001Welcome everyone to the May meeting of the St. Charles Parish public school system. We appreciate everybody coming in. Before we begin tonight, Rehea Fortune, a seventh grader from Albert Camman Middle School, will say the prayer before the pledge. Rehea has accomplished the following while at Albert Camman Middle School. cheerleading captain, Beta Club member, track team member, principal list award recipient, perfect attendance award recipient, and student of the month award recipient. After the prayer, District 1 board member Ellis Alexander will lead us in the pledge of allegiance. If you are able, please stand. Father, in the name of Jesus, we come before you today acknowledging your sovereignty and goodness. We ask for your divine presence and guidance in this meeting. Lord, we pray for wisdom for all the members of this school board. For the administrators,
002teachers, parents, and students. Grant them discernment to make decisions that are just, fair, and truly beneficial for the education and well-being of every child in our community. We pray for unity, Lord, that even in disagreements, there will be a spirit of respect and understanding. Help us to listen to one another with open hearts and to seek solutions that serve the greater good. We ask for your protection over our schools, our students, and our staff. Keep them safe, healthy, and thriving in their learning environments. May your peace reign in our hearts, and in this room. We commit this meeting and all its outcomes to into your loving hands. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Let the record show that all board members are in attendance as well as Superintendent Dr. Ken Ortling and Executive Secretary Shelley Babino.
003First up, recognitions. Board and superintendent recognitions. Alexis Cannon will do the honors. I just would like to say everyone should have been able to receive a pamphlet as you walked in. You can follow along with the students and teachers and administrators that are being honored tonight. We just ask that after your recognition has happened, please just remain in the boardroom until all recognitions are complete. That way it we don't have any disruptions and everybody can have the full respect of the uh achievements that they have earned. Thank you. >> Students, Albert Camman Middle School students placed at the Junior Beta State Convention. Second in poetry, Siri Raviati. Third in computer science. Sincere Johnson. Desterhan High School student won the first robotics leadership award. Kai suit. Honville High School students were named to the Louisiana High
004School Athletic Association's all academic composite team. Addison Oron high school students were named to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association all academic divisional team. Deserhan High School's Jackson Fletcher Thank you. We have another student who is named to the all academic composite team. Hanville High School's Avery Ortling. All academic divisional team. Aubrey Fricky, Caitlyn Weights, Honville High School student placed first at the district level at the Louisiana High School Association Rally. First in computer science, Remy Reeves. Hanville High School students placed at the Louisiana High School Association's state rally. First in food nutrition and overall Dakota Tanzy. Honville High School students individually earned superior ratings at the Louisiana Thespian Festival. in costume design and du duet musical theater. Adelaide Harms in theater marketing. Jaylen Leblon in solo musical theater dance. Avery Ortling High school students
005were named to the all league tennis first team. Hondo High School's doubles team of Logan Logan Bodwin and Owen Goar. doubles team of Ryan Cantrell and Bri DeMarco. Aniston Jerus Let's go. High school students were named to the all league and all district tennis first teams. Desterhan High School's Jackson Flesher. He's also the most valuable player. District MVP and regional champions, doubles team of Lane, Doubles team Laney Katau and Aubrey Fricky. District MVPs Alexander Dagel and Bo Turner. District MVP Addison Orsron. on high school students are individual track and field district champions. Desteran High School's Sergy Williams Honville High School. Anastasia Adawumi Leila Perkins. kins. Zarya Washington Bobby Williams Regional champions. boys 4x 400 meter relay team Joel Mloud, Al Johnson, Jeremiah Brick House, and Drake Weber. Joel Mloud is here to represent Girls 4x400
006meter relay team. Anastasia Adawum, Marley Goce, Kyla Mixon, Maja Strickland, Girls 4 by 800 meter relay team. Anastasia Adawum, a Avery Ortling, Reagan Trig, and Sarah Weights. Desteran High School student earned various accolades for indoor and outdoor track and field. For indoor track, he was triple jump and long jump state champion. And in track and field, he was the long jump and triple jump district champion and most valuable player, long jump and long jump regional and state champion. Please direct your attention to the screen to see Damen Richard in action. Heat. Heat. Heat up here. Damian's mom is here to accept his award on his behalf. Congratulations All right. So, moving back. Um, let me see. High school students are individual track and field district champions. Let's see. Dasheran High School's Edward Florent. Hanville High
007School student is an individual track state champion for seated shotput, discus, and javelin. Please direct attention to the screen to see Brian Mel in action. Deep eye of the tiger is the th of the fight to rising up to the challenge of our rival. And the last survivors spread in the night and he must come of the tigers. The boys javelin wheelchair competitor from Hanville, Brian Mel. 367 for the gold medal. Brian Morel, three gold medals today. >> Congratulations, Brian Mel. employees. Desterhan High School employee is the district boys tennis coach of the year. Coach Josh Bordalon Desteran High School employee won the first robotics Woody Flowers award. sponsor Brian Young teams. Lakewood Elementary School's band and choir achieved the Sweet Stakes ratings at the Louisiana Music Educators Association District and State Festival. Here to
008represent is directors Brian Martinez and Miss Monica Monty. Desteran High School's boys tennis team is the district champion. Coach Josh Bordalon and the team, please come forward for a photo. Desterhan High School's winner guard is the Magnolia Performing Arts Association circuit champion in addition to winning the Bayou class for Scholastic Region A and second place for Scholastic Region overall. Will coach Nancy Mclendon and all coaches in attendance as well as the team please come forward for a photo. Desterhan High School's Wildcat Robotics 30 3039 received the first robotics creativity award by Rockwell Automation. Will Brian Young and the team please come forward for a photo? Hanville High School girls tennis team is the district champion. Will coach Crystal Canrell and the team please come forward. Hanville High School girls track team is the district champion.
009Coach Britney Bonafans. All coaches in the team, please come forward for a photo. Hanville High School's Tigerbots 2183 received the first robotics engineering excellence award. Will Mr. Fitzgerald and the team, please come forward for the photo. Hanville High School Highsteppers dance team placed first at various state and national dance competitions. These competitions include at the dance team union Baton Rouge competition. They placed first in varsity jazz, first in varsity palm. At the New Orleans competition, they placed first in vars varsity team performance, small varsity palm and large varsity jazz. And at the Universal Dance Louisiana Dance Challenge, they po they were second in division 2 palm. And at the dance team national compet championship, they were second in small varsity team performance, third in medium varsity palm, and sixth in medium varsity jazz. Please direct
010your attention to the screen to see them in action. 4 3 2 1. They ready. Let's go. There's everywhere. If you come, you're messing with 1 2 1 2 3. Nobody say Heat. Heat. Congratulations, Hondo High Sepher. Will all coaches in attendance and the team please come forward. Before Mr. COD closes out the recognition. He did give me permission to just uh typically we wait until personnel to uh make these announcements. Uh so I would like to recognize as part of recognition our administrators that have that are switching schools tonight that are here in attendance. Just please stand when I call your name. Um Hanbo High I mean Harry Hurst Middle School new principal, Miss Nicole Hall. Also at Harry Hurst Middle School, now assistant principal, Miss Megan Cologne, our director of counseling, mental health,
011and student support, Dr. Marquita George, our director of child welfare, and attendance, Mr. Steven Gutirez. A new assistant principal at St. Rose Elementary School, Miss Mary Bordalon. at Lulling Elementary School. Principal Miss Kelly Orting, Assistant Principal, Miss Jennifer Gonzalez, Assistant Principal, Mr. Bodie Dofren, assistant superintendent, Miss Brandy Landry. >> Oh, wait. Did I say assistant superintendent? >> You did. >> Yeah, that's definitely not the case. Johnny, you still got your job. Assistant principal. >> That's on me. >> I told him he was fired earlier today, so that's probably why. Just joking. Administrative intern, Miss Avignon Stewart. Miss Avenue. That was bad. All right. Principal at Lakewood Elementary School. Miss Amy Hayen, assistant principal at Mimosa Park Elementary School. Miss Gina Burst, assistant principal at Alamman's Elementary School. Miss Victoria Coleman Scott. and administrator of the
012satellite center, Miss Jenny Medina Hamilton. I think that is all. Did I forget? Anybody? Please say no. Okay. And we still have the assistant superintendent, Mr. Cody. No. >> Thank you all for coming tonight. This is always my favorite part. I think this might be the biggest crowd that we have. I mean, when we say tripleA district, we mean it. Arts, academics, and athletics. and everybody everyone in this room exemplifies that. Thank you all for being respectful to everyone that got recognized. You're more than welcome to stay for the business portion, but we're going to break for a couple minutes. We'll we'll get that going at at 710, so 6 minutes, but uh get out uh watch the weather. Thank you all for coming. All right. Agenda item 3A, consent agenda items. approve or the
013board will vote on the items discussed for consent at the May 18th, 2026 committee committee meetings to include the student accident insurance broker acceptance personnel items job description revision cycle proposal acceptance of the USDA Southeast Commodities Processing Cooperative Agreement. Bid acceptance child nutrition program bread and bread products. Bid acceptance child nutrition janitorial and paper supplies. Bid acceptance child nutrition program milk products frozen food products and processed food products. Bid acceptance small cafeteria equipment. Bid acceptance large kitchen equipment. Bid authorization request for janitorial supplies. >> Move approval. Second. I have a motion by Mr. Smith, a second by Mr. Greson. Is there any discussion? If none, please voice your vote verbally. All in favor say I. >> I. >> All opposed, please cast your vote electronically. There he is. That item passes. B. Board meeting minutes.
014The board will vote. Excuse me. Vote. The board will need to approve the board minutes of the following meetings. April 20th, 2026 budget review, capital improvements committee, all of the other committee meetings, and the April 22nd board meeting. >> Mr. President, I'll move that we approve the meeting minutes for the meetings that you that you have listed. >> Second. >> Have a motion by Mr. Suffer and a second by Miss Weber. All All in favor or is there any discussion rather? There's no discussion. All in favor, please voice your vote verbally by saying I >> I >> opposed. Please cast your vote electronically. >> I don't know. I did >> vote again. No, all I couldn't vote because all it was saying was close the popup. Just for the record, we have all but Mr.
015Suffren and Miss Weber as recorded on here. Did we want to make sure that we correct the record as we were all in favor? >> Can we do uh we we did a roll call there. It was all it was all eyes. So that that the board minutes passed unanimously. Item three C, committee and board meeting schedule for the 2026 2027 school year. Administration is requesting that the schedule of committee and board meetings for the 2026 2027 school year be adopted now to allow the schools adequate time to plan their calendars. Expeditious adoption of the schedule of committee and board meetings will allow for the setting of advertising and bidding dates for new projects in additions to buildings to be transacted in a timely fashion. This will help us develop school system calendars and communicate
016board activities to the public. This item was reviewed at the personnel and policy committee meeting of the board Monday, May 18th, 2026 and is aligned with goal B of the board's strategic action plan. May I entertain a motion? >> Mr. President, I move approval. >> Second. >> Have a motion by Mr. Gregson, a second by Miss Weber. Is there any discussion? If none, please verbally cast your vote. All in favor say I. >> I. All opposed. Please cast your vote electronically. that item passes unanimously. Item 3D, mentor and referral stipen revisions. This agenda item reflects a strategic realignment of mentor, recruitment, and related stipens to support district priorities in recruitment, retention, and workforce development, particularly in high need areas such as special education and transportation. The proposed revisions streamline compensation practices, eliminate low impact stipens,
017and strengthen investments in teacher residency and mentoring programs while promoting fiscal responsibility and alignment to current staffing needs. This agenda item was reviewed at the personnel and policy committee meeting of the board on Monday, May 18th, 2026 and is aligned with goal C of the board's strategic action plan. >> President, I move approval of the mentor and referral stipen revision. >> Second. >> Have a motion by Mr. Alexander, a second by Mr. Suffin. Is there any discussion? If none, all please cast your vote verbally by saying I. I >> oppose say no or all any opposed please cast your vote electronically. That item passes unanimously and I would like to note that that is at an estimated savings of close to $100,000 for the district. 3 E accounts payable invoices and other financial obligations for
018the school district are customarily paid weekly. Request for approval of these transactions is normally made to the board monthly. The board must approve expenditures of public funds under its jurisdiction. This agenda item was reviewed at the finance and audit committee of meeting of the board on Monday 18 Monday May 18th 2026 and is aligned with goal D of the board's strategic action plan. >> Move approval. >> Second. >> Have a motion by Mr. Smith second by Mr. Suffren. Before there is any board discussion we do have public comment. Mr. JB IDE if you'd like to come forward sir. There's also been a a submitt of the document that I put it at each one of your desks. Mr. Hyde, as you're well aware, uh three minutes to speak, please make sure that the microphone is
019on when you come up there, sir. And once you start speaking, the timer will start. Thank you, sir. I'd like Einstein. >> Thank you. appreciate you and thank you to the board. Let me get my glasses and you know I'm speaking tonight in connection with the finance and audit committee's account payable item. Last month I thanked the board for the financial support that helped send our robotics students to different competitions and uh provide the assets that they use. Tonight I sub submitted a uh fuller written statement uh for the board and as Tigerbots celebrate their 20th year we are looking ahead to the 21st year in this season of 2027 with clear vision returning to world's first world's championship and building towards the Einstein playoff that's the highest competition stage at F FRC the question
020is this you know can that vision become become bigger than one school. If it can, what does it require? Robotics is different from more established programs. You know, here now F FRC depends on three things. First, technical and business mentorship, student leadership, and continuity from year to year. That matters because school pride alone will not build a sustainable robotics ecosystem. School pride matters, but at this stage, the stronger leadership move is a unified parish strategy. One that helps both programs grow and reach higher together. Strong robotics programs are not built on engineering alone. They they develop students across three sides of the house. Technical execution, business operations, and leadership influence. St. Charles Parish has a powerful advantage. Students surrounded by industry, infrastructure, and problem solving at scale. This the opportunity before us is to build
021on that advantage through stronger mentorship pipelines, greater industry engagement, and a clear shared vision for student leadership and program growth. I also brought the five le levels of leadership as a leadership resource. I'm submitting the written statement tonight and will provide additional resource for review. In FRC, Einstein represents the pinnacle of competition. In leadership, level five represents lasting influence for St. Charles Parish. These ideas meet in the same place, building programs capable of reaching higher together. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Odd. any >> uh is there any board discussion? >> No, I would uh Mr. President, I would just like to say um I reached out to him and we played phone tag the last few weeks and I plan on discussing with him uh to see some partnerships we can do externally uh
022from at least the River Chamber and and he's spot on what he says. I appreciate the support and recognition on that. Thank you, sir. There is no further discussion. Could we please get a verbal vote? All in favor of the accounts payable agenda item say I. >> I. >> All opposed. Please cast your vote electronically. That item passes unanimously. Closing items. Stand standing committee reports. Any board member has a committee report. This would be the time to express it. Superintendent, at this time until we adopt our interim budget, the board is asking that the administration does not increase staffing levels and keep the board informed of any positions that become vacant. In addition, if the administration determines the job responsibilities can be reassigned or shared among among existing personnel through other means at a net
023reduced cost to the district without compromising personnel, instruction, compliance or safety, then those adjustments should be implemented and the board informed. >> Understood. And we'll work towards um generating a report we can send you on a weekly basis to keep the board informed relative to that. Thank you. There are no more committee reports. We move to the superintendent report. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Congratulations to both graduating classes at Hanville and High School. Both ceremonies celebrate a remarkable group of young adults stepping into the next chapter in their lives. Thank you for inspiring your peers, teachers, and families. Wishing you all the success, happiness, and fulfillment that life offers. But as in the famous words of CC Cody, what's next? like that, huh? Our athletics update. The Hava High School softball team finished the season
024with an overall record of 19 and 12. They were seated number eight in the playoffs and defeated Hton in the first round. In the second round, they defeated Parish. In the third round, they defeated Central of Baton Rouge. In the semi-finals, they defeated Santa on their way to winning the state championship in in 5A, beating Live Oak 6 to five. Congratulations. The Destrian High School softball team was named the District 85A champions and finished the season with a 22-6 record as the number six seed in the playoffs. They earned a first round buy and they were eliminated by Barb in the regional round. The Han High School baseball team was also named to the district 85A as district 85A champions finishing the season with a 28-6 record. They were seated number five in the playoffs
025and earned a first round buy. In the second round, they defeated Northshore but lost to Zachary in the quarterfinals. The Destrian High School baseball team, finished the regular season with an overall record of 24 and 11. They were the number 14 seed in the playoffs and defeated Fountain Blue in the opening round. They then they then defeated West Monroe, that's a tough task, in Western Monroe in the second round and Benton in the quarterfinals, but fell to Sam Houston in the semi-finals. The girls tennis teams at Han High School finished the season as district champs, and several athletes qualified for the LHSA state tournament. As you heard tonight, the boys tennis team at Desan High School finished the season as district champions with several athletes also qualifying for the state tournament. Desteran High School powerlifting
026had five males and seven females qualify for the state meet in Kenner. Hadasa Costa was a state champion in her weight class. The Destran High School bowling team won the district co-ed championship and three male players and one female player qualify for the individual state championship tournament in Baton Rouge. The Hano High School bowling team also had two male players and one female player qualify for the individual state championship tournament in Baton Rouge. In outdoor track and field, the Hano High School girls team finished first in the district and boys second with several athletes from both Destran and Hanville qualifying for the LHSA state meet. Hanville High School's Brian Marillo, as you heard tonight, brought home three gold medals at the state championship, competing in seated shotput, discus, and javelin. Industrian High School's Damen Richard
027won the state championship in the boys long jump. As a reminder, tomorrow, May 21st, is all students last day of school and is an early dismissal. From May 25th until July 17th, we'll begin a 4-day work schedule at the central office. This year has been incredibly successful to all of our employees, families, and community. We've been fully committed and are allin with an expectation of excellence is at every level of our organization to achieve our mission of developing empathetic, involved, productive, and responsible citizens. We're all grateful for the hard work, planning, innovative approaches, caring attitudes, and sacrifices made by all of our teammates, as well for the support of our board and the close collaboration of our families. Also, on behalf of St. Charles Parish School Board, our faculty, staff, and most importantly, our students.
028Thank you for supporting the renewal of Proposition One, Operations and Maintenance Mill. This will help fund our school system for the next 10 years. I hope everyone has an enjoyable, restful, and safe summer, and we look forward to seeing you next year. Mr. President, that concludes my report. >> Move to adjourn. >> I second. >> And adjourned.