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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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The Orleans Parish School Board held a series of meetings on Thursday, September 11, 2014. The meetings included two
Special Board Business Meetings, one annual Budget Hearing, and four monthly Committee Meetings.
All meetings were held in Room 4050 of OPSB's Timbers III Office Building, 3520 General DeGaulle Drive. The meetings were video-recorded for archiving on OPSB's website, www.opsb.us.
OPSBrief has summarized the agendas of each meeting below. Actual posted agendas and back-up documentation can be accessed by clicking on the title of the respective meetings.
Committees typically review and discuss items prior to their submittal for full Board consideration at a subsequent Board Business Meeting. Committees also review the progress of the implementation of items previously approved by the full Board.
The next Board Business Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 16th, at 5:00 p.m. in the Mack Spears Auditorium of the McDonogh 35 HS, 1331 Kerlerec Street.
***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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| REPORT FROM SEPTEMBER 11 OPSB MEETINGS |
Recessed into Executive Session and reconvened with an information report but no action taken
- Held an Executive Session to discuss Superintendent Candidates
- Reconvened in Open Session for determination of next course of action for Superintendent Search
- OPSB President announced that the process will continue "as is"
Received and reviewed recommendations and took action as indicated
- Resolution 27-14 OPSB Call Resolution - School Facilities Preservation Program
- Received report from OPSB Superintendent Stan Smith
- RSD Superintendent Patrick Dobard spoke in favor of the proposal
- Proposal would establish a School Facilities Preservation Program
- Authorized and established by Act 543 of 2014 Regular Session of Louisiana Legislature
- Addresses the need for long term capital preservation of local school facilities after one-time FEMA funds are exhausted
- Provides that the existing local revenues (sales tax and millage) dedicated to paying current debt can be used for maintaining school facilities after the existing bond debt has been paid off
- Can be established without raising current level of taxes
- However, delays in approving could reduce amount of revenue available for the program by $5-6 million annually for each year of delay
- Outlines how this facility money will be allocated between the OPSB and RSD and the charter schools
- Sets out the responsibilities of OPSB, RSD, and the occupant of each school in maintaining and repairing the facilities
- Would call for a referendum by Orleans Parish voters on December 6, 2014
- Defeated a motion to defer by a 3 to 4
- Passed a motion by a 4 to 3 vote to forward to the full Board with a favorable recommendation
- Public comments favorable to its passage were made by representatives of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools, Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools, Inspire NOLA, Crescent City Schools, and other school groups
- One citizen spoke to confirm the need for the Program but to oppose any tax that provided funds for charter schools, particularly those that did not hire former OPSB employees laid-off after Hurricane Katrina
- Favorable comments from some OPSB members included the following
- Need and purpose is justified
- Buildings should be maintained
- Legislature should be commended for setting up a vehicle for maintaining buildings
- Citizens get to vote on the program's funding
- All OPSB-owned campuses are covered, whether occupied by direct-run or charter schools or controlled by OPSB or RSD
- Opposing comments from some OPSB members included the following
- Not enough involvement of OPSB members in drafting the legislation
- Would like more legal review first before approving resolution
- Would like more community input prior to vote on the resolution
- Concerns over interpretations and implementation of Act 35 (state take-over law in 2005)
- Litigation regarding Upper Audubon Association v City Board of Zoning Adjustments
- Discussed in Executive Session litigation over building set-back waiver for Audubon School construction project
- Approved in Open Session a proposed settlement
- An employee worker's compensation case
- Discussed in Executive Session
- Approved in Open Session a proposed settlement
Received and discussed a report from the Administration with no action taken.
- 2013-14 Graduation Scholarship Summary Report
- Covered both OPSB direct-run and charter high schools
- 95% of seniors graduated
- Scholarships for college awarded = $53.8 million
- Athletic scholarships = $3.7 million
- TOPS scholarships = $11.9 million
- Other academic scholarships = $26.0 million
- Grants and needs-based scholarships = $12.2 million
Received and discussed reports from staff with no action taken
- Ad Hoc Committee for John McDonogh HS facility
- Will appoint a committee at the Board Business meeting
- Received public comments from persons wanting building to go back to OPSB
- Debated speed of progress in finalizing plan for October BESE meeting
- Capital Projects Status Report
- All OPSB capital projects in status report
- Detailed reports on selected projects
- Audubon - Broadway Campus Renovations/Addition
- McDonogh 7 Repairs
- Moton New School
- Capital Projects True Up
- OPSB projects currently have a $7.2 million unallocated contingency
- Funds are available to build new Bio-Medical District HS once site is determined with State
- Capital Projects Budget Amendment #15
- McDonogh 7 ES Stabilization
- Additional funds to remedy water penetration through old masonry on 1877 building
- $215,000
- OPSB Surplus Property Offers Update
- Deferred to Budget and Finance Committee
- DBE Status Report
Policy Committee - will not meet
Received and discussed reports from staff and took action as indicated
- OPSB Surplus Property Offers - from Charter Schools per State law
- Forwarded the Superintendent's recommendations to the full Board with a favorable recommendation
- Board counsel explained the State laws governing charter school preference and property sales
- Purchasing charters pledged to involve DBEs in construction programs
- Carrollton Courthouse
- No offered received
- Probably will be auctioned
- Hansberry ES
- Sale - Citizens' Committee for Education - $400,000
- Priestley JrHS
- Sale - Lycee Francais de la Nouvelle-Orleans - $425,500
- Four persons spoke in favor of the sale, including the school leader
- Three persons spoke against the sale, preferring its use for something else
- Hoffman ES Site
- Defer for additional appraisals - N.O. College Preparatory Academies
- Three persons spoke in favor of the sale, including the school leader
- Resolution 24-14 - Capital Budget Amendment #15
- Forwarded to full Board with favorable recommendation
- McDonogh 7 ES Stabilization
- Additional $215,000 to remedy water penetration into building
- Deferred Revenues FY 2013 - distribution
- Forwarded to full Board with favorable recommendation the proposed distribution formula
- Resolution 26-14 - 2015 General Obligation Bonds Millage
- Forwarded to full Board with favorable recommendation
- Rate (adjusted annually) = 4.97 mils
- FY 2014 Financial Statement Update
- Deferred - awaiting final numbers
- Real Estate Advisory Services
- Received staff report on receipt of proposals
- Proposals are being reviewed
Received a presentation on the proposed budget and gave the public the opportunity to comment
Reviewed and discussed the proposal from the Administration and took action as indicated
- Resolution 25-14 Fiscal Year 2015 Consolidated Budget
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This service is made possible by support from the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools and funding from the
Robert Reily Family Trust and the Smith/Cooper Foundation
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