Brusly Elementary teacher secures $15,000 for science lab while board addresses camera mandate costs

November 19, 2025 – West Baton Rouge Parish

The West Baton Rouge Parish School Board approved a $1,200 December supplement for employees Tuesday night and celebrated a $15,000 Shell science grant awarded to Brusly Elementary teacher Stephanie Trimble.

The supplement, funded from the EFID fund's $6.4 million balance, passed 9-1. Board member Evans cast the sole no vote. The district chose the $1,200 option to preserve funding for a potential recruitment bonus in January.

"Property taxes are going to start coming in," said Superintendent Dr. Chandler Smith. "We feel like we could possibly look at a recruitment and retention again, but if you go too high on the 13th check, then that gets lower or it doesn't happen at all."

Shell Grant Success, But Applications Declining

Trimble will use the $15,000 grant to build a demonstration table with water source and purchase student science kits throughout Brusly Elementary. She's already running an egg incubation program where students watch chicks hatch.

"When you get them at pre-K, one, two, when you get them before they have all these other things and you instill the learning into them, that's all you have to do," Trimble said.

Shell Port Allen plant manager Darlene Harris-Pugh revealed a troubling trend: West Baton Rouge teachers have stopped applying for grants. While Shell has distributed nearly $300,000 across the region since 2018, two of this year's awards went to Pointe Coupee Parish due to lack of local submissions.

"It used to be all, I used to come and give three every year. And somewhere or another, it just dropped off," Harris-Pugh said.

Shell increased grant amounts to $15,000 for elementary, $15,000 for middle school, and $20,000 for high school. The company also sponsors six West Baton Rouge students for the Leadership Youth Seminar program at LSU.

Camera Mandate Creates Unfunded Costs

The board discussed new state requirements mandating security cameras in all special education rooms by February 1, 2026. The cameras must include audio recording and 30-day cloud storage with video blurring capabilities.

"State-funded mandate," Dr. Chandler Smith confirmed—meaning the district must pay for installation and ongoing cloud service costs without state funding.

A parent asked about expanding cameras to inclusion classrooms where special education students are sometimes present, but district officials explained the extensive costs of the cloud-based system required for privacy compliance.

Strong Financial Position

Director of Finance Jared Gibbs, CLSBA, presented September reports showing the general fund at $12 million. Sales tax collections returned to expected levels after recent declines, helped by industrial development including carbon capture construction.

The EFID fund has grown from just over $1 million in 2020 to $6.4 million today.

STEM Competition Success

Dr. Chandler Smith reported 800 students participated in November STEM competitions across four age divisions. Events included coding, video game design, drone racing, Lego challenges, and quiz bowls. Holy Family School participated in grades 3-8 divisions.

Policy Updates

The board approved six policy updates, primarily addressing special education audio/video requirements and federal compliance standards.

Upcoming Events

• Santa's Helpers: December 6, 9-11 a.m., American Legion Hall
• Best of the West: December 10, 6 p.m., Brusly High Theater (honoring 25- and 30-year employees)
• Christmas Break: December 19 - January 5
• Next Meetings: Committee meeting December 9, board meeting December 17

The West Baton Rouge Parish School Board meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month.

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