During a Tuesday regular board meeting, the Ouachita Parish School Board unanimously voted to call a special election that will authorize issuing bonds in eastern Ouachita Parish. If passed, the bond issue will not raise the current tax or millage rates in Ouachita Parish.
The special election will be held on May 3.
The School Board also approved a capital improvement plan which stipulates that proceeds from the bond issue will be used to fund facility projects and upgrades, including a new elementary school in District E.
Capital Improvement Plan
- New elementary school in District E
- East Ouachita Middle – new multipurpose building
- Jack Hayes Elementary – new entrance canopy
- Lakeshore Elementary – office and front entrance renovation
- Ouachita Junior – track and field renovations
- Ouachita High – turf for baseball and softball fields
- Swartz Lower – security upgrades and window replacements
- Swartz Upper – security and building renovations and painting
- Sterlington High – classroom and lab expansions, baseball and softball facility renovations, tennis court construction with lighting, female athletic fieldhouse
Ten Commandments Displays
The School Board voted to comply with Act 676 of the 2024 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session. Act 676 requires by law that if displays of the Ten Commandments are donated to governing school authorities, then they must be exhibited in each of their buildings and classrooms.
Differentiated Compensation
The School Board approved a revised differentiated compensation plan that distributed $604 to every highly effective teacher in the school district. Teachers were deemed highly effective based on their Compass evaluations from the previous school year.
Funds for this differentiated compensation were provided by the Louisiana Legislature, which included four options on how the money could be distributed. The school district chose to distribute the money to highly-effective teachers because this option allowed the district to provide the funds to the largest number of employees.
School Board Training
Each School Board member was recognized for completing and exceeding the six hours of training required by the Louisiana Legislature.
School Board members Mike Batey (District C) and Dabo Graves (District F) were also recognized as certified board members by LSBA for completing additional voluntary training totaling more than 20 hours in the calendar year.
Special Recognitions
The School Board recognized the Sterlington High School football team for winning the 2024 LHSAA Division III football state championship. Sterlington head coach Lee Doty and the team’s 16 seniors were present at the meeting.
Bids
The School Board approved bids on the following items:
Bid Item Funding Source Budget Amount
NONE
The School Board granted permission to bid on the following item:
Bid Item Funding Source Budget Amount
WMHS Football Field Renovation/Improvements WOST $1,300,000
Old Richwood High School Demolition M&O $510,000
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