During the ReNEW Schools board meeting Sept. 13, board member Kathy Conklin led discussions regarding bylaw revisions to the Charter Management Organization document. Bylaws changes included an update to the conflict of interest policy and a decision to change the title of Chief Operations Officer to president. Regarding the change in title, board members discussed an […]
Posted inSchools
Orleans Parish School Board votes on teacher tenure, layoffs
The Orleans Parish School Board held a public hearing on changes to personnel policies at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, followed by a general board meeting at 5 p.m. The bulk of the changes were mandated by the 2012 state legislative session. I live-blogged both events here. Among the policy changes approved unanimously, all mandated by Act 1: […]
Posted inLand Use, Squandered Heritage
Another cement lawn, but this one gets cited by city inspector
Sure it’s ugly, but at least you won’t have to mow the lawn! photo: Karen Gadbois Somebody call 311! Thanks to Lens reader Kurt Buchert for sending in photos of this recent Uptown paving violation—a 100-percent disaster. Construction was nearly complete and a certificate of occupancy was in process when the city sent out an […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
Board moves toward private retirement plan; enrollment drop threatens funding
The 403b faculty retirement plan was a focus of discussion at the monthly board meeting of the Friends of King School, Sept. 11. Under the plan approved by the board, the administration will contribute a sum equal to 4 percent of a teacher’s annual salary and will match 50 percent of teacher contributions up to […]
Posted inOpinion
Ounce of prevention vs. $300,000 in campaign contributions
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil drilling disaster, Louisiana’s two U.S. Senators, Mary Landrieu, a Democrat, and David Vitter, a Republican, did not call for more research. Like most rational people, they called for safety measures to mitigate the potentially devastating impact of future disasters. You might think it was a […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics, Investigations
City cancels plans for Super Bowl drone despite enthusiasm and interest from NOPD, others
A month after The Lens began asking questions about city officials’ plans to use a U.S. Homeland Security Department aerial drone to monitor Super Bowl crowds, a spokesman for Mayor Mitch Landrieu said today that the city is scrapping those plans. Spokesman Ryan Berni offered no reason for dropping the eye-in-the-sky technology, telling a reporter […]
Posted inLand Use
Live blog: City Council committee discusses property issues
The New Orleans City Council’s Housing and Human Needs Committee meets at 10 a.m. today to discuss three issues: Amendments to the Lot Next Door program in order to widen the pool of eligible buyers Cases in which townhouses and condos have not been renovated, causing problems for their neighbors What can be done to get […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
Board meeting agenda released
Review the Sept 17 board meeting agenda here.
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
School Director Richard Best resigns; more funds needed for busing
At the conclusion of a lengthy executive session held at its Sept. 13 meeting, the board governing New Orleans Science and Math High School announced that Dr. Richard Best, School Director, had tendered his resignation. Once the hour-and-45-minute closed-door discussion returned to open session, there were no objections or comments put forth before the motion […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
Pride leaders optimistic about charter extension; school construction slows
At its meeting on Tuesday September 11, the Pride College Prep board announced it had officially submitted its application for a charter extension. Though the school is still graded far below average, results from an internal Pride study and student Assessment Index (AI), based on standardized test scores, offered hope for improvement. Tests showed that 2012 […]