Superintendent says parish is ready for expected big numbers to come

By KERI CHAMPION

Staff Reporter

RESERVE – St. John the Baptist Parish School Superintendent Michael Coburn says that parish schools are ready to meet the challenge of projected parish population increases.

Recent estimates of population increases show that a potential 4000 homes could be built in the parish over the next three to five years.

&#8220There are at least two major developments coming to the area,” said Coburn.

New Millennium Village is about 360 acres and is located west of East St. John High School near Belle Point subdivision and will have about 1000 homes. Coburn said East St. John High School is already being expanded to handle increased enrollment this year. St. John has seen a continual gradual increase in enrollment in the parish schools starting with the fall 2002 school year.

The 2001 student population was 6,274 compared to 2002, which showed 6,166 students.

The 2003 figures showed 6,211 kids in the school system and 6,379 for the 2004 school year.

&#8220The number for the 2005 year was 7,529 on October 1, 2005 after Katrina hit,” said Ann LaBorde, public information officer for St. John schools. &#8220August 25, 2005 was the last day of school before Katrina hit, and enrollment was still up 116 kids from the previous year.”

&#8220At the end of last year we had about 6,764 students, including hurricane evacuees,” said LaBorde.

&#8220After Katrina, we absorbed about 500 displaced children into our system and we have about 250 still here,” Coburn said.

&#8220With our present enrollment, we can occupy the schools that we have, but there is an immediate need for a new K-8 elementary school,” Coburn said. &#8220Our goal is to have about 750 students per elementary school.”

If approved, a proposed 2000 homes could be built on the property adjacent to Elvina Plantation by the River Forest Subdivision near Montague. The School Board voted 10-1 Aug. 17 to put an offer on the table for 19.7 acres of the Elvina property next to the proposed subdivision to build the school on.

&#8220Should both developments get approved, there will also be a need for a second high school or vocational school,” said Coburn. &#8220If both developments went ahead as planned then we would be looking at building a school that could hold about 500 students at either the high school or vocational level in the next three to five years, and an additional elementary school.”

In Coburn’s opinion, a vocational school would ease some of the burden at East St. John while providing job training for carpentry and other skills. Enrollment at the high school is currently about 1600 students. The second elementary school would ensure that the elementary schools’ enrollment figures were about 750 students per school if all the planned homes were built.

The elementary school and the expansion of East St. John High would be funded by the $18.5 million in bonds the parish has received and is marked for facility building only. The board currently has a balance surplus of $9.3 million and may vote on the dispersion of funds Sept. 7.

Private schools would be in the same bind as public schools with a need to expand or build new schools should the parents choose to send their kids to private schools.

”Space is limited at private, parochial and public schools and we would all have to do some soul-searching for a solution, and if we have to build we will,” Coburn stated.

Increased student population would also mean increasing the number of teachers in the parish.

&#8220While there is no doubt there is a teacher shortage in Louisiana, with the teacher salaries St. John and St. Charles parishes pay, I don’t think we will have difficulties finding teachers; we are in the top 5 percent of the state for teacher pay,” said Coburn.

Technology is another consideration when planning a new school. St. John and St. Charles parishes are also among the top 5 percent with technology access. &#8220Anytime you build a new school you want top-notch technology, and we’re in good shape,” said Coburn.

Reports show that testing performance and school improvement efforts have been positive with every school expect for LaPlace Elementary and East St. John Elementary improving their scores over last year.

&#8220The Fifth Ward Elementary showed a drastic 15 point jump in testing last year and all of our schools are currently meeting federal requirements,” Coburn said.

&#8220It is our goal to give every student a quality education and to have a positive outlook everyday and we do our best to give that,” Coburn said.