By CHRISTOPHER LENOIS

RESERVE – In an attempt to keep students in the St. John the Baptist Parish school system, Superintendent Michael Coburn unveiled his plan to restructure all elementary schools to K-8 schools at Thursday’s meeting of the St. John School Board.

“We are trying to do everything in our power to recoup the loss of our students in the last 8-10 years,” said Coburn, who presented statistics showing an enrollment decline of more than 1,000 students since 1993.

The idea was initially explored during the 1999-2000 school year, when a survey of parents and elementary school students indicated “strong support” from the community. Coburn added that the principals of the four schools who would be adding seventh and eighth grades to their structure, LaPlace Elementary, East St. John Elementary, Fifth Ward Elementary, and John L. Ory Magnet were consulted and are in favor of the restructuring.

Other district schools that would be affected by the plan include Leon Godchaux Junior High, which would be closed in year two of the plan. The St. John Child Development Center kindergarten classes would be moved to Garyville/Mt. Airy Magnet, while Fifth Ward Elementary’s Model Early (preschool) Program will move to the St. John Child Development Center.

Construction of a gymnasium at Garyville Mt. Airy Magnet that could serve area schools, at a cost of $1 million, was also included in the capital outlay plan, as was $348,000 for roof repair at West St. John High School.

Coburn also offered alternative plans that could reduce the expenditures by about $1.3 million. Including the purchasing of computer equipment through grants, and the elimination of the Fifth Ward addition, since they currently have a number of empty classrooms.

The total capital outlay for the plan is estimated at $4.9 million. Finance Director Felix Bougton stated that the school board has a borrowing capacity of $5 million without increasing taxes. The plan will require public approval by special election, however. In order to enact the plan under the proposed time frame, the project would need legal approval by July 18, which means the election would have to be held by April 11. Concerns about some of the logistics of the plan were raised by NAACP representative, Leonard Triplett, who reminded the school board of a 1992 court decree that would require the school to be approved for “Unitary Status” before moving forward with the plan.

Triplett said his concern is over the “homogenous mixture of things” included in the plan. He added that the “neighborhood schools” concept could run afoul of the mutual consent decree put forth by the court, and that his organization might challenge. Coburn and School Board Attorney John Diasselliss III said they did not feel the courts would have trouble with the plan.

But some board members were concerned about not being aware of the ongoing need to inform the court that the board was adhering to the decree.

“I want to see what you’ve told them we’ve done versus what I know we’ve done,” said Dist. 6 rep. Charles Watkins. “I’ll make my decision based on what the court says.”

Dist. 4 rep. Patrick Sanders requested to see the parents’ survey, and wanted assurances that the principals in the affected schools were in favor of the plan.

Board chairman, Dr. Gerald Keller of Dist 3, pointed out the costs of calling the elections and paying the bond attorneys, as well as some costs involving busing issues and the conversiont of a portion 5th Ward Elementary into a science lab.

Superintendent Coburn will be holding two public forums on the K-8 restructing issue. The first at LaPlace Elementary on Wednesday March 27, and another at West St. John Elementary on Wednesday, April 3. Both forums are scheduled for 7 pm.