By CALEB FREY

Staff Reporter

RESERVE – The St. John the Baptist School Board is coming closer to having a new freshman academy and elementary school as they are expected to accept a bid to sell $18 million in sales tax bonds to help fund both projects.

The bids will be opened at Thursday’s school board meeting at 10 a.m. at Godchaux Grammar School. Bids will be faxed to School Board Bond Attorney Hugh Martin who will then send the bids to the school board electronically for the Thursday meeting, according to Supt. Michael Coburn.

The school board will then accept the lowest bid for the bonds.

The money from the bond sale is expected to be used for a ninth grade academy addition to East St. John High School and the construction of a new elementary school, both of which the parish are in dire need of due to overcrowding, according to school board members and parents.

The board is also expected to accept a bid from J. Reynolds & Co. Inc. for roof repair projects brought about by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.