As Sophie B. Wright Charter School continues its year in a temporary location, school board members met to discuss recent student behavior issues as well as bus and budget updates.

The meeting was called to order at 5:36 p.m. on Oct. 22.

Financial director Ernest Lumpkins provided the meeting with a copy of Sophie B. Wright’s revenue and expenditures summary for the first quarter,  July 1 through Sept. 30. Due to small expenditures in July and the summer months, revenue was significantly higher than usual at $1,168,781. Revenue exceeded expenditures by $96,751.51.

The board voted to have board member Carlese Brumfield meet with bus drivers to discuss and train them in preventive maintenance checks and walk-arounds. Brumfield is requesting weekly reports to better determine maintenance costs. Additionally, a Jefferson Parish bus has been purchased and added to Sophie B. Wright’s fleet to be used as a spare.

The school has been working on student behavior issues, with Brumfield and others patrolling a nearby corner at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday. There have been complaints that students pulled fire alarms and talked back to teachers.

Sophie B. Wright’s temporary location on Monroe St. has been a cause of concern for many board members due to its small size and alleged dangers. Staffers say that they’ve got a better handle on behavior issues now than at the beginning of the school year, however.

The meeting adjourned at 6:11pm and was attended by board members Brumfield, Reginald Delecia, Terry Hunter and James Watson. Principal Sharon Clark was absent. Sophie B. Wright’s next school board meeting is Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. to be held in the library of their temporary location at 1800 Monroe St.