHOOLS ARE THINKING ABOUT DOING ORIENTATIONS IN GENERAL, OR EVEN, EVEN BEYOND THAT ORIENTATION DAY ON THE SCHEDULE, BRINGING PERIODS IN, IN SMALL GROUPS TO DO THAT.
RUTLEDGE AND HER TEAM HAVE ALSO DONE THIS.
I MIGHT TURN IT OVER TO HER AS WELL TO GIVE YOU SOME DETAILS.
THANKS, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN USING A STRONG START AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE TEACHING MY MIND AND WHILE THEY ARE TEACHING ONLINE, ONLY AT THIS TIME, WE DID HAVE A PILOT WITH OUR, HOW PART CLAYBORNE SITE AND, AND CAPITAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND SO WE HAD ONE TEACHER TEACHING AT BOTH LOCATIONS AT THE SAME TIME, AND WHILE IT WAS NOT THE, UM, THE FACE TO FACE AND STUDENTS BEING AT HOME, UH, WE DID, WE WERE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE, UH, HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH TEACHERS TEACHING REMOTELY AND HAVING, UM, THE STUDENTS FACE TO FACE AT THE SAME TIME.
AND SO WE'VE TAKEN THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THOSE PILOTS FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS AND DEVELOP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS IN THE EVENT THAT WE NEEDED TO TRANSITION TO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS.
UH, SO WE ARE PREPARED TO OFFER THE PROFESSIONAL, ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS AS THEY TRANSITIONED INTO THIS ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE A HYBRID SITUATION.
THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON IS FINISHED.
UH, YEAH, I GUESS IF, UM, WE ADDRESSED THE OTHER ONES WE'RE LOOKING AT TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE SURVEYS THAT WE'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY, WE'VE ASKED PARENTS TO IDENTIFY IF THEY WOULD OPT OUT OF TRANSPORTATION.
UM, INITIALLY, SO IF THEY DON'T USE TRANSPORTATION OR NEVER HAD PLANNED TO DO THAT, THAT THEY COULD OPT OUT, UH, IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WE'VE ROUTED EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN THE DISTRICT REGARDLESS.
AND THEN, UM, MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AFTER THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS.
SO SOME OF THAT DATA HAS ALREADY BEEN SENT TO THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S IN THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE OPTING OUT.
IN ADDITION, WE KNOW THAT ONCE WE OPEN THE VIRTUAL PORTAL, PARENTS WHO, REGARDLESS OF THE DECISIONS MADE MOVING FORWARD, WHO OPT IN COMPLETELY VIRTUAL, NO MATTER WHAT THOSE NAMES AND STUDENTS CAN ALSO BE OPTED OUT OF TRANSPORTATION.
UM, ONE IMPORTANT PIECE TO THAT, AND WE MADE SURE IT WAS A NOTED ON THOSE SURVEYS AND THE INFORMATION IS THAT ANYTIME A PARENT CAN OPT BACK IN, SO IT'S NOT A CHOICE THEY MADE THIS INDEFINITE IS JUST TELLING US INITIALLY I DON'T PLAN TO USE TRANSPORTATION, BUT AT ANY POINT I CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, REQUEST THAT, THAT BE REINSTATED, BACKING THOSE STUDENTS OUT WILL ALLOW US TO KIND OF GET A BETTER FEEL FOR BUSING, UH, GOING 50% AND HYBRID, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE, A THROUGH K ALPHABET GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO KIND OF SEE WHAT YOUR BUS ROUTES LOOK LIKE ONCE THEY'RE RUN.
UM, MR. HOLIDAY AND THEIR TEAM HAVE BEEN RUNNING THOSE SCENARIOS.
UM, AND WE EXPECT TO HAVE SOME INITIAL, UM, YOU KNOW, LETTERS AND STUFF READY FOR TRANSPORTATION AS EARLY AS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.
[02:05:03]
ALL RIGHT.THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON, UH, BOARD MEMBER COLLINS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR, UM, EXPLAINING MORE ABOUT THE TEACHER AND THE SHARING.
NO, BECAUSE, UM, IN MOST CASES, THEN THAT MEANS A TEACHER'S GOING TO HAVE THE SAME ALLOTMENT OF STUDENTS, BUT THEY SPLIT INTO DIFFERENT SPACES.
AND I WOULD BE OVERWHELMED AS A TEACHER TO HAVE 15 IN FRONT OF ME AND THEN 15 ON THE SCREEN AND TO KIND OF GO BACK AND FORTH.
NOW, MAYBE THAT INVOLVES, WE ADDRESS THAT BY HAVING SOME PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON HOW TO TEACH IT DEALS WITH THESE STUDENTS AND DO THE LESSON.
HE DIDN'T COME PUT TIME ON THE SCREEN, BUT I DON'T REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE EDUCATORS WITH MORE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING SUCH AS YOURSELF THAN ME, BUT I JUST CAN'T WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THAT STAND.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND ALLOWING ME TO INTERRUPT AND ENERGETICS ARE OUR, OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, OUR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS AND OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH, WITH GROUPING.
THEY ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH HAVING STUDENTS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THAT CLASSROOM.
SO YOU'LL HAVE SOMEONE IN A LISTENING CENTER IN A WRITING CENTER, YOU'LL HAVE A SMALL GROUP WITH YOU, AND THEN YOU MAY HAVE SOME STUDENTS AT THEIR DESK AND STUDENTS ON THE FLOOR AND ANOTHER PART OF THE ROOM.
AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT MANAGING THAT, UH, THAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND MASTERING THAT MANAGEMENT MASTERING THAT BALANCING.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS PROVIDED, UM, THAT TRANSITION TYPE PD.
SO YOU HAVE LESS STUDENTS IN FRONT OF YOU, AND HE MAY HAVE A 2010 KIDS IN FRONT OF YOU, AND THEN YOU HAVE 10 STUDENTS ONLINE.
AND SO MANAGING THAT WOULD BE LIKE MANAGING TWO GROUPS OF STUDENTS WITHIN THAT CLASSROOM.
WE'LL HAVE SOME CORRECTIONS TO DO ONLINE AND WE'LL HAVE SOME CORRECTIONS TO DO IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT THAT INSTRUCTION WILL CONTINUE TO FLOW VERY EASY AS THAT TEACHER IS TRAINED ON THAT TRANSITION.
SO WE'VE PROVIDED SOME PD AROUND IT WITH OUR TECH INTEGRATION TEAM AND OUR CURRICULUM TEAMS. WE PROVIDED SOME PD AROUND IT.
OUR TEAMS HAVE BEEN TRAINED THROUGH QUALITY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO OUR TEACHERS.
AND THEN ONCE YOU SAY THAT WITH ELEMENTARY, THAT DOES MAKE SENSE.
CAUSE I REMEMBER BACK IN MY DAYS OF SUBBING AND WHATNOT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL? UM, TO ME THAT SEEMS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT WITH AN HOUR OR AN HOUR AND A HALF, IF THEY DO A BLOCK SCHEDULE AND THEN HAVING TO SPLIT THAT UP INTO 30 MINUTES FOR THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'RE ALSO FAMILIAR WITH, UM, GROUPING.
UM, GENERALLY THE LECTURES ARE DONE IN WHOLE CLASS.
AND THEN FROM THAT WHOLE CLASS THAT DATA'S BROKEN DOWN AND STUDENTS MAY BE WORKING IN GROUPS AROUND THE CLASSROOM, BUT THEIR DESKS ARE, THEY GENERALLY WORK IN THEIR DESK INSTEAD OF WORKING ON THE FLOORS, LIKE OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.
SO OUR, OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE, UM, OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO, UH, TEACHING WITH THOSE, WITH GROUPS OF STUDENTS AS WELL.
SO DIFFERENTIATED, YOU KNOW, UM, WELL, IF I CAN ADD IN HERE, ONE INTERESTING THING, AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BRIEFLY, BUT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, AT OUR, UM, CORE HIGH SCHOOLS, TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS, AND THEY'RE SWITCHING TO WHAT'S CALLED A FOUR BY FOUR BLOCK SCHEDULE.
AND WHAT THAT BASICALLY MEANS IS THEY'LL TAKE STUDENTS WILL TAKE A FULL CARNEGIE CREDIT THE FIRST SEMESTER, FOUR OF THOSE FIRST SEMESTER AND THEN TAKE THEIR OTHER FOUR CLASSES SECOND SEMESTER.
UM, CURRENTLY OUR SCHOOLS ARE SET UP TO DO ALTERNATING DAYS.
SO BASICALLY THEY TAKE EIGHT CLASSES ALL YEAR LONG, RIGHT? SO IN THIS MODEL, YOU'LL CONCENTRATE ON FOUR CLASSES FIRST SEMESTER AND FOUR IN THE SECOND.
THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT AS A TEACHER, THAT MEANS THIS YEAR, MY FIRST SEMESTER AT THOSE SCHOOLS, I'M TEACHING THREE CLASSES THIS YEAR OR THIS SEMESTER, RIGHT? NOT SIX, I'M TEACHING THREE SECTIONS.
SO I CAN CONCENTRATE MORE ON THE SMALL GROUP OF STUDENTS.
I MAY TEACH 120 STUDENTS ALL YEAR, BUT I'M ONLY TEACHING 60 PER SEMESTER.
SO YOU HAVE A LOT LESS STUDENTS TO GRADE FOR A LOT LESS STUDENTS TO GET FEEDBACK TOO.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE SWITCHED TO THE FOUR BY FOUR BLOCK TO MAKE IT DEFINITELY CHUNK SIZE AND BITE SIZE, LITTLE EASIER FOR TEACHERS TO MANAGE.
AND STUDENTS ALSO, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT CONCENTRATED ON PASSING EIGHT
[02:10:01]
CLASSES ALL YEAR.THEY'RE CONCENTRATING ON FOUR AT A TIME.
SO LET ME ASK THIS BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY SEX WAY, TONGUE TIED, I'M SORRY, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY A SEGUE FOR MY OTHER QUESTION.
WHAT ABOUT ELECTIVES? AND I KNOW WE IN A PANDEMIC, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA BE REASONABLE, BUT WHAT WE CAN TRY TO GET DONE, BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR PERFORMANCE ARTS AND OUR, UH, BAND AND CHOIR AND, AND, AND THAT, UM, BECAUSE, UM, THE CORE CLASSES OR IMPORTANT, AND I KNOW I UNDERSTAND WHY WE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM WANT TO FOCUS ON THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CLASSES ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND I AGREE THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN FIT IN AT LEAST, UH, ONE ELECTIVE FOR THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL WELLBEING OF OUR STUDENTS.
UH, BECAUSE ONLY DOING THAT MATH, SCIENCE, UH, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND SOCIAL STUDIES IS, YOU KNOW, ENOUGH TO GRAB ANYBODY WELL, RIGHT.
AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT TAKING THOSE COURSES ALL YEAR.
SO YOU MIGHT TAKE, UH, ENGLISH AND MATH FIRST SEMESTER, BUT SECOND SEMESTER MIGHT BE SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES.
SO YOUR CORES ARE BEING SPLIT RIGHT NOW.
ONE THING YOU DO BRING UP IS WHEN YOU GO TO ELECTIVES, YOU KNOW, IF I HAVE BAND FIRST SEMESTER, THAT'S A YEAR WORTH, OF COURSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, W WE'VE CHALLENGED, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FINE ARTS TEAM AND ALL THERE IS TO LOOK AT, YOU CAN PAIR A BAND WITH MAYBE A STRINGS IN THE SECOND SONG.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS DEPENDING ON WHAT STUDENTS ARE DOING, WHERE YOU CAN, UH, CONTINUE, UH, LIKE, OKAY.
OR MAYBE THEY JUST DO BAN THE WHOLE, I MEAN, Y'ALL ARE EXPERTS, BUT MAYBE THEY JUST DO BAND THE WHOLE TIME AND WHATEVER THE OTHER CLASSES TO HOLD.
MY OTHER QUESTION IS, OH, NO, THAT'S IT FOR RIGHT NOW, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DO ANOTHER RTS CAUSE I KEEP GETTING TEXT MESSAGES.
BUT, UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS AGAIN, IT'S SUCH A HUGE, UM, IT'S SUCH A HUGE ISSUE, UH, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
AND MS. COLLINS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD I'M BUILDING LEADERS AND TEACHERS ARE REALLY THINKING OUT OF THE BOX TO HOW THEY COULD PROVIDE THE MOST INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO TEACHING OUR STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW, LIKE MS. RICH HAD SAID THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING THIS FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF HOW WE CAN TEACH REMOTELY BECAUSE THE ISSUE CAME OUT OF CERTAIN SCHOOLS, NOT HAVING TEACHERS VACANCIES.
AND SO WE KIND OF FIGURED OUT HOW WE CAN PROVIDE QUALITY INSTRUCTION FROM A CERTIFIED TEACHER FROM BUILDING TO BUILDING.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, EVEN THROUGH COLBY AT SOME OF THE PRINCIPALS WERE THINKING, OKAY, LET'S SAY IF I HAVE 75, FIFTH GRADERS AND ONE TEACHER IN HER CLASS CAN TEACH A WHOLE CONTENT, ALL 75, FIFTH GRADERS AND ONE LESSON BY BY TEAMS, MICROSOFT TEAMS USING THE OTHER TEACHERS AS PROCTORS.
AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST LIKE NOW A KID COULD BE AT HOME WHILE THE TEACHER IS TEACHING LIVELY AND VIEWING THE LESSON, KEEPING UP WITH THE LESSONS.
AND SO IT'S THE SAME THING WITHIN THE BUILDING.
SO YOU CAN HAVE THREE, THREE CLASSES OF FIFTH GRADERS AND THAT ONE TEACHER FROM ONE CLASSROOM CAN TEACH ALL THREE CLASSES THROUGH TECHNOLOGY WITH, WITH A PROCTOR OF AN ADULT.
I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFYING POINT.
UM, THAT HELPS ME TO PROCESS WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
UM, ON THAT NOTE, UH, HAVE WE GIVEN THOUGHT TO TEACHER SHORTAGES AND SUBSTITUTES AND HOW WILL, HOW WILL BE HANDLING SUBS? WE FOLKS NINE TIMES OUT OF 10 GOING TO HAVE TO NEED MORE SEAT, SEAT STAGE.
AGAIN, THIS IS DAPHNE DONALDSON WITH THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
SO, UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN WORKING, UH, WITH REDESIGNING OUR SUBSTITUTE TRAINING.
AND SO OUR SUBSTITUTES WILL ACTUALLY BE TRAINED ON OUR, UM, DIGITAL PLATFORMS SO THAT THEY'RE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THAT.
SO WHATEVER PLATFORM WE MOVED TO, UH, THEY'LL BE PREPARED FOR.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THAT PARTICULAR FACET OF OUR PART TIME EMPLOYEES.
SO WE ACTUALLY BEGIN, WE'VE BEGUN TO REACH OUT TO THEM.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW THEY ARE STARTING TO SET UP THE NEW SYSTEM AND EVERYTHING.
SO IT'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT THAT.
WE'LL BE HOLDING SOME VIRTUAL TRAININGS FOR THEM AND SOME LIVE TRAININGS AS WELL.
AND WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT CONNECTIVITY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF USING, UH, SELECT SITES FOR, UM, THE SUBSTITUTES WHO WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE SOME SERVICES, UH, DIGITALLY, IF IT, IF IT NEEDED TO BE LONGTERM, UH, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO USE A COMPUTER LAB AND WORK IN A COMPUTER
[02:15:01]
LAB SETTING, UH, FOR THE WORKDAY.SO WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING ALL THOSE THINGS.
THIS IS GIVES US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE VERY CREATIVE AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF DR.
RUTLEDGE, HIS TEAM AND ALL OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE DISTRICT, WE WE'RE REALLY POISED TO PR AND PREPARED.
UH, ONE OTHER THING IS I'M THINKING ABOUT THE WORKLOAD AGAIN, ALONG THE GLASS, AND THANK YOU, MRS. RUTLEDGE FOR, UM, BRINGING OUT AND POINTING OUT THAT TEACHERS ARE USED TO DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION AND GROUPS.
UM, BUT ALSO I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PIECE, UM, THEM HAVING TO PREPARE, HOW WOULD THEIR LESSON PLANS LOOK, DO THEY HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT SETS OF LESSON PLANS LIKE THE BEHIND THE SCENES LOGISTICS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE APPROACHING THIS IN A WAY IN WHICH, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, MOST OF OUR TEACHERS ARE WORKHORSES AND SOMETIMES WE TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED AND WE DON'T MORE AND MORE ON THEM.
AND SO I HOPE THAT WE ARE BEING MINDFUL OF, AS WE SAY, THAT THEY CAN DO X, Y, Z, THEN BEHIND THE SCENES.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE LOGISTICALLY IS THAT ADDING MORE PLATE AND MORE TIME, UH, THAT THEY HAVE TO PREPARE A PLAN BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO CONSIDER THE DIFFERENT DYNAMICS WITH TECHNOLOGY OR WHATNOT.
UM, DO THEY GET MORE PLAN? IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO SCHEDULE IN WHICH THEY HAVE MORE PLANNING TIME? MMM HMM.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH OR NOT.
SO THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS ARE SEEING OUR DEPARTMENT IS WORKING TO, UM, REVISE OUR SCOPE AND SEQUENCE.
UM, WE HAVE 60 TEACHERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO, UM, CREATE LESSONS FOR THE FIRST 15 DAYS OF SCHOOL.
SO AS WE ARE TRANSITIONING AND AS OUR TEACHERS ARE TRANSITIONING AND ART ON LESSONS WILL BE, UM, DEVELOPED FOR THEM.
AND SO THEY WILL HAVE MODEL LESSONS THAT THEY CAN TRANSITION WITH.
I DON'T THINK OUR TEACHERS WILL HAVE TO DO MUCH CHANGE TO THEIR LESSON PLANS.
SO AS THEY'RE PREPARING A HYBRID LESSON, THEY WILL JUST PREPARE THAT ONE HYBRID LESSON PLAN.
THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO PREPARE MULTIPLES.
UH, I'M GOING TO JUST INTERJECT SOMETHING HERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS SUBJECT I'VE BEEN LETTING IT GO ON AND ON SINCE IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECT, BUT WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR ALMOST AN HOUR AND A HALF.
AND BECAUSE IT TOUCHES EVERY SET, EVERY ASPECT OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY, AND EVEN BEFORE THE FOOD THAT HE STARTS WITH TRANSPORTATION, THERE'S GOING TO BE A MYRIAD OF QUESTIONS AND DETAILS THAT NEED TO BE ASKED.
AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN COVER ALL OF THOSE IN THIS MEETING.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT FOR DETAILED, VERY DETAILED QUESTIONS THAT, THAT, UH, WE SET UP AN EMAIL LOOP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THEY CAN, I WOULD ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO THEY ASKED QUESTIONS, COPY ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, AND THEN MR.
SO I'M NOT TRYING TO STOP ANY BOARD MEMBERS FROM ASKING QUESTIONS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ALL OF THE ANSWERS TODAY.
A ALL THE ANSWERS DON'T EXIST IN B UH, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, WE JUST DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH EVERY DETAIL.
SO THERE ARE SOME VERY IMPORTANT PIECES OF THIS THAT I'VE BEEN BROUGHT UP ABOUT START DATES AND ALL THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO I'D LIKE US TO MAYBE CONCENTRATE SOME OF THOSE, BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE AN EQUAL BOARD MEMBER.
SO ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO MS. WHERE JACKSON.
JUST, JUST A COUPLE MORE, UM, UM, UM, AROUND CLEANING, UM, UH, THOUGHT ABOUT THE, UM, THE BUS ROUTES AND WE USUALLY HAVE MORE THAN, THAN ONE ROUTE.
UM, WE'LL ARAMARK BE CLEANING THE BUSES BETWEEN, OR IS THAT THE, ARE THE BUS DRIVERS GOING TO BE DOING SOME CLEANING ROUTES? THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS AND THEN, UM, AROUND NUTRITION, UH, DO WE HAVE THE, ARE WE, ARE WE COVERING NUTRITION FOR VIRTUAL STUDENTS THAT, UM, NOT VIRTUAL STUDENTS, BUT STUDENTS THAT ARE LEARNING VIRTUALLY, WILL WE BE PROVIDING A FOOD AND GET INTO THAT CAN OF WORMS, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT I KNOW IS PART OF THE SURVEY, SO, AND I'M WONDERING HOW MANY SURVEYS WE ACTUALLY
[02:20:01]
GOT BACK.IF YOU KNOW, MR. NIKA, YOU HAVE SOME RELAPSES.
UM, AS FAR AS, UH, THE, THE BUS DRIVERS ARE BEING PROVIDED WITH THE, UH, SANITIZER, UH, ONE OF THEIR SUDAN, UH, ALLOCATION THAT EXXON GAVE US, SO BE PROVIDED WITH SANITIZER THAT THEY CAN USE TO CLEAN THE BUSES AND ALSO THE APPROPRIATE, UH, TOWELS TO DO THAT, UH, BETWEEN ROUTES ALSO, UM, AS FAR AS MEALS, UH, DR.
MANN IS DEVELOPING A PLAN SO THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE ATTENDING VIRTUAL DAYS OR LIVE DAYS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO MEALS AND POSSIBLY USING THAT WEDNESDAY AS A DISTRIBUTION DAY AS WELL, UH, TO GET LIKE A TWO WEEK PACKAGE OF MEALS FOR THOSE DAYS THAT THEY DO NOT ATTEND.
UH, MR. LANDIS, MR. LANDIS, MY APOLOGIES.
I HAD ONE, UH, AS IT RELATES TO BUS AND SANITATION AND SOCIAL DISTANCING ON THE BUS, UM, AS IT, REGARDLESS RIGHT NOW, THEY SAY THERE'S GOING TO BE SEATING CHARTS FOR DISTANCING, BUT HOW DOES THAT TRULY PREVENT VIRAL SPREAD IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY ON THE BUS? I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
AND ALSO A WHAT BUS DRIVERS BE EXPECTED TO MANAGE, UH, SANITATION AND, UH, FOCUS ON, UH, ENSURING THAT STUDENTS ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH SEATING ARRANGEMENTS.
HOW WILL ALL OF THIS TAKE PLACE? AND THIS IS A QUESTION THAT CAME FROM NOT ONLY A CONSTITUENT, BUT SOMEBODY THAT WORKS IN OUR DISTRICT AND IS A BUS DRIVER.
AGAIN, THE GUIDANCE RIGHT NOW IS THAT IN PHASE TWO BUSES COULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CAPACITY OF 50% PHASE THREE AT 75.
SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO STAY AT LEAST WITHIN THOSE GUIDELINES, AS FAR AS WE WILL PROVIDE IT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE SANITARY SUPPLIES AND EVERYTHING, THE BUS DRIVERS, WHEN THEY PICK UP THEIR BUSES.
UM, SO THEY'LL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT AND CAN CLAIM BETWEEN ROUTES AS WELL.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN THERE AS FAR AS MANAGING THE BUSING BUSES.
I MEAN, THAT FALLS BACK TO YOU JUST AS A, AS THEY WOULD HAVE TO MANAGE THE BUS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN ANY OTHER YEAR, WE KNOW THAT'S A CHALLENGE, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO DO TO THE BEST OF THE ABILITY.
IT'S STILL REALLY HARD TO IMAGINE THAT HOW MANY PEOPLE, HOW MANY, WHAT'S THE SEATING? HOW MANY STUDENTS CAN WE FIT ON ONE BUS? CORRECT.
IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE BUS, BUT IT ALSO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT ELEMENTARY OR HIGH SCHOOL CONFIGURATIONS, BUT YOU'RE NORMALLY LOOKING BETWEEN SOMEWHERE 50 TO 65 PASSENGER BUSES.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT IN PHASE TWO, WE TALKING ROUGHLY 30 STUDENTS ON ONE BUS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY.
I'M JUST, I'M ONLY SAYING THIS BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS VERY WORRISOME, NOT JUST TO THEM, BUT ALSO TO ME, CAUSE I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND THAT CLOSE OF A BEING IN INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER, KNOWING HOW STUDENTS ARE INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER, GIVING EACH OTHER PENCILS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I JUST THINK THAT IT'S REALLY HARD TO IMAGINE IT, BUT I'LL STOP RIGHT THERE.
THANK YOU, MR.
SO MY QUESTION IS VERY QUICK, MR. SHANLEY, AND KIND OF COVERED IT IN THE, UH, THE, THE, THE DISCUSSION.
BUT I WOULD JUST ASK THAT MR. GO THERE, IF YOU CAN JUST GO AHEAD AND PUT STAFF AND EVERYONE ON NOTICE TO HAVE A FINAL PLAN, THAT'S READY TO BE VOTED ON AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT WEEK, SO THAT FAMILIES AND PEOPLE, AND EVERYBODY CAN START PREPARING FOR WHAT ARE THE BIG DOOR WHENEVER THE DAY IS, UM, LOOKS LIKE, CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKSHOPPING THIS AND IT'S LITERALLY LESS THAN A MONTH BEFORE SCHOOL.
SO I THOUGHT, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO GET AN ACTUAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO VOTE ON AND JUST MOVE FORWARD, WHATEVER PLAN THE BOY, UM, TO THANK YOU.
UH, MR. HOWARD, I WILL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A SNAP DECISION RIGHT NOW.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH STAFF AND THE SUPERINTENDENT IS MAYBE NEXT WEEK.
SO, BUT YES, WE WILL TRY TO FOLLOW UP WITH SOMETHING.
WE NEED TO GET SOME MORE CLARITY AND MORE INFORMATION.
SO BEAR WITH ME FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
WE FIGURED OUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT SOMETHING IS, BUT YES, WE WILL DO SOMETHING TO FOLLOW UP.
UH, MISS DIANE, JUST ONE QUICK THING.
AND I'M JUST NOT SURE IF WE'RE GETTING INTO PROCEDURE VERSUS POLICY.
AND I JUST WANT TO BE VERY MINDFUL THAT THIS BOARD IS A POLICY MAKING BOARD
[02:25:01]
AND, UM, WE HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT WHO HAS A TEAM AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT PROCEDURALIZE OUR POLICIES.SO I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT THIS IS, UH, AN ITEM THAT IS, IS A VOTABLE ITEM FOR THE BOARD.
YES, I DO APPRECIATE AS MUCH INPUT BOARD AND COMMUNITY INPUT AS POSSIBLE, BUT I THINK WE MAY BE GOING INTO PROCEDURES NOW.
SO I JUST WANT US TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
AND PART OF THE REASON I'VE LED THE DISCUSSION GO ON.
CAUSE I THINK A LOT OF THIS WAS FEEDBACK GOING TO STAFF AND WE WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP.
AND I SEE SOMEONE IN THE CHAT AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SCHOOL CALENDAR.
THE SCHOOL CALENDAR IS A BOARD VOTE, BUT THAT VOTE WAS TAKEN.
AND THE CALENDAR THAT'S UP FOR VOTE TO NIGHT IS ONLY THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING CALENDAR.
BUT LIKE I SAID, I HAVE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH STAFF AND THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT TO COME UP WITH.
WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE APPROPRIATE VENUE FOR US TO RE RE DISCUSS THIS AND GET MORE COMMENTS.
AND WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY WORKSHOPPING THIS.
IT REALLY ISN'T A WORKSHOP MEETING TONIGHT.
SO, UH, WITH THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, I WOULD ASK THAT WE, UH, TAKE THIS SUBJECT RECOGNIZING THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE DISCUSSION, BUT MOVE ON.
WE HAVE MANY MORE THINGS ON THE AGENDA, UH, THAT WE NEED TO COVER RECOGNIZING THAT THIS WAS NOT CLOSED AND THERE'S MORE TO COME TO THEM.
SO MY THOUGHT IS WE HAVE THE AGENDA ITEM TO APPROVE TO REAPPROVE BECAUSE THERE WAS A SLIGHT ERROR IN THE PREVIOUS ONE THAT WE APPROVED ON THE CALENDAR, AND WE STILL CAN VOTE ON THE CALENDAR, REGARDLESS IF WE START A HUNDRED PERCENT VIRTUAL OR NOT.
WE COULD START ON THAT SAME DAY.
NO, MA'AM, THAT'S NOT CORRECT.
THE CALENDAR THAT WE'RE VOTING ON IS ONLY FOR THE BOARD MEETINGS, NOT THE SCHOOL WE'VE ALREADY VOTED ON THE SCHOOL CALENDAR THEN.
AND IT, SO THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE AND NOW WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THROUGH DIALOGUE AND, UH, THEY WILL HAVE TO PROCEDURALIZE IF WE'RE STARTING A HUNDRED PERCENT DISTANCE, AND THIS DOES NEED TO BE MADE, THIS DECISION DOES NEED TO BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR PLANNING FOR FAMILY PLANNING.
SO IF NO MORE DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME, WE WILL RECEIVE ALL THE INFORMATION I PROMISE WE WILL GET BACK TO SOME, SOME WAY SOMEHOW, EITHER IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER, UH, HOW WE CAN HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS, UH, BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF THE ISSUES RAISED ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, IMPORTANT TO OUR STAFF, IMPORTANT TO OUR PARENTS AND IMPORTANT JAR STUDENTS.
AND SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE FLESHING THIS OUT.
UH, SO WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM F ONE, ANY REPORT FROM BOARD APPOINTEES SAYING NONE.
UH, WE WILL NOW TAKE THE ACTION THAT SEEM TO BE FROZEN.
I TEMPORARILY LOST MY INTERNET.
[G. Public Hearing/Workshop]
WILL SUSPEND TEMPORARILY THIS REGULAR MEETING AND MOOD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING WORKSHOP, UH, TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED 20, 21 GENERAL FUND BUDGET, THE BUDGET RESOLUTION AND THE 2021 SALARY SCHEDULES.SO I WILL NOW TURN THE MEETING OVER TO, UH, MR. CROCHET AND MS. LOPEZ, FADING SUPERINTENDENT, GREG AND BOARD MEMBERS TONIGHT I'LL PRESENT THE 2021 GENERAL FUND.
THAT IS THE PRESENTATION READY?
[02:30:05]
OKAY.THAT WAS 2021 GENERAL FUND BUDGET INCLUDES STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
REVENUE PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON THE REVISED 2019, 2020 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND OTHER CURRENT DATA BUDGET LAW REQUIRES A NOTICE AND THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL AND PUBLIC HEARING.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, FOR THE 2021 FISCAL YEAR, WE ANTICIPATE REVENUE OF $463 MILLION EXPENDITURES OF 462 POINT $8 MILLION WITH AN ENDING BALANCE OF POINT $2 MILLION.
OUR BEGINNING FUND BALANCE OF $44 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES 17.6 MILLION AND SIGNED FUNDING FOR AN ENDING BALANCE OF 44 POINT $3 MILLION AT THE END OF 2021.
AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR STAFFING REQUIREMENTS HAVE NOT CHANGED.
WE ARE STILL BELOW THE LDO STAFFING REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH OF THE GRADE LEVELS.
OUR ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS AND STAFFING CONTINUE TO MEET TOGETHER.
AS YOU CAN SEE DURING YEARS WHERE WE HAD, UM, DEFICIT BUDGETS, OUR STAFFING WAS WAY ABOVE OUR ACTUAL ENROLLMENT, BUT I FIND NOW THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO MEET WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
SO AS STATED BEFORE OUR PROJECTED ON ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, AS OF SIX 30, 2021 IS 26 POINT $7 MILLION.
THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF A 17.6 MILLION IN PROJECTED ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OF WITH INVENTORY COST.
THE TOTAL PROJECTED FUND BALANCE AS OF SIX 30, 21 IS 44 POINT $3 MILLION.
AS A PERCENTAGE OF GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS PROJECTED TO BE 10% WHILE THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S REQUIREMENTS.
THE EAST BATON ROUGE REQUIREMENT IS 15% AND WE KEEP WORKING TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
AS YOU CAN SEE FOR THE 1920 AND 2021 FISCAL YEARS, WE WILL HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET THAT HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE 1415.
SO WE ARE STRIVING EVERY YEAR TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET AND TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW AND, AND TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET FOR OUR DISTRICT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, TOTAL REVENUE IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY TWO POINT $4 MILLION.
AD VALOREM TAX COLLECTIONS ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY 2.4% OR FOUR POINT $3 MILLION.
AND THE PROJECTED COLLECTION RATE IS 99% SALES AND USE TAX COLLECTIONS ARE PROJECTED TO DECREASE FIVE, APPROXIMATELY 8% OR SEVEN POINT $3 MILLION.
AND THIS WILL BE FOR BOTH GENERAL AND MOTOR VEHICLE SALES AND USE TAX.
BUT BOTH OF THESE ARE BASED UPON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ECONOMIST, WITH THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE AUDITORS.
UM, WE ARE RELYING ON THEIR EXPERTISE BECAUSE AT THIS TIME, NO ONE IS REAL SURE WHAT COVID-19 WILL BRING IN THE FUTURE.
THE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS IS PROJECTED TO DECREASE AN ADDITIONAL POINT $6 MILLION.
WHEN COMPARED TO THE PROPOSED 1920, WE ALREADY TAKEN AN ADDITIONAL POINT $6 MILLION OFF FOR A PROJECTED TO REVISE OF 1920 BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN THE TREASURY BOND.
AND ANOTHER 0.6 FOR THE PROPOSED 2021 IS APPROPRIATE BECAUSE THE TREASURY BOND RIGHT IS STILL LOW DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
STEADY MFP FUNDING IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY 5.5 MILLION AND REVENUE FROM FEDERAL SOURCES IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY 1.1 MILLION FOR INDIRECT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRONG START GRANT.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS ALL OF OUR MAJOR REVENUE CATEGORIES, WE WERE GETTING THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING FROM PROPERTY TAXES AND FROM STATE SUPPORT MFP WITH OUR SALES TAX DWINDLING.
WELL, EXPENDITURES ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY TWO POINT $8 MILLION, A TOTAL OF 2.4 MILLION INCREASE IN SALARIES AND BENEFITS TO ASSIST PROPOSITION THREE, TO MAINTAIN CURRENT LEVEL SALARY UNTIL SALES TAX COLLECTIONS RETURNED TO PRE COVID-19 LEVELS.
AS YOU ALL KNOW AT PROPOSITION THREE ASSIST AND THE ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENT TO ALL THE SALARIES, THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM WILL INCREASE BY 2.2 MILLION FOR CONTINUED GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT ELECTRICITY AND NATURAL GAS, TOTAL ACTUAL EXPENDITURES FOR 1819 AND PROJECTED EXPENDITURES FOR 1920 WERE 7.5 AND SEVEN POINT $9 MILLION RESPECTIVELY PROJECTIONS FOR 2021 OR 7.6
[02:35:01]
MILLION.THIS PROJECTION IS BASED ON THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PRICES FOR 2020.
NO COST FOR 1819 AND PROJECTED EXPENDITURES FOR 1920 OR 1.9 AND 2.1 MILLION RESPECTIVELY PROJECTIONS FOR 2021 OR TWO POINT $3 MILLION.
THIS PROJECTION IS BASED ON US ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION PROJECTED INCREASE IN YEARLY FUEL USAGE.
THE APPROPRIATION OF TYPE ONE CHARTER SCHOOLS IS INCREASED BY 5.9 MILLION.
THE TYPE ONE CHARTER SCHOOLS BASIS, THE EMERGED SCHOOL AND BOTH IDEAS WE'LL BE ADDING ADDITIONAL GRADE LEVELS.
ALSO SEE SALLY WILL BE OPENING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN AUGUST OF 2020.
THE APPROPRIATION TO TYPE ONE CHARTER SCHOOLS LINE ITEM IS PROJECTED AT 57.4 MILLION.
THIS AMOUNT INCLUDES ALL STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING DUE TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS ON A PER PUPIL BASIS.
ANY COST REDUCTIONS TO THE DISTRICT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS TOTAL AND WOULD BE THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET.
I TOTAL OF 1 MILLION HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED FOR THE 25% AND FEMA NON-REIMBURSABLE PURCHASES.
CURRENTLY, I DO NOT HAVE A RELIABLE ESTIMATE OF THE TOTAL COST.
WE WILL REQUIRE TO PURCHASE ALL THE ITEMS WE NEED TO KEEP BOTH OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS SAFE IN THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT, APPROXIMATELY 8.8 MILLION IN SOFTWARE PURCHASE FOR CONTINUED DISTANCE LEARNING OF STUDENTS.
WILL YOU FUND IT THROUGH THE STRONG START GRANT? I TELL ABOUT 135,000 WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE BUDGET DUE TO THE END OF THE LSU CAIN CONTRACT AND POINT 8 MILLION OF EXPANSION REDUCTIONS BY MOVING ALL PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, FACILITATORS AND INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES TO GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS AT THE DISCRETION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE DID REDUCE OUR STAFFING BY 130 POSITIONS.
THAT HUNDRED AND 30 POSITIONS IS BASED UPON OUR PROPOSED ENROLLMENT FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, WITH THE GROWTH OF TYPE ONE AND TYPE TWO CHARTERS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
ONE THAT YOU LOOK AT THE BREAKDOWN WE ARE WHILE WE DO HAVE A REDUCTION OF 130, WE'RE GETTING A, WE WE'RE GETTING APPROXIMATELY 87 FROM OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, BUT WE WERE GETTING AN ADDITIONAL 44 FROM OUR SUPPORT STAFF.
SO BOTH, BOTH AREAS ARE, ARE SEEING REDUCTIONS.
IT'S NOT JUST AT THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEVEL.
THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, AS YOU CAN SAY, AS ALWAYS, WE SPEND THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING ON OUR INSTRUCTION OF OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY.
THE 70% INSTRUCTIONAL REQUIREMENT HAS NOT COME OUT FOR THE 1920 FISCAL YEAR YET FROM THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
HOWEVER, WE ARE ANTICIPATING TO MEET IT AGAIN BY 73.9% FOR 1920 AND 73.7% FOR 2021.
AGAIN, WE STILL ARE WAITING ON THE 18, 19 AS WELL FROM THE STATE, BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS MET THE REQUIREMENT AND WE DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH REREADING IT THIS YEAR.
THIS IS OUR CHARTER SCHOOL PROJECTIONS, INCLUSIVE OF TYPE ONE TYPE TWO AND TYPE FIVE OF BOTH LOCAL AND STATE REVENUES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH WILL BE IN OUR TYPE ONE CHARTERS NEXT YEAR, DUE TO THE GROWTH OF THE FOUR CHARTERS AND THE ADDITION OF THE NEW ELEMENTARY.
THIS ATTACHMENT FOR SPECIAL REVENUE, WHICH IS ON PAGE ONE 99 IN YOUR BUDGETS IS A SUMMARY OF ALL THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY GRANT FUNDED, UM, THAT HELP WORK, HELP US WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.
THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
AND I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY, I'M SORRY.
I WAS TURNING MY MICROPHONE BACK ON.
UH, SO THIS PART IS A WORKSHOP FORMAT.
AND SO, UH, IT IS FOR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD LATER IN WHEN WE RESUME THE REGULAR MEETING, THAT WILL BE A TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO, UH, I, AT THIS TIME, UH, WITH THE PRESENTATION BY MS. LOPEZ, ARE THEY ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD RELATED TO THE INFORMATION THAT
[02:40:01]
WAS JUST PRESENTED MR. HOWARD, MR. HOWARD.THANK YOU, MR. GOT A, UM, THANK YOU MS. LOPEZ PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAVE ONE BRIEF QUESTION.
UM, AND ONE OF THE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S, WHAT'S PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT, BUT I, ONE OF THE SECTORS OF THE FINANCE REPORT THAT WE RECEIVED, THERE IS A SECTION THAT BASICALLY CATEGORIZES A HUNDRED, ALMOST LIKE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AS OTHER EXPENSE EXPENSES THAT ARE NOT CATEGORIZED IN ONE OF THE MANY CATEGORIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET.
IF YOU CAN, UM, GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON WHY IT'S CATEGORY, LIKE WHY IS IT IN THAT CATEGORY? AND THEN IF YOU CAN JUST UPLIFT OR TELL ME MORE ABOUT FUTURE FORECASTING AND WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR US TO GET A FORECAST OF FIVE YEARS, THREE YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
I AM WORKING ON YOUR FORECASTS ARE THAT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY.
I HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO FINISHING IT, BUT I AM WORKING ON IT.
AND I'M ALSO WORKING WITH MS. BROWN ON VACANCIES AND STAFFING THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
SO I THINK TOGETHER WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO TRULY GET A REALLY GOOD OUTLOOK FOR THE BOARD TO REVIEW THE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS THAT YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT IS THE OTHER USES OF FUNDS AND THAT THAT'S COMPILED OF, UM, CHARTER SCHOOL FUNDING, INCLUSIVE OF LOCAL AND STATE FOR TYPE ONE LOCAL FOR TYPE TWO LOCAL FOR TYPE FIVE LOCAL FOR THE, THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE.
IT INCLUDES THE $1 MILLION THAT I HAVE SET ASIDE FOR APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE COVID-19.
AND THAT WAS ALSO IN PRIOR YEARS WHERE THE FUNDING FOR THE NON-GREEN, UM, NON-REIMBURSABLE PORTION OF FEMA FUNDING FOR THE FLOOD WAS PLACED.
IT'S ALSO INCLUSIVE OF $200,000 IN LOCAL FUNDING TO GO TO ADULT ED.
SO THAT IS WHAT ENCOMPASSES THAT HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IS THOSE THINGS.
UM, THE REASON IT KEEPS INCREASING IS AS, AS I STATED BEFORE, THE INCREASE IN CHARTER SCHOOLS, UM, SO THEY HAVE MORE CHILDREN, THEY GET MORE FUNDING, SO THAT'S WHY IT KEEPS GOING UP, BUT THAT'S, WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT.
I'M SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
THE ONLY COMMENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT HAS BEEN TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, UH, AND THE LAST TWO YEARS.
BUT I THINK THESE TIMES COVID RESPONSE AND OTHERS JUST EMPHASIZE AS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
UH, BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS YEAR IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REVENUES WILL REALLY LOOK LIKE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR EXPENSES REALLY WILL LOOK LIKE.
SO, UM, I JUST COME IN THE STAFF AND THE BOARD AND OUR EMPLOYEES AND EVERYONE THAT WORKED TOWARD BALANCING THE BUDGET LAST YEAR AND TRYING TO KEEP THIS YEAR'S BALANCE A BALANCED BUDGET BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE'S GOING TO HOLD AND, AND THINGS MIGHT END UP HITTING US.
UH, SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, UH, I WILL OFFICIALLY CLOSE THE WORKSHOP PORTION OF THIS.
THE, UH, I'M TRYING TO GET THE CORRECT NAME, THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WORKSHOP ON THE BUDGET IS NOW OFFICIALLY CLOSED.
AND THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF JULY 16TH WILL NOW RECOMMEND, UH, SO WE WILL BE MOVING TOWARD ITEM ONE COMMENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LONG DISCUSSION ON THE, UH, REOPENING OF SCHOOLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT PRESENTATION WAS ONLY FOR, UH, THE INFORMATION ONLY, UH, I HAVE A LOT OF COMMENTS IN THE QUEUE RELATED TO ISSUES AND QUESTIONS AROUND THE SCHOOL REOPENING, UH, THAT IS NOT REALLY A MATTER FOR COMMENT.
AND THAT IS NOT, THERE'S NO VOTE BEING TAKEN TONIGHT AND ALL COMMENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE RELATED TO THE MOTION THAT IS ACTUALLY UP RIGHT NOW.
SO I WILL NOT BE READING THROUGH THE COMMENTS.
MOST OF THEM WERE COVERED BY DISCUSSIONS WITH BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHERS, AND WE WILL HAVE A SECOND OPTION, UH, IF WE HAVE ANOTHER BOARD MEETING OR A WORKSHOP OR WHATEVER, SO THAT THESE QUESTIONS CAN COME UP, BUT, UH, TRYING TO FOLLOW THE RULES, I'M NOT GOING TO BE READING ALL THE COMMENTS THAT RELATE TO AN INFORMATION ONLY ITEM ARE DON'T DIRECTLY RELATE TO AN ITEM THAT WE'RE TAKING A VOTE ON.
[H. Consent Agenda]
WE WILL GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.UH, MR. ATLANTIS, WOULD YOU DO THE PLEASURE OF READING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE, SIR? YES, SIR.
[02:45:01]
DAY, I'M GOING TO BEGIN, BUT I UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO TURN MY CAMERA OFF BECAUSE I HAVE TO SWITCH SCREENS.YOU'RE GOING TO STILL HEAR MY VOICE AS I GO THROUGH IT.
I THINK WE CAN BEAR NOT LOOKING AT YOUR FACE RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A LITTLE HUMOR HERE SOMEWHERE.
UH, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED WITH ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF ITEMS UNLESS THE BOARD MEMBER LET'S SAY BOARD MEMBERS.
SO REQUESTS IN WHICH EVENT, THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED AS AN ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR A SEPARATE VOTE PROCEEDING.
THE LAST ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA, H TO GRANT'S CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING GRANTS, PAINTED PLAYGROUND COMMUNITY PARTNER AGREEMENT BETWEEN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, AND THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BATON ROUGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000 FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BEAUTIFICATION BE EARLY CHILDHOOD STRONG STAR COVID-19 COMMUNITY RELIEF GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,000 TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO CHILDCARE CENTERS, H THREE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS, FEDERAL CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, AND THE FOLLOWING NEARPOD IN THE AMOUNT OF $154,630 TO PROVIDE LITERACY LESSONS, FUNDING SOURCE, TITLE FOUR EIGHT V I D IN THE AMOUNT OF $19,639 TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND, AND SUPPORT IN CREATING A NINTH GRADE ACADEMY AT BROADMORE HIGH SCHOOL FUNDING SOURCE SCHOOL REDESIGN GREAT MINDS, AND THE I'M SORRY, C GREAT MINDS AND THE AMOUNT OF $20,000 TO PROVIDE MATHEMATICS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDING SOURCE SCHOOL REDESIGN D TEACHING LAB IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,225 TO PROVIDE ELA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDING SOURCE SCHOOL REDESIGN E ONE GOAL IN THE AMOUNT OF 45, $45,000 TO PROVIDE PROGRAM TRAINING AND MATERIALS FUNDING SOURCE SCHOOL REDESIGN F EMPOWER SCHOOLS IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 TO PROVIDE INNOVATION ZONES, STRATEGIC SUPPORT FUNDING SOURCE SCHOOL REDESIGN H FOR TEXT SELECTION, UNIVERSITY TERRORIST SLASH BUCHANAN ELEMENTARY CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF AN ARCHITECTURAL SELECTION.
COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION OF OUR H H ARCHITECTS APEC TO PROVIDE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE UNIVERSITY TERRORIST SCHOOL PROJECT FUNDING SOURCE TAX PLAN
WHY BENCHMARKING ASSESSMENT PLATFORM FUNDING SOURCE FEDERAL PROGRAMS CARES ACT H EIGHT LOUISIANA COMPLIANCE QUESTIONNAIRE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE LOUISIANA COMPLIANCE QUESTIONNAIRE AS REQUIRED FOR THE 2019 2020 FINANCIAL AUDIT OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM, H NINE 2021 HEALTH CARE AND AUXILIARY BENEFITS CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL AND AUTHORIZATION OF THE FOLLOWING.
A PROPOSED 2021 HEALTH RATES FOR ACTIVE EMPLOYEES, NONMEDICAL AND MEDICAL ELIGIBLE RETIREES PARTICIPATING IN THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF LOUISIANA ADMINISTERED MEDICAL PLANS FOR CORE AND UP BE PROPOSED 2021 HEALTHCARE RATES IN PLAN DESIGN CHANGES FOR ACTIVE NONMEDICAL AND MEDICAL ELIGIBLE RETIREES PARTICIPATING IN THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD,
[02:50:01]
LOUISIANA ADMINISTRATIVE MEDICAL PLAN FOR COMMUNITY BLUE C PROPOSED 2021, 2022 HEALTHCARE RATES FOR MEDICARE RETIREES PARTICIPATING IN THE HUMANA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE HMO AND PPO PLANS D PROPOSED 2021 CYRILLICS MONTHLY FEE FOR CONTINUED.H I N SORRY, H R I S SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION OF ALL BENEFITS OF FOUR ACTIVE NONMEDICAL AND MEDICAL ELIGIBLE RETIREES E AUTHORIZATION AUTHORIZED THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THE 2021 CONTRACT RENEWAL WITH WAGE WORKS, HEALTH HEALTHY EQUITY FOR FLEXIBLE SPENDING SLASH COBRA ADMINISTRATION EF AUTHORIZED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THE 2021 CONTRACT FOR S FOR STOP LOSS INSURANCE COVERAGE, G AMENDMENT AMENDMENT APPROVAL OF EXPRESS SCRIPTS PROGRAMS, RATIONAL MEDS SAVE ON SP ADVANCED OPIOID AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, ACA AND HIV PREP, COVERAGE, AND HIV CARE VALUE PLAN.
DO I HAVE A SECOND SECOND BY MR. TAPPIN? UM, SO THE MOTION MADE AND SECONDED.
ARE THERE ANY BOARD MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HAVE AN ITEM, UH, RETRACTED MS. COLLINS? I NEED TO RECUSE PULL OUT NUMBER SIX SO I CAN RECUSE MYSELF.
ITEM SIX AND MS. DYSON SIX AND NINE SEVEN.
OKAY, SO WE WILL BE VOTING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE AND SEVEN AND EIGHT.
UH, ANY COMMENTS ON THE BOARD ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE AND SEVEN AND EIGHT.
OH, WELCOME BACK, MR. BILLY, I'M SEEING NO COMMENTS.
UH, I HAVE NO PERTINENT COMMENTS, UH, RELATED TO THESE ITEMS, UH, ON HERE BECAUSE ALL OF THE ITEMS ARE LIKE, ARE WE PULLING H NINE ANYWAY? SO I SEE NO PERTINENT COMMENTS RELATED TO THESE ITEMS. SO BACK TO THE BOARD, SAY NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE? MR. GARDENER? WHO WAS THE SECOND? THE SECOND WAS MR. TOPMAN.
THERE ARE NO PERTINENT COMMENTS.
THE COMMENTS LISTENING TO THESE ITEMS, BUT THEY ARE UNRELATED SUBJECTS.
MS. DYSON, CAN YOU MARK YOUR VOTE PLEASE? MR.
[H6. Cooperative Agreement: Capital Area Human Services ]
UH, SO NOW WE WILL GO TO SIX CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTS FOR THE APPROVAL OF COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH, SCHOOL, BOARD, AND CAPITAL AREA HUMAN HEALTH SERVICES, DISTRICT, BATON ROUGE, MENTAL HEALTH CARE CENTER SLASH CHILDREN'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVEMENT? OKAY.
AND MR. CATLIN SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? I RECUSE MYSELF
[02:55:02]
AND THEN NOTICE AS MS. COLLINS HAS REMOVED HERSELF, I RECUSED MYSELF A NUMBER SIX ALSO.SO MS. COLLINS AND MS. DYSON AND NOTED AS BEING REMOVED AND SEE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, OR NONE OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE ART, FROM THE PUBLIC, BACK TO THE BOARD SEEING NONE.
[H9. 2021 Healthcare and Ancillary Benefits]
NOW YOU CAN MAKE ME READ NUMBER NINE AGAIN.NUMBER NINE, A HEALTH FAIR AND ANCILLARY BENEFITS CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL AUTHORIZATION AND THE FOLLOWING A PROPOSE 21 2021 HEALTHCARE RATES FOR ACTIVE EMPLOYEES NON-MEDICARE AND MEDICARE ELIGIBLE RETIREES PARTICIPATING IN THE BASIC BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF LOUISIANA ADMINISTERED MEDICAL PROGRAMS, THE CORE, AND BY UP BE PROPOSED 21, 2021 HEALTHCARE RATES AND PLAN DESIGN CHANGES FOR ACTIVE NON-MEDICARE AND ADMINISTERED AND MEDICARE ELIGIBLE RETIREES PARTICIPATING IN THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF LOUISIANA ADMINISTERED MEDICAL PLAN FOR COMMUNITY BLUE C PROPOSED 2021, 2022 HEALTHCARE RATES FOR MEDICARE RETIREES PARTICIPATING IN THE HUMANA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, HMO AND PPO BRANDS D THE PROPOSED 2021 SELINUX MONTHLY FEE TO CONTINUE HRRS SYSTEM AND ADMINISTRATION OF ALL BENEFITS FOR ACTIVE NON-MEDICARE AND MEDICARE ELIGIBLE RETIREES.
HE AUTHORIZED TO SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF AND NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THE 2021 CONTRACT.
WE KNOW WITH WAGE WORK SLASH A DASH HEALTHY EQUITY OR FLEXIBLE SLASH COBRA ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THE 2021 CONTRACT FOR STOP LOSS INSURANCE COVERAGE, G AMENDMENT APPROVAL FOR EXPRESS SCRIPTS PROGRAMS, RATIONAL MED SAVE ON FC ADVANCED OPIOIDS, AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, HIV T R E P COVERAGE AND HIV CARE VALUE PROGRAM.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY MR. STAGNANT BY MISS ATLANTA? YOU PUT OUT MR. GO DATE, MR. BLUE, AND WHO? MR. LANDIS.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS JIM, TO THE BULLETS BOARD AND IT'S NOTED THAT MS. DYSON HAS REFUSED HERSELF FROM THIS CORRECT? MS. DYSON HAS RECUSED HERSELF FROM THIS.
ANY COMMENTS? NO SEEING NO COMMENTS.
UH, THERE ARE NO PERTINENT COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
ANY COMMENTS LAST CALL FOR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD SEEING NONE.
[03:00:01]
YES.CAN YOU MARK YOUR BUTTON? MS. COLLINS, WAIT FOR, I HAD A CHANCE TO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
[I1. 2020-2021 School Board Meeting Calendar]
NEXT WE GO TO ITEM I AND THE STANDALONE, THE 2020, 2021 STU BOARD MEETING CALENDAR CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE REVISED SPANISH FAIR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE FOR, FOR THE 20, 20, 20, 21 SCHOOL YEAR.AND I HAVE A MOTION MOST SECOND BY MR. THE REASON FOR THIS IS WE VOTED ON THIS AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT THERE WAS AN INCORRECT, UH, DATE ON THE BACKUP DATA THAT WAS POSTED IN POSTDOCS.
SO THIS IS NO CHANGE TO WHAT WE HAD PLANNED.
UH, JUST THE CORRECTION BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENTAL MISTAKE ON BOARD DOCS, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD SEEING NONE, I WILL RECHECK, BUT THERE ARE NO PERTINENT COMMENTS RELATED TO THIS ITEM ON THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION.
SO BACK TO THE BOARD, CIGNA, MADAM SECRETARY, MR. BLUE WAS THE SECOND, CORRECT? YEAH.
[J1. ITEP Application-International Mezzo Technologies]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS NEW BUSINESS BUSINESS ITEM, J ONE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF AN APPLICATION FROM INTERNATIONAL MEZZO TECHNOLOGIES.NUMBER TWO ZERO ONE NINE ZERO ZERO TWO SIX DASH ITE FOR AN INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION AND RELATED MATTERS.
I HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY MR. TATLIN.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I WILL PROVIDE THE SECOND ARE MR. BALLOU.
MR. BALLOU SECOND, ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS FROM THE BOARD SEEING NONE? I WILL GO TO THE AUDIENCE, UH, ART TO THE PUBLIC.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS WHICH I WILL READ INTO THE RECORD.
UH, THIS IS FROM LANA WILLIAMS. THE SCHOOL BOARD IS ALREADY STRUGGLING TO MAKE END MEET ENDS, MEET THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO GIVE AWAY TAX DOLLARS.
I WILL NOT READ ANONYMOUS COMMENTS, UH, FROM STEVEN POSS, NO PERMANENT JOBS WERE CREATED AND THE WORK IS DONE.
WHY SHOULD WE, SHOULD WE, WE SHOULD NOT ACCEPT THIS IDEA.
UH, NEXT IS FROM JOY CHANDLER.
PLEASE VOTE AGAINST THE RE THIS REQUEST OR MEZZO TECHNOLOGIES, BECAUSE IT DOES NOT MEET THE SCHOOL BOARD GUIDELINES AND SHOULD NOT A GRANT EXEMPTIONS FOR PROJECT WHERE THE BEGINNING OF CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN FOR OUR TWO, THE ITEP EXEMPTION, AND DO NOT.
THEREFORE OUR CONSTITUTION INCENTIVE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS FOR THIS PROJECT BEGAN AND ENDED IN 2019.
IN ADDITION, IN ADDITION, INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS END UP HAVING TO PAY MORE PROPERTY AND SALES TAXES TO MAKE UP
[03:05:01]
SHARK FALLS AND CORPORATE CITIZENS DON'T PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE.SUPERINTENDENT, JUST DRAKE JUST BRAGGED ABOUT TWO SALES TAXES THAT HAVE PASSED IN HIS TENURE.
IF CORPORATIONS HAVE BEEN PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO INCREASE THESE REGRESSIVE TAXES THAT HIT THE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS.
THE HARDEST ADDITIONAL EXPENSE WILL BE ENCOURAGED FROM THIS PANDEMIC, AND WE NEED ALL THE FUNDING WE CAN GET TODAY.
WE'RE ALSO ASKING TEACHERS TO PAY MORE FOR THEIR INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR THEIR OWN SUPPLIES, ET CETERA.
PLEASE STOP PASSING ON ADDITIONAL COSTS TO TEACHERS TO MAKE UP BUDGET SHORTAGES.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY COMMENTS I HAVE.
AND I HAVE TWO MORE COMMENTS THAT HAD COME IN AND I WILL CLOSE IT FROM THAT FUNERAL, UH, FROM JASMINE POST, NO OTHER STATE IN THE U S OPS OUT THE FUNDING, PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM BUSINESS TAXES.
WE SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY SAY NO TO ANY ITEP REQUESTS IS FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE.
AND WITH COVID LIKE MR. GILDAY SAID, WE DID NOT WANT THINGS TO, WE DO NOT WANT WHAT THINGS LOOK LIKE.
SO YOU MUST VOTE AGAINST THIS ITEM.
AND FROM ANNA MARIE BLANK, MOST STATES DON'T LET IT AFFECT THEIR SCHOOL BUDGETS.
AND WHEN THEY DO THE MONEY, LOSS IS OFFSET BY THE STATE, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, THE AMOUNT WE NEED THIS MONEY IN OUR DISTRICT, THE MONEY THAT ARE TAKING FROM OUR STUDIOS CAN SUPPLY THREE CLASSES.
OTHER SCHOOLS, DON'T ROB THEIR OTHER STATES, DON'T ROB THEIR SCHEMES TO SUBSIDIZE BUSINESS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, MR. LET'S SEE THE, UH, WE HAVE, I SHOULD HAVE, I GUESS, GONE TO THIS FIRST, UH, TO EXPLAIN THE PROCESS AND MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT, BUT MR. MILLER FROM BREATH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME.
UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU ALL.
AND IF I COULD MAKE LIGHT OF ONE THING, IT'S REALLY GREAT TO BE SITTING IN MY OWN SHARE VERSUS THE MOVIE THEATER SEATING THAT NORMALLY WE'RE SITTING IN THE MEETINGS, I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF REPORT ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, IT'S AS A, AS A COMPANY THAT CAME BEFORE YOU ALL ONE YEAR AGO.
UH, BUT IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT INVESTMENT AND A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IN ADDITION, UH, THAN WE DISCUSSED LAST YEAR.
IN FACT, ACCORDING TO THE COMMENTS THAT YOU, THAT YOU JUST READ, UH, DID FILE AN ADVANCED NOTIFICATION ON FEBRUARY ONE OF 2019.
AND THEY STATED THE PROJECT START DATE WAS ALSO FEBRUARY ONE OF 2019, AND THE END DATE, DECEMBER 31, 2019.
SO ALL CONSTRUCTION IN ALL ADDITIONS WERE COMPLETED IN 2019.
THE APPLICATION WAS FILED TO LEV, UH, MARCH 6TH AND 2020.
THEY STARTED WORK AFTER THE ADVANCE WAS, WAS FILED.
AND THEN THEY FILED THE APPLICATION WITH THE STATE, WHICH GIVES AGAIN AN ITEMIZED RECAP OF THE PROJECT, ALL FINAL COSTS TO THE STATE.
THIS IS WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF THE STATE STATUTES.
UM, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I READ THIS CAUSE I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS.
UH, THE APPLICATION FOR THE TAX EXEMPTION MAY BE FILED WITHIN A DEPARTMENT, UM, NO LATER THAN 90 DAYS AFTER THE BEGINNING OR THE END OF CONSTRUCTION, THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE CURRENT LAW.
SO THEY DID MEET THE GUIDELINES.
AND IN FACT DID PASS THROUGH THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.
UM, AND WHICH IS WHY IT'S IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS PROJECT, AND I'LL GO BACK TO SOME OF THE CHANGES, BUT AGAIN, INTERNATIONAL MEZZO AS A DESIGN ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING, UH, COMPANY, AND THEY MANUFACTURE HEAT EXCHANGERS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING FROM CONCEPT AND DRAWINGS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE MANUFACTURING AND INCLUDING THE DRILLING AND FABRICATION AND ASSEMBLY.
SO FROM START TO FINISH, SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY'VE ADDED IN IS ON THE MACHINE TOOLING EQUIPMENT, UH, TO GET INTO THE GRANULAR.
UM, IT'S A BROTHER SPEEDIER MACHINE, A HOSTILE SLAVE, UM, AND ALSO A COOLANT BLOCK VACUUM SYSTEMS, PUMP REDUCERS, HIGH FLOW, UM, CAPACITIES AND CAPABILITIES.
UM, THEY'VE ADDED TO IMPROVE AND ENSURE QUALITY TO THE FINISHED PRODUCTS, 3D SOFTWARE, UM, AND THEY'VE ALSO ADDED FIXTURES AND EXPANDED MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES.
SO THE NUMBERS, I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT
[03:10:01]
TO EVERYBODY.UM, THEY ARE CREATING TWO ADDITIONAL JOBS, SO THEY HAD AN EXISTING NUMBER OF 38 AND THEY THEY'VE INCREASED THAT JOB COUNT TO 40.
UH, THEY'VE ALREADY HIRED THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS.
SO IT'S A, THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING.
AND THE GREAT NEWS IS, IS THE SALARIES, UM, COMBINED ARE 120,000.
UH, SO THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE THAN WHAT YOU SAW LAST YEAR, NOT ONLY IN INVESTMENT, BUT ALSO SALARY RANGES, WHICH IS PROVIDING, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME GOOD DATA THAT THIS COMPANY IS IMPROVING, GROWING AND DOING GOOD THINGS.
THEIR TOTAL PAYROLL IS TOO MUCH 1,000,900 AND 20,000.
UM, AND SO WHAT, WHAT AFFECTS THE SCHOOL BOARD? I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE 10 YEAR PROJECTION, UM, OF TAX REVENUE IS ABOUT $63,060.
THE TOTAL ABATEMENT IS 28,006 85.
SO REVENUE OF SIX 63,000 AND ABATEMENT OF 28, BUT SPECIFICALLY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, IT'S ABOUT A TEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY EIGHT THOUSAND, $10,298 ABATEMENT.
SO I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN, 10,298, ONE, ONE OTHER ADDITIONAL FACT THAT I NEED TO POINT OUT IS, UM, ON FEBRUARY 21ST, 2020, THIS YEAR, UH, THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY PASSED A RESOLUTION, UH, THAT SUPPORTED LOCAL GUIDELINES, BUT ALSO STATED THAT THOSE GUYS, RIGHT LINES MUST BE AN ADHERENCE.
IT MUST BE ADHERE TO IN, IN, UH, IN FACT, LINKED TO WHAT THE STATE GUIDELINES ARE.
SO PRIOR TO COVID-19 FOUR MONTHS AGO, THE METRO COUNCIL WAS ABLE TO ADJUST THEIR GUIDELINES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE IN PARALLEL WITH THE STATE GUIDELINES.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS HAD A CHANCE.
YOU GUYS HAVE HAD A LOT ON YOUR PLATE SINCE COVID, UH, HIT US ALL FOUR MONTHS AGO, BUT I DID WANT YOU TO, TO KNOW THAT YOUR GUIDELINES THOUGH, UM, YOU PROVIDE SOME SAFETY NETS FOR THE BOARD ARE NOT CURRENTLY IN, UH, IN ALIGN WITH THE STATE.
AND AGAIN, THIS PASSED THROUGH THE BOARD OF CONGRESS AND INDUSTRY.
AND FOR SOME REASON, UH, WE LEAN TOGETHER.
WE LEAN ON OUR GUIDELINES NOW OF A PROJECT START DATE OR A PROJECT INDEX.
UH, IN FACT, THIS WILL BE HE REVERTED BACK TO THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY FOR FINAL DECISION.
UM, SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE FACTS OF WHERE WE ARE.
AND, UH, UH, SCHOOL BOARD, YEAH.
AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE CONTINUED INVESTMENT WITH THIS COMPANY.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
COLLINS, I HAD RECEIVED SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE PROJECT BEING COMPLETED AND THEREFORE NOT BEING A TRUE INCENTIVE.
UM, I WROTE SOME CLARE TO GO AROUND THOSE DATES.
UH, W ONCE I CHECKED INTO THE DATES, IT CAME ACROSS TO ME THAT THE PROJECT WAS STARTED AT THE SAME TIME THE ADVANCED PAPERWORK WAS DONE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS COMPANY DOES THEIR BOOKS NECESSARILY, BUT TO ME, THAT SOUNDS LIKE WHEN THEY BEGAN PLANNING FOR THE PROJECT, THEY HAD TO PUT ALL THOSE NUMBERS TOGETHER, UM, WITH THEIR ACCOUNTANT PERSON AND THEIR, WHOEVER THE TEAM IS.
UH, IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT, OR IT DIDN'T APPEAR TO ME IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE THAT THIS IS A MATTER OF THE PROJECT STARTED.
AND THEN, OH, AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT, NOW I'M GOING TO APPLY FOR THIS TEXT.
THE TIMING OF IT SOUNDS LIKE, OKAY.
PART OF MY PLANNING PROCESS FOR THIS IS I AM APPLYING FOR THIS PARTICULAR TEXT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN EXPECT A BUSINESS TO SAY I'M GOING TO WAIT.
ON AN APPLICATION, UH, I THINK IT'S FEASIBLE TO EXPECT A BUSINESS TO, UH, PLAN FOR
[03:15:02]
A PLAN AROUND IT.BUT I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, UM, I HEAR THE CONCERN THAT I'VE GOTTEN FROM SOME PEOPLE, BUT I'M NOT SURE IN THIS CASE, IT WOULD APPLY TO THIS, UH, SITUATION.
UH, I'M STILL NOT QUITE CERTAIN HUMBLE VOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR PIECE.
UM, I'M MORE OR LESS FAVORABLE TO IT, BUT I'M STILL TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THE CONCERNS I RECEIVED, UH, TODAY.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN KIND OF SPEAK TO THAT RFP COMPANY CAUSE SPEAK TO HOW THE TIME THE DATES APPEARED.
COMPANIES, UM, MUST FOLLOW STRICT GUIDELINES AND PROJECT MANAGERS, UH, NOT ONLY IN MY OFFICE AND AT THE STATE OFFICE, GUIDE THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND SO THE FIRST THING ANY COMPANY MUST DO IS FILE AN ADVANCED NOTIFICATION AND THEY JUST GIVES THE STATE NOTICE THAT WORK IS ABOUT TO NOT TO START UP THE CONVERSATIONS BEGIN WELL BEFORE THAT DATE OF SUBMITTAL, BUT IT'S ALWAYS, UH, WE ALWAYS WANT TO ENSURE THAT A COMPANY DOESN'T START INSTALLING ANYTHING BEFORE AN ADVANCED NOTIFICATION IS FILE BECAUSE IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN THEY WOULD MISS OUT ON ANY KIND OF OPPORTUNITY FROM A STATE INCENTIVE PERSPECTIVE.
SO THE COMPANY, AS YOU'RE SEEING IT, UH, FILED ON FEBRUARY ONE, AND WE'RE DEFINING A START DATE OF FEBRUARY ONE, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE MACHINERY WAS ACTUALLY PLUGGED IN OR CONNECTED TO THE FLOOR EXACTLY ON FEBRUARY ONE WHEN THEY PRESS SUBMIT ON THE COMPUTER.
UH, THAT'S JUST A DATE THAT WAS ESTIMATED AS A START DATE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT DATE THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW AS A GROUP IS THAT COMPLETION DATE AND THE APPLICATION DATE, AND MAKING SURE THAT WHEN THE WORK WAS COMPLETED, THAT THEY MET THEIR MARK WITHIN A THREE MONTH PERIOD.
AM I ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
SO, SO FAR THIS COMPANY, UH, YOU KNOW, WAS MAKING A PROJECTION OF HIRING AND INSTALLING AND INVESTING BASED ON MATH WELL BEFORE ANY KIND OF, UH, ADVANCED NOTIFICATION WAS FILED.
BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, UH, THEY'VE, THEY'VE HELD UP THEIR END OF THE BARGAIN AND ACTUALLY AHEAD OF THE BALL GAME.
NORMALLY WE'RE PROJECTING PEOPLE TO COMPANIES TO HIRE IN THE FUTURE, WHEREAS THEY'VE, THEY'VE ALREADY MADE THEIR HIRES IN THERE.
THEY'RE DOING REALLY, REALLY WELL.
NOW I WILL LEAN ON JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE, UH, WE BOUGHT A COMPANY LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS ETHERIDGE ELECTRIC, WHICH WAS A PLANK ROAD PROJECT.
UM, AND THAT COMPANY DUE TO COVID-19 HAS SENT SHUTDOWN.
AND ONE THING WE ARE SEEING IS A STRAIN ON THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS JUST ONE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND PUT A FOCUS ON COMPANIES THAT ARE CONTINUOUSLY GROWING CONTINUOUSLY, TRYING TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY AND CONTINUING TO HIRE.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THOSE BECAUSE THERE IS REVENUE COMING INTO THE SCHOOL BOARD DUE TO PROJECTS LIKE THIS.
AGAIN, THIS PROJECT NEVER DIPS INTO THE RED.
IT IS CONSTANTLY IN THE BLACK, IT IS CONSTANTLY A MONEYMAKER FOR THE COMMUNITY, REGARDLESS OF THE PROPERTY TAX OR NOT THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE $10,000 ABATEMENT FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL STILL PRODUCE A $60,000 RETURN IN THE FIRST 10 YEARS ON THIS.
SO I HOPE I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS MR. LANDIS, RATHER THAN GO TO, AM I GOOD TO GO? YES.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, DONNIE, UH, THANK YOU, MAN.
UH, SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR BOARD, I'VE SEEN YOU BEEN VERY DILIGENT IN YOUR WORK AND TRYING TO WALK US AROUND THE IS GOING INSIDE OF THOSE ACTUAL MANUFACTURING, PLANTS AND SITES.
AND, UH, LET US TALK TO THE OWNERS, LET US TALK TO THE WORKERS AND LET US ACTUALLY SEE THE WORK HAPPENING WITH OUR OWN EYES.
AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
AND WHILE I DO APPRECIATE IT, THERE'S SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.
AND THOSE CONCERNS ARE FOR OUR, OUR TEACHERS, OUR SUPPORT STAFF, AND MORE, MORE, MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR STUDENTS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN SOME VERY TURBULENT TIMES.
AND ALL WE CONTINUE TO HEAR IS THAT OUR BUDGET AT SOME POINT IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED.
AND WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS WHILE I RESPECT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART AND HOPE THAT THEY THRIVE AND CONTINUE TO GROW AT THIS TIME, UNFORTUNATELY, I WON'T BE ABLE TO VOTE WITH THIS BECAUSE MY MAIN CONCERN IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE GETTING BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK, THEN THAT WE HAVE ABSOLUTE SAFETY FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND ALSO THAT WE CAN PROTECT THE FUTURE OF, UH, THE, THE FUTURE IMPACTS THAT ARE GOING TO COME TO OUR DISTRICT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT OUT OF RESPECT,
[03:20:01]
THAT I RESPECT ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THIS TIME, AGAIN, AS YOU SEEN IN THE PAST, I VOTED WITH YOU GUYS WHEN IT WAS REGULAR CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT WE ARE NOT IN REGULAR TIMES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO JUST SEND THAT RESPECT FOR YOU AND JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT THEN I WOULD JUST, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU BEING ON HERE WITH US TODAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD SEEING NONE? UH, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN TO THE AUDIENCE OR THE ONLINE AUDIENCE? UH, MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE, PLEASE VOTE MR. BLUE.
I'M I'M ABSTAINING ON THIS ONE.
[J2. Renaming of Lee High School]
IS I AM JAKE CHIN REMAINING OF LEE HIGH SCHOOL CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION FOR RENAMING LATE HIGH SCHOOL.AND SO SUPERINTENDENT DRAKE, WE WILL GO TO YOU FIRST, UH, CAUSE WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN YOUR RECOMMENDATION YET.
THANK YOU, MR. GODA AND BOARD MEMBERS, UH, WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT I ATTENDED AND LISTENED INTENTLY TO THE, UH, COMMITTEE AND PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON MONDAY NIGHT AND RENAMING LEE HIGH SCHOOL.
I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DID.
IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING MEETING, VERY PROFESSIONALLY RUN.
I WANT TO THANK STACY DUPREE AND MARLIN, UH, SUZANNE WHO RAN AND FACILITATED IT VERY EFFICIENTLY AND ESPECIALLY THOSE, UH, UH, MEMBERS WHO VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE.
BUT MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE STUDENTS.
WE HAVE THREE LEHIGH STUDENTS WHO SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE.
I WANT TO THANK THEM VERY MUCH.
AND WE HAD TWO STAFF MEMBERS FROM LEHIGH WHO WERE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, THOSE STUDENTS, IF YOU COULD HAVE HEARD THEM, THEY, THEY SPOKE PASSIONATELY AND ELOQUENTLY.
AND HERE'S WHAT I HEARD FROM THOSE STUDENTS.
MOST OF THEM WANTED TO KEEP THE LM RIGHT NOW.
THEY WANTED TO KEEP THAT LAM IN THERE.
MOST OF THEM, IN FACT, I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THEM OR ALL OF THEM WANTED TO KEEP THE COLORS OF THE SCHOOL.
AND ALSO THE MASCOT OF THE SCOPE.
THREE NAMES CAME OUT OF THE COMMITTEE.
THERE WERE THREE VOTES AND THREE NAMES CAME OUT OF THE COMMITTEE.
THEY WERE PBS PINCH BACK MAGNET, HIGH LIBERTY MAGNET, HIGH SCHOOL AND LOUISIANA HIGH SCHOOL.
THOSE WERE THE THREE NAMES THAT WERE SENT OR FORWARDED FROM THE COMMUNITY, ALL OUR GOOD NAMES, UH, OF RESEARCH.
BUT I GO BACK TO WHAT THE STUDENTS SAY BASED ON WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT COMMITTEE.
AND ALSO, UH, ESPECIALLY THE STUDENTS WHO SPENT SO PASSIONATELY IN THAT COMMITTEE.
AND ALSO THE FACT THAT THIS NAME RECEIVED HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES AND IN THE SINGLE MY RECOMMENDATION IS LIBERTY MAGNET, HIGH SCHOOL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION SUPERINTENDENT.
UH, SO I WILL, UH, GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION SINCE IT'S IN MY DISTRICT AND I, MY EMOTION WILL BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SUPERINTENDENT.
MY MOTION WILL BE FOR LIBERTY HEIGHT.
MY EMOTION IS TO RENAME THE SCHOOL LOCATED ON LEE DRIVE TO LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I WILL DISCUSS SOME OF THE REASONS BEYOND, UH, BEHIND THAT.
SO NEXT IS SEGMENTED BY MR. TATLIN AND I WILL, I WILL GET TO THE SPEAKERS IN A SECOND, BUT, UH, MY REASONING BEHIND THAT IS TODAY.
THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE SCHOOL WAS LEE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND TODAY IT IS A MAGNET SCHOOL.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN USING UTILIZING LEE MAGNET AND MUCH OF THEIR PUBLICATIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND WITH LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL THAT PRACTICE CAN CONTINUE.
[03:25:01]
BUT 10 YEARS FROM NOW, OR 15 YEARS FROM NOW, THAT SCHOOL IS NO LONGER A MAGNET SCHOOL.UH, WE DO NOT NEED TO BE SPENDING LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY TO BE REPLACING SIGNAGE AND EVERYTHING ELSE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO MY MOTION, UH, FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THAT HAS BEEN SECONDED IS FOR LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, WITH THAT THE FLOOR IS OPEN.
MR. LANDIS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UH, AND AGAIN, JUST TO, UH, PIGGYBACK ON SOMETHING THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT JUST SAID, UH, THE, THE COMMITTEE THAT WORKED ON THIS RENAMING DID A TREMENDOUS JOB.
I APPLAUD THAT THAI COMMUNITY BECAUSE WHEN THEY CAME TOGETHER, IT WAS GOOD CONSTANT FEEDBACK.
THAT WAS NO, UH, NO CONFUSION.
UM, HOWEVER, I DO THINK THAT THIS IS THE TIME WHERE I REALLY WANT TO EXPRESS HOW I FEEL ON THIS PARTICULAR MATTER AND WHY, AS I SAID AT THE MEETING, THAT I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE NAMES THAT WE'LL PUT UP.
I WAS REALLY HOPING THAT TONIGHT WE WOULD, UH, PUT UP ALL THREE OF THE NAMES AND THEN THE BOY COULD THEN DIALOGUE ON IT AND SELECT THE NAME.
AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY HARD FOR ME TO IGNORE THAT WE LIVE IN A, A CITY THAT IS A 56% AFRICAN AMERICAN.
THAT WAS JUST ARE JUST THE FACTS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE THIS RACIAL, BUT THOSE ARE THE FACTS.
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HOLD THOSE FACTS.
I THINK IT'S ALSO A WORTH NOTING THAT WE HAVE A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT IS 81% AFRICAN-AMERICAN YET WE HAVE NO SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN NAMED AFTER AFRICAN-AMERICANS, UH, BESIDES EVEN THE GARDEN CENTER, BUT, AND THAT SCHOOL STILL HAS NOT RECEIVED A PROPER, UH, SIGNAGE DUE TO SEVERAL OTHER INSTANCES.
BUT AGAIN, EVEN WITH THAT NAME, THERE'S NOT ONE SCHOOL IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH THAT HAS BEEN NAMED AFTER AN AFRICAN AMERICAN PERSON, SOMEONE, UH, THAT OUR STUDENTS CAN LOOK UP TO.
AND I THINK THAT AGAIN, PBS PITCH BACK SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NAME THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED ALSO FOR RECOMMENDATION AND LET THE BOARD GO BACK AND FORTH ABOUT IT, ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH IT OR NOT, BUT JUST SELECT THE ONE NAME.
I JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS ALMOST AN INJUSTICE.
AND I JUST WANT, WANTS TO THINK ABOUT THIS TOO.
THAT'S THE TIME MATTER OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RACE AND AS REGARDS OUR COMMUNITY AND WITH THE THINGS THAT WE DEAL WITH.
AND WHILE I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH LIBERTY, I JUST WANT US TO THINK ABOUT AND CONCEPTUALIZE THE MEANING OF WHAT LIBERTY STANDS FOR.
I'M JUST GOING TO READ SOMETHING REAL QUICK, AND IT SAYS LIBERTY, THE STATE OF BEING FREE WITHIN THE SOCIETY FROM OPPRESSIVE, RESTRICTIVE, IMPOSE, AND RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY AUTHORITY ON ONE ON ONE'S WAY OF LIFE, BEHAVIOR AND POLITICAL VIEWS.
EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, HASN'T BEEN COLLECTED HAS NOT BEEN CONNECTED TO LIBERTY.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS, BUT IT'S NOT CONNECTED TO IT.
WE HAVE A LONG STANDING HISTORY IN THE CITY AND WE NEED TO HEAL.
AND I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THE WAY THAT WE HEAL IS TO GIVE US, GIVE THEM SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD BE PROUD OF.
UH, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS TALKING ABOUT AT ONE OF THE OTHER MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY WHAT OUR STUDENTS AND I APPRECIATE THEIR VOICES SO MUCH, BUT AS IT REGARDS RACE, A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS CAN'T CONCEPTUALIZE WHAT THAT MEANS YET BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T REACHED A LEVEL FOR THEM TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT YET.
AND I JUST WANT US TO RECOGNIZE THAT ALSO, AND I JUST WANTED TO LIFT THAT UP AND AGAIN, I WOULD REALLY HOPE THAT IF IT IS AT ALL POSSIBLE, IF WE CAN MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO ADD PBS PINCH BACK IN, UH, TO THE, UH, SO WE CAN VOTE ON EITHER PBS PITCH BACK OR LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL.
I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE VERY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED ALL ACROSS THIS COMMUNITY, BUT JUST TO SIMPLY WRITE IT OFF, I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO DISAPPOINT A LOT OF PEOPLE BASED OFF THE POLLING THAT I HAVE RECEIVED PBS PITCH BACKWARDS, VERY HIGH BASED OFF THE EMAILS THAT I KNOW EVERYBODY RECEIVED ON OUR SCHOOL BOARD THAT HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS SUPPORT SAYING THAT PBS PITCH BACKS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE CONSIDERED.
AND I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE KIND OF WRITING THAT ALL BY GOING WITH LIBERTY A SOLELY BY ITSELF.
AND I'M JUST GOING TO STOP RIGHT THERE.
AND I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TONIGHT, OR WE CAN ADD IN A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, WHAT WE ADD IN A PBS PITCH BACK, BECAUSE I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THE COMMENTS TONIGHT ARE GOING TO BE IN SUPPORT OF PBS PITCH BACK A LOT OF THEM.
SO I JUST WANTED YOU GUYS TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT.
MISS ATLANTA, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED BECAUSE THE, WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO NAME THE SCHOOL.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A SEPARATE MOTION FOR PBS PINCH BACK? CAUSE WE CAN'T VOTE ON TWO NAMES FOR THE SAME SCHOOL.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION? YES, SIR.
I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS APPROVED, BUT YES, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE NAMED THE SCHOOL PBS PITCH BACK.
AND IS THERE A SECOND TO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION
[03:30:04]
MR. HOWARD SECONDS? OKAY.SO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS NOW ON THE FLOOR, UH, WITH A PBS PENCE BACK AS THE RECOMMENDED NAME, UH, MR. TATLIN, YOU'RE NEXT ON THE LIST.
UM, I, UH, APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS DONE.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT AND I APPRECIATE TIME THAT STAFF HAS PUT INTO IT.
UM, THIS BOARD MEMBER IS NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR ANY PERSON TO BE NAMED FOR A HIGH SCHOOL AT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
IN FACT, AT A LATER POINT, ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE COVID THINGS AND WE START FOCUSING ON WHAT REALLY IS IMPORTANT IN OUR DISTRICT, WHICH IS SERVING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A VIEW OF ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND ANY SCHOOL THAT'S NAMED AFTER AN INDIVIDUAL TO REVIEW THAT.
I THINK WE, WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THAT SO THAT SOMETHING DOESN'T COME UP AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD IMPACT THAT SCHOOL.
I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO NEIGHBORHOODS.
I WANT TO FOLLOW, UH, THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, UH, IN THAT, IN THAT ARENA.
UM, I AM NOT FOR A NAMING ANY OF OUR SCHOOLS IN THE FUTURE AFTER INDIVIDUALS.
I THINK WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THAT.
I THINK WE, THE, THE, THE ISSUES RELATIVE TO THE COST RELATED TO THE CHANGES MAKE SENSE FOR LIBERTY, UH, BECAUSE I THINK, UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS WITH UNIFORMS, UH, WITH SOME OF THE SIGNAGE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO STAY THE SAME.
SO THERE'S SOME ECONOMIES OF SCALE WITH THAT.
UH, BUT THAT IS THIS INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS POSITION.
AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I'VE MADE THAT POINT, UM, BECAUSE I AM THE SECOND ON THE, ON THE UNDERLYING MOTION.
THANK YOU, MR. TAPPIN AND MR. HOWARD, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT, AND GO DAY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO A THINK THE, UM, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR, UH, FOR THE TIME AND DILIGENCE THAT IT TOOK TO, TO GET TO THIS POINT, TO, TO RECOMMEND THE THREE NAMES THAT WE SEE BEFORE US.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO THANK THE BOARD FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING, UM, AND VOTING UNANIMOUSLY TO CHANGE THE NAME AS WE TRY TO MAKE OUR INTAKE OUR DISTRICT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON A WAVE OF PROGRESS.
UM, I, I TOO THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD COME HERE TODAY AND JUST VOTE ON ALL THREE OF THE RECOMMENDED NAMES, UM, FROM THE COMMITTEE.
UM, AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND MR. TAMEZ, UM, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO'VE TALKED TO ME ABOUT JUST NAMING SCHOOLS AFTER PEOPLE IN GENERAL, CAUSE YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
SO I UNDERSTAND ALL PERSPECTIVES, UM, WHICH IS WHY I WOULD HAVE LIKED FOR US TO JUST RECOMMEND ALL OF THEM.
AND THEN WE JUST DECIDED WHICH ONE IT IS.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT, UM, PBS PITCH BACK AND, AND, AND JUST THE, THE MEANING OF TH SO WE TALK ABOUT LEADING BEING A STEM SCHOOL AND BEING LIKE, UH, CREATING ALL OF THESE SIGNS, INFLUENCE CAREERS AS IT RELATES TO ENGINEERING AND ALL OF THOSE GREAT THINGS.
UM, PBS PITTSBURGH ENGINEERING HALL AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY IS ONE OF THE GREATEST PRODUCERS OF ENGINEERS, BOTH BLACK AND WHITE THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
AND SO I JUST THINK THAT IT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CREATE A CONTINUITY BETWEEN SOUTHERN AND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND CREATING A PATHWAY TO SUCCESS AND PEOPLE SEEING THEMSELVES, UM, GOING INTO A SCHOOL WHERE THEY CAN THEN GO UNTIL UNIVERSITY AND BE EDUCATED IN PBS ENGINEERING HALL AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
UM, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND OUR PERSPECTIVES.
I KNOW THIS IS A DIFFERENT, DIFFICULT SITUATION, UM, BUT I JUST, UM, THANK YOU GUYS FOR VOTING TO RENAME THE SCHOOL IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND THEN FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR PUTTING THE HARD WORK, IT RECOMMENDED THE THREE NAMES THAT WE HAD BEFORE.
SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW WHO I STAY IN VERSUS OUT BASED OFF OF MY, UM, MY SECOND TO THE MOTION, BUT AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING.
I TOO ATTENDED THE LEHIGH NAMING COMMITTEE MEETING AND I LISTENED INTENTLY AND I TOOK NOTES.
I ALSO WATCHED REWATCHED THE YOUTUBE VIDEO THAT WAS SENT TO US YESTERDAY.
UM, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO ASKED THAT THE SCHOOL NOT BE NAMED AFTER A PERSON.
AND I THINK AT THIS TIME THAT IT'S MOST APPROPRIATE THAT WE JUST AVOID NAMING SCHOOLS AFTER A PERSON.
UM, WE KNOW THAT IT'S, IT'S BEEN PROBLEMATIC FOR SOME SCHOOLS
[03:35:01]
IN THE COMMUNITY.UM, IT'S NOT A UNIFYING THING, BUT THE THING THAT MOST IMPRESSED ME WAS ONE OF OUR STUDENTS.
HE'S A JUNIOR AT LEE HIGH SCHOOL.
HE IS A PERSON OF COLOR, NOT THAT THAT MATTERS, BUT HE SAID THAT THE SCHOOL SHOULDN'T BE NAMED AFTER PERSON AT ALL.
AND HE LIKED LIBERTY MAGNET SCHOOL THAT YOU COULD KEEP THE PATRIOT LOGO.
I WAS MOST IMPRESSED WITH HIM.
HE SEEMS TO BE SORT OF PURE OF HEART AND SO SINCERE.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATED THAT OUR CHILDREN TODAY STILL BELIEVE IN UNITY AND THEY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT WAS WHAT MR. GIBSON WAS EXPRESSING TO US.
AND I HAVE SO MUCH FAITH IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF TODAY, AND I APPRECIATED THOSE THREE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE AS WELL AS ALL OF THE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, I TOOK NOTES, SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE AND ON THE COMMITTEE EXPRESSED THE DESIRE THAT THE SCHOOL NOT BE NAMED AFTER A PERSON.
UH, THERE WAS, UH, A LADY THERE BY THE NAME OF, I THINK IT WAS BRENDA SMITH WHO SAID THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE NAMED AFTER A PERSON THAT IT SHOULD BE.
AND SHE'S AN ALUM ALUMNUS OF, UM, ALUMNI OF MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SHE SAID THAT IT SHOULD BE NAMED PUBLIC SCHOOLS ZERO ZERO ONE.
I'M NOT SURE IF SHE WAS SERIOUS, BUT SHE REALLY WAS SINCERE IN WHAT SHE WAS SAYING.
SO, UM, I, I WONDER IF MR. LANDIS WOULD CONSIDER FOR A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THAT INSTEAD OF PROPOSING PINCHBECK HIGH, THAT HE PROPOSED, THAT WE VOTE ON BOTH OF THOSE LIBERTY AND, AND PINCH BACK THE SAME WAY THAT WE DO WHEN WE'RE TAKING A LEADERSHIP VOTE OR THE SAME WAY THAT WE VOTED WHEN WE WERE SELECTING THE SUPERINTENDENT SO THAT WHEN EACH PERSON WAS CALLED, THEY WOULD JUST NAME THE, THE NAME THAT THEY PREFERRED.
MR. LANA'S WOULD YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? I'LL SAY I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT HONESTLY I CAN ALREADY KIND OF SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING TO GO.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT BOTH OF THEM UP AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO PICK PITCH BACK ANYWAY, BUT IN A MR. SAYING THAT I WANT TO ALSO SAY THIS, UH, UH, TO A BOARD MEMBER, UH, TAMMY, I RESPECTED EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID, BECAUSE A LOT OF IT DID MAKE SENSE, BUT I DID JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOME THINGS.
SO IN TERMS OF THE SIGNAGE, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
UH, AND THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS MY DUE DILIGENCE, SO THAT THE RESEARCH I DID ON IT.
SO THE SIGN, THIS IS GOING TO COST US IN FOUR DIFFERENT VARIATIONS, UH, $2,700, UH, $8,200, $25,000 AND FORTY FIVE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UH, AND AGAIN, AS WE SAID BEFORE, THE COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY SAID IT THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN AND HELP US BY GIVING FUNNY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LAY THAT OUT THERE.
UM, AS IT, REGARDLESS NAMING SCHOOLS AT THE COMMUNITIES, I WANT TO ALSO LIFT SOMETHING UP BECAUSE THIS CAME UP DURING THE, UH, DURING THE RENAMING COMMITTEE MEETING, THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT LEHIGH ACTUALLY SITS IN SOUTH DOWNS IS NAMED AFTER A PLANTATION THAT IS NOT HERE, BUT HIS NAME AT THAT PLANTATION.
IN FACT, THERE ARE SEVERAL STREETS, UH, AROUND THE SOUTH DOWNS AREA THAT ARE NAMED AFTER A CONFEDERATE, UH, UH, GOVERNORS OR PEOPLE THAT SUPPORTED THE CONFEDERACY.
SO I JUST WANT TO LIFT THAT UP ALSO, JUST TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NAMING SCHOOLS AT THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES, UH, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A BAD THING.
THE PROBLEM IS YOUR NAME OF SCHOOLS AT THE BAD PEOPLE, ANYBODY THAT PUSHED FOR OPPRESSION, ANYBODY THAT PUTS FOR ANYTHING THAT DEALS WITH RACISM, THOSE ARE NOT PEOPLE THAT WE SHOULD NAME SCHOOLS AFTER.
AND IT WOULD BE QUITE FRANK ABOUT IT.
WE SHOULD'VE DID THIS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T.
SO NOW WE'RE DEALING WITH IT NOW, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ALSO LIFT SOMETHING UP THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT PBS PITCH BACK, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR PBS, PITCHED BACK.
PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, BOARD MEMBER COLLINS, UH, UH, BOARD MEMBER, VICE PRESIDENT, UH, HOWARD.
WE WOULDN'T BE HERE BECAUSE WHAT HE DID WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
HE HELPED TO PUSH AND SUPPORT THEM OR RAIL ACT, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE LAND GRANT ACT.
AND WITHOUT THAT ACT, YOU DON'T HAVE SOMETHING UNIVERSITY, YOU DON'T HAVE GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY.
YOU DON'T HAVE HBC USE AROUND THIS COUNTRY AT ALL.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT HE PUSHED FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND EDUCATION FOR BLACK PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE BOARD AT A TIME WHEN NOBODY WOULD ALLOW BLACK PEOPLE TO GO TO COLLEGE.
THAT MEANS SOMETHING, AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DISTRICT THAT IS 1% AFRICAN AMERICAN.
WE WANT TO ALSO LIFT UP OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO GIVING THEM SOMETHING TO APPRECIATE SUPPORT AND SOMETHING THEY CAN IDENTIFY AS.
SO I JUST WANT TO LEAVE IT AT THAT.
AND LIKE I SAID, AS I SAID BEFORE, I WILL ENTERTAIN THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, BUT I ALREADY KNOW WHERE'S IT GOING TO GO? SO I JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
[03:40:01]
VOTES ARE PARTICULARLY SPELLED OUT WITHIN THE POLICIES AND THIS IS REALLY A RESOLUTION.SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAND IT AS A RESOLUTION.
I'D LIKE TO GO TO READ THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM AND THEN COME BACK TO THE BOARD.
SO FIRST WE HAVE LANA WILLIAMS, UH, UH, I VOTE LIBERTY MAGNET.
I'M REQUESTING THAT LEHIGH SCHOOL NOT BE NAMED AFTER ANY PERSON.
EVERYONE HAS SKELETONS IN THEIR CLOSET.
I WILL NOT READ, UH, FROM HANNAH AMAROSA, THE REMAINING OF LEE MAGNET SPARKS MUCH INTEREST IN STRONG DESIRE FOR TRANSPARENCY OF PUBLIC SURVEY ASKS FOR SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW NAMES, BUT THE BOARD RELEASED NOTHING FOLLOWING THAT.
I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEYS WHO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE, OR THE PROCESS YOU USED TO NARROW THE CHOICES DOWN ONLY WITH DIFFICULTY AND HEALTH.
WAS I ABLE TO FIND THE POLICY FOR NAMING BUILDINGS USING THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE? THE SCHOOL RENAMING COMMITTEE HELD A PUBLIC FORUM ON JULY 13TH THAT WAS NOT LISTED ON BOARD DOCS, NOT BROADCAST AND NOT LIVE STREAM.
THE INFORMATION THAT COMMITTEE USE AND THE NAMES THEY CHOSE WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
EVEN NOW, I WAS ABLE TO FIND A NEW SEGMENT THAT GAVE ME SOME INFORMATION I WAS SEEKING THAT WAS NOT, WAS UNABLE TO GET ANY FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD WEBSITE, ALWAYS, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS TITLED PUBLIC INTEREST, THE SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD MAKE EVERY AFRICAN MAKE THESE POLICIES AND PROCESSES WIDELY AVAILABLE AND TRANSPARENT FROM SERAFIN NUNEZ.
I WOULD LIKE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR NAMING LEE HIGH SCHOOL AS LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL VERY MUCH SHOULD NOT BE IN THE BUSINESS OF CONTROVERSY.
THIS IS THE MOST NEUTRAL NAME PROPOSED YET STILL SATISFIES THE MOTIVATIONS THAT LED TO THE RENAMING PROPOSAL, REGARDLESS OF RACE, CREED, ORIGIN, OR POLITICAL AFFILIATION.
LIBERTY SHOULD BE A UNIVERSAL VOLTS, ALL AMERICANS FROM ASHLEY, CASEY.
BUT WHEN I MOVED TO BATON ROUGE, I WAS SO EMBARRASSED WHEN FRIENDS WOULD COME TO VISIT AND THEY WOULD SAY TO THE LADY HIGH SCHOOL SIGN WITH THE CONFEDERATE FLAG ON IT, I WOULD FALL INTO A LONG DISCUSSION HOW THAT DOES NOT REFLECTING.
WE ARE IN BACK ROOM, BUT OF COURSE IT WOULD BE MET WITH SKEPTICISM RENAMING.
LEHIGH SCHOOL FINALLY GIVES US A CHANCE TO SHOW WHAT BATTERIES REALLY IS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S NOT A BETTER NAME THAN LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL.
IT REFLECTS BEDROCK VALUES AND COULD BE A WAY TO HIGHLIGHT OUR CITY'S UNIQUE PLACE AMONG SOUTHERN CITIES AS A PLACE WHERE WE'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING TOWARD A MORE PERFECT UNION, THREE EVENTS LIKE THE 1953 BATON ROUGE, BUSBOY SCOTT WHITE TODD LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL IS A PERFECT NAME FOR THE PATRIOTS.
UH, COREY DELUISE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING CHANGE IN THAT AND OUR COMMITTEE.
IT WAS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE ON A RENAMING COMMITTEE AND IS MY HOPE THAT OUR COMMITTEE SUPPORTS HAS CHANGED IN HISTORICAL MOMENTS ON A SIDE NOTE.
THANK YOU, MR. DRAKE, FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR PARISH, OUR KIDS IN OUR SCHOOL ENJOY RETIREMENT.
YOU DESERVE IT FOR MR. JAMES SPINNY LIBERTY.
HIGH SCHOOL IS AN EXCELLENT NAME FOR THE SCHOOL.
AND BECAUSE IT UNFORTUNATELY DOES NOT HAVE AN ATTENDANCE ZONE, IT WOULD BE REASONABLE, INAPPROPRIATE TO MAKE IT LIBERTY MAGNET, HIGH SCHOOL, UH, GARY CHAMBERS, PLEASE NAME THE SCHOOL, PBS PINCH BACK HIGH SCHOOL.
WE SHOULD GIVE THIS MAN HONORS LOUISIANA'S FIRST BLACK GOVERNOR.
HOPEFULLY ONE DAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY A FUTURE BLACK GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA IS A GRADUATE OF PINCHBECK HIGH.
THIS NATION IS WATCHING OUR CITY.
HOW, WHO, HOW YOU VOTE MATTERS.
PLEASE HONOR THE RIGHT SIDE OF ISSUE.
DON'T STEP ON THE OPPORTUNITY.
DON'T SIDESTEP THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND PATENT AS A LEHIGH ALUM, I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE LIMITED CHOICES FOR LEE HIGH SCHOOL, RENAMING LOUISIANA MAGNET, HIGH COMPETES, AND CONFUSES WITH LS MSA, WHICH ACT, WHICH IS ACCURATELY NAMED POOLS FROM THE ENTIRE STATE LIBERTY SEEMS TO BE OVERLY JINGOISTIC AND REL RELATED TO THE NAME OF TRADITIONS, HIGH SCHOOL, AND A BOOK NETFLIX SERIES 13 REASONS WHY, WHICH IS BROADLY KNOWN FOR STUDENT'S SUICIDE.
IN OUR CURRENT CLIMATE OF LEARNING ABOUT OWNING AND HEALING, RACIAL INJUSTICE HONORING THE FIRST BLACK GOVERNOR IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES WHO HAPPENED TO SERVE IN THE ST.
LOUIS DEANNA, REGARDLESS OF HOW BRIEF HIS TERM PBS BENCH BACK POSSESSIVE SIGNIFICANCE IS 2020.
AND HE'S STILL THE ONLY BLACK GOVERNOR LOUISIANA IS, HAD ALSO SUGGESTED BY GRADUATES OF FORMERLY HIGH SCHOOL, GEORGE WALLACE.
SHE WAS PROLIFIC AND BELOVED TEACHER, THE SEVENTH, SEVERAL DECADES OF BATON ROUGE STUDENTS.
GOOD ADJUNCT GREAT EDUCATORS SHOULD HAVE THEIR LEGACY HONOR.
[03:45:02]
UH, YES.FROM AMBER GLARE, I WRITE TO DO TONIGHT AS THE PARENT OF TWO EBR MAGNET SCHOOLS, ONE OF WHICH IS LEE FROM A PURELY PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, ONE OF THE TWO CHOICES THAT ALLOW US STILL TO CONTINUE TO USE THE LM.
MARK JUST MAKES GOOD SENSE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS SUPPORT OUT THEIR MONEY TO PURCHASE LM BRAND WITH A TAR TEAM HAS RAISED PRIVATE FUNDS TO SUPPLY NEW WITH THIS LOGO.
AND THE SCHOOL ITSELF HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO INSTILL THE LM BRAND ACROSS THE STATE.
WHEN SO MANY OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS FIGHT FOR LEGITIMACY AMONG THE MYRIAD OF PRIVATE SCHOOL OPTIONS, I HAVE VESTED INTEREST THAT WILL NOT FIND OURSELVES STARTING OVER WITH THAT FIGHT WITH THE NEW TRADEMARK MASCOT, WHILE LIBERTY MAGNET WILL MAINTAIN THE ELEMENT OF TRADEMARK LIBERTY RA AS A UNIVERSITY AND CON KIND OF STATION, AS WELL AS THE CORPORATE RECOGNITION, LIBERTY MUTUAL, OUR ALIF FAMILY SEEKS MORE INDIVIDUALLY IN THAT LEE MAGNET, LOUISIANA MAGNET PROVIDES INDIVIDUALITY AND ANCHOR IN OUR STATE FROM GINO MCGLAUGHLIN.
UH, I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR NAMING LEHIGH STUDENT TO PBS PINCH BACK HIGH SCHOOL BASED UPON DATA PROVIDED THE COMMUNITY SERVICE SURVEY OF THE THREE REMAINING NAMES.
98 RESPONDENTS SUGGEST THAT LIBERTY HIGH REPRESENTING 1.6, 5% OF ALL RESPONSES, 45 PEOPLE NOMINATED LEHIGH LOUISIANA HIGH, WHICH EQUATES TO 0.84, BY THE CONTRAST, THE NAME PBS PINCH FACTORY RECEIVED 300 NOMINATIONS OF 5.6 OF OUR RESPONDENTS AND THE MOST OF ANY NAME BROUGHT FORTH BY THE RENAMING COMMITTEE.
WITH THAT SAID, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE POSITIVE NEWS FOR CHANGE.
PBS PINCH BACK WAS THE FIRST BLACK GOVERNOR IN THE US ISSUE.
HE WAS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF STATE WAS ELECTED TO THE U S SENATE, THE STATE SENATE, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION DIRECTOR OF NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HELP FOUND SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
I CAN'T THINK OF A VALID REASON AS TO WHY ANYONE WOULD FIND HIS NAME CONTROVERSIAL.
IF ANYTHING IS A HISTORY LESSON THAT IS YET TO BE TOLD WHEN CONTRASTED WITH THE 75 YEARS IN WHICH OUR COMMUNITY LIVED UNDER THE CLOUD WITH MISEDUCATION, AS IT RELATES TO ROBERT E. LEE, THE BOARD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE A WRONG WITH A NAME THAT IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY AND THE OTHER TWO NAMES, LACK OF FRACTION OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY OF UNITY.
AND THE NUMBERS BEAR THAT OUT.
I ASKED YOU TO BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS AND GIVE THIS COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL A NAME THAT WILL PROVIDED VALUABLE HISTORY LESSONS TO US ALL FROM ANNA LAR RENT, MY TOOTH FORMULA, LEHIGH STUDENT SCHOOL, WE SUPPORT THE RENAMING TO LOUISIANA MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL PATRIOT ALLOWS FOR A MUCH SMOOTHER TRANSITION FOR GROUPS THAT USE THE EXISTING LM LOGO.
SO THAT COMPLETES THE PUBLIC INPUT.
UH, AND NOW WE WILL GO BACK TO THE BOARD AND MR. CATMAN, YOU ARE NEXT ON THE LIST, A WAVE.
AFTER HEARING ALL OF THE COMMENTS AND EVERYTHING, I MUST SAY THAT I CAN'T GO WITH THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AND I'D MUCH RATHER SEE THEM SEE THE VOTE GO DOWN AS I, UH, ORIGINALLY PROPOSED IT EVER GOING TO VOTE AGAINST IT OR GO WITH IT THEN.
BUT I THINK THAT LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE IT.
AND I DID NOT THINK THAT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WAS, UH, PROCEDURALLY.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING THAT ROUTE ANYWAY.
SO WE'VE BEEN TO THE, UH, BOARD WE'VE BEEN TO THE PUBLIC AND BACK TO THE BOARD MS. SQUARE JACKSON.
UM, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
UM, YOU PROPOSE TO TAKE OUT THE MAGNET PIECE IN THAT AND FROM THE CONVERSATION THAT I'M HEARING, UH, AND FROM WATCHING THE, UM, THE, UH, THE RECORDING OF THE COMMITTEE, IT SEEMS LIKE MAGNET WAS AN IMPORTANT PIECE IN THAT, UH, IF THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE WORK ON REBRANDING AND T-SHIRTS, AND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER OTHER PARAPHERNALIA THAT THEY HAVE, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT THAT MIGHT INTERFERE WITH, UH, WITH, WITH WHAT THE STUDENTS WANTED.
UM, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, I WAS, UM, I'M REALLY, I'M REALLY LEANING TOWARD WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF, UH, PHONE CALLS AND
[03:50:01]
TEXT MESSAGES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE FROM, FROM PARENTS AND FROM STUDENTS WHO, UH, WANTED ME TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, AT EVERYTHING AND TO, UH, CONSIDER, UH, LIBERTY, UH, AS I WAS LEANING TOWARDS, UH, PBS PINCH BACK BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT I SAW IN THE PERCENTAGES FROM THE SURVEYS.UM, BUT THE, UH, AND, AND THE EMAILS WE GOT, ALTHOUGH I KNOW MANY OF THOSE EMAILS WERE NOT LOCAL.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE LOOKING FOR US TO, UM, TO DO SOMETHING REALLY, UM, REALLY DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON IN THE REST OF THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
UM, BUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO ME, UH, AS ALWAYS ARE WHAT OUR FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY OUR STUDENTS ARE ASKING FOR.
AND, UM, FROM WHAT I HEAR, IT'S, UH, IT'S LIBERTY FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
UM, I KNOW WHAT THEY DID BACK IN 1959 WAS TRULY HORRENDOUS AND IT WAS DONE IN THE WRONG SPIRIT.
UH, I'LL, I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE FINALLY LOOKING TO CORRECT THAT WRONG.
UM, AND, UM, I ALSO RECALL FROM THE MEETINGS THAT, UM, AS THEY WERE SPEAKING AND TALKING ABOUT COMPROMISE, THERE WERE, UH, MORE THAN A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ON THAT COMMITTEE WHO SPOKE ABOUT PERHAPS LOOKING AT THE BUILDINGS AND, UM, UM, PLACING SOME NAMES ON, ON BUILDINGS WITHIN THE FORMERLY KNOWN AS LEE HIGH SCHOOL, UM, AREA.
I DON'T RECALL HOW MANY BUILDINGS THERE ARE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, UH, LABEL, UH, SOME, SOME BUILDINGS OR, OR EVEN LIKE WE DID IN, IN SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS.
AND IN SOME OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS WHERE WE'VE, WE'VE GIVEN HONOR TO, UM, DIFFERENT PEOPLE, UH, ON OTHER CAMPUSES.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WE'D BE OPEN TO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO TO SEE HAPPEN.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT, TAKING THAT MAGNET OFF OF THERE.
UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO ON THIS GUYS, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
THAT'S WHERE I'M NEXT IN THE LESSON.
I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE THAT THE CURRENT NAME OF THE SCHOOL IS LEE HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE'S NO MAGNET IN THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE SCHOOL, BUT THEY HAVE USED ALL THE DOCUMENTATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, TO PROJECT THE MAGNET IMAGE AND MAGNET NAME.
AND THAT OPTION WOULD STILL BE THERE TO TOMORROW.
IF, IF THE NAME IS LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL, UH, IT WOULD BE NO CHANGE.
AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY IS JUST LIBERTY INSTEAD OF LEE.
SO THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT BIG OF AN ITEM.
UH, IF THEY, IF THEY'RE HAPPY WITH LEE HIGH SCHOOLS TODAY AND CALLING IT LEE MAGNET, THAT'S FINE, BUT I'M ALSO NOT TRYING TO TIE THE HANDS OF A FEW FUTURE BOARDS AND FUTURE.
SHE CHANGING PLANS WHERE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE A MAGNET SCHOOL.
SO, UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID EARLIER, AND I DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THE WRONG IMAGE.
YES, LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL WAS LOW AT LESS THAN A PERCENT WITH LIBERTY MAGNET HIGH WAS THE HIGHEST, UH, NAME COMING IN IN THE SURVEY.
SO IF YOU COMBINE THE TWO IT'S EVEN HIGHER THAN THAT.
SO, UH, I'M ONLY TAKING OUT, WE'RE PROPOSING TAKING OUT THE MAGNET IN THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE SCHOOL, UH, SO THAT IT CAN REVERT TO THE SAME THINGS THAT IS TODAY, BUT THAT WILL NOT STOP ANY MARKETING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I DID AS A MAGNET SCHOOL, BECAUSE EVERYTHING THEY'RE DOING TODAY WITH THE CURRENT NAME, THEY CAN DO IT TOMORROW WITH THE NAME LIBERTY.
SO THAT WAS MY ONLY RATIONALE BEHIND THAT IN DOING THAT.
THANK YOU AGAIN, PRESIDENT, GO THERE.
AND IT'S PROBABLY MY LAST TIME COMING ON THIS BEFORE WE GO TO THE VOTE, BUT I JUST FELT LIKE I'D BE REMISSED.
IF I DID NOT SPEAK AT LEAST SOME TYPE OF TRUTH TO POWER TO THIS, BECAUSE I'LL BE LYING AND SELLING MYSELF SHORT IN MY COMMUNITY
[03:55:01]
AND SHOT UP.I DID NOT SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I JUST FIND IT VERY DISAPPOINTING.
AND I FIND IT DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE YOU KNOW, NOT TO TRY TO RACIALIZE THIS, BUT WE HAVE TO SPEAK ON IT.
I JUST FIND IT DISAPPOINTING THAT WHATEVER IT COMES DOWN TO CELEBRATING SOMEONE OF COLOR OR CELEBRATING SOMEONE THAT IS BLACK, IT IS HARD FOR US TO DO.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT WHEN IT WAS LEE HIGH.
WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT CHANGING NAMES OF SCHOOLS UP UNTIL THIS POINT.
WE'LL BE STILL BEGINNING TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
WE HAVE NOTHING TO CELEBRATE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT CELEBRATES UPLIFTS BLACK PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHEN YOU HEAL, YOU FIX SOMETHING BY GIVING SOMETHING IN RETURN FOR THE WRONGDOING.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS EASILY FOR US TO ESCAPE AND GET AWAY FROM THIS MOMENT, BUT IT'S GONNA, WE GONNA STILL LIVE IN THIS MOMENT, EVEN AFTER WE CHANGE IT IT'S EVEN AFTER WE CHANGE IT.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE LIVING IN THE SAME MOMENT THAT WE'RE LIVING IN, IN THIS COUNTRY THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH GOING THROUGH TODAY, POLICE BRUTALITY, UH, VIOLENCE AGAINST PEOPLE OF COLOR, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT MARGINALIZED PEOPLE'S VOICES.
AND WHILE SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT WANT TO HEAR IT, IT IS THE TRUTH.
AND I HAVE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH.
I JUST DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY WE CAN'T GO WITH PBS PITCH BACK AND STEEL UPLIFT OUR STUDENTS AND DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SAYING RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO DO MAKING THE SCHOOL A MAGNET SCHOOL, MAKING SURE IT IS, IT IS, IS A TOP EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF OUR ENTIRE STATE.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT.
SOME PEOPLE WANT TO GO THE EASY ROUTE.
I DON'T WANT TO GO THE EASY ROUTE BECAUSE EASY.
WE GOT HERE DOING SOMETHING DIFFICULT, BUT WE DID IT TOGETHER.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING SOMETHING.
LET'S SAY THIS CHANGE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE GREAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
EVEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EVIL, A GOURD.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NAMING THE SCHOOL AFTER HER, LOOK HOW LONG IT TOOK US TO GET HER TO A POINT TO NAME A SCHOOL AFTER HER.
AND WE NAMED A SCHOOL AFTER HER, THAT IS NOT EVEN ACTIVE.
AND IT GOT US, IT TOOK US TO A DIFFICULT POINT TO GET THERE.
BUT I'M SAYING ALL THIS TO SAY, I'M SAYING THIS AS MY EDUCATOR HAT, AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER HAT, AS SOMEONE THAT IS A STUDENT OF HISTORY, IF YOU WANT TO FIX HISTORY, FIX IT THE RIGHT WAY AND THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT, HIS NAME AND HIS SCHOOL, PBS PITCH BACK.
AND I'M GONNA STOP THERE AND WE CAN GO TO THE VOTE.
UM, HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE WE RAISED SO FAR, UH, TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF THIS? SO YOU HAVE THAT NUMBER? UH, I THINK IT'S $257.
AND WHAT WERE THE W DO YOU, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, CAUSE I DON'T DO THAT TO PEOPLE ON THE BOARD, BUT WHAT ARE THE ESTIMATED COSTS OF THE CHANGE? THE NAME CHANGE ALL IN BETWEEN 250 AND 300,000.
AND HOW MUCH HAVE WE RAISED AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
UH, I'LL ALSO WANT TO MAKE THE COMMENT THAT THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION, UH, IT IS NOT STAY OPEN INDEFINITELY.
I CLOSED THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT ABOUT EIGHT.
I'M TRYING TO FIND THE LIST HERE AT ABOUT EIGHT 20 OR EIGHT 25 WHEN WE CLOSED IT.
SO COMMENTS THAT HAVE COME IN AFTER THAT POINT WILL NOT BE READ, UH, CAUSE WE JUST CAN'T LEAVE THOSE OPEN FOREVER.
JUST LIKE YOU WOULD BE IN AN IN PERSON BOARD MEETING WHEN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE CLOSED, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE CLOSED.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SAYING THAT YOU HAVE NOT HAD YOUR COMMENTS READ, UH, THOSE CAME IN AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WERE CLOSED.
UH, MS. WHERE JACKSON, THERE YOU GO.
UM, THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING I NEGLECTED TO SAY.
AND IN, IN R R RECALL THAT AFTER HE MENTIONED, UH, UH, AFTER MR. LANDIS MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, POKE AND, UH, EVIL A GUARD, UM, I KNOW WE'RE STILL, WE'RE STILL WAITING TO GET THE BUDGET ON WHAT THAT'S GOING TO COST, BUT THAT ALSO BRINGS TO MIND THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT WE ARE GOING TO COMPLETELY DEMOLISH AND COMBINE.
AND, UM, SOMEBODY'S NAME HAS GOT TO GO, UH, I DON'T SEE US, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO NEED A NAME FOR, UH, FOR THE, FOR THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND WE HAVE OTHER, UH, SCHOOLS IN THE PIPELINE AS WELL.
ALTHOUGH I KNOW SOME BOARD MEMBERS ARE, ARE NOT AGREEABLE TO NAMING A SCHOOL AFTER A PERSON.
[04:00:01]
I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, I WOULD PROBABLY BE THE FIRST ONE TO SAY, UM, LET'S TAKE THAT NAME TO THAT, UH, NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND START TEACHING OUR CHILDREN EARLY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF, UH, LOUISIANA AND I'M GOOD, UM, WORLD HISTORY AND, AND, AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE KINDA MISSING HERE.UH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT OPPORTUNITY IS COMPLETELY GONE IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN HERE WITH, UM, WITH THIS SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL FORMERLY KNOWN AS LEE HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, BUT, UH, I THINK, I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY IS, UH, IS STILL THERE AND I WOULDN'T COMPLETELY SHUT THE DOOR ON THAT.
MA'AM UH, SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS IN REQUEST TO SPEAK IN THE Q A, WE WILL NOW CONDUCT THE VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO NAME THE SCHOOL.
MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE? NO.
WHAT IS VOTE, MR. HULU? THIS IS ON THE MOTION.
THE NAME AT PBS PINCH BACK HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, MR. HOWARD, I'M SORRY, MR. LANDIS.
MS. COLLINS, MS. WARD JACKSON.
I HAVE TO ABSTAIN NO ON THAT ONE.
NO, MS. DYSON, WHAT IS YOUR VOTE? NAH, YOU NEED TO REFLECT THAT IN YOUR, UM, ONLINE.
HOW DO I DO THAT AGAIN? IT SHOULD GIVE YOU THE PLACE TO ADJUST THE CHANGE AT THE TOP.
THERE'S A RED BOX AT THE TOP, RIGHT? GOTCHA.
SO NOW WE WILL REVERT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION AND, UH, MR. SHAMBLIN, DO I HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH THE, UH, UM, BOARD IN PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION? UM, NO.
AND IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, RIGHT? YOU READ WHAT YOU HAD BEFORE OR COMMENTS THAT HAVE COME IN AFTER I CLOSED IT ON THE ORIGINAL PORTION.
UM, NO, IF IT'S AFTER YOU CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, NO, YOU DON'T NEED TO READ THE ADDITIONAL ONES.
UH, SO NOW WE WILL BE VOTING ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO NAME THE SCHOOL LI UH, LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL, MADAM SECRETARY EVERY YEAR, PLEASE VOTE MR. BLUE.
[04:05:01]
YES.MR. TATLIN? YES, THE ITEM CARRIES.
[J3. Contract-BASIS]
NEXT WE'LL GO TO ITEM, UH, J THREE CONSIDERATION EVER REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT BETWEEN EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH SCHOOL, BOARD AND BASIS.DID WE HAVE A MOTION? I CAN'T SEE MY SCREEN THERE.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY MR. BALLOU, PRESIDENT CODEC? YES.
BUT BEFORE YOU GET THE SECOND MOTION, IS IT POSSIBLE TO USE A POINT OF PUBLIC PRIVILEGE BEFORE YOU MOVE ON AS THE OTHER NOTES AND DEAD? YEAH, IT'S ALREADY ON THE FLOOR.
WE CAN COME BACK TO THE LAST ITEM.
NOW WE CAN COME BACK AFTER THIS ITEM, IF YOU WANT TO A CRUISE.
IS THERE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND.
MR. SHAMBLIN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THE FLOOR AND EXPLAIN? UH, YES.
UM, BULLET'S REQUEST SOMETIME AGO WAS THAT WE BRING CONTRACTS RELATED TO, UH, CHARTER SCHOOLS FOLLOWING THEIR APPROVAL AS OPERATORS BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
UM, AND THIS IS THE FIRST SUCH CONTRACT.
UM, THE CONTRACT ITSELF BASICALLY FOLLOWS OUR CHARTER POLICY, WHICH IS BOARD APPROVED A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO.
UM, AND THIS FOLLOWS THE APPROVAL OF BASIS AS A CHARTER OPERATOR, A BBR SCHOOLS AS A, AS A CHARTER OPERATOR IN THE DISTRICT.
SO THIS CONTRACT FORMALIZES THE AGREEMENT, UM, BETWEEN THE EBR SCHOOL BOARD AND BBR CHARTER OPERATORS TO OPERATE BASIS CHARTER SCHOOL.
AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, MR. HOWARD.
SO I HAVE, UM, TWO THINGS TO SAY.
UM, THE FIRST THING IS BASED OFF OF THE LAST, THE LAST PREVIOUS, BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE TO STAFF THAT WE HAVE RECEIVE, UM, PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT TO, TO PAY FOR SIGNAGE, TO PAY FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO WHENEVER THERE IS THE NECESSARY QUOTE TO GET WITH THOSE PARTNERS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT FIELDING THE COST, AND IT'S NOT THE $250 THAT WE HAVE RAISED THROUGH THE FOUNDATION.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO, TO, UH, FIT THE BILL ON THAT.
SO DON'T MISS OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP TO HAVE PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, PAID FOR THE THINGS THAT WE DESIRE WITH THIS NAME CHANGE.
UM, THE SECOND THING IS WITH THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, UM, I JUST WANT TO LIFT UP, UM, THAT CAUSE I'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL COMMENTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WHOLE IDEA OF BASIS.
UM, THE BASIS CHARTER APPLICATION HAS ALREADY COME TO THE BOARD AND HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THIS BOARD.
UM, SO THERE IS A RECORD OF WHAT, WHERE THE VOLTS STAYED ON THE PARTICULAR CONTRACT.
I MEAN THE PARTICULAR APPLICATION OF THE SCHOOL.
NOW, WE WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH A CONTRACT OF OPERATION BASED ON THE BOARD'S PRIVATE PRI PREVIOUS APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP FOR CLARITY PURPOSES FOR THE RECORD, FOR THE PURPOSES OF PEOPLE ASKING THAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD, MR. LANICE.
I DON'T SEE THEM ON THE LIVE YET.
SO I JUST WANT TO USE A POINT OF PUBLIC PRIVILEGE TO COME BACK TO THE LAST ITEM, JUST TO, TO UPHOLD SOMETHING POINT.
I HAVE TWO THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY ONE, I JUST FIND IT VERY, I FIND IT VERY ODD THAT WE CAN ACCEPT BUILDINGS, OUR SCHOOL CAMPUSES BEING NAMED AFTER PEOPLE OF COLOR OR BEING NAMED AFTER PEOPLE, BUT NOT SCHOOL.
SO I JUST WANT TO GET THAT ONE, BUT TWO, I WILL ACCEPT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S, I HAVE NO CHOICE, BUT TO, AND I'M PRETTY SURE OUR COMMUNITY DOESN'T HAVE ANY CHOICE, BUT TO ACCEPT IT ALSO.
AND WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT I HOPE THAT WE LIVE UP TO THE COMMITMENT THAT WAS MADE AT THE RENAMING AND THAT WE DO FOLLOW THROUGH AND NAME THOSE BUILDINGS AFTER THOSE PEOPLE.
SO THEY SORT OF, THEY CAN BE UPHILL.
WE HEARD SEVERAL DIFFERENT NAMES.
WE HEARD A PBS PITCH BACK WAS A NAME.
WE HEARD OSCAR DUNN WAS A NAME THAT WAS SEVERAL OTHER NAMES TOO.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT WE DO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT AS WE MADE THAT COMMITMENT AT THE RENAMING COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE BASIS CONTRACT? I HAVE? WELL, I HAVE REQUEST TO SPEAK, BUT MR. HOWARD COVERED WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY, THAT THIS IS JUST PLACING INTO EFFECT THE APPLICATION OF OUR CHARTER SCHOOL POLICIES INTO THE CONTRACT.
[04:10:01]
A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE.THIS IS JUST ACTUALLY PUTTING INTO THE LEGAL LANGUAGE AND THIS CONTRACT WILL FORM IF MR. SHAMBLIN, IF I'M CORRECT, THIS CONTRACT WILL FORM THE BASIS OR THE TEMPLATE FOR THE OTHER CONTRACTS, BECAUSE FOR TOO MANY YEARS, WE'VE HAD CHARTER SCHOOLS OPERATING WITHOUT FROM CONTRACTS.
AND THIS CONTRACT, THE LAST ACT AS A TEMPLATE FOR THE CHARTER SCHOOL CONTRACT WITH OUR OTHER CHARTER OPERATORS.
IS THAT NOT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
WITH A THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT STATEMENT.
I THINK THAT PROBABLY HELPS, UH, AS, UH, YOU AND, UM, UH, BOY VICE PRESIDENT, UH, JUST STATED, UH, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A CONTRACT ONCE A CHARTER IS ACTUALLY APPROVED OR THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE IN THE PAST, BUT I DO HAVE CONCERN AROUND, UM, BASIS NET FOR FEELING THERE, UM, THE PROPORTIONATE DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, AND IS THERE ANY WAY TO ADDRESS THAT IN THE CONTRACT? UM, WELL, JUST TO SPEAK TO THAT BRIEFLY, AND THERE MAY BE OTHER STAFF THAT CAN ALSO ADDRESS THIS.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT CONCERN IS RELATED TO THE FIRST BASE OF SCHOOL, WHICH HAS A CORPORATE, UM, SEGMENT OR A CORPORATE PIECE OF THE CONTRACT WHERE THERE'S A PARTNER.
THIS CONTRACT IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
IT'S MORE LIKE THE TRADITIONAL, UM, ARRANGEMENT FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS.
AND SO I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD BE AS MUCH OF A CONCERN WITH THIS PARTICULAR ARRANGEMENT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT, UM, AND REEXAMINING THAT FIRST CONTRACT IN DETAIL.
UM, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
THAT WOULDN'T BE THE TIME TO DO IT NOW.
UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN CERTAINLY ADDRESS AND TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, IS ANYONE ON THE LINE FROM OUR, IS ANYONE ON OUR CALL FROM BASIS THAT COULD SPEAK TOWARDS THE ANSWER TO ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS? I BELIEVE SO, YES.
IF THERE IS, I WOULD LOVE TO POSE A QUESTION.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU? ARE YOU ALL DOING, UH, SO THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL, UH, CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS SURROUNDING, UM, I SEE ROBERTO TO HOW YOU DOING MR. ROBERTO? UH, YES.
SO THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL, UH, CONVERSATIONS AND CONCERNS AROUND THE COMMUNITY AS IT REGARDS TO THE, UH, RACIAL MAKEUP OF THE SCHOOL, UM, IN COMPARISON TO THE RACIAL MAKEUP OF THE FIRST BASIS SCHOOL.
SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL THE OPPORTUNITY OR AT LEAST ASK, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE? UH, CAUSE WHAT I CAN SAY IS I AM PLEASED WHERE THE NEW SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE IN THERE.
IF ANYBODY DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THE NEW LOCATION IS GOING TO BE IS GOING TO BE NEAR MID CITY, WHERE THERE ARE SOME UNDER UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THAT AREA.
I THINK IT'S THE OLD RICHARD'S HONDA DEALERSHIP.
UH, SO I THINK IT'S, IT IS, UH, UH, PLACED IN THE AREA WHERE THERE IS A STRONG NEED.
BUT HOWEVER, I THINK THE COMMUNITY HAS A STRONG CONCERN SAYING EVEN THOUGH THE SCHOOL IS THERE, THEY WANT SOME COMMITMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE RACIAL MAKEUP, THAT, THAT SCHOOL ALSO MIMICS THE AREA WHERE IT IS.
SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UH, JUST GIVE SOME, UH, FEEDBACK OR SOME, UH, THE DIALOGUE AROUND THAT CERTAINLY GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT
I HAVE ERIN CANDLE WHO IS THE NEW CEO OF BASIS, ED, OUR MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
AND AS YOU NOTED, UH, ROBERTO RAMIREZ IS ON THE PHONE AS WELL.
AND HE IS OUR DYNAMITE SCHOOL LEADER THERE IN BATON ROUGE AT OUR WOMEN'S SOON TO BE METAIRIE CAMPUS.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT.
AND IF I MAY, I FIRST LIKE TO SAY, UH, MR. SHAMBLIN AND MS.
WE APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME CONCERNS, UM, AND, UM, PROVIDE SOME INPUT INTO THAT STRUCTURE.
I BELIEVE THAT, UH, THE CONCERNS OF THIS BODY, UM, FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEY AND, UH, ANY CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE CAPTURED WITHIN THE CONTRACT TERMS ITSELF.
SO WE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO OUR MID CITY CAMPUS, UM, WE INTENTIONALLY PICKED THE MID CITY LOCATION FOR OUR CAMPUS IN AN EFFORT TO BE
[04:15:01]
ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE NOT ONLY A DIVERSE GROUP OF FAMILIES WITHIN THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY, BUT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE, UM, THE ACCESS AS OUR ORIGINAL METAIRIE CAMPUS.NO, I MEAN, I THINK YOU CAPTURED IT PRETTY WELL.
UH, I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, IN ADDITION TO OKAY, IN THIS CAMPUS IN A WAY TO PROVIDE BROADER ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE PARISH, UH, WE'D ADD THAT, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMITMENT AND WHEN WE MARKET AND DO OUR OUTREACH, UH, WHEN WE START TO ENROLL THE SCHOOL THAT WE WILL DO THAT PROBABLY, AND REALLY, REALLY MARKET OUR SAYING ANYBODY, WHO'S GOT A HIGH SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN.
WE, UH, WE WANT THE SCHOOL TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO BASIS EDUCATION.
UM, AND SO WITH, UH, WITH THE LOCATION OF A MARKETING OUTREACH, UH, THAT'S OUR COMMITMENT, UH, TO, TO MAKING THIS MORE BROADLY ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYBODY, TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND AS DEANNA MENTIONED, THAT THAT'S CODIFIED IN THE CONTRACT AS WELL.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANY BOARD MEMBERS SEEING NONE? I WILL GO TO THE ONLINE COMMENT AND I'M GOING TO REFRESH MY NUMBERS NOW AND THEN CLOSE THAT OFF.
SO THE FIRST COMMENT FROM ANNA FOGEL, THERE'S NO GOOD.
WELL, BEFORE WE GO, THIS, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT, UH, THIS IS A CONTRACT TO SAY, TO LEGALIZE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE BOARD.
THIS IS NOT APPROVING A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL.
THERE IS NO GOOD AT, AND I HAVE A REASON TO GIVE AN ADDITIONAL CONTRACT TO BASIS.
THEY ARE IN BREACH OF THE FIRST AND THEIR SERVICES ARE NOT NEEDED IN MIDCITY.
PLEASE DID NOT FURTHER ERODE OUR DISTRICT WITH THE HARMFUL CHARTER CONTRACT UNTIL THEY ARE FULLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR CURRENT CONTRACT, THEIR PROPOSALS SHOULD BE SOUNDLY REJECTED, AND EVEN THEN HIGHLY SCRUTINIZED AND WASTE WAY FOR THE HARM IT DOES TO THE DISTRICT FOR IRINA BARRON.
I DO NOT SUPPORT THE RUBBER STAMPING OF YET ANOTHER CHARTER SCHOOL IN EBR.
THERE ARE ALREADY ENOUGH CHARTERS AT THIS POINT, AND I AM SICK OF SEEING FUNDS TAKEN AWAY FROM TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT ARE HELD TO MUCH HIGHER STANDARDS AND TEACH CHILDREN OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND ABILITIES.
I OPPOSE THE ORIGINAL I OPPOSED THE ORIGINAL BASIS SCHOOL BECAUSE NATIONWIDE THEY HAVE A PATTERN OF EXCLUDING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND LOW INCOME FROM THEIR SCHOOLS.
THIS RUNS COUNTER TO LOUISIANA LAW, WHICH REQUIRES CHARTER SCHOOL TO SERVE OUR MOST AT RISK CHILDREN IN MARCH.
THIS, UH, BEST SEED RECEIVED YOUR REPORT.
WELL I'LL STATE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE DOING AND FOLLOWING THE LAW THAT REQUIRES THEIR SCHOOLS TO LOOK WHAT THE DISTRICTS THEY'RE SERVING BASIS IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED POPULATION OF 69.6% FOR THE STUDENT BODY THAT IS NOT CONNECTED WITH WOMEN'S HOSPITAL.
THEY HAVE ONLY 38.4 ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.
WHY ARE WE GIVING THEM A SECOND SCHOOL? THEY CAN'T FOLLOW THE LAW AND THE SCHOOL THEY HAVE MR. GODADDY.
WHEN WE MET TO DISCUSS MY ORIGINAL OBJECTIONS, THE BASIS YOU'RE ASSURED ME THAT YOU WOULD MAKE THEM FOLLOW THE LAW.
THE BOARD HAS FAILED IN THIS REGARD.
I AM URGING THE BOARD TO REJECT THIS CONTRACT.
UH, ANNA FOGO, I'M A ALLOW SECOND COMMENT, BUT THIS IS THE LAST TIME AS REPORTED BY THE ADVOCATE ON MAY 12TH, 2019.
WHEN THE FIRST BASIS CONTRACT WAS APPROVED, BOARD PRESIDENT MIGHT GET A VOTED YES, THURSDAY NIGHT, THE SECOND BASIS CHARTER SCHOOL, BUT WAS NOT WITHOUT CRITICISM.
AT ONE POINT THAT I MADE HIM LISTEN, THAT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED THE NEW BASIS STILL TO COMPLY WITH LONGSTANDING STATE LAW BY HIS THIRD YEAR OF OPERATIONS, SPECIFICALLY A PROVISION THAT SAYS CHARTERS TO NOT FALL BELOW 85% OF THE ENROLLMENT AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT THAT AUTHORIZED THEM GO.
THEY LATER REDREW THIS MOTION THAT SAID, HE'S NOT FORGETTING I'M IN MY FISHING.
ANYONE THAT WE WILL BE ENFORCING THE STATE LAW, WE RENEWALS AND OTHER THINGS, MR. GAUDETTE, YOU CANNOT KEEP INTEGRITY AS PRESIDENT OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL BOARD AND APPROVE THE SECOND CONTRACT.
I HEARD Y'ALL BOARD MEMBERS TO DENY A SECOND CONTRACTOR BASIS.
SOME JASMINE POPE WERE REQUESTED.
YOU PUT OFF APPROVING THIS CONTRACT UNTIL A FUTURE DATE.
THE CURRENT BASIS SCHOOLS, DEMOGRAPHICS SHOWS THE SCHOOL POPULATION, 27% BLACK CHILDREN, AND 52% WHITE CHILDREN.
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH IS THE RACIAL MAKEUP OF 52%
[04:20:01]
BLACK STUDENTS AND 32% WHITE CHILDREN.IN ADDITION, EBR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE RACIAL MAKEUP OF 78% BLACK CHILDREN AND 10% WHITE CHILDREN, NO OTHER SCHOOL IN OUR DISTRICT IS THIS LOPSIDED IN REFLECTING EITHER THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ITSELF OR THE PARISHES RACIAL MAKEUP.
IN ADDITION TO PERCENTAGE OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS IN THE BASE OF ENROLLMENT ZONE WAS LISTED AS 81.9%.
BUT AS A CHARTER SCHOOL, THERE MUCH REFLECT 85% OF THAT NUMBER, WHICH GOES TO 69.6%.
IN REALITY, ONLY 34%, 38.4% OF THEIR POPULATION IS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
AND SO THEY DO NOT MEET THE PERCENTAGE REQUIRED BY LAW BASIS AND SHAPING ITSELF TO BE A CHARTER PROGRAM AND EBR FOR WEALTHY AND WHITE CHILDREN AND YOUR FAMILIES.
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO INCLUDE RACIAL AND SOCIAL ECONOMIC EQUITY TO THIS CONTRACT FOR MEGAN SHEENA.
DEAN, I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER OUR OFFERING CONTRACTOR BASIS TO A SECOND CHARTER SCHOOL.
WITH THIS TIME, SECTION 2.4, PAGE SEVEN OF THE CONTRACT STATES, NONCOMPLIANCE OF EXHIBITS D AND E SHALL BE CONSIDERED A MATERIAL BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT.
THESE ARE THE SECTIONS RELATED TO ENROLLMENT POLICIES.
THE EXISTING BASIS, CHARTER SCHOOLS IS NOT COMPLIED WITH THIS PART OF THE AGREEMENT.
69% OF THEIR ENROLLED POPULATION STUDENT POPULATION IS SUPPOSED TO BE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, BUT PRACTICE ON 38%, THAT'S OUR CHARITIES.
WHY WOULD YOU BE SO QUICK TO OFFER THEM A SECOND CONTRACT IF THEY ARE IN MATERIAL BREACHING FIRST AGREEMENT, UH, FROM ANNA MARIE BLANK, PLEASE AMEND THE CONTRACT TO INCLUDE A PROVISION FOR CONSISTENT RACIAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC REPORTS TO BE SUBMITTED BY BASIS TO EBR PUBLIC STILL ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, STARTING WITH AUGUST, 2021 ENROLLMENT.
IF THE SCHOOL DOES NOT SHOW RACIAL AND SUBJECT SOCIOECONOMIC EQUITY, BASED UPON THE CURRENT EBR PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT MAKEUP OF THE POPULATION BASIS NEEDS TO EXPLAIN THE DISCREPANCY AND SUBMIT A PLAN TO BRING THEM INTO COMPLIANCE.
THAT BASIS CAN NOT CREATE A SCHOOL POPULATION IS NOT MAJORITY WHITE AND CAN NOT MEET AS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ENROLLMENT ZONE.
THEN THIS NEW BASIS CONTRACT SHOULD BE TERMINATED AND NOT ALLOWED TO CONTINUE FROM TONYA NINE AND PLEASE DEFER CONSIDERATION OR VOTE TO DENY THE CONTRACT PER SECOND BASIS.
CAMPUS SECOND DVR SCHOOLS BASIS AS 2019 2200 REPORT ON SCHOOL PERFORMANCE DOCUMENTS BASIS TO SALE TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW, SERVING TOO FEW ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS BECAUSE BASIS AT WOMAN'S HOSPITAL AS A CORPORATE CHARTER IS ALLOWING US TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE BENCHMARK AND STILL FALL SHORT.
THIS REQUIREMENT THAT SHE COMPEL THE BOARD TO VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO DENY THIS TIME TRACKS ARE AT LEAST DEFERRED TO WHEN CAN BE ADEQUATELY AMENDED.
IN ADDITION BASIS, IN THE EMBODIMENT OF INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM, WHICH EXISTS IN OUR EDUCATION POLICY, THEY FLATTENED THE LAW IN ORDER TO SERVING CHILDREN OR LOW INCOME FAMILIES, AND USUALLY SHOULD AGREEMENTS TO EFFECTIVELY ENGAGE WITH IS A MODERN DAY VERSION OF REDLINING TO SIPHON FUNDS OUT OF MAJORITY MINORITY HIGH POVERTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS INTO THE COFFERS OF PRIVATE COMPANIES.
THIS IS BASIS IS BUSINESS MODEL NATIONWIDE DEFER OR DENY THEIR MARRIED JUNA DEAR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
I ASKED IT TO DEFER A VOTE OR SIMPLY DENY A NEW CONTRACT.
THE BASIS BASIS IS NOT COMPLIED WITH STATE LAW REGARDING SERVICES TO DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.
ALTHOUGH THE BENCHMARK HAS ALREADY BEEN LOW, LOWER STATE LAW MEANS NOTHING TO KEEP FINANCING THE COLLABORATIONS AND THEY IGNORE IT.
YOU HAVEN'T FIDUCIARY TO RESPONSIBLY FULFILL MR. JAMES C FINNEY.
THIS MATTER SHOULD BE FULLY CONSIDERED THE COMMITTEE THE WHOLE BEFORE A BOARD ACTION.
AND ONLY WHEN THE PUBLIC IS ALLOWED TO BE PRESENT TO MAKE COMMENTS IN PERSON I EVER BASIS SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT BE CONTRACTED TO CRAVE A SECOND CHARTER SCHOOL, GIVEN THAT THEY'RE IN BREACH OF CONTRACT ON THE FIRST SEARCH THROUGH WITH NO CLEAR PATH TO CAN BECOME COMPLIANT WITH THEIR STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS FROM MARIA HARMON, I ASK THAT YOU DEFER CONSIDERATION OF OR VOTES IN DENIED A CONTRACT FOR A SECOND CAMPUS OF BBR SCHOOLS.
UH, IT WAS SEEMED PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS THE 2019 2020 REPORT ON SCHOOL PERFORMANCE WARRANTY REQUIREMENTS ON THEIR RS SEVEN JAMES THREE NINE NINE ONE INVESTMENT BULLETIN, ONE 26 CHAPTER 27, SECTION 27, 13 DOCUMENTS BASIS AS FULLY AS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW REGARDING PROVIDING SERVICES TO ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.
[04:25:01]
REPORT, THEY SERVE TOO FEW STUDENTS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE BASIS AT WOMEN'S HOSPITALS AT CARPET CHARTERED, RA ALASKA, SIGNIFICANT RELEASED BEST MARK, AND IT STILL FAILS EXTREMELY SHORT OF THIS REQUIREMENT THAT ALONG SHE CAN FAIL THE BOARD TO VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO DENY THIS CONTRACT BASIS IS THE EMBODIMENT OF INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM, WHICH EXISTS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.THEY USED A LOT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE AND ORIGIN.
YOU AVOID SERVING CHILDREN FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND THEY USE LEASE AGREEMENTS IN ORDER TO ENGAGE WITH IS MODERN DAY RED LINE DENIED CONTRACT.
JOHN HANNAH AMA ROSA, I AM READY.
I AM WRITING TO REQUEST THAT THE SECOND CONTRACT APPROVAL WILL BE DELAYED AND THROUGH THE FIRST BASIS IS COMPLIANCE WITH SURVEYING PROPER PERCENTAGE OF DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AS WRITTEN INTO THE LAW REGARDING CHARTER SCHOOLS.
SO THAT ENDS THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO MR. SHAMBLIN, I WILL ASK YOU IF YOU WOULD NOT MIND COMMENTING ON THE FIRST BASIS CONTRACT AND WHAT'S IN THERE AND VERSUS THIS CONTRACT.
AND THEN I WILL ALLOW THE BASIS GROUP TO RESPOND, UH, TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THEM ARE JUST ALLOW THEM TO RESPOND MR. SHAMBLIN.
BUT WELL, WITHOUT REFERRING SPECIFICALLY TO THE CONTRACT, AS I DON'T HAVE THE FIRST ONE IN FRONT OF ME, UM, THAT CONTRACT HAS A CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP PIECE, UM, SPECIFICALLY WITH WOMAN'S HOSPITAL THAT ALLOWS FOR SOME DIFFERENCES IN POPULATION ENROLLMENT, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM THE WOMAN'S HOSPITAL EMPLOYMENT AREA WHO HAVE THEIR KIDS ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL, THIS IS MORE OF A TRADITIONAL AGREEMENT.
UM, SO IT WILL LOOK LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER CHARTER SCHOOL AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONALLY, TO ANSWER SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED IN THE COMMENTS, OUR POLICY, WHICH WE ENACTED LAST YEAR TRACKS THE LAW AND THIS CONTRACT TRACKS THE POLICY.
SO, UM, I THINK A LOT OF THE CONCERNS WITH REGARD TO THIS SPECIFIC AGREEMENT, UM, ARE BEING ADDRESSED SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE NOW THAT REALLY WILL REQUIRE CERTAIN THINGS HAPPEN.
WE HAVE A CHARTER SCHOOL SUPPORT OFFICE, UM, THAT WORKS WITH OUR SCHOOLS CLOSELY TO ASSIST THEM WITH MEETING SOME OF THESE NEEDS.
UM, WE'VE BEGUN TO DO THAT, TO KIND OF TRACK THOSE, UM, THOSE, THOSE NECESSARY NEEDS AND WORK WITH THOSE, THOSE STAFF TO MAKE SURE THINGS HAPPEN.
UM, AND I DON'T WANT TO CALL ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER STAFF PEOPLE TO THE MIC, BUT THESE ARE QUESTIONS WE CAN ALSO ANSWER LATER IF NECESSARY, BUT THIS CONTRACT TRACKS, OUR POLICY IS SOUND, UM, I'LL ANSWER ANY OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT MAY COME UP.
I WILL ALLOW FOLKS AT BASIS, UH, TO MAKE A COMMENT OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO, THIS IS AARON AGAIN.
UM, AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE, UM, THE BOARD'S TIME TONIGHT.
I WANT TO BE VERY RESPECTFUL OF HIS COMMENTS AND OPINIONS.
I KNOW A LOT OF COMMENTS YOU READ OR YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT.
UH, BUT I JUST, I DO WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD, I DO TAKE EXCEPTION THAT KIND OF CATEGORY RISING US WITH SOME SORT OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM.
UH, I WANT TO REITERATE SOMETHING THAT WE SAID EARLIER, ANY STUDENT WHO WANTS A BASIS, EDUCATION IS WELCOME AT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS, UM, REGARDLESS OF YOUR BACKGROUND OR WHERE YOU COME FROM.
UH, OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A WORLD CLASS TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION.
AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE THAT TO WHOEVER WANTS IT AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF YOUR BACKGROUND.
UM, WE'VE NEVER TURNED ANY STUDENT IN A WAY, FOR ANY REASON, OTHER THAN THE LOTTERY, WE DO HAVE MORE FAMILIES WHO WANT IN OUR SCHOOL, AND THEN WE HAVE SEATS.
THAT PROCESS IS FAIR THROUGH A BLIND LOTTERY.
UH, SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON ANY STUDENT HAS BEEN DENIED ASSETS.
AND ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SEATS FOR THEM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WANT TO OPEN UP THE SECOND CAMPUS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ALMOST 700 STUDENTS ON OUR WAIT LIST.
SO WE'RE, THERE ARE CLEARLY MORE FAMILIES THAT WANT THIS EDUCATION, AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE THAT FORM AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY COME FROM OR WHERE THEIR BACKGROUND IS, EDUCATE ANYBODY THAT WANTS THE BEST EDUCATION.
AND WE THINK BY MOVING IT AT A MORE CENTRAL PART OF THE PARISH AND WE WILL PROVIDE MORE ACCESS TO MORE FAMILIES.
UH, AND AGAIN, WE WILL COMMIT TO A MARKETING OUTREACH TO ALL FAMILIES WITH SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN, UH, ANYONE WHO QUALIFIES, UM, IN TERMS OF THEIR AGE OR OUR CAMPUS, UH, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO REACH AND CONVINCE THEM THAT THIS IS A GOOD PLACE FOR THEIR CHILD AND MUSIC.
THIS IS EDUCATION AND WE'RE RESPECTFUL OF THAT, BUT FOR ALL THE FAMILIES THAT WANT IT, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME.
AND WE WILL REACH OUT TO ALL FAMILIES WHO HAVE SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN, UM, SAY, WE'LL GO TO MS. COLLINS, MS. COLLINS,
[04:30:03]
DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK MS. COMMONS? WELL, WE'LL GO TO MS. LEE, MR. LANDIS, ONE SECOND.LET ME GET MY AUDIO BACK HOME.
I SAW ON MY AUDIO, BUT, UH, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ATTORNEY SHAMBLIN AND WE WERE TO DEFER THIS MATTER JUST SO WE CAN GET EVERYTHING SORTED OUT AND GET THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS UNDERSTOOD.
UH, WHEN, WHEN COULD THIS, UH, COME BACK UP AGAIN FOR CONSIDERATION AND IF WE DID DEFER, WOULD IT SOMEHOW THROW BASIS OFF ON THEIR POTENTIAL DATE THAT THEY WANTED TO OPEN? CAN YOU GET SOME COMMENT ON THAT? OKAY, HERE YOU GO.
MR. SHAMBLIN, YOUR MIKE'S NOT ON, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
YOU COULD, YOU COULD MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER THIS TO THE NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING OR THE COW, UH, IN AUGUST, UM, OR TO THE NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING IF NECESSARY.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD HAMPER BASIS HIS ABILITY TO OPERATE, BUT I WILL LET THEM SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, THEY MAY HAVE SOME CONCERNS ON THEIR SIDE FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT? YES, PLEASE.
UM, YEAH, SO WE ARE THE TIMELINE TO OPEN THE SCHOOL AND THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR IS TIGHT.
UM, IF THIS CONTRACT WERE APPROVED AT YOUR AUGUST MEETING, WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO MEET THAT.
THAT WOULD BE THE LATEST POSSIBLE THINK THEY'D GET APPROVED.
THEN, UH, WE COULD KNOW WHEN THE SCHOOL FOR THE 21 SCHOOL YEAR AND WE WOULD ALSO LIKELY LOSE, WE WOULD DEFINITELY LOSE THIS PROPERTY.
WE'D HAVE TO START OVER AGAIN ON OUR SEARCH FOR A NEW LOCATION.
YOU SAID THAT WE DEFER, YOU WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AND HOLD OFF ON A PROPERTY THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO CURRENTLY GET.
YEAH, SO WE HAVE THE PROPERTY UNDER CONTRACT AND WE'RE DOING DUE DILIGENCE.
IN OTHER WORDS, UM, PRE-CONSTRUCTION OF ART SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THE PROJECT ON SCHEDULE.
UM, BUT IF WE, IF THIS, UH, IF THIS, THIS CONTRACT ISN'T APPROVED, THEN WE WOULD LOSE THAT PROPERTY AND HAVE TO START OVER ON OUR SEARCH CLARIFICATION, LOOKED AT LODGE AT 22.
AND THEN AGAIN, START TO START DOING ANOTHER PROPERTY SEARCH CLARIFICATION.
YOU MEAN IF THIS CONTRACT IS NOT APPROVED IN AUGUST, IS THAT CORRECT? AUGUST IS THE, IS OUR DROP THAT DAY? THAT'S CORRECT.
I THOUGHT YOU WAS SAYING TONIGHT.
SO I'M GONNA TELL YOU, AND I'LL SAY OUR CONTRACTOR'S GOING TO MAKE THEM REALLY NERVOUS, BUT IT'S, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE BY DOING THIS, BUT WE ABSOLUTELY CAN'T GO PAST AUGUST.
AND LET ME ALSO, MR. LANDIS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, LET ME SPEAK TO THIS JUST A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT MORE AS JUST TO REMIND YOU THIS CONTRACT TRACKS OUR POLICY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'D BE A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO ALIGN WITH OUR OWN POLICY, THE BOARD APPROVED THE POLICY A YEAR AGO.
AND SO MY WORK HAS BEEN TO TRY TO CREATE CONTRACTS THAT RESPECT THAT POLICY AND ALIGN WITH IT.
SO WE CAN ANSWER, WE CAN ANSWER THE CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC, BUT I WOULD HAVE SOME CAUTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO CAUTION THE BOYS AND THINKING THAT WE CAN WHOLESALE CHANGE A LOT OF THIS CONTRACT BECAUSE IT WOULD, IT WOULD AFFECT THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHOLESALE CHANGES.
WE'RE LOOKING TO ANSWER A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT REALLY COULDN'T BE ANSWERED TONIGHT AND BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT THEM IF WE DID CHANGE IT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A SECOND MOTION OR AN ALTERNATIVE MOTION TO DEFER TO THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING IN AUGUST, JUST SO IT GIVES US THAT EXTRA EXTENDED TIME TO HAMMER OUT ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN I THINK WE CAN VOTE AGAIN.
AND THAT WOULD BE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND MOTION HAS NO SECOND.
SO WE GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION, UH, MR. HOWARD.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, TO, TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS, NOT NECESSARILY WHAT BASIS, BUT JUST FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE BOARD AS A COLLECTIVE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO A, TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHOUT OUT MY COMMITTEE, UM, WHO WORKED DILIGENTLY ON THE POLICY, UM, RELATED TO CHARTER SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, WE WORKED EXTREMELY HARD AND SPECIFICALLY IN OUR CONVERSATION BEFORE WE WERE, UM, OUR, OUR COMMITTEE WAS DEEMED NOT TRANSPARENT.
WE WORK DILIGENTLY WITH BASIS AS A MODEL FOR HOW WE HOLD OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS ACCOUNTABLE.
AND SO, UM, I MEAN, PEOPLE, IT'S,
[04:35:01]
IT'S CLEAR WHERE I STOOD ON THE BASIS, A BASIS, ONE INTO APPLICATION, BUT WE WORK DILIGENT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT WE DID NOT GET TO THIS POINT ANYMORE.AND SO I THINK OUR POLICY AS MR. SHAMBLIN HAS ALREADY ALLUDED TO OUR POLICY NOW IS IN PLACE THAT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, WE WILL BE RECEIVING REPORT CARDS FROM ALL OF OUR OPERATORS, NOT JUST BASIS ON A YEARLY BASIS.
UM, JUST TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT DOES THE ENROLLMENT AND CRIME AND WHAT IS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE, UM, LIKE THAT'S CURRENTLY OPERATED? SO I THINK, AND I'M WITH THE REASON I DID NOT SECOND YEAR EMOTION IS BECAUSE I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT OUR POLICY TAKES INTO PLACE.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT CAME UP AND THEY WERE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I ENSURED WOULD BE A PART OF THE POLICY SO THAT WE CAN HOLD OUR OPERATORS ACCOUNTABLE, WHO ARE NOT MEETING THE MARKS THAT THEY SHOULD MAKE.
SO I'M, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT ON THE TABLE TODAY, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE REASON THAT WE WORKED SO HARD FOR THOSE A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO GET THAT POLICY INTO PLACE WAS FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LIFT THAT UP, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THE WORK THAT HAPPENED WITH MY COMMITTEE DURING THE TIME THAT WE, UM, INITIATED THE POLICY.
UM, MR. LANA, MR. A REAL QUICK, MR. LANA'S WAS YOUR SUBSTITUTE MOTION JUST FOR THE RECORD TO DIFFER.
AT THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING IN AUGUST, BUT THERE WAS NO SECOND.
SO I JUST NEEDED TO NOTE IT IN THE AGENDA.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY JUST FOR THE RECORD, I THINK THE DEFERMENT WAS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY, JUST TO FEEL LIKE, JUST SO THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THEIR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ARE BEING HEARD.
AS I SAID BEFORE, I LOVE THE LOCATION WHERE IT IS, UH, DON'T FEEL AS THOUGH THERE'S ANYTHING ADVERSITY, EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY ABOUT IT.
ADVERSELY, UH, UH, PROBLEMATIC ABOUT IT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THE DEFERMENT WAS SO WE CAN GET ALL OVER THE ANSWERS AND QUESTIONS HAMMERED OUT AT, UH, AT A TIME WHERE WE'LL NOT BE ADVERSELY WELL, NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT YOU GUYS, BUT ALSO JUST TO MAKE SURE DO WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, MR. JACKSON, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
IT WAS KIND OF JUMPING BACK AND FORTH.
UM, THIS, UH, SCHOOL IS RIGHT IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS AND, UH, I'VE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
AND SPEAKING OF THE, THE WAITING LIST, THAT WAS PART, THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT I HAD ABOUT, UM, THE WAITING LIST.
AND, AND CAN YOU GUYS TELL US WHAT'S THE, UH, WHAT'S IT, WHAT'S THE MAKEUP LOOKING LIKE AS FAR AS, UM, THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED KIDS.
UH, CAN YOU TELL FROM YOUR WAITING LIST, UM, WHAT YOUR STUDENT POPULATION WOULD LOOK LIKE IN A, IN A NEW SCHOOL, JUST BASED ON YOUR WAITING LIST? WELL, UM, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE NEW KATIE SHAN, UH, THE ENROLLMENT FOR THIS CAMPUS STRICTLY CALM JUST FROM THAT.
UM, WAIT, LAST, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF NEW FAMILIES CLOSER TO THIS LOCATION THAT APPLY.
SO IT'LL BE MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY OR A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAD SAID THAT IT IS OUR CURRENT WAY LESS.
THE WAITING LIST YOU HAVE IS FOR THE, UM, THE, UM, WOMAN'S HOSPITAL CAMPUS.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY PROJECTIONS.
SO FOR THE MID CITY CAMPUS, WELL, NOT YET, BUT I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THIS.
UH, THERE WILL BE SOME OF THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE ON THE CURRENT WAY LESS WILL WANT TO COME TO THIS CAMPUS.
WE DO HAVE FAMILIES ON THE WAIT LIST THAT ARE CLOSE TO THE NEW LOCATION, MAJORITY OF OUR POSTER TO THE WOMEN'S, UH, CAMPUS.
BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE SOME FAMILIES, SO THERE'S GONNA BE SOME FAMILIES THAT WANT TO COME TO THIS NEW CAMPUS, THEY'RE ON THE WAIT LIST, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE NEW APPLICATIONS AND, AND THE, AND THE EXISTING AND THE WAIT LIST THAT OVERSAW AT THIS NEW CAMPUS WILL BE CLOSER TO THE NEW LOCATION.
SO THIS SHOULD BE PRETTY REFLECTIVE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT SAID, UH, WE ALSO REALLY BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO ATTRACT A LOT OF FAMILIES FROM, UM, THE NORTHERN PART OF THE PARISH.
THAT'S PROBABLY REASONABLY LIKED THIS LOCATION.
CAUSE IT OPENS UP THAT, THAT PRIDE MORE ACCESS TO FAMILIES FROM THE NORTHERN PART OF THE PARISH AS WELL.
WELL, YOU KNOW, MID CITY IS A PRETTY DIVERSE AREA, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD GET A, A PRETTY WELL BALANCED, UM, GROUP THERE.
SO, UM, WE'LL COME AND CHECK IT
[04:40:01]
OUT.IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE LIKE IT.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, MS. COLLINS, YOU'RE YOU STILL ON? ME? YOU STILL ON MUTE? THERE WE GO.
UM, FOR CLARITY, UH, TURN IS SHAMBLIN.
UM, AND I HEARD WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT A BUILDING, ET CETERA, AND I RESPECT THAT, UH, ISSUE FOR THEM.
I'M NOT ASKING OUT OF DISREGARD FOR THE ISSUE ABOUT LOSING MONEY FOR A BUILDING OR HAVING A, YOU KNOW, RE REDO THE, UH, BUILDING PIECE.
BUT I'M ASKING THIS FOR CLARITY, MOSTLY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONCERNS AND DON'T LIKE BASIS.
AS I HAD COME TO UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION AROUND A CONTRACT FOR A CHARTER AFTER WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THE CHARTER, MINE IS THEIR BUILDING ISSUE.
TECHNICALLY THEY COULD STILL OPERATE WITHOUT THE CONTRACT.
IS THIS NOT CORRECT? I WON'T SPEAK TO WHAT WE'VE HAD SITUATIONS WE'VE THAT, THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE IN OTHER INSTANCES BEFORE.
AND SO I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO CLARIFY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT A BASIS, AND I DO APPRECIATE WHAT MY OTHER COLLEAGUE, MR. HOWARD SAID, WE DO ACTUALLY NOW HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE.
BUT, UM, BUT, UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE NATURE OF THIS VOTE, I THINK, UH, THE NATURE OF WHAT THIS IS, I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN HAVE THE APPLICATION APPROVED, BUT STILL NOT WORK WITH THEM ON THE CONTRACT IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET CLARITY AROUND, UM, FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE WITH CONCERNS.
UM, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BASIS AND POTENTIAL LENDERS FOR THE, FOR BUILDING.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BRING TO US AND SHOW THAT THERE'S A NEED THERE.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CHARTER OPERATORS SAYING THAT THEY NEED A CONTRACT IN PLACE TO SECURE FUNDING POTENTIALLY, AND RESOURCES TO MOVE AHEAD WITH BUILDING, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IT WILL HELP THEM TO HAVE THAT CONTRACT PUT IN PLACE TONIGHT OR AT THE LATEST AUGUST.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, I BELIEVE THAT AS THE ISSUE FROM A LEGAL, FROM LEGAL STANDPOINT, AS GENERAL COUNSEL, THE BOARD, THE DISTRICT, I'M GOING TO ALWAYS SAY, WE SHOULD HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE WITH ANY SCHOOL, ANY CHARTER SCHOOL YOU AUTHORIZED AS A BOARD WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
WE SHOULD HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE WITH THAT OPERATOR BECAUSE IT FORMALIZES THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE OPERATOR.
AND IT SETS THE PARAMETERS FOR WHAT IS, WHAT IS EXPECTED BY EACH PART.
SO BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHERWISE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND IT WOULD BE MORE OF A GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT ON HOW TO OPERATE VERSUS SOMETHING IN BLACK AND WHITE, IF THERE WAS NO CONTRACT APPROVED TODAY.
AND LET'S JUST SAY, MAGICALLY, THEY HAD A BUILDING REGARDLESS OF THE COUNTRY, THEY WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE APPROVED THEM OPERATING.
AND OR AM I MISUNDERSTANDING? YOU'RE CORRECT.
BUT I WOULD ADVISE AGAINST THAT.
THAT WOULD BE WISE, BUT I'M TRYING TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT BASIS, UNDERSTAND WHY YES, THE CONCERNS MIGHT BE VALID, BUT WITH THIS ISSUE, IT MAY NOT, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY APPROPRIATE NOT TO DO THE CONTRACT.
UH, AND I DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK.
SO I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT MY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT IS CORRECT.
IF WE DON'T DO THE CONTRACT IS NOTHING SAYING THAT THE PEOPLE CAN'T DO THEIR SCHOOL BECAUSE WE HAVE APPROVED THEM OPERATING.
SO IT'S BEST THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE.
WE DO HAVE A POLICY NOW TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED WHERE WE CAN RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE FIND ISSUE WITH THAT, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT JUST BECAUSE WE VOTED FOR THE CONTRACT DIDN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T HEAR THEIR CONCERNS.
[04:45:06]
THANK YOU, MS. COLLINS.UM, MR. LANDIS, HE DOESN'T JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
THEY GAVE US A ABOUT A ROUGH NUMBER.
COULD YOU ALL SAY THAT NUMBER AGAIN? HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE ON THE WAIT LIST? ABOUT 680.
DO YOU ALL KNOW THE MAKEUP OF THE WINGLESS? JUST CURIOUS, IT'S A, IT'S SIMILAR.
I DON'T KNOW IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD AND IT'S SIMILAR TO THE ENROLLMENT.
IT PRETTY MUCH MATCHES THE, THE APPLICATIONS.
AND THEN AS YOU GO THROUGH THE LOTTERY AND GET IN AND CAN, UH, ENROLLMENT IN THE LOTTERY TEND TO BE VERY SIMILAR IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHICS.
THE WAITLIST IS FOR THE EXISTING CAMPUS CONGESTION ADJACENT TO THE WOMAN'S CAMPUS.
WHEN THE MID CITY CAMPUS IS APPROVED AND, AND OPENED.
WHEN WE DO THE OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR THAT ONE, THAT'LL BE A TOTALLY, THAT'LL BE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ENROLLMENT APPLICATION AND WILL BE SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT SCHOOL.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT WE WOULD SEE A DIFFERENT, UH, RESPONSE TO OUR, UM, INTEREST IN THAT CAMPUS BASED ON HIS LOCATION ALONE AND THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THAT CAMPUS TO INVOLVE FAMILIES.
SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
UH, MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE, PLEASE VOTE MR. BLUE.
[J4. 2020-2021 Proposed Special Revenue Fund Budgets]
JAKE, FOR FROZE.21 SPECIAL REVENUE FUND BUDGETS.
UH, MR. HOWARD, IN THE INTEREST OF MY VOICE BOX.
DID I ASK YOU TO READ THIS ONE? DO YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU? GIVE ME ONE SECOND.
SO WE ARE ON, UM, ITEM NUMBER J FOUR.
UM, IT IS A CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE 2020 2020 WITH ONE PROPOSED SPECIAL REVENUE BUDGETS, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PROPOSED PROPOSED 20 2021 ADOPTING CONTINUING EDUCATION, LOCAL PROPOSED 2021 ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION FEDERAL PROPOSED 2020, 2021 ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION LEADERSHIP PROPOSED 2020, 2021 ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION STATE PROPOSED 2020, 2021 ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION PARISH PRISON REVISED 2019 2020 AND PROPOSED 2020, 2021, ALL PARIS MUSIC PROPOSED 2020, 2021.
THAT KNOWS HOW IT RADIO TRAINING PROGRAM PROPOSED 20, 20, 2021 CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM EDUCATION BASIC GRANT FOR STATES PROPOSED 2020, 2021 CHILDHOOD NUTRITION PROGRAM PROPOSED NET REVISED 1920 AND PROPOSED 2021.
THE FITNESS, THE CATALAN, AND IN FITNESS MEET REVISED 2019 2020 AND PROPOSED 2020, 2021 EBR KICKOFF CLASSIC PROPOSED 2020, 2021.
EDUCATION EXCELLENCE FUNDS PROPOSED 2020, 2021 AS A REDESIGN GRANT ROUND TO, UM, 1,308 8,300 PROPOSED 2020, 2021.
AS THE REDESIGN GRANT ROUND TWO IDEA, IDA PROPOSED 2020, 2021 AS A REDESIGN GRANT TO STATE PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROPOSED 2020, 2021 AS A REDESIGNED GRAND ROUND TWO STRIVING REUSE COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSED 2019 AND WERE PROPOSED 2020, 2021 HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER SCHOOL PROPOSED 2020,
[04:50:01]
2021 EYECARE BUDGET, ALCOHOL DRUG ABUSE PREVENTIVE PROGRAM PROPOSED 2020, 2021, IDA PROPOSED 2020, 2021, IDA PRESCHOOLS SIX, 19 PROPOSED 2020, 2021 JOBS FOR AMERICAN GRADUATES PROVIDES 2019 2020 AND PROPOSED 2020, 2021 J R A ATHLETICS PROPOSED 2020, 2021 MAGNET SCHOOL ASSISTANCE PROJECT EXPLORE PROPOSED 2019 2020 AND PROPOSED 2020, 2021, BUT A SCHOOL SUMMER SCHOOL REVISED 2019 2020 AND PROPOSED 2020, 2021 MUSIC INSTRUMENT USER FEES PROPOSED 2020, 2021 PROPOSITION TWO TAX PLAN PROPOSED 2020, 2021 PROPOSITION THREE TAX PLAN, 2020, 2021 PRE-K C CECIL J P CARD LA FOUR T A N F PROPOSED 2020, 2021 PRE K C CECIL JP COURT LA FOUR STATE PROPOSED 2020, 2021 PRE-K EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMUNITY NETWORK LEAD AGENCY, FEDERAL CCDF PROPOSED 2020, 2021 PRE-K EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMUNITY NETWORK LEAD AGENCY PROPOSED 2020, 2021 PRE-K EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM.AIG PROPOSED 2020, 2021 PRE-K INFANT CLASS PRESCHOOL, EXCUSE ME, 2020, 21 PRE-K PRE-K TUITION, LOCAL PROPOSED 2020 AND 21.
EVERY STUDENT SUCCEED AT TITLE ONE, IMPROVING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT PROPOSED 2020, 20, 21.
EVERY STUDENT SUCCEED ACTS TITLE TWO PART A PROPOSED 2020, 20, 21.
EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT, TITLE THREE PROPOSE 2020, 21.
EVERY STUDENT, SINCE THESE ACT TITLE THREE IMMIGRANT PROPOSE 2020, 21, EVERY SUSAN'S CD.
EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT, TITLE FOUR PART A PROPOSED 2020, 20, 21, EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS AT TITLE NINE.
EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH PROPOSED 2020 TO 2021.
EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT DIRECT SERVICES DIRECT STUDENT SERVICES PROPOSED 2020, 2021 SCHOOL ACTIVITY FUNDS PROPOSED 20, 20, 20, 21 STRONG STORY.
2020 PROPOSED 2020 TO 2021 STRONG STUDIES SENSITIVE PROGRAMS. AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
SO MOVED BY MISS EVERLY, WHERE IN JACKSON AND A SECOND.
I DO NOT SEE EVERYONE ON MY SCREEN.
SO IF YOU CAN DROP IT IN AND CHAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
MS. JILL DYSON WITH THE SECOND.
SO SOME MOVES BY MS. WITH JACKSON SECOND BY MR. DYSON.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL GO TO THE BOARD.
UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD SCENE NINE? UM, WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, MR. GOLDIE.
I DO NOT HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS LOADED.
UH, I'M TRYING TO GET TO IT ON JAKE FOR, UH, THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS PERTINENT TO THIS ITEM.
THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS PERTINENT TO THIS ITEM, SO WE WILL GO BACK TO THE BOARD.
UM, SEEING NO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARDS.
MADAM SECRETARY, WHERE ARE YOU IN THE BOAT? WHAT ABOUT NOW? NO, NOPE.
I'LL JUST REFRESH IT AND IT'S NOT IN MY MIND EITHER.
I JUST LOST ALL IN THE SPIRIT OF TIME.
CAN WE JUST DO A ROLL CALL? VOTE? WE CAN, BUT GIVE ME TWO SECONDS.
CAUSE NOW I'VE LOST MORE DOCS ALTOGETHER.
[04:55:03]
MS. WARD JACKSON.MR. TOTMAN THE MOTION CARRIES.
[J5. 2020-2021 Proposed General Fund Budget]
WE'LL GO TO ITEM J FIVE CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST TO APPROVE OR POST 20, 20, 20, 21 GENERAL FUND BUDGET, THE BUDGET RESOLUTION AND THE 2020, 2021 SALARY SCHEDULES.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY MR. BALLOU? YOU'LL HAVE A SECOND.
BYE, MS. BERNARD, ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS FROM THE BOARD SITTING, NONE DISCUSSION FROM THE PUBLIC? I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT.
THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET HAS BEEN CUT NEARLY 30% IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS RELATIVE TO EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE, TRANSPORTATION STAFF GETS TEXTS, EMAILS, CALLS, ET CETERA.
FROM STUDENTS, PARENTS, SCHOOL, ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL, BOARD MEMBERS, AND THE SUPERINTENDENTS OFFICE.
WHEN CHILDREN DO NOT GET PICKED UP, MANY OF THE CONVERSATIONS ARE NOT VERY PLEASANT WITH CONTINUED CUTS TO THE BUDGET.
THERE IS VERY LITTLE THAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE.
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE BOARD RECONSIDER THESE CUTS TO TRANSPORTATION AND IN FACT, CONSIDER INCREASING THEIR BUDGET.
I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES THIS BOARD IS FACING AND AGREE THAT FUNDING THE CLASSROOM IS MOST IMPORTANT, BUT IF TRANSPORTATION IS UNABLE TO GET STUDENTS TO THE CLASSROOMS AND THEY SAFE IN THE CLASSROOM IS WHAT WE UTILIZE FOR THE EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT OF ALL STUDENTS.
REMEMBER APPROXIMATELY THREE OUT OF FOUR STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO RIDE THE BUS IN EBR.
THAT IS THE ONLY PUBLIC COMMENT THAT I HAVE, UH, ON THIS ITEM.
UM, OUR RELOAD ONE LAST TIME, UH, AND WE WILL GO BACK TO THE BOARD.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MS. DYSON? I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU, GARY, FOR YOUR INPUT.
I WISH WE WEREN'T IN THESE TIMES.
MS. COLLINS, MS. COLLINS, MS. WORD JACKSON.
[J6. Resolution-East Baton Rouge School Board Commitment to Equity and Eradicating Racism]
NEXT IS ITEM SIX CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTED ADOPTED RESOLUTION RECLAIMING THE EASTBOUND RIDGE FAIR SCHOOL BOARD, COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND ERADICATING RACISM.I WILL MAKE THE MOTION SINCE IT IS MY RESOLUTION.
AND AS I GO THROUGH THIS, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT FOR SOME PEOPLE, THIS GOES TOO FAR AND FOR OTHER PEOPLE, THIS DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.
AND SO I'M TRYING TO, UM, MAKE A STATEMENT THAT, THAT EVERYONE AT LEAST CAN, CAN GIVE CONSIDERATION TO.
SO THE RESOLUTION IS AS FOLLOWS.
I HAVEN'T READ THE RESOLUTION YET.
I'LL GET THE SECOND AFTER I READ THE RESOLUTION, THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND ERADICATING RACISM RESOLUTION, WHEREAS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, WHEREAS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WERE COMMITTED TO ACTIVELY INTERRUPTING SYSTEMATIC RACISM AND ELIMINATING INEQUITIES IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM WHERE I ASKED
[05:00:01]
IS RACISM AND DISREGARD OF HUMAN DIGNITY IN LIFE REFRACT AND PERPETUATE A SYSTEM WITHIN WHICH STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND STAFF OF COLOR ARE INTERRED BY BOTH EXPLICIT ACTIONS, AS WELL AS BARRIERS CAUSED BY UNINTENTIONAL BIAS.WHEREAS OUR COMMUNITY AND NATIONS FUTURE REQUIRES THAT THIS SYSTEMATIC INSTITUTIONAL BIAS BE DISMANTLED TO PROMOTE EQUITY AND ENSURE ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO THRIVE.
WHEREAS EDUCATION IS A KEY LEVER FOR CREATING THIS MORE EQUITABLE NATION AND WORLD AND A TOOL FOR DISMANTLING INSTITUTIONAL RACISM.
WHEREAS OUR DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING EQUITY WITHIN AND ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS IN CONVERSATION IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH STUDENTS, FAMILIES, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY STAKE HOLDERS WE'RE AS IN MOVING FROM PLANNING TO ACTION, OUR DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO DRAWING ON THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND FEEDBACK FROM THE COLLECTION OF DIVERSE VOICES, TO IDENTIFY CONCRETE ACTIONS THAT MUST BE TAKEN TO ADVANCE THIS WORK.
AND CONTINUING TO ASSURE THAT THESE VOICES ARE ELEVATED IN DECISION MAKING.
WHEREAS AS A SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT WHERE WE VALUE EACH AND EVERY STUDENT, FAMILY AND STAFF MEMBERS, AND ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING AN EQUITABLE SYSTEM WITHOUT THE BARRIERS OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM.
WHEREAS WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE EXPERIENCES AND OUTCOMES IN OUR DISTRICT ARE NOT CONSISTENT FOR HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AND MARGINALIZED GROUPS.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, THAT ONE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD COMMITS TO ITS OWN WORK AS INDIVIDUALS AND OUR COLLECTIVE WORK, OVERSEEING THE DISTRICT AND CONTINUING TO BECOME EQUITABLE AND POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT DISMANTLE RACISM.
THIS WILL INCLUDE BOARD AND MEMBER BOARD MEMBER AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE DIALOGUE ON RACE ORIGINAL SERIES DURING THE FALL OF 2022, THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD CALLS ON AND COMMITS TO WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO STRENGTHEN NEGLECTIVE WAR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD SHALL TAKE SPECIFIC ACTION TO REVISE ITS GOVERNANCE, TOOLS, GOALS, PROCEDURES, AND BUDGET TO REFLECT THIS FOCUS ON EQUITY.
AND ANTI-RACISM ONE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD COMMITS TO COMPLETING A FULL REVISION OF ITS STRATEGIC PLAN PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF 2021, 2022 SCHOOL YEAR, INCLUDING HOLDING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AT THE CENTER OF THIS WORK.
THESE REVISE GOALS WILL ALLOW MONITORING AND TRANSPARENCY OF THE PROCESS BY THE BOARD AND STAKEHOLDERS.
THEY SPAN ROUGE, BEAR TO BOARD, MIDST TO REVISING, REVIEWING, AND REVISING ALL EXISTING SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES OVER THE COURSE OF THE 20, 20, 2021 SCHOOL YEAR ADOPTING REVISIONS TO EACH IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE IT FOCUS ON EQUITY AND OUR POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT DISMANTLE RACISM.
I'M TRYING TO GET TO, I LIKE TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THE RIGHT VERSION.
UM, THREE, THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD WILL SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF TO INCORPORATE A CURRICULUM THAT PRESENTED HAD AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALL CULTURES AND HOW THE CONCEPT OF RACE IMPACTS ALL SUBJECTS FOR AN EASTBOUND REPAIR SCHOOL BOARDS COMMITS TO HOLDING TRUE TO BASE RESOLUTIONS WHEN REVIEWING AND IMPROVING THE DISTRICT BUDGET TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THIS WORK.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, A SECOND SAGGING IT BY MS. WHERE JACKSON, UH, OPEN FOR COMMENT.
SO I THINK MS. DYSON YOU'RE FIRST ON THE LIST.
THAT WAS FROM THE LAST ITEM MR. BLUE WAS BURST.
UH, MR. BALLOU, IS THAT THE CORRECT ITEM? YES.
I, I, AND MR. GODDAMN, UH, PRESIDENT GAUDIN, I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH YOU AND TOLD YOU WHY I COULDN'T SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION.
AND THERE WERE, UM, I GUESS THREE MAIN AREAS THAT, THAT, UH, WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, I HAD A PROBLEM WITH, UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, USUALLY WHEN THERE'S A RESOLUTION, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD HAS WORKED ON, UH, TOGETHER, OR EITHER IT'S SOMETHING SIMPLE THAT EVERYBODY CAN AGREE ON.
THIS COVERS THE BUDGET, IT COVERS STRATEGIC PLANNING, IT COVERS, UH, CURRICULUM AND, UM, AS WELL AS POLICIES,
[05:05:01]
UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING I THINK CAN JUST BE PUT OUT ALL IN ONE DOCUMENT TO APPROVE WITHOUT THE MORE AND WORKING ON IT TOGETHER.UM, THE SECOND IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, LAST SEPTEMBER, THE BOARD DID WORK ON A STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES, WHICH I THINK THIS LOOKS LIKE IT'S A LOT, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TYPE, UH, UH, BUT NO FRAMEWORK.
BUT, UH, WE, WE, AS A BOARD PUT TOGETHER A STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE OUR DECISION MAKING.
AND, AND I THINK, UM, UNLESS WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT, UM, WE SHOULDN'T BE HAVING ANOTHER RESOLUTION THAT COVERS THE SAME GROUND.
AND THEN FINALLY, I GUESS, UM, IN TERMS OF THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE, UH, BOARD PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIFIC COURSE, UM, I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SINGLING OUT A SPECIFIC COURSE IF, UM, UM, PERFECTLY FINE.
WE WANT TO SPEND A WEEKEND HAVING A CONVERSATION ON RACE, BUT TO IDENTIFY AND FORTIFIED OR ENACT AND HAVE EVERYBODY ACTUALLY ATTEND A COURSE ON, UM, I, I OBJECT TO THAT AND, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE END OF IT.
UM, SO THANK YOU, MR.
ARE YOU STILL GETTING AN ECHO? YEAH.
THANK YOU, MR. GORDY FOR BRINGING FORTH THIS RESOLUTION.
THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON, FOR YOUR, UM, COMMITMENT TO HELPING, UM, TO REALLY, TO DIG DEEP ON MAKING THIS MORE THAN A DOCUMENT THAT WAS NOT JUST LIP SERVICE, BUT ACTUALLY HAS SOME ACTIONABLE ITEMS BEHIND IT.
THAT CALLS FOR A UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATION AMONGST OUR BOARD, AS IT RELATES TO RACE RELATIONS.
IF WE ARE BEING HONEST, IF WE ARE BEING TRANSPARENT AS A BOARD, THIS BOY IS RACIALLY FRAGILE.
AND UNTIL WE TAKE SOME INTENTIONAL MOTION, OUR INTENTIONAL ACTIONS TO DEAL WITH THE, THE, UH, THE FRAGILE STATE THAT WE ARE, UM, AS A BOARD, AS A COUNTRY, AS A COMMUNITY, ALL WE WILL CONTINUE TO GET IS STATEMENTS AND PEOPLE MAKING STATEMENTS ABOUT EQUITY AND EQUITY, NOT BEING AN ACTION WORD, BUT EQUITY, JUST BEING A WORD.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN EDUCATION THAT THROW OUT THE WORD EQUITY, AND IT DRIVES ME CRAZY AS A YOUNG BLACK BROTHER WHO WAS HAD TO NAVIGATE FROM A SINGLE PARENT HOME.
AND OFTEN TIMES SITS AT SPACES WHERE I'M NOT RESPECTED AS A, AS A COLLEAGUE, AS A PROFESSIONAL.
LIKE WE HAVE TO GET PAST WORDS AND HONOR THE TRUTH THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE APPROACHING US WITH.
I SIT THROUGH THESE MEETINGS OFTEN TIMES AS A BLACK MAN, EXHAUSTED, EXHAUSTED THAT I HAVE TO SHOW UP AT A TABLE AND TELL A COLLEAGUE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A DIALOGUE ON RACE ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND NOT JUST A CONVERSATION TO SAY THAT IT'S A CONVERSATION, BUT A CONVERSATION THAT CHECKS YOUR WHITE PRIVILEGE WHEN YOU SHOW UP INTO THESE SPACES LIKE, SO WE HAVE TO GET PAST LIKE, JUST THESE THINGS OF LIKE BEING WORDS AND LIP SERVICE.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEHOOVES US AS A BOARD TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE HURT.
THERE ARE MEMBERS ON THIS BOARD WHO ARE EXHAUSTED, AND WE HAVE TO PUT SOME OUTCOMES BEHIND THE STATEMENTS TO PROVE THAT WE TRULY WANT TO WORK TOWARDS PROGRESS AND UNIFIED THIS BOY.
CAUSE OTHERWISE WE CONTINUE TO GET LIP SERVICE AND THERE'S NO REAL ACTION.
AND THEN YOU JUST LEFT WITH THAT SAME FRAGILE STATE THAT WE CONTINUE TO FIND OURSELVES SAYING EVERY SINGLE TIME A RACIAL THING IS COME UP, COMES UP ON THIS BOARD.
I EMPLOY YOU GUYS TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION AS THE RESOLUTION AS IS SO THAT WE CAN START THE HEALING PROCESS AND BE, UH, A PILOT TO WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN THIS COUNTRY IF WE TRULY WANT TO GROW.
AND THE WAY WE GROW IS BY BEING COMFORTABLE, BEING UNCOMFORTABLE SO THAT WE CAN GO AND PROGRESS AS A BOY.
SO I THANK YOU, MR. GOLDIE, I THANK YOU, MS. JACKSON FOR BRINGING THIS FORTH.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THIS WITH THE TANGIBLE, ACTIONABLE STEPS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN A RESOLUTION.
WELL, FIRST I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD.
I JUST HATE THE FACT THAT IT TOOK ALL OF THIS FOR US TO GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS ON THE TABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN THROUGH OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST MONTH, JUST TO GET THIS DOCUMENT UP.
[05:10:01]
I WILL SAY IS, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AGAINST THE DOCUMENT.I JUST FELT AS THOUGH IT JUST DOESN'T GO ENOUGH.
AND WITH SOME REAL ACTIONABLE ITEMS, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SEEN THINGS SUCH AS CULTURAL COMPETENCY TALKED ABOUT INSIDE OF THIS RESOLUTION AS IT REGARDS OUR STUDENTS, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IS THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH APPRECIATION THAT'S OUT OF OUR CLASSROOMS FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO START EXHIBITING AND EXPRESSING THOSE THINGS MORE CULTURAL RELEVANCE, CULTURAL COMPETENCE, SO THAT OUR TEACHERS UNDERSTAND THE LEVEL OF STUDENTS AND THE POPULATION OF STUDENTS THAT THEY'RE SERVING.
THESE THINGS SPEAK TOWARDS ANTI-RACIST.
I MEAN, SO OUR ANTI-RACISM AS IT REGARDS TO POLICY, AND I THINK ONE OF THE SINGLE LARGEST POLICIES THAT WE NEED TO ERADICATE THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT IS THE WAY THAT WE GO ABOUT SELECTING OUR BOARD LEADERSHIP.
THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST, UH, MARGINALIZED POLICIES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, BECAUSE WHAT IT DOES IS IT ISOLATES THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE VOTES TO CONTINUE TO VOTE THEMSELVES IN, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORIC HISTORY OF OUR BOARD, WE'VE ONLY HAD WHAT, THREE TO FOUR, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT OF SERVED AS OUR BOARD PRESIDENT.
I THINK THAT THAT IS RIDICULOUS.
AND THE REASON WHY THAT IS IN PLACE IS BECAUSE WE JUST SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THE VOTES AND, YOU KNOW, THE ARRAY, THE WAY THAT YOU GET THE VOTES IS YOU HAVE TO COMPROMISE ON CERTAIN THINGS.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S FAIR.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER DISTRICTS, NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS, THEY DON'T DO IT THAT WAY.
WHAT THEY DO IS THEY ALTERNATE ONE YEAR REPUBLICAN SERVES AS PRESIDENT THE NEXT YEAR A DEMOCRAT WOULD SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT.
I THINK THAT THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE DONE.
IT SHOULDN'T BE DONE SIMPLY BASED OFF OF HOW MANY VOTES YOU HAVE ON YOUR ONE PARTICULAR SIDE.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE FAIR AND BALANCED.
AND I THINK THAT IS THE POLICY THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE NOT ONLY TALK ABOUT, BUT PUT A REAL ACTION BEHIND SO THAT WE CAN ON OUR BOARD AND FIX A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS. I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE SINGLE BIGGEST ISSUES AND POLICIES THAT WE NEED THAT WE HAVE, AND WE NEED TO ERADICATE IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD JACKSON? THANK YOU, PRESIDENT.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF A COMMITTEE THAT BASICALLY IS COMPRISED OF, UH, DISTRICT, UM, ADMINISTRATORS AND, UM, UM, HIGHER ED, UH, AT THE TABLE AS WELL.
JOSE AVILES, UH, VICE PRESIDENT OF ENROLLMENT FOR MA AT, UH, IN MANAGEMENT AT, UH, LSU, UH, DR.
SUE WEINSTEIN FROM, UM, LSU DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH, UH, DR.
MOORE, CHIEF OF STAFF AT LA D O E LISA TIR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF, UH, SERVE LOUISIANA, UM, DR.
LISA DELPIT, UH, MAXINE CRUMP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FOUNDER OF DIALOGUE ON RACE AND, UH, DR.
KOTARA WILLIAMS, CHIEF OF STAFF AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
UM, I BASICALLY WALKED UP ON THIS COMMITTEE LAST FALL, UM, AND THEY WERE PLANNING A DAY OF DIALOGUE, UM, ON RACE AND EDUCATION.
AND, UM, I SAT IN ON THE, UH, ON THE MEETINGS AND, UM, BECAME VERY ENGAGED IN THIS BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF, YOU KNOW, FOR YEARS UP IN TALKING ABOUT US HAVING THE NEED TO ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE ON RACE AS THE EDUCATION INSTITUTION HERE, UH, I BELIEVE THAT EDUCATION IS THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL LEARNING.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS, NOT JUST IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT SOME DISTURBING, UH, EVENTS OR, UH, JUST THE, UM, THE TEMPERATURE HERE, YOU KNOW, IS, IS NOT GETTING ANY BETTER.
AND I'VE SAID THIS FOR A FEW YEARS, THAT WE NEEDED TO LOOK INTO THIS SO THAT WE COULD BE PART OF CHANGE HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
AND, UM, ALSO, OKAY, BE AN EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, UH, IN THE NATION, WE'RE NOT UNIQUE IN THIS AREA.
UH, THERE ARE MANY OTHER AREAS, UH, MANY OTHER CITIES THAT, UM, AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT I BELIEVE REALLY SHOULD ENGAGE IN THIS KIND OF DIALOGUE SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER, A LOT BETTER.
UM, I WENT THROUGH THIS SERIES, JUST THE ORIGINAL SERIES OF DIALOGUE.
[05:15:01]
AND, UH, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WHEN I WENT OUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, CAN BE, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE KIND OF DIFFICULT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY EXPERIENCE THAT, UH, IT'S VERY DISARMING.UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S VOICES ARE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD, AND IT'S VERY WELL WORTH EVERY SECOND OF OUR TIME.
AND I BELIEVE THAT, UM, BEING ENGAGED WITH OTHER EDUCATORS, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE NOT JUST LOOKING AT K-12, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT HIGHER ED AND ALSO INVOLVING OTHER PEER GROUPS IN EDUCATION TO COME AND HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND THIS.
UH, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ENGAGE IN THIS AND, UM, I WANT TO THANK MR.
UM, WHAT WE DID, WHAT I DID WAS TOOK THE RESOLUTION TO THE GROUP AND, UM, UH, HAD THEM REALLY EXAMINE IT AND TAKE OUT SOME THINGS THAT WERE, SEEM TO BE JUST A LITTLE BIT DIVISIVE, YOU KNOW, A FEW TERMS IN THERE.
AND WE ALSO WANTED TO PUT SOME ACTION INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'VE HAD SO MANY STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
AND, UM, AS FAR AS, UM, THE CURRICULUM GOALS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO COMPLETELY CHANGE THE CURRICULUM.
YOU KNOW, WE SPOKE WITH PEOPLE ON THE STAFF ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT SOME, SOME THINGS IN THE CURRICULUM OR SOME STYLES OF TEACHING THAT WOULD, WOULD NOT, UH, COST THE DISTRICT, UM, ANYTHING AND JUST, UH, UH, BASICALLY, UM, ENHANCING THE CURRICULUM.
UM, AND THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE IN HERE THAT SOMEONE SPOKE ABOUT THAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS.
I CAN'T THINK OF WHAT IT IS NOW, BUT, UM, WE BASICALLY WANT TO SOME PUT SOME ACTION.
OUR WORDS, OFTEN WE DO A RESOLUTION AND WE READ IT AND WE APPROVE IT AND WE KEEP GOING.
UH, EVERY YEAR IN JANUARY, A RESOLUTION COMES FORWARD ABOUT BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND IN FEBRUARY, UM, OUR KIDS ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE INFORMATION THEY GO, AND THEY DO THE RESEARCH AND, AND ALL OF THAT DURING THAT ONE MONTH.
UM, THERE ARE LOTS OF TIMES DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT OUR KIDS CAN, CAN, UH, LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR HISTORY AND CULTURE AND, UH, NOT ONLY ALL CULTURES, YOU KNOW, AND I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF HISTORY.
AND IF OUR KIDS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT WE HAVE REALLY UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED AS A PEOPLE, TO OUR STATE, OUR COUNTRY, I BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF OUR KIDS WOULD DEVELOP A LOT MORE PRIDE AND, UH, GET A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND HAVE SOME PASSION ABOUT LEARNING AND, UM, AND GETTING TO THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM.
SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS BOARD WILL, UM, WILL JUST FOR A MINUTE, FOR A LITTLE WHILE, GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND, UH, TAKE A STEP FORWARD AND, UH, AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS, NOT JUST PASS THIS AND, AND, AND DON'T PARTICIPATE, UH, BECAUSE THE, UH, ORIGINAL PURPOSE WAS TO HAVE ONE LARGE MEETING IN THE FALL.
AND THEN WE WERE GOING TO BREAK UP INTO THE NINE DISTRICTS THAT OUR BOARD REPRESENTS AND ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE ON RACE AND HAVE PEOPLE FROM THOSE DISTRICTS ACTUALLY INVITE BOARD MEMBERS TO ATTEND, UM, BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE THERE.
I MEAN, WE'RE LEADERS IN EDUCATION, WHETHER WE WANNA ADMIT THAT AND NOT ADMIT THAT OR NOT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD COME FROM THE TOP IN A, WE ARE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HERE IN THIS DISTRICT, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE ON THE REST OF THE CITY.
UH, I BELIEVE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND, UM, THIS WILL, UM, TOUCH A LOT OF LIVES.
AND FOR A VERY LONG TIME, IT'S, IT'S
[05:20:01]
TIME FOR US TO START TEACHING MORE ABOUT, UM, WHAT THE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE.YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST FINDING THINGS OUT ABOUT HIDDEN FIGURES, AND I BELIEVE THAT OUR KIDS NEED TO KNOW THIS.
UM, MANY ADULTS DON'T KNOW ACCURATE HISTORY.
UH, WE'VE GOTTEN IN A LOT OF TROUBLE JUST RECENTLY WITH SOME WRONG REMARKS ABOUT HISTORY COMING FROM THE TOP, COMING FROM OUR BOARD.
SO I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO, TO GET SOME, SOME, SOME REALLY GOOD EDUCATION AND OUR KIDS REALLY NEED THIS FAMILIES HERE NEED THIS.
SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS RESOLUTION WILL PASS WITH, WITHOUT ANY, UM, ANY OPPOSITION AND THAT WE WILL HAVE THE PARTICIPATION THAT IS SO MUCH NEEDED AND, UM, AND OUR KIDS DESERVE.
OH, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, YEAH.
UM, MR. BALLOU, I HEAR YOUR CONCERNS.
I WANT TO SAY TO THE BROADER PUBLIC, UM, SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK THAT RACISM ONLY IMPACTS THE PERCEIVED OPPRESSED GROUP.
RACISM IMPACTS ALL OF US NEGATIVELY.
AND, AND THAT'S ONE REASON WHY IT IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR EACH OTHER.
IF WE CAN'T HEAR EACH OTHER FOR THE SAKE OF THE OTHER PERSON REALLY DAILY SEE EACH OTHER FOR THE SAKE OF OURSELVES, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE, UM, RACISM IS A TOOL OF DISTRACTION, UM, IS NOT THE ULTIMATE REAL ISSUE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND WE CAN'T HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
RACISM IS SUCH AN EFFECTIVE TOOL OF DIVISION.
NO, WE CANNOT SIT IN A ROOM WITH EACH OTHER AND JUST TALK, IS THAT GOING TO WORK? IT AIN'T GONNA, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PRODUCTIVE.
UH, AND WHAT I CAN SAY ABOUT DIALOGUE ON RACE IS IT WORKS TO CREATE A SAFE SPACE.
IT WORKS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHEN I SAY RACISM, OR YOU SAY RACISM, THIS IS WHAT WE MEAN, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY IN THE TUMULTUOUS TIMES IN THIS NATION, RACISM MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE, EVEN A MONTH, THE SAME RACE.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, WE HAVE A FACILITATED CONVERSATION AND DIALOGUE ON RACIST IS, UM, IS A, UH, A PROVEN PROGRAM.
I MEAN, THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTER, AND I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
I HOPE IT DON'T SOUND LIKE I'M FUSSING, CAUSE I'M NOT TRYING TO FUSS BROTHER BALLOU.
I'M NOT WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TO HAVE, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING FACILITATED.
I HOPE THAT YOU TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN IT.
MYSELF AND I HAVE BEEN A FACILITATOR MYSELF AND AMONGST BLACK AND WHITE.
I'M NOT JUST SAYING IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE AMONGST BLACK AND WHITE.
THE SPACE THAT IS PROVIDED IS SAFE.
NOW OUR EMOTIONS HIGH RIGHT NOW WITH LOTS OF US.
UM, BUT, UH, THE DIALOGUE ON RACE TECHNIQUE IN THE PROGRAM DOES WORK.
IT IS EFFECTIVE AND I'M ASKING A BOARD MEMBER, THE BOARD MEMBER THAT YOU GIVE IT, GIVE IT ONE, TRY AT LEAST TO SEE, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER TODAY, EVEN IF YOUR VOTE IS AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION, WHEN THE MEETINGS ARE PLANNED, IF YOU COULD JUST CONSIDER AT LEAST COMING TO THAT FIRST ONE TO SEE, PLEASE DON'T SHUT YOURSELF OFF IN ANY OTHER OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WHO ARE NOT FEELING EASY.
UM, I KNOW ME PERSONALLY, UH, I DO HAVE VERY STRONG FEELINGS, BUT I HAVE NO INTEREST IN GOING INTO THIS, UM, UH, MAKING ANYBODY FEEL GUILTY, SHAMING, ANYBODY, ET CETERA, BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR PEOPLE TO, TO GROW IT.
DIDN'T GIVE PEOPLE SPACE TO GROW.
I DON'T NEED ANYBODY TO FEEL GUILTY.
I DON'T NEED ANYBODY TO FEEL BAD.
[05:25:01]
UH, EVEN IF, EVEN IF I CALL Y'ALL OUT, SAY YOU WRONG, IN MY OPINION ON SOMETHING THAT I, IT'S NOT FOR YOU TO FEEL BAD, UH, IT IS TO CREATE AWARENESS.UM, SO AGAIN, I JUST, UH, I HOPE THAT PEOPLE REALLY TRY TO BE OPEN.
THANK YOU, MS. COLLINS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD BEFORE I GO INTO THE PUBLIC SEEING NONE? I'M A REFRESH ONE LAST TIME AND THEN READ THE COMMENTS.
VICKY, UH, THIS, UH, EAST BATON ROUGE.
SUPERINTENDENT DRAKE, PRESIDENT GODADDY, VICE PRESIDENT POWER AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ALLOWING ME TO MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING THE EBR SCHOOL BOARD, COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND ERADICATING RACISM RESOLUTION.
THE DRAFTING OF THE RESOLUTION APPEARS TO ADDRESS MUCH NEEDED AREAS.
HOWEVER, I HOPE THAT THE BOARD WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE INPUT OF ALL STAFF MEMBERS AND DATA DIRECTOR SUPERVISORS AND OUR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.
PLEASE NOTE THAT IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU INCLUDE ALL EMPLOYEES FEEDBACK, REN REVISING THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS TOOLS MOVING FORWARD, ESPECIALLY WITH NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MUST ADDRESS THE TOXIC ENVIRONMENT THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
AND THE LACK OF VALUABLE INPUT FROM EMPLOYEES THAT ARE NOT IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY.
UH, I GOTTA MOVE TO SCROLL DOWN HERE.
THE NEXT COMMENT COMES FROM MARCY FRASER AS LEADER OF THE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE FARM, TO RECALL KIND OF AN ART I'M ASKING FOR THIS RESOLUTION TO BE PASSED WITH FUNDING AND TRAINING FOR OUR FUNDING OR TRAINING AND POSITIONS THAT COULD ACTUALLY BE COVERED WITH TITLE TWO FUNDS, PREPARING AND TRAINING HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS.
RACISM IS A VERY SERIOUS OCCURRENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR BOARD TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS SEND OUT OUR STUDENTS UNLESS THEY HAVE ANTI-RACISM TRAINING AND POSITIONS CREATED TO ENSURE DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSIVENESS TRAINING IS REGULARLY DELIVERED.
AN ADDITIONAL PIECE TO THIS IS WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO PERPETUATE RACISM AND I'M GOING TO STOP AT THAT POINT.
UM, MICHAEL HAD HER NARROWS, I ASSUME THE EBR SCHOOL BOARD WILL SUPPORT THE COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, ANY ERADICATING RACISM, BUT THAT, WHAT WILL THAT COMMITMENT EXTEND TO POSTPONING IN PERSON LEARNING UNTIL SUCH TIME AS SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS DEEMED SAFE? I'LL SKIP THE REST OF THAT SENTENCE.
NOT GERMANE TO THE SUBJECT, UH, FROM ANNA MARIE BLANK, PSN WERE LIKED TO SEE THE RESOLUTION EXPANDED, TO INCLUDE EQUITY AUDIT OF THE SYSTEM AND A MINIMUM OF TWICE PER YEAR.
THE DOCUMENTS SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR I EVER INEQUITIES AND ONGOING ISSUE.
THAT MUST BE CONTINUALLY MONITORED IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF UNIVERSAL AND ONGOING EQUITY ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
WITH REGARD TO REVIEWING AND REVISING ALL EXISTING SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES.
WE ASK THAT YOU TAKE SPECIFIC ACTION TO INCLUDE A POLICY ON SUPPLIER DIVERSITY.
THE CURRENT PROCESS FOR GETTING CONTRACTS WITH DVR SCHOOLS DOES NOT PROACTIVELY SEEK OUT OR ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES OWN AND OPERATE BY PEOPLE OF COLOR, SPECIFICALLY BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES, ALL EXISTING AND FUTURE CONTRACTS WITH DVR PARISH SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD INCLUDE SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO GUARANTEE RACIAL DIVERSITY IN THE SELECTION PROCESS, EXISTING CONTRACTS, NOT MEETING THIS REQUIREMENT WILL NOT BE RENEWED.
AND NEW CONTRACT REQUESTS WILL BE REJECTED.
PLEASE ADD THIS LANGUAGE TO THE RESOLUTION.
UM, UM, LA PORSCHE AT KENOSHA.
THE RESOLUTION SOUNDS GOOD, BUT WHEN ARE WE GOING TO ACT FIRST? LET'S START WITH GO TO A I'M TO SKIP THE REST OF THAT.
HAVEN'T WE FIRED A TEACHER THAT PULLED HER, UM, THIS IS GETTING OKAY, WHERE WERE WE? THE BOARD DON'T VALUE EVERY STUDENT, PARENT, OR TEACHER.
THIS IS GETTING PERSONAL AND I'M A SKIPPING LAZIN HARRIS, THE RESOLUTIONS REASON.
WELL, UM, WE'RE AT TIME AND EMPTY GESTURES, NO LONGER SATISFY OUR COMMUNITY ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS.
I START WITH EITHER RENAME LEE HIGH SCHOOL PINCH BACK HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, YEAH, I SINCERELY WISH TO SEE THIS BOARD ACT ACCORDING TO THIS WRITTEN
[05:30:01]
RESOLUTION AND REMOVED PERSONS FROM BOARDS AND ADMINISTRATION AND WHO DID NOT MOVE IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS RESOLUTION.MY COMMENTS ON RENAME AND LEE WERE NOT READ AND THEY WERE NOT SUBMITTED ANONYMOUSLY.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS ARE CLOSED BEFORE EVEN TIMESHEETS WERE DISCUSSED.
WE CLOSED THEM AT THE END OF THE, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRAUMA, UM, FROM JUNE CONTI AS A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH LOUISIANA COALITION OR EDUCATION, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE RESOLUTION AS AN ACTIONABLE STEPS TOWARD CREATING EQUITABLE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACK STUDENTS IN EBR.
HOWEVER, THE RESOLUTION DOES NOT TALK ABOUT HOW IT WILL SUPPORT TEACHERS AND HELP THEM IN THEIR PURSUIT TO BE EQUITABLE EDUCATORS.
THE RESOLUTION NEEDS TO OUTLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION OF THE DISTRICT GROUP PROVIDE TEACHERS.
WHILE WE HAVE MANY WHITE TEACHERS WHO TEACH PREDOMINANTLY BLACK IN A DISTRICT WITH 81% BLACK STUDENTS WHO HAVE NO IDEA OF HOW TO APPROACH RACE IN THE CLASS.
THESE TEACHERS DON'T KNOW HOW TO SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS OF COLOR, THEREFORE MAKING IT AN INEQUITABLE AND HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT FOR BLACK STUDENTS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SURROUNDING EQUITY, HELP TEACHERS UNPACK BIASES.
THEY MAY HAVE TOWARD MARGINALIZED STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY ELL AND LGBTQ STUDENTS.
UH, JASMINE POPE, WHILE I COMMEND THE BOARD FOR TAKING THIS UP AND HOPEFULLY APPROVING, I REALIZED THAT WHILE SITTING THROUGH THIS MEETING, THIS BOARD IS NOT PLANNING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT RACIAL EQUALITY, RACIAL EQUITY.
WHEN I FIRST READ THIS RESOLUTION, I WAS CERTAINLY WOULD DO NOTHING TO IMPROVE EBR SCHOOLS.
AND I STARTED TO GET MY HOPE AFTER I SAW OTHERS EXCITED ABOUT THE RESOLUTION, BUT AFTER THIS LONG MEETING, THE LAST LONG MEETING AND THE WAY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD COMPLETELY DISREGARD THE RENAME OF FORMERLY NAMED LEE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE WAY THE BOARD DISREGARDED PUTTING ANY RACIAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC MEASURES ON BASIS.
LET'S HOPE I AM WRONG, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS RESOLUTION WOULD DO ANYTHING FROM AN PATENT.
THERE'S LITERALLY NOTHING TO LOSE BY BOARD MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN DIALOGUE ON RACE, MORE CULTURAL RELEVANCE, AND CURRICULUM.
AND EDUCATORS IS THE FOUNDATION OF INCLUSION AS INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN OUR DISTRICT.
AND THAT CLOSES THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UH, SO I LOST TRACK OF WHERE WE ARE.
I THINK MR. BALLOU, YOU'RE UP? YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK.
UM, I JUST WANT TO RESTATE, I'M NOT AT ALL UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT HAVING A CONVERSATION.
I'M PERFECTLY WILLING TO DO THAT, BUT AS A, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MADE CLEAR, IT'S NOT, I SAID, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S MORE THAN A CONVERSATION AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL RESTATE MY, MY PROBLEM WITH IDENTIFYING A SPECIFIC COURSE.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS MORE ABOUT REEDUCATION, UM, IN TERMS OF ACTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RESOLUTION CALLS FOR ERADICATING RACISM AND THE DOCUMENT, UH, REPEATEDLY, UH, USES TERMS LIKE SYSTEMIC RACISM, INSTITUTIONAL RACISM WITHOUT DEFINING IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE IT WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT IT IS.
SO, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO START, UH, SO THAT WE CAN EVEN KNOW THAT WE WE'RE ACTUALLY ELIMINATING IT.
SO, UM, BUT, UH, THAT'S THE ONLY TWO COMMENTS I NEEDED TO MAKE.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, YOU SAID YOU CAUGHT ME TYPING.
I WAS GOING TO LEAVE IT IN THE THING, BUT SINCE YOU CALLED MY NAME, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY RESPECTFULLY, MR. BALLOON, THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THE DIALOGUE ON RACE PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN'T BE ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN WE SAYING RACE THE LIMIT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE POINT, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO JUST KNOW WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY IT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I AGREE RESPECTFULLY.
I WAS JUST HAD A, UH, A QUICK QUESTION, UH, MORE OR LESS OF A CONCERN.
I WAS WONDERING WHY ALL THE COMMENTS ARE NOT BEING MADE.
UH, I BEEN REFRESHING RIGHT BEFORE I GO TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND ANY COMMENTS THAT COME AFTER I REFRESH THE SYSTEM, UH, THEY'RE THEY'RE TOO LATE.
I MEAN, I, WE CAN'T KEEP THE COMMENTS SESSION OPEN FOREVER.
[05:35:01]
MEETINGS, UH, WHEN THE COMMENTS ARE DONE, THE COMMENTS ARE DONE.SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION.
WERE ANY COMMENTS SKIPPED OVER, UH, COMMENTS THAT CAME IN AFTER I CLOSED FOR THAT ITEM? YES, BECAUSE I CLOSED THEM AS WE DID THAT ITEM AND COMMENTS CAN STILL COME IN ON OTHER ITEMS AS WE DO OTHER ITEMS, BUT I AM NOT RECEIVING THEM WHILE WE ON THAT ITEM.
SO I DON'T KNOW THE THING WHERE THE SYSTEM IS DELAYING.
I'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT, UH, THEY SENT SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT BEFORE, A LITTLE BIT AFTER EIGHT O'CLOCK, BUT IT'S TIMESTAMPED ON MY MACHINE HERE AT EIGHT 40.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A TIME DELAY OR NOT, BUT WE CAN'T CONTINUALLY GO BACK AND REOPEN COMMENTS ON ITEMS THAT WE'VE PASSED OVER THE PAST.
I WAS JUST ASKING, BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE REACHING OUT SAYING THEIR COMMENTS WERE SKIPPED OVER COMPLETELY.
LIKE YOU STARTED TO READ IT AND THEN YOU'VE SKIPPED IT.
SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO VERIFY, CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT US TO GET IN ANY TROUBLE.
AND I AM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BOARD POLICY ABOUT BEING RESPECTFUL AND WHEN SOME OF THE COMMENTS GET VERY PERSONAL AND CALL OUT DIFFERENT PEOPLE ON THE BOARD IN A PERSONAL MANNER, I AM SKIPPING THOSE COMMENTS.
I'LL JUST SAY AT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, YOU READ EVERY COMMENT, EVEN THE ONES THAT WERE ABOUT YOU THAT WERE DISRESPECTFUL.
SO I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
THAT WAS A MISTAKE AND I WILL NOT DO THAT SAME MISTAKE AGAIN, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN SOME LEVEL OF DECORUM IN THESE MEETINGS AND BEING ON THE INTERNET IS TOO EASY TO PUT VERY DISRESPECTFUL THINGS.
AND SO I WILL BE CAREFUL ABOUT READING THOSE.
AND I WILL READ COMMENTS THAT ARE NOT PERSONALLY ATTACKING ARE DISRESPECTFUL TO THE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, MS. WHERE JACKSON, I'M SORRY.
NOW IT WASN'T TAKING, UM, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT PEOPLE THOUGHT SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RESOLUTION.
ONE WAS AROUND, UM, UM, CONTRACTS AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, HAVING INEQUITY IN, IN THE, SOME OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WE'RE DOING AND ALSO AROUND, UM, CURRICULUM AND OTHER, UH, PARTICIPATION OF STAFF.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WERE VERY BROAD IN NUMBERS OF FOUR AND FIVE, SO THAT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS COULD BE ADDED OR COULD BE INCLUDED.
WE DIDN'T GIVE A LONG LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS, BUT WE DID SAY THAT THE BOARD WOULD BE COMMITTED TO REVIEWING AND REVISING, UH, EXISTING BOARD POLICIES, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF THE 20, 21 SCHOOL YEAR.
NOW, NOT SAYING THAT WE WOULD CUT OFF EVERYTHING AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT JUST FOR 2021.
UM, THIS IS WHERE WE WOULD BEGIN OUR WORK.
AND, UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, PEOPLE KNOW THAT, UM, WE CAN ADD THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO, UM, INTO OUR ACTION AS WE SUPPORT THE, UM, ADMINISTRATION IN HELPING TO IMPLEMENT THESE THINGS.
THANK YOU, MR. GOLDEN, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YOU MEAN OTHER GORD MEMBERS SEEING NONE? MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE VOTE.
[J7. Litigation]
[05:40:06]
NEXT.WE MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN LITIGATION CONSIDERATION REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION FOR MR. GWEN SHAMBLIN GENERAL CONSOLE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD ON THE FOLLOWING IN THE FOLLOWING MATTERS, A TREE SANS PRATER INDIVIDUALLY, AND ON THE BEHALF OF HER MINOR VERSUS BERKLEY INSURANCE COMPANY, THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, AND CASSANDRA L WILLIAMS SUIT NUMBER SIX SIX FOUR, ONE 47, SECTION 22 19TH JDC IN EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH AND B MATTHEW CRUTCHFIELD VERSUS MILDRED GIVES AN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD SUIT NUMBER SIX SIX FIVE EIGHT SEVEN TWO, SECTION 26 19TH JDC EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
DO I HAVE A MOTION, A MOTION BY MR. BALLOU'S SECOND BY MS. WARE.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? I'M LOST MY COMMENT SCREEN HERE.
SEEING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? I HAVE NO, UM, COMMENTS ON THIS SUBJECT.
I DO NOT BELIEVE BACK TO THE BOARD.
MR. TATLIN, MR. TATLIN MOTION CARRIES.
[J8. Oversight Committee]
TO ITEM J EIGHT, A CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTS WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE ACTUAL DECEMBER, 2019 SEMI-ANNUAL FINANCIAL PLAN UPDATE AND THE REVISED 2019 2020 TAX PLAN BUDGETS OR PROPOSITIONS ONE, TWO, AND THREE.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY MS. DYSON? DO I HAVE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? SEE NONE.
I HAVE NO PERTINENT COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? MADAM SECRETARY WAYS VOTE MR. BLUE.
[J9. Oversight Committee Modification]
BUT NOT LEAST.NUMBER NINE, J NINE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MODIFICATIONS, CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST TO MODIFY A PLAN TO IMPROVE FACILITIES, TECHNOLOGY, DISCIPLINE, AND COMPENSATION IN THE EASTBOUND ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM TAX PLAN TO
[05:45:01]
DELAY THE START OF THE BROADMORE MIDDLE SITE PROJECT PROGRAM, TO BE DETERMINED UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY MR. JACKSON? DO I HAVE A SECOND SECOND BY MR. BALLOU? ANY DISCUSSION COMMENTS MR. HOWARD? YEAH.
I JUST WANT TO HAVE A QUICK POINT OF CLARITY.
I KNOW THAT WE ARE, WE WENT TO OVERSIGHT TO ASK FOR A MODIFICATION BECAUSE OF THERE BEING A DECLINING CASH FLOWS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE MONEY THAT'S COMING IN THROUGH COVID.
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR SOME, AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO, WELL, I GUESS MAYBE IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NOW, IF THEY COULD JUST TALK ABOUT LIKE, WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT? LIKE, SO WE'RE PUSHING THIS OR DELAYING THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
WHAT I SEE IS IF I'M A PHASE 10 SCHOOL, I MEAN OUR YEAR 10 SCHOOL, IF WE'RE PUSHING SOMETHING ELSE BACK, THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE PUSHING ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS DOWN.
UM, CAN SOMEONE CLARIFY WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE TIMELINE OF SCHOOLS WITHIN A TAX PLAN? IF WE HAVE TO, UM, PUSH THIS ON BACK BECAUSE OF CASHFLOW? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS MR. LOPE, MS. LOPEZ, MR. CROCHET.
I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT, WHO THAT BELONGS TO.
GOOD NAME AND YES, THIS IS COMING THROUGH OVERSIGHT.
AND SO IT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE COVID, UM, IMPACT OUR REVENUES BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS.
AND SO, UM, THERE'S BASICALLY NOT ENOUGH CASHFLOW TO START BOTH THE BROADMORE SITE AND THE BUCHANAN, UH, UT SIMULTANEOUSLY.
SO WITH THE RE WITH THE MOST RECENT REVENUE PROJECTIONS, WE PROVIDED TO CSRS.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS IF THESE REVENUE PROJECTIONS DON'T CHANGE, WE MAY BE GOOD FOR FIVE YEARS NOW, THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.
SO THAT BEING SAID, THEY ARE GOING TO CHANGE.
I MEAN, WE JUST HOPE THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.
SO, UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
THAT, THAT, THAT JUST GIVES ME, UM, GIVES ME CONCERN, UH, THAT WE ARE, I KNOW THIS IS UNCERTAIN AS IT RELATES TO REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND THE MONEY THAT IS COMING IN, BUT I FORESEE IT BEING A LONGTERM ISSUE, WHICH IS WHY I THINK IT'S AGAIN, UM, MS. LOPEZ IS WORKING ON THIS FOR ME, IMPORTANT TO SEE BUDGET FORECASTING, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE, WE SET OURSELVES UP FOR FAILURE TO NOT DELIVER ON OUR TAX PLAN.
AND IN THE WAYS THAT WE SAY WE WOULD, WHEN WE'RE PUSHING STUFF BACK AND DELAYING PROJECTS, AND, AND WE STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHAT, EVEN WHAT BROUGHT MOORE'S GOING TO EVEN BE AS IT RELATES TO WHAT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING.
UM, SO I JUST THINK THAT WE PUT OURSELVES IN A BIND WHEN WE DON'T HAVE LONGTERM STRATEGY, UM, RELATED TO HOW WE'RE UTILIZING MONEY, SPECIFICALLY THIS POT OF MONEY, BECAUSE IT COMES SPECIFICALLY FROM OUR PROPOSED TAX PLAN THAT PEOPLE VOTED ON AND APPROVED.
SO I, AGAIN, JUST ENCOURAGE US TO DO A BETTER JOB AT FORECASTING, DO A BETTER JOB OF AT LEAST PROVIDING SOME INSIGHT AS TO WHAT HAPPENS NOW THAT THIS PROJECT IS DELAYED WITH THE REST OF THE PROJECTS, BECAUSE I HAVE SCHOOLS THAT ARE LIKE AN EIGHT, NINE AND 10 WHO WERE LOOKING LIKE, WAIT, WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US? SO THAT'S MY CONCERN.
UH, SO JUST QUICK QUESTION, UH, THIS DELAY, THIS, SO THIS WON'T THROW OFF THE UNIVERSITY, UH, BUCHANAN, UH, UNIVERSITY TERRORISM AND BUCHANAN, UH, PROJECT, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
I WILL JUST ASK, BECAUSE THE LAST THING I WANTED THIS TO HAPPEN WAS THAT, UH, THAT PROJECT GETS DELAYED BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PROJECT IS DIRECTLY, IT DIRECTLY AFFECTS MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL BEING REBUILT.
AND I KNOW THEY, THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS THING TO GO THROUGH FOR VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
SO I JUST HAD THAT CONCERN, BUT, UH, IF IT DOESN'T AFFECT THAT OR DISRUPT THAT THEN.
AND THAT WAS THE ISSUE IS THAT WE COULDN'T, THERE'S NOT A FUNDING RIGHT NOW BASED ON THESE PROJECTIONS TO RUN BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS CONCURRENTLY.
AND SO SINCE BROADMORE, IT HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED UPON YET AS TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
UM, AND LIKE YOU JUST MENTIONED, MCKINLEY IS TIED INTO THOSE TWO PROJECTS AS WELL.
SO THIS WAS A RECOMMENDATION FROM ADMINISTRATION AND THROUGH VIA OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UM, STATING THAT FOR THE COMMENTS
[05:50:01]
I HAVE, UH, NO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS ITEM.I'M GOING TO REFRESH ONE LAST TIME.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD SEEING NONE, MADAM SECRETARY RAISE VOTE.
YEA, MR. HOWARD, MR. ABSTAIN, MS. COLLINS, MS. COLLINS, MS. WARD JACKSON.
MR. TOTMAN THE MOTION CARRIES.
BOARD MEMBERS AND PUBLIC FOR STICKING WITH US THROUGH THIS LONG MEETING, UH,
[Items K & L]
NEXT WEEK, ANNOUNCING AT MEETINGS, THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING TO BE HELD ON AUGUST SIX, 2020 AT 5:00 PM LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED AND THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING TO BE HELD AUGUST 20, 20, 20 AT 5:00 PM LOCATION, TO BE DETERMINED.AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR PATIENTS.
AND THIS MEETING IS A JOURNEY.