AMY SZPARA

EDGARD – Plans to have St. John Parish schools fixed up and back in tip-top shape before school starts in mid-August are well underway. Substandard playgrounds will be up to par, and several schools with bad floors and carpeting have been declared emergencies in order to speed up repairs before time for the 2001-02 school session begins. Leon Godchaux Junior High School and East St. John High School in Reserve both need carpet replacement, and West St. John High School in Edgard needs new carpet and tile replacement as well as repairs to the gym floors. At a School Board meeting Thursday night, the board voted to declare the school renovations an emergency and make them first priority. The cost is not to exceed $52,928, and the projects will have to be completed prior to Aug. 13. In addition to the school repairs, public school playgrounds will have to be fixed up to properly meet set requirements before school starts again. Mestayer, Darby and Partner Architects, the St. John School Board’s architectural firm, conducted an inspection report of St. John public school playgrounds one month ago. East St. John Elementary, Fifth Ward Elementary, Garyville/Mt. Airy Math and Science Magnet School, Glade Elementary, John L. Ory Magnet, West St. John Elementary and the Child Development Center playgrounds were each included in the report. Some of the problems found were low grounds under equipment that floods during rain, a lack of cushion under equipment such as mulching, protruding steel that could snag clothing or cut children, ladder rungs that are not up to standards, old equipment that is no longer used and is hazardous and S-hooks that are not completely closed supporting swings. The St. John Parish School System maintenance department is making those repairs and will have them completed before the start of school. One concern that some School Board members have, however, is how those playgrounds will be maintained in the future. According to Russ Wise, board member, the cost to both build and maintain school playgrounds is all on the parents right now. There is no current budget for playground equipment, and most schools rely on the PTO to raise the money. “Frankly, I don’t think it’s the responsibility of the parents who happen to have children going to a school at a given time,” said Wise, who added the playgrounds should be as much a part of any elementary school as chalkboards and erasers. “I hate like the dickens that I have to pay for and install equipment that my kids only get to use for a few years,” said Wise. Matthew Ory, board member, agreed, adding it is something the School Board needs to seriously look in to.