The OPSBrief

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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 Orleans Parish School Board held its regular monthly Committee Meetings on Thursday, June 13, 2013, in Conference Room 4050 of the Timbers III Office Building, 3520 General DeGaulle Drive. To read the agendas and detailed back-up information for those meetings, click on the Committee titles below. 
 
Committees typically discuss items which may appear as action items at future meetings of the full School Board and review the progress of matters upon which the full Board has previously acted.

The next monthly Business Meeting of the Board is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, in the Auditorium of the McDonogh 35 High School, 1331 Kerlerec Street. The agenda for that meeting is expected to be posted on Monday 17th. If any Public Hearing will be scheduled on policy amendments or other matters of public concern, the Hearing is typically held a half-hour or hour prior to the Board meeting.

 

 

***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
  • The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation Grant Agreement
    • Reviewed and forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
    • More than $20,000 for music instruments
  • Charter School Performance Framework Orientation
    • Received a presentation from the National Association of Charter School Authorizers
    • Process under development for clarity and transparency on process to determine charter renewals
  • High School Graduation Report
    • Received report from Administration
    • Graduation rates - 94% of seniors graduating and 89% of high school cohort
    • Spring graduates (1093) were offered over $51 million in college scholarships
  • 21st Century Grant Award: Easton Karr, McDonogh 35, McMain, and NO Science and Math HS
    • Received report from Administration
    • $1.9 million over 3 years - minimum 533 students involved as a cohort group
  • Kellogg Grant - Mahalia Jackson ES
    • Received report from Administration
    • $750,000 over 3 years - extended days and enrichment
  • Food Service Operations Report
    • Received report from Administration
    • Commended program whose services are being utilized also by many OPSB and RSD charters
  • Type 1 Charters / Non-Profit Organizations
    • Received report from Administration
    • Five groups submitted eligible letters of intent
  • New Charter Update - Bricolage, Plessy, InspireNola
    • Received report from Administration
  • 21st Century Grant Award: Encore, Bricolage, Plessy
    • Received report from Administration
    • $360,000 annually over three years for after-school programs
    • In conjunction with Communities in Schools
  • OneApp Update
    • Received report from Administration that OneApp selections for OPSB direct-run schools greatly exceed capacity
    • Received status reports from RSD staff on OneApp process
    • Heard complaints from general public and school staff on OneApp process
      • Concerns that high performing OPSB direct-run schools had available spaces taken up by randomly selected families who did not show up for registration
      • Concerns that OneApp actually narrows choices by keeping students away from schools with special programs and extra-curricular activities that they desire
      • Concerns that some prominent bands, athletic teams, arts programs and clubs were being hurt by randomness of selection
      • Heard parent concern that successful OPSB schools were forced to use OneApp process developed by lower performing RSD  
  • Leverage Financing
    • Deferred to Budget and Finance Committee
  • Davis-Bacon Act
    • Received report from Administration and Counsel that FEMA provides for Davis-Bacon requirements only if state or local policies included the requirements prior to Hurricane Katrina, which was not the case
  • Capital Projects Report
    • Received monthly status report on capital projects
    • Received report from Administration that needed lead paint abatement at the McDonogh 7 School will cause a six-month delay in move of Audubon Extension to the site
    • As a result, OPSB will repair water leaks on parapet of Carrollton Courthouse, where Audubon Extension is currently
  • McDonogh 35 Cooling Tower Replacement
    • Received report from Administration
    • Bids received (see Budget and Finance Committee)
    • Work will be done while school is not in session
  • Facility Assignment Matrix
    • Received report from Administration on process to use in compliance with OPSB Policy F606, here
  • North Kenilworth School Update
    • Moton Charter School requested assignment to the new North Kenilworth ES based upon original Master Plan designation of new school for Moton combined with the school's occupancy of four temporary sites since Hurricane Katrina
    • Several OPSB members supported Moton's request
    • Several other OPSB members asked that the request be filtered through the process outlined above for Policy F606.
  • Superintendent Search
    • Discussed process and composition of committee to evaluate consultant proposals to assist OPSB with search
    • RFQ was released with responses due July 21, 2013
    • Added community representatives appointed by Board members
  • Legislative Update
    • Reviewed report from Superintendent
    • Legislature granted pay increases for certified teachers
  • Litigation Matters :
    • Discussed items in executive session and referred to full Board
      • City code enforcement over Timbers I and II buildings
      • City Inspector General audit demand
  • Amendments to D429 - Bids and Quotations - RE. emergency bids procedures
    • Deleted from agenda
  • Amendments to B210 - Board Meeting Procedures - RE. notice provisions
    • Reviewed and forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval as Second reading
    • Adjusts OPSB's notice provisions to more closely mirror State statutory requirements
  • Amendments to J939 - Bullying, Intimidation, Harassment, and Hazing - RE. compliance with 2012 State legislation
    • Reviewed and forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval as First Reading
    • More rewrites forthcoming

Budget & Finance Committee

  • Reviewed several resolutions related to requirements for Louisiana Disaster Recovery Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funding and forwarded them to the full Board with a recommendation for approval
    • Residential Anti-Displacement Plan for CDBG
    • Residential Section 3 Plan for CDBG
    • Nondiscrimination on the basis of disability for CDBG
    • Section 504 Communications Guidelines for CDBG
  • Capital Budget Amendment # 4 for Audubon, Timbers, and St. Julian
    • Reviewed and forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
      • FEMA funds - St. Julian Chiller - $30,000
      • FEMA funds - Audubon Renovation - $500,000
      • Other funds - Timbers - $980,000
  • Leverage financing for McDonogh 35, McDonogh 42, and North Kenilworth schools
    • Reviewed and forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
    • Provides the opportunity for New Market Tax Credits to increase Master Plan funding
  • Cooling Tower Replacement at McDonogh 35
    • Reviewed and forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
    • GCA Services Group - $137,491
  • Auditing services for FY2013
    • Reviewed and forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
    • LaPorte Sehrt Romig Hand
    • One year with option to renew up to four years
  • Intergovernmental agreement between OPSB and Vermillion Parish School Board
    • Reviewed and forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
    • Collaborative of approximately 48 school districts for volume purchasing , joint professional development, etc.
  • Food Services purchasing bids
    • Reviewed and forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
    • Direct diversion (i.e., processing) of USDA commodities
    • Canned goods and staples
    • Meat, seafood, and poultry
    • Milk
    • Frozen foods, juices, and vegetables
  • May 2013 financial statements
    • Received and discussed report from Administration
    • Ad valorem and sale tax receipts are ahead of projections
  • Revised budget timeline
    • Received proposed schedule
    • Public General Fund Budget Hearings - July 22-26, 2013
    • Public availability of General Fund Budget for inspection - August 5, 2013
    • Public Hearing on FY2014 Consolidated Budget - August 20, 2013
    • OPSB consideration to adopt Consolidated Budget - August 20, 2013
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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