By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

RESERVE – The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board may soon have a clearer vision of what path it will take concerning repairs to the districts two schools flooded by Hurricane Isaac.

Consulting firm CSRS, which has overseen the district’s disaster recovery services since the storm, has requested the members of the school board meet with firm representatives in small groups next week to discuss in detail the options available concerning the futures of Lake Pontchartrain Elementary and East St. John High schools. Once all board members have had a chance to attend one of these workshops, a special meeting may be called to make a definitive decision regarding repair work so work can begin as soon as possible.

In the meantime, preliminary work has been performed, and CSRS representative Frank Lacourse gave the school board an update on the progress at Thursday’s meeting.

According to initial estimates, the total in costs incurred by the district because of Hurricane Isaac and its aftermath is nearly $44.5 million. This includes emergency work, additional transportation costs, small repairs, bus and food loss, the cost of repairing the facilities at replacing the contents at both LPE and ESJH and the installation of temporary classroom facilities. Of this amount, the district’s share comes to $9.5 million.

Most of those temporary classrooms will be placed at the former Leon Godchaux Junior High, where East St. John students currently attend classes in shifts. This “platoon schedule” will not provide the students there with enough instructional minutes to satisfy state requirements, and the additional classroom space will allow them to go back to their normal schedules.

Some board members balked at the cost and Rodney Nicholas asked, “Is there still time for us to get a second opinion?”

Lacourse replied, “FEMA is looking at all of this too. That is another opinion that is built into this already. This is a cost estimate for the purpose of FEMA funding this project.”

He explained the actual cost may vary depending on how the bids come in.

What these estimates do not include is the cost of protecting the facilities from future flooding, but Lacourse said that cost will not be covered unless the facilities are declared substantially damaged or funding from the state’s Hazard Mitigation Fund can be obtained.

With the district already struggling to find a way to pay for its share of the repairs, it is bracing for another financial hit from the state itself. According to the most recent attendance figures, enrollment in the district is down by 405 students compared to this time last year. Of these, 214 left because of the state’s scholarship/ voucher program.

According to Executive Director of Business and Finance Felix Boughton, the district stands to lose $1.5 million in funding for the students lost to the scholarship program. He said these funds are likely not recoverable. He said the district is hoping the state will freeze the funding at this level and not take additional money, which could amount to another million dollars, away because of the students lost after Hurricane Isaac.

“There’s going to be a bill brought before the Legislature on our behalf,” said Boughton.

He said if no funds can be recouped, there will likely be a reduction of 100 positions in the district next year.

Also Thursday, the board tabled a revised policy concerning reduction of force and recall of laid-off employees. According to Director of Human Resources Leigh Ann Beard, the revised policy takes into consideration the new evaluation system whereby employees are let go according to their effectiveness, and it would not be in the interest of the board to rehire an employee deemed ineffective.

Louisiana Association of Educators Executive Director Michael Walker Jones, however, said the revised policy is unfair because laid-off employees may not be deemed ineffective, just less effective than the others in that position.

“We are in the midst of negotiating this item. It is important for us to sit down and discuss this,” he said. “We have a proposal that meets all the standards of the law.”

Lastly, board member Russell Jack introduced a policy concerning local business preference regarding professional service contracts in the district. The policy will be voted on at the next board meeting.