Despite reactions, EPSB moves forward with four-day week

By: TONY MARKS
Editor

Nick Chaumont, Evangeline Parish School Board member from District 2, addressed concerns over the four-day week that was approved at the previous meeting.
During the board’s meeting held Wednesday, June 7, Chaumont said his district is currently divided over the issue. “I’ve been in Basile since 2005,” he stated, “and I’ve never seen it divided like it is.”
He went on to say, “I continuously have meetings and talks and text messages daily for the last week, and I can’t give answers because I don’t know the answers, and neither does the board nor the superintendent. I’m in a situation where I cannot make a decision because I do not have all of the information.”
Chaumont acknowledged he has to support the decision of the board and asked his fellow board members not to make any other rash decisions in the future.
“All I ask is,” Chaumont said, “if we’re going to make another decision this critical, then please give us some time to research this. Do not make a knee-jerk decision like we did. Give us some time. Let’s follow the rules that we started with.”
The board then heard from members of the public who were in opposition and in favor of the four-day week.
Later, Board Vice-President Wanda Skinner told the public, “Some board members have mentioned using that fifth day for remediation. We don’t have an answer yet, but we’ve been discussing it.”
As the meeting continued, Superintendent Darwan Lazard presented a proposed school calendar based on the four-day week. He explained office staff attempted to keep the calendar as close as possible to the one which was previously approved in order not to disrupt the communities and school employees.
The superintendent further presented proposed school schedules, which contain 450 instructional minutes and 147 instructional days, and asked the board for guidance and some parameters on any final decisions on the class schedules.
Upon recommendation of Superintendent Lazard, the board voted to hold an executive committee meeting on Tuesday, June 13, at 3 p.m. and a special board meeting on Wednesday, June 14, at 6 p.m.
In other business, the board:
changed the official journal from the Ville Platte Gazette to the Basile Weekly.
adopted the millage rates for tax year 2023 for Evangeline Parish.
adopted the millage rates for tax year 2023 for Evangeline Parish School District located in Acadia Parish.