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Presentation
Received information and thanked business partner for its support
- Toyota Perfect Attendance Car Giveaway
- Eighth year of program to encourage and recognize perfect attendance among 12th graders
- Toyota/Scion of New Orleans sponsor - see www.PremierStayInSchool.org
- One randomly drawn senior with perfect attendance will receive a new 2014 Scion xD
- Car was on display in parking lot outside of meeting
- Other seniors with perfect attendance will receive other prizes, most from other sponsors
Action Items
Reviewed and discussed recommendations and took actions as indicated
- Compass Odyssey Purchase
- Approved adding Harte, Einstein and M. Jackson to software subscription at a cost of $ 36,525
- Selection of Superintendent Search Firm
- Superintendent's Search Evaluation Committee Report
- Believed that any of the four finalists would do a good job for Board
- Included DBE participation in rating firms - all firms have diversity
- Rank ordered finalists as follows:
- Proact Search of Wilmette, IL
- HYA aka ECRA Group of Rosemont, IL
- Hawkins Company of Los Angeles, CA
- Isaacson Miller of Boston, MA
- Isaacson Miller did not attend the Board interviews and subsequently withdrew
- Heard public comments from six persons questioning process and HYA's commitment to DBE goal
- Discussed among Board members and Evaluation Committee DBE commitments of firms
- Failed to pass by a 2 to 5 vote a motion to delete HYA from consideration based on lack of DBE commitment
- Passed by a 4 to 3 vote a motion to award the contract to HYA and to hire a separate DBE firm to work with HYA on the project
- Type 1 Charter Applications
- Summary of applications and independent evaluations can be read here
- Received a report from National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA), Board's independent third-party evaluator of charter applications
- Successful charter applicants must meet standards in all four required areas of readiness to operate charter schools
- Educational Plan
- Organizational Plan
- Financial Plan
- Evidence of Capacity
- Recommendation to deny refers only to readiness as shown in current application
- Several charter groups have been successful after denial by regrouping and correcting deficiencies
- Next applications cycle is in Spring 2014
- Smothers Academy
- Proposed PK-8 school for 490 boys
- Independent evaluation was "deny"
- Applicant appeared and expressed opinion that the evaluation process was flawed
- OPSB approved Administration's recommendation to deny
- The Learning Lab
- Proposed Grades 6 to 12 school for 450 students co-ed
- Independent evaluation was "deny"
- OPSB approved Administration's recommendation to deny
- Cypress Academy
- Proposed K-8 school for 700 students co-ed
- Independent evaluation was "deny"
- Applicant then requested conditional approval for 2015 subject to correcting deficiencies
- Would serve significant population of dyslexia and learning disabilities currently believed underserved in local public schools
- OPSB approved Administration's recommendation to deny and invited applicant to address deficiencies and reapply next year
- Thurgood Marshall College Fund Collegiate Academy @ SUNO
- Proposed Grades 6 to 12 school for 625 students co-ed
- Would utilize for-profit Connections Education (Pearson) for curricular and back-office support
- Would use "blended learning" - both on-line and face-to-face instruction
- Independent evaluation was "approve"
- Concern was expressed by some Board members and the Administration that the fees for the for-profit operator would detract from instructional resources
- Applicant's representatives stressed readiness and urged approval
- New Schools for New Orleans representative expressed concerns that for-profit operators paid low teacher salaries
- By a 3-2 vote, with one abstention and one absent, OPSB rejected Administration's recommendations to deny and thus approved the charter award
- Property Auction Update
- Approved the results of the auction
- Exchange of Property with City
- Approved swapping OPSB's surplus Idaho & Seine property for City's Fox Playground adjacent to Landry Campus
- Two citizens expressed support for the swap and urged OPSB to find ways to still allow public use at Fox
- Executive Director of Algiers Charter School Association, operator of Landry-Walker HS, pledged that public access to the park would be maintained
- Sale of Shaw ES to Encore Academy
- Approved sale of OPSB surplus building to the charter school
- Lake Forest ES New School Bids
- Rejected all bids after hearing appeal from low bidder for accepting his bid
- Bids were significantly over-budget
- Project will be rebid soon with some adjustments in bid specifications
- Chevron Project Lead the Way
- Approved $ 41,000 grant for Franklin ES engineering pathway program
- Leveraged Financing for McDonogh 42 Renovation
- Approved Resolution 27-31
- Projected to generate $ 5 to $7 million in tax credits for the Facilities Master Plan
Litigation Matter/Executive Session
Recessed into Executive Session to discuss litigation, reconvened in Public Session, and took action as indicated
- Worker's Compensation Case
- Approved General Counsel's settlement recommendation
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