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Brought to you by
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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!
Four committees of the Orleans Parish School Board held their regular monthly meetings this week. The full Board is scheduled to hold its Monthly Business Meeting on Tuesday, May 21st, at 5:00 p.m. at the McDonogh 35 High School Auditorium, 1331 Kerlerec Street.
The Policy Committee met on Tuesday the 14th. The Accountability, Property, and Budget and Finance Committees met on Thursday the 16th. The Legal and Legislative Committee did not meet.
Committees typically review items that may subsequently be considered for action by the full Board and receive status reports on the implementation of items previously approved.
For each committee meeting, an agenda with back-up documentation was published prior to the meeting. Those materials can be read by clicking on the names of the respective committees below.
***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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Received for First Reading, reviewed and discussed proposed policy amendments - no action necessary
Policies for First Reading
Opens a month-long period for public and Board members to suggest modifications prior to adoption
- D429 - Bids and Quotations (amendment to current to policy)
- Would authorize Board President, in consultation with Superintendent, to declare existence of emergency to take immediate action in accordance with State laws when necessary before a quorum of full Board could gather to certify the emergency
- Board member comments were to put in next draft of amended policy the statutory definition of "emergency" and provisions to notify all Board members and the public when and why such actions were taken
- B210 - Board Meeting Procedures (amendment to current policy)
- Corrects a typo in the current policy and revises policy to more closely mirror statutory public notice requirements
- J939 - Bullying, Intimidation, Harassment, and Hazing (amendment to current policy)
- Changes definitions and other aspects of the policy to comply with Act 861 of the 2012 Legislative Session
- General Counsel explained that it is not necessary to state in the policy why the bullying and other prohibited acts might be committed - only that the acts themselves are wrong and prohibited
- Board members expressed the need to review the details of the extensive rewrite in order to fully understand what would be removed or restated from the existing policy
- Based on the discussion, it is expected that some statements will be added to the policy to emphasize the Board's intent
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MAY 16 COMMITTEE MEETINGS
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Received, reviewed and discussed information reports from the Administration - no action taken
Action Item
Deleted from the agenda - Item to be discussed at Budget and Finance Committee
Discussion/Information Items
Received and discussed reports - no action necessary
- Summer POWER Programs
- Various summer school programs for LEAP-GEE-EOC exams remediation, credit recovery, ESYS program, ESL, and Youth in Transition Camp
- Transportation provided as needed for all programs except credit recovery
- Individual schools usually have their own enrichment programs
- Some accept students regardless of school attended
- Eligibility usually varies by funding source requirements
- Graduating seniors and scholarships
- Information still being compiled
- School Information Snapshot
- Reviewed format template for presenting school data for public info and planning
- Charter schools update
- Reviewed schedule for Type 1 charter RFA - applicant orientation is next week
- Intent to Apply and Eligibility deadline is May 24
- Strategic plan for chartering is expected by Fall 2013
- Types 1 and 2 Charter Application Reviewers
- NACSA will be recommended as independent third-party reviewer (high score in RFP process)
- New charters update
- Homer Plessy Community School will open at Douglass HS, co-located with Arise Academy via lease
- Bricolage Academy will open at 4238 St. Charles Avenue (Touro Synagogue school building)
- Recently awarded $1 million grant from Arnold Foundation through NSNO
- InspireNOLA (Harte ES and Karr HS) will open at existing locations
- Einstein Charter (OPSB) has been granted authorization to expand via annex occupying former Intercultural School (RSD) site
- Einstein handles ESL well, a key to success for former Intercultural School students
- Public comments - one person suggested that a successful charter should also take over the former Mays ES
- Administration reported that RSD is already reusing Mays' site for swing space for McDonogh 42
- Safe & Healthy School Initiative
- Two grants received ($29,499) for HIV, STD and pregnancy prevention
- Programs are school-based in grades 7-12
- Parents can opt-out if they so desire
Received and discussed reports and recommendations from Administration and took action as indicated
Action Items
Discussed recommendations from the Administration and took action as indicated
- Purchase of 6767 Bundy Road - former Bell South Building
- Committee voted to table this item
- Cost - Not to exceed $3,845,000 from 6767 Bundy Road, LLC
- Funds to buy would come probably from surplus property sales proceeds
- RSD requested OPSB to purchase the site to rehab as a location for two programs
- Would replace Master Plan project of new Gaudet ES
- Gaudet would instead get a stabilization or refurbishment project after Lake Forest ES moves out
- Attendees implied operator of new site would be KIPP Central City, who is designated for Gaudet
- RSD said plan would allow the Gaudet new school budget to create seats for three schools at the cost of one
- RSD is not legally allowed to buy or sell property so it must ask OPSB to handle purchase for them
- RSD said delivery of seats via adaptive reuse of Bundy would be over one-year quicker than via new school
- OPSB had voted in February to explore purchase of the Bundy property
- OPSB members expressed several concerns about the proposal
- What are implications for the Master Plan?
- Location not vetted through community engagement
- Change in Master Plan for Gaudet not vetted through community engagement
- District Board member not informed during the planning
- Location is a commercial location - questionably suited for an elementary school
- Board members had thoughts of using the site, if purchased, for HS vocational programs
- Board members want more info from the RSD superintendent, who was not part of the presentation
- Public comments were received
- One community member from N.O. East opposed the proposal
- An administrator from KIPP Central City spoke favorably of the proposal saying a large portion of their students live in N.O. East - said did not care if school assigned is new or renovated
- A parent from KIPP Central City spoke favorably of the proposal saying it was a good short-term solution to her child's long bus trip from the East to KIPP Central City at Guste ES
- Sale of 1542 Constance Street ("Stern Site")
- Forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
- Sale to adjacent Kingsley House for $ 1 million plus assumption of all environmental, historical and archeological liability
- Negotiated sale authorized by State Legislature
- If there were no environmental issues, value would be $2.4 to $2.8 million but environmental liability is at least $1.6 million.
Discussion/Information Items
Received reports from the Administration with no action needed
- Property Flood Insurance Renewal
- Travelers Insurance Company - Not to exceed $137,807
- A few errors on list are being corrected
- Only covers those properties on cycle to expire 5/22/2013
- Board wants to know if any charters are in arrears on payments owed OPSB
- Capital Projects Status Reports
Received and discussed reports and recommendations from Administration and took action as indicated
Action Items
Received recommendations from Administration and took action as indicated
- Third Party Contracts for Titles I and II Supplemental Services at non-public schools
- Forwarded contract amendments for Catapult Learning, Non-Public Educational Services, and Sylvan with recommendations for approval
- Property Flood Insurance Renewal
- Travelers Insurance Company - Not to exceed $137,807
- Forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
- Types 1 and 3 Charter Application Reviewers
- NACSA - Not to exceed $160,000 for up to 12 applicants - price adjusted per actual number of applicants
- Forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
- Purchase of 6767 Bundy Road
- Sale of 1542 Constance Street ("Stern Site"}
- Kingsley House - $1 million plus assumption of all liabilities
- Forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
Discussion/Information Items
Received and discussed reports from Administration
- April 2013 Financial Reports
- District expects a substantial increase in current year MFP funds from recent LA Supreme Court Decision
- Master Plan FEMA revenues and construction costs
- Presentation by Jacobs/CSRS - can be read here
- Anticipate budget adjustment prior to bidding out Lake Forest ES
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This service is made possible by a Community IMPACT 2012 Grant from the Greater New Orleans Foundation and funding from the
Robert Reily Family Trust and the Smith/Cooper Foundation
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