PROCEEDINGS OF THE ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
LAPLACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, - LAPLACE, LA
SPECIAL MEETING OF JUNE 22, 2020
The Chair called the meeting to order and read the following call: HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
Parish of St. John the Baptist
Dear Board Member:
Upon call of the President, the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board will meet in special session at LaPlace Elementary School, 393 Greenwood Drive, LaPlace, Louisiana, on Monday, June 22, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.
An agenda for the meeting is attached.
Sincerely,
Cory Butler
Interim Superintendent/Secretary
ITEM 1. CALL TO ORDER, INVOCATION, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Chair called the meeting to order at 5:12 p.m. He called for a moment of silent meditation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
ITEM 2. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS: The Chair called for Public Comment.
PRESENT: Holden, Burl, Keller, DeFrancesch, Jones, Johnson, Schum, Wallace, Mitchell, Triche, Sanders
ABSENT:
There were 11 members present and 1 members absent.
ITEM 3. Mr. Patrick H. Sanders/R.V. Allmon, JD Consulting – School Board Members will nominate and select two (2) Superintendent Candidates as Finalists to be Re-interviewed
Mr. Allmon stated that the board members will each choose 2 candidates and any candidate that receives 7 or more votes, will be considered a finalist. Mr. Burl questioned the 7 votes, and stated that 6 is a majority on this board and he wanted any candidate that received 6 votes to be a finalist. Extensive discussion was held.
MOTION BY: Burl
SECOND BY:
MOTION: To accept 6 votes as the baseline to be considered a finalist.
The motion failed, due to the lack of a second.
The board members then orally read their choices for the Top 2 Candidates. The four candidates are: Dr. Jawan Brown-Alexander, Bernard Chandler, Dr. Lynett Hookfin, Dr. Kelli Joseph
Holden: Chandler, Joseph
Burl: Joseph
Keller: Chandler, Hookfin
Sanders: Hookfin, Joseph
DeFrancesch: Chandler, Hookfin
Jones: Chandler, Joseph
Johnson: Brown-Alexander, Joseph
Schum: Chandler, Hookfin
Wallace: Hookfin, Joseph
Mitchell: Brown-Alexander, Hookfin
Triche: Chandler
Votes Received:
Dr. Jawan Brown-Alexander – 2
Bernard Chandler – 6
Dr. Lynett Hookfin – 6
Dr. Kelli Joseph – 6
MOTION BY: Wallace
SECOND BY: Burl
MOTION: To amend the agenda to change Item 3 to accept the top 3 candidates and accept Chandler, Hookfin, and Joseph as the Top 3 to be reinterviewed.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION BY: Jones
SECOND BY: Keller
MOTION: To revote (with all candidates)
Roll Call:
7 Yeas – Keller, DeFrancesch, Jones, Johnson, Schum, Mitchell, Triche
4 - Nays – Holden, Burl, Wallace, Sanders
The motion carried.
The board members then orally read their choices for the Top 2 Candidates. The four candidates are: Dr. Jawan Brown-Alexander, Bernard Chandler, Dr. Lynett Hookfin, Dr. Kelli Joseph
Holden: Hookfin, Joseph
Burl: Joseph
Keller: Chandler, Hookfin
Sanders: Hookfin, Joseph
DeFrancesch: Chandler, Hookfin
Jones: Chandler, Joseph
Johnson: Brown-Alexander, Joseph
Schum: Chandler, Hookfin
Wallace: Hookfin, Joseph
Mitchell: Chandler, Hookfin
Triche: Chandler
Votes Received:
Dr. Jawan Brown-Alexander – 1
Bernard Chandler – 6
Dr. Lynett Hookfin – 7
Dr. Kelli Joseph – 6
Dr. Lynett Hookfin will be accepted as a finalist.
Mr. Jones suggested that the board members re-vote between the 2 candidates that received 6 votes, to align with the agenda and choose 2 finalists.
Following discussion, there was a
MOTION BY: Holden
SECOND BY:
MOTION: To reinterview all 3 remaining candidates: Chandler, Hookfin, and Joseph
This motion did not receive a second.
Following further discussion, Mr. Burl called for question, seconded by Mr. Jones.
Roll Call:
8 Yeas – Holden, Burl, DeFrancesch, Jones, Johnson, Wallace, Triche, Sanders
3 Nays – Keller, Schum, Mitchell
The motion carried.
MOTION BY: Jones
SECOND BY: Burl
MOTION: To vote on one candidate between the 2 candidates that received 6 votes, to align with the agenda. This candidate will serve as the 2nd finalist.
5 Yeas – Holden, Burl, Jones, Johnson, Wallace
6 Nays – Keller, DeFrancesch, Schum, Mitchell, Triche, Sanders
The motion failed.
Following further discussion, the board decided to vote between the 2 candidates that received 6 votes, to select a 2nd finalist. The candidate that receives the majority of the votes, will be named the 2nd finalist.
The board members then orally read their one choice for the 2nd Finalist. The two candidates are: Bernard Chandler and Dr. Kelli Joseph
Holden: Joseph
Burl: Joseph
Keller: Chandler
DeFrancesch: Chandler
Jones: Joseph
Johnson: Chandler
Schum: Chandler
Wallace: Joseph
Mitchell: Chandler
Triche: Chandler
Sanders: Joseph
Votes Received:
Bernard Chandler – 6
Dr. Kelli Joseph – 5
Bernard Chandler will be accepted as the 2nd Finalists.
Mr. Burl left the meeting at 6:24 p.m. and was recorded as absent.
ITEM 4. Public Comment. Mr. Patrick H. Sanders/R.V. Allmon, JD Consulting – Announce next steps in St. John the Baptist Parish School Superintendent Search
The board will re-interview the final 2 candidates on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Each candidate will be interviewed for a maximum of 1 hour, with a 15-minute break in between. The board will then convene on Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. to select a Superintendent. Location for both meetings will be LaPlace Elementary School.
MOTION BY: Wallace
SECOND BY: Jones
MOTION: To accept the meeting times as follows: Wednesday, June 24, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. to re-interview Bernard Chandler and Lynett Hookfin for no longer than1 hour each, with a 15-minute break between interviews. The board will reconvene on Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. to select a Superintendent.
10 Yeas – Holden, Keller, DeFrancesch, Jones, Johnson, Schum, Wallace, Mitchell, Triche, Sanders
1 Absent – Burl
The motion carried.
ITEM 5. BOARD ITEMS OF INTEREST
Sanders: Thursday’s agenda should include the possibility of extending the current Interim Superintendent’s contract for 30 days (to July 31st), to assist with the transition for the incoming Superintendent.
ITEM 6. ADJOURNMENT
The agenda having been completed, and there being no further business, there was a
MOTION BY: Mitchell
SECOND BY: Schum
MOTION: Motion for adjournment.
There were no objections.
10 Yeas – Holden, Keller, DeFrancesch, Jones, Johnson, Schum, Wallace, Mitchell, Triche, Sanders
1 Absent – Burl
The motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 6:32 p.m.
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Cory Butler, Interim Superintendent/Secretary Patrick H. Sanders, President