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This report is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools 
 

Greetings!


The following report is from the Tuesday, April 17, 2012, Business Meeting of the Orleans Parish School Board. 

The announced Public Hearing, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. to discuss policies on governance and administrative structures, was cancelled. Additionally, consideration of those policies at the Business Meeting was deleted from the agenda.

 

At the end of the meeting, Superintendent Darryl Kilbert announced his retirement as of June 30, 2012, due to health reasons.  He read from a prepared statement and cited accomplishments under his tenure, including academic progress and fiscal improvement.  Board members commended him for his work. 

 

***This email is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools and is not an official correspondence from the Orleans Parish School Board***
BUSINESS MEETING

Announcements

 

Healthier US School Challenge Gold of Distinction Awards 

  • Report from Director of Child Nutrition
  • US Department of Agriculture to present awards as part of the Let's Move Initiative to combat childhood obesity
  • Schools recognized include Audubon, Franklin ES, Bethune, Einstein, Hynes, Lusher, Jackson, McDonogh City Park, McDonogh 42, Moton, and Singleton

 

Committee Reports

Received reports from Committee Chairpersons and discussed items indicated; took action on Consent Item as indicated

 

Accountability Committee 

  • Received report from Chairperson on Committee Meeting
  • Heard from ENCORE Academy and Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools regarding award of $250,000 start-up grant to ENCORE by Walton Foundation

 

Property Committee 

  • Received report from Chairperson on Committee Meeting
  • Heard from Administration and Jacobs/CSRS (Project Managers) on follow-up information after meeting
    • Lake Forest ES New School
      • Two architectural firms declined project due to new "Control Design" or prototype delivery system developed during last Fall's process to amend the Master Plan by seeking greater efficiency in new construction
      • New system results in less design flexibility and lower fees for architects and engineers, but greater efficiency for OPSB
      • Jacobs/CSRS is meeting with architects on Monday to seek resolution of their concerns
      • Jacobs/CSRS is considering alternative of reducing costs and time by using Hynes design to base prototype
      • OPSB Members requested quick resolution of the problem so that design can begin
  • Harte ES New School
    • Being redesigned using "Value Engineering" to bring under budget without compromising quality
    • Jacobs/CSRS reported that first bidding was unsuccessful due to combination of bad market timing and inefficient design
    • OPSB Members insisted that the recovery schedule be shortened to get the project rebid and constructed
  • Audubon (Broadway) ES Renovation & Addition
    • Jacobs/CSRS reported that traffic engineering study promised to neighbors has not yet been done
    • OPSB Members were adamant that the study be done soon as promised to community 
  • Jacobs/CSRS promised to review information posted on website to make sure it is timely updated

 

Legal and Legislative Committee 

  • Did not meet this month

 

Policy Committee 

  • Did not meet this month

 

Budget and Finance Committee 

  • Received report from Chairperson on Committee Meeting
  • Administration reported that the new site on Seine Drive in Algiers Place was the location of the New RSD K-8 Elementary School budgeted in the Master Plan for the area.
  • CONSENT ITEM: Approved contract for IT Application Service Provider Renewal
    • Tyler Technologies - 3.25 years - $410,475 total
    • Finance, HR, Payroll, and other applications

 

Action Items 

  • Approved annual school facility assignments for 2012-2013 School Year and for anticipated future sites, as shown on page 29 here
  • Approved Student of the Year Scholarships, as shown on pages 30 here
  • Approved Resolution 07-12, adopting Capital Projects Budget Amendment #6 (Other Funds)
    • $250,000 to convert offices into classrooms at Mahalia Jackson
    • $950,000 to purchase land for new Algiers elementary school
  • Approved purchase of 8.77 acres of vacant land at 3501 Seine Drive in Algiers Place for new K-8 elementary school for $900,000, as shown on pages 50-171 here
  • Approved annual property insurance renewals, as shown on page 172 here
    • Meetings will be held with charter operators to discuss options for improving coverage
  • Approved the Board President's appointment of Brett Bonin as Accountability Committee Chairperson
  • Approved the issuance of a Request for Proposals for the management of Harte ES and Karr HS, Type 4 charter schools

 

Policies for First Reading

Accepted amendments to existing policies for First Reading; will be subject of future public hearing(s) prior to adoption

 

Computer and Internet Use for Employees - Policy E522 (Proposed Amendment) 

  • Extends existing prohibitions to include cyber-bullying
  • Prohibits use of Board-owned devices and networks for frivolous and non-educational communications
  • Prohibits use for social networking applications

 

Computer Access and Use - Students - Policy I809 (Proposed Amendment)

  • Extends existing prohibitions to include cyber-bullying

 

Executive Session

Recessed into Executive Session to discuss litigation matters; reconvened in Open Session to adjourn without taking any further action

  • Expropriation Litigation with State over McDonogh 11 School
  • Insurance Litigation with insurance carriers
  • Return of Schools Litigation with State
  • Potential Litigation with Algiers Charter Schools Association regarding advance payments to ACSA in 2005-2006
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