By David Vitrano
L’Observateur

LUTCHER – When the St. James Parish School Board meets next week, its members will consider a proposal to convert its fleet of buses to ones that burn propane instead of the traditional diesel fuel.

The company the school district has contracted to handle its school transportation, First Student, recently compiled a report to compare prices between the two fuel sources. The company considered factors such as the number of buses in the fleet, miles driven, the cost per gallon, of each type of fuel, miles per gallon and monthly lease and maintenance fees.

With propane currently at more than $1.30 less per gallon than diesel fuel, First Student estimated that after the initial year, during which additional set-up fees would be accrued, the School Board could see as much as $80,000 per year in savings. According to First Student, this savings would be enough to offset increases in monthly lease and maintenance costs for new propane buses.

The initial year would see somewhat elevated costs, but the School Board would realize a savings beginning in year two.

The School Board is expected to vote on the matter Tuesday.

Also at its last meeting, the School Board heard from representatives from the Special Education Department regarding its Applied Behavior Analysis initiative. This new approach to educating those with special needs attempts to do so through behavior modification practices rather than using a purely academic approach.

According to Tarie Prejean, a teacher at Gramercy Elementary, the program has been very successful in reaching children who previously might have fallen through the cracks.

By way of example, she said when dealing with a child who has problems listening and following directions, “We might teach them to listen and respond to adults in several different environments.”

The progress made with students was demonstrated to the School Board through a video presentation and reinforced with testimonies from both educators and parents.

The point was especially driven home when the grandmother of an autistic child said with tears in her eyes, “They treat him like a person.”

Following the presentation, board member Patricia Schexnayder said, “We can finally say in St. James we’re reaching all students.”

Also at the meeting, the School Board re-elected its 2013 president and vice president, Charles Nailor and Kenneth Foret, to those positions.

“I would like to thank the board for having confidence in me,” said Nailor.

Added Foret, “I’ll do my best to keep things moving forward.”

The meeting Tuesday will start at 6 p.m.