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This report is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools
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Greetings!
The Orleans Parish School Board held its Monthly Business Meeting on Tuesday, December 18, in the Auditorium of McDonogh 35 High School. Immediately before the Meeting, the Board held a Public Hearing on proposed policy changes.
P.S. - A Very Special Opportunity
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Thank you for your continued support.
***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***
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The purpose of the Public Hearing was to review proposed amendments to several existing OPSB policies and to invite public comment on those proposals.
Policies that were the subject of the Hearing were as follows:
- Proposed amendments to existing policies (agenda here)
- G725 - Recruitment
- G726 - Employment of Personnel
- G731 - Promotion
- J939 - Bullying, Intimidation, Harassment, and Hazing
- I806 - Textbook Selection and Adoption
- I801 - Basic Instructional Program
- A127 - Charter School Evaluations
- A128 - Charter Renewal
- G725, G726, and G731 were proposed due to requirements in the new State Act 1
- The Administration explained the purpose of the proposals
- No public comment was offered
- J939 was proposed to require staff to take steps to stop bullying
- Board President Robichaux explained that the amendments would not only direct staff to take action against bullying but would also require training in bullying prevention
- No public comment was offered
- I806 and I801 were proposed to prohibit creationism from being taught as science
- Board President Robichaux explained the purpose of the amendments
- A college student spoke in favor of adopting the amendments
- A127 and A128 were proposed to require charter school participation in the common enrollment and expulsion processes
- Considerable public comment was offered, mostly relating to the OneApp common enrollment parts of the proposed amendments
- Speaking in favor of the changes were representatives of the N. O. Business Council, Stand for Children and the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools.
- An attorney representing several charter schools spoke against those provisions which would unilaterally change the terms of existing operating agreements and further suggested that implementation for those schools should be deferred until their charters were renewed
- One speaker advocated deferring the amendments until passage of new legislation that would redefine the open admissions system to allow students to be guaranteed seats at their neighborhood schools
- Several parents from OPSB direct-run schools spoke either in favor of deferring the policy changes or spoke in general opposition of the OneApp system
- Several parents from OPSB direct-run schools asked that OneApp be deferred or deleted from applying to their schools.
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To read the agendas and back-up materials for the Business Meeting, click here.
Superintendent's Agenda
Presentations and recognitions with no action taken
Discussion/Information Items
Received verbal reports with no action taken
- Update on June 2012 Annual Audit
- External auditor reported on progress for audit for FY 2012
- Almost complete
- Covers three audit areas: financial statements, Department of Education schedules, and student activity funds
- Capital Projects Summary Report
- November Financial Statements
Committee Reports
Received reports from Committee Chairpersons with no action taken
- Received Committee reports from Chairpersons on activities of past month
- Accountability Committee
- Property Committee
- Legal and Legislative Committee
- Policy Committee
- Budget and Finance Committee
- OPSBrief on the Committee activities can be read here
Action Items
Received and discussed recommendations from the Administration and took action as indicated
- Adopted the proposed amendments to the following existing Board policies as discussed during the earlier Public Hearing:
- G725 - Recruitment
- G726 - Employment of Personnel
- G731 - Promotion
- J939 - Bullying, Intimidation, Harassment, and Hazing
- I806 - Textbook Selection and Adoption
- I801 - Basic Instructional Program
- Adopted the proposed amendment to the following existing Board policy as discussed during the earlier Public Hearing: A127 - Charter School Evaluations
- Approved after deciding not to modify or defer
- RSD Superintendent Patrick Dobard spoke in favor of the proposed amendments
- Attorney representing several charter schools again objected to unilateral changing of terms of existing charter agreements and suggested that the proposals be modified to become effective for existing charters upon their next renewals
- OPSB General Counsel advised Board that he believed the proposed changes were sound legally as written
- Several speakers asked for deferral either until changes can be made to favor neighborhood schools, or to get more input from parents, or to resolve existing OneApp problems
- Several parents from OPSB direct-run schools asked that OneApp be deferred or deleted from applying to their schools
- Adopted with changes the proposed amendment to the following existing Board policy as discussed during the earlier Public Hearing: A128 - Charter Renewal
- Changes approved make the new provisions applicable to existing charters upon their renewal to avoid the problem of unilateral changes
- Several speakers asked for deferral either until changes can be made to favor neighborhood schools, to get more input from parents, or to resolve existing OneApp problems
- Several parents from OPSB direct-run schools asked that OneApp be deferred or deleted from applying to their schools
- Renewed the contract with Latter & Blum, Limited, for real estate consultant services for its third and final year for $185,000
- Awarded four construction contracts by public bid to lowest responsible bidders who submitted responsive bids as follows:
- McMain HS New Gym - Ellis Construction - $9,497,800 - 28% DBE
- North Kenilworth ES New School - Woodrow Wilson Construction Co - $22,476,000 - 35% DBE (25% so far)
- McDonogh 35 HS New School - Citadel Builders, LLC - $54,984,000 - 38% DBE
- McDonogh 35 HS Stabilization of Existing School - Tuna Construction - $352,000
- Accepted the Kellogg Foundation donation of the NBC Learn K-12 multi-media collection
- Accepted the Marie Atchley Donation of $43,177.74
- Approved the amendment of the program specifications for site work and parking at the Lake Forest ES New School
- Approved the 2013 Calendar of Board Business Meetings
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This service is made possible by a Community IMPACT 2011 Grant from the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
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