We’re moving!

The signs of progress outside of East St. John High School have been evident for some time now. This week is especially exciting, however, for what you may not see from Airline Highway. This week is moving week!

All this week movers will be busy transferring the contents of East St. John High’s temporary campus at Leon Godchaux back home to #1 Wildcat Drive.

The move is just one component of a very busy summer spent getting the building ready for students to return for the 2015-16 school year, which begins just a few weeks from now on Aug. 10.

The public can celebrate the return and get a look inside the renovated school during a grand re-opening celebration Aug. 8. A ribbon-cutting and short program will begin at 8 a.m. Following the ceremony, the school will be open to the public.

Some of the changes you might notice include new polished concrete floors and a new interior throughout the school, improvements for students with disabilities, upgraded heating and cooling systems, custom furniture in the computer rooms and the library/media center, a new parking lot, new sidewalks and repaved driveways. New gym bleachers and cafeteria equipment have also been installed, and the concession stand has been relocated from the cafeteria area to the gym foyer.

Many of the changes make the school more storm-resistant.

New structural supports were added to the main building and steel columns were reinforced, making for a much stronger and weather-tight building.

Hurricane-resistant windows and exterior doors replaced the existing ones throughout the school.

If you’ve passed by the school you’ve probably noticed the biggest visible change — a levee system surrounding the school to protect it from future flooding.

The flood-protection system is a combination dirt levee and sheet-pile wall (in areas such as those around the baseball fields that did not have enough room for a levee) that surrounds the school.

The entire area will be drained through a retention area and pumping station located at the back of the school.

This area is fed by drainage pipes located throughout the campus.

Although their most important function is to prevent flooding during major storms, the drainage improvements should also alleviate problems with standing water that the campus in the past experienced during normal rainfall.

It’s been a long road since Hurricane Isaac. Through it all the staff and students of East St. John High School have been an outstanding example of how to rise to the challenge during difficult circumstances. Please join us on Aug. 8 and help us welcome them home!

Jennifer Boquet is the communications specialist for St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools. Email her at jboquet@stjohn.k12.la.us.