EPSB talks maintenance projects that are taking place across the district

The Evangeline Parish School Board spent much of its recent meeting learning about the multitude of updates being made on campuses across the district.
At the Wednesday meeting, Maintenance and Operations Facilitator Jason Hazelton shared that renovations at Basile High School are moving along and that the newly renovated cafeteria should be ready to be occupied this coming week.
Hazelton also said that “repairs have now begun on the school’s track.”
The maintenance facilitator then discussed other major projects happening at the schools including replacing the old football stadium with new aluminum bleachers at Pine Prairie High, repavement of the front parking lot at Ville Platte High, plans to replace the floor in the red brick building at Bayou Chicot Elementary, installation of Duro-last rook on the gymnasium at Vidrine Elementary and Mamou Elementary, installation of barriers and mulch for the playground at Ville Platte Elementary, replaced floor tiles and renovated cabinets at Chataignier Elementary, exterior paint job at Evangeline Central, repainting of James Stephens Montessori, and plans to replace the gym floor at Mamou High.
During the meeting Title I Supervisor Penny McDaniel discussed early childhood program scores received in the district.
MacDaniel shared that this was the first year they received a score for its early childhood programs and that the district received a “5.26 out of 7 total points.”
The two early childhood programs that earned the highest ratings in the parish were W.W. Stewart, who received an exvellent score of 6.19, and Vidrine Elementary, who received a 6.69 out of 7 - the highest in the entire state of Louisiana.
The board also heard from Chief Financial Officer Amy LaFleur regarding the district’s sales tax comparison.
LaFleur shared that the school district took in $27,388.98 less in sales tax this January than it did in 2016.
Year to date, LaFluer said, the district is down $91,002.71 compared to last year at this time in terms of sales tax collections.
At the meeting, Superintendent of Schools Darwan Lazard addressed board members and shared that the district is “taking precautions for the flu season.”
This is being done, according to the superintendent, by “sending hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes to every classroom.”
During the meeting, plans were also discussed on how the district would make up missed days due to the weather. For that information, see school news on page 9.
Other items approved at the meeting were:
Low bid in the amount of $554,000.00 from Pat Williams Construction for additions and alterations at W.W. Stewart.
Low bid in the amount of $6,250.00 from E.L.E. Construction for dirt work for Pine Prairie High School’s stadium bleachers using parish-wide maintenance funds.
Low bid in the amount of $7,985.00 from Fontenot’s Asphalt to overlay Ville Platte Elementary School’s driveway.
Permission to conduct structural assessment of James Stephens Montessori’s gymnasium building at a cost of $5,440 using parish-wide maintenance funds.