By DAVID VITRANO

News Editor

RESERVE—The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board agreed to extend the acceptance date of the new Emily C. Watkins school to Feb. 24, 2009, to accommodate some enhancements to the structure.

The enhancements were deemed necessary after Superintendent Courtney Millet reviewed the property and determined that some areas needed adjustments to enhance the educational environment of the new school.

The enhancements include the relocation of the assistant principal’s office and the addition of a second computer lab and a 5,000 square foot slab to be used as a play area.

The same evening, the board agreed to accept a proposal from Volkert & Associates Inc. to conduct a traffic study regarding a proposed turning lane in front of Emily C. Watkins.

The cost of the study will be $20,750.

According to Executive Director of Business and Finance Felix Boughton, the study should take about 60 days.

If the study confirms the need for a turning lane, then the school board can request the construction of one from the state. In this case, the state may also pay for the proposed lane.

In the last bit of Watkins-related business for the evening, the board determined to accept bids for storage cubicles in the classrooms.

Antoinette Robinet, who was appointed principal of the new school near the end of last school year, determined the need for the cubicles after an inspection of the property. She cited the need not only for organization but also for teaching students structure as the primary reason for the need for the storage areas.

Board Member Russ Wise questioned the wisdom of a system that builds inadequate schools without the input of teachers and administrators.

“It’s just basic common sense that we should consult with the teachers about what is needed in the schools,” he quipped.

The cost of the cubicles is estimated at $100,000 with the funds coming from the money set aside for Watkins’ operating costs during the first half of the 2008-2009 school year.

The school was supposed to open this past August, but that date had to be pushed back because of construction delays, many of them weather-related.