By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

RESERVE – Although items regarding the budget for the next fiscal year are strangely absent from the agenda for Thursday’s St. John the Baptist Parish School Board meeting, a different budget is sure to raise a few eyebrows.

The consulting firm CSRS is slated to introduce modifications to the Master Facilities Plan then.

These modifications deal with the rather large renovation project at LaPlace Elementary School, which has already begun.

According to board member Russ Wise, the firm is asking the board to approve shifting about $1 million to the budget for the LES project. He said this is to accommodate a ballooning student population there.

He said under the current attendance zone, the school will house 1,100 students instead of the 750 it was supposed to under the district’s originally proposed attendance zone. That zone was rejected by the Justice Department.

“Nobody can consider that to be a neighborhood school,” said Wise, who explained LES had once been the state’s largest elementary school.

Said Wise, “We need to build more schools. … If you can see the school down the street, you will be more involved.”

He said there are other benefits as well. Building more schools would reduce the need for students to rely on bus transportation to and from school.

Annually, transportation is one of the district’s biggest expenses.

CSRS will also deliver its monthly progress report to the board Thursday.

Additionally, Superintendent Courtney Millet will once again seek approval of a modified Central Office Reorganization Plan.

At the last meeting, board member Russell Jack spoke out against the plan and urged fellow board members to examine the plan very carefully.

The board eventually rejected the original reorganization plan.

Finally, board member Matthew Ory will seek approval for the newly revised Student Code of Conduct and Attendance.