The OPSBrief

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In This Issue
OPSB Committee Meetings
Public Hearing and Special Meeting

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www.eastbankcollaborative.com 

www.lacharterschools.org

educatenow.net

 www.coweninstitute.com

www.louisianaschools.net

www.rebuildingnolaschools.com

www.charterdiscovery.com

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

Greetings!

 

The Orleans Parish School Board held a Public Hearing, a Special Board Meeting, and three monthly Committee Meetings on Thursday, September 13, 2012, as listed below. The meetings were held in Room 4050 of the OPSB Timbers Office Building at 3520 Gen. DeGaulle Drive.

 

The OPSB monthly Business Meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 18, in the Auditorium of McDonogh #35 High School. An OPSBrief will be issued as soon as the agenda for the Business Meeting is posted.
 

Meeting agendas and backup documents for the September 13 meetings can be read by clicking on the respective meeting titles below.

 

As previously noted, the Accountability and Legal Committees did not meet.



***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***
OPSB COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Policy Committee

Reviewed proposed policy amendments, discussed implementation of recently approved policies, and took action as indicated

 

Proposed Amendments to Existing Policies for First Reading

  • E522 - Computer and Internet Use for Employees (proposed amendment)
  • I809 - Computer Access and Use - Students (proposed amendment)
    • Forwarded to full Board with recommendations for First Reading
    • Expands current policies to clarify that cellular use is covered
    • Accounts for changes in technology allowing phones to access the internet and do texting

Discussion and Information Items

  • E530 - Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program
    • Received report from Administration
    • Informational program for contractors, subcontractors and general public will be held on September 22nd from 10 am to 2 pm in SUNO's gym
      • More information on this can be found here
  • B213 - Minutes of Board Meetings  
    • Received report from Administration
    • On-demand web-viewing of Board meetings is on track for implementation within 90 days
    • Equipment has been received and installation is progressing
  • Attorney General's Opinion on Deputy Superintendent's Appointment
    • General Counsel reported that the opinion has not yet been received

     

Property Committee

Received and discussed reports from Administration

 

Action Items

Took action as indicated

  • Master Plan Oversight Committee appointments
    • Deleted from the agenda

 

Discussion/Information Items/Reports

Received and discussed reports from the Administration

  • Mahalia Jackson School Office Space Conversion
    • Office space that is no longer needed is being converted to classroom space to serve more children
    • By public bid - One Construction - $219,447 
  • Purchase of Property on 200 Block of South Rendon
    • Expansion of Fisk-Howard (new Jeff ES) campus
    • At request of RSD
    • Surplus property of Archdiocese of New Orleans
    • Former Seton Academy gym and adjacent lot
    • OPSB would have it appraised and do property assessments prior to acquisition
  • Purchase of Property at 1212 South Roman
    • Expansion of Booker T. Washington HS Campus
    • Owned by Xavier University - possible land swap
    • Former tomato and produce warehouse that burned down
    • Approximately 1.2 acres
    • Formerly was the subject of an extensive community engagement project to improve the HS campus
  • Architects for Various Master Plan stabilization projects
    • Chenevert Architects was contracted to do an assessment of the needs of schools on the stabilization and/or refurbishment lists
    • Administration recommends that the firm's existing contract be modified for them to perform design services for some (not all) of the projects they scoped
  • Capital Projects status report
    • Received the updated report
    • Alice Harte New School had groundbreaking on September 11
    • Bids were received earlier in the afternoon for the demolition of the GSS Academy to make way for the new Lake Forest ES
    • Renovations and addition at Audubon ES's Broadway campus continue to be delayed by litigation of some neighbors
    • Franklin HS stabilization repairs are 48% complete
    • Easton HS Windows Replacement project has finally reached "substantial completion," but with an extensive punchlist - contractor (BEI) is 2 1/2 years behind schedule for completion
    • Refurbishment projects for Easton HS and Lusher HS (Fortier campus) have begun design with scope validation meetings held with school administrators
    • Hurricane Isaac disrupted a few project bid processes, thus necessitating rebidding of those affected projects

 

Budget and Finance

Reviewed recommendations from Administration and took action as indicated

 

Action Items

Discussed recommendations from the Administration and forwarded them to full Board for action

  • Purchase Agreement for South Rendon Street Property
    • Discussed in Property Committee
    • Board members requested additional information prior to Board meeting
  • Purchase Agreement for 1212 South Roman Street Property
    • Discussed in Property Committee
  • Resolution 17-12 RE: Loan Borrowing
    • Annual short-term borrowing up to $50 million to cover cash flow needs prior to receipt of property taxes in January
  • FY 2013 Budget
    • Balanced - revenues slightly exceed expenditures
      • Impact of voucher program not yet known
      • IT billings for charters are not yet in budget
      • Document has a typo on some column headings - "FY 2013 Amended Budget" should read "FY 2012 Amended Budget" 
    • Some savings have been realized through cost-savings measures
      • Reduction in force
      • Better safety with lower workers' compensation costs
      • Rebidding of transportation
    • Budgets of OPSB charters will be added to the document when it is posted on the OPSB website
      • Charter budgets were passed by their individual, independent boards
  • Architectural Services for Selected Refurbishment/Stabilization Projects
    • Discussed in Property Committee
    • Chenevert Architects - $164,000
  • Mahalia Jackson Office Space Conversion
    • By public bid - One Construction - $219,447
PUBLIC HEARING AND SPECIAL MEETING
Public Hearing

Received public comment and answered questions prior to consideration in Special Meeting

  • Proposed FY 2013 Budget

 

Special Board Meeting

Took action on Administration's recommendations as indicated

  • Approved Resolution 17-12 authorizing short-term borrowing up to $50 million as needed to meet cash-flow demands
    • Typically approved annually because property taxes are not received until after January and the notes are then paid off when revenues come in
    • Benefits OPSB, RSD, direct-run and charter schools  
  • Approved Resolution 18-12 adopting FY 2013 budget as well as revised administrative organizational chart here.
    • Consolidated budget includes the budgets of OPSB charter schools as approved by their own independent boards
    • Organization chart gives new responsibilities to Comptroller, Chief Academic Officer, Chief of Staff, and Deputy Superintendent
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