September 3, 2014

The Evangeline Parish School Board held its bi-monthly meeting Wednesday and  voted unanimously to adopt the proposed 2014-2015 Budget presented to them by Chief Financial Officer, Amy Lafleur.  Ms. Lafleur explained the budget reflects a 1.385 million dollar deficit, which is related to lower incomes received due to certain lack of funding and sales tax revenue decreases, but also due to other issues like rising insurance costs.

She also explained there will be upcoming “significant changes” regarding hospitalization and health insurance plans for all employees.  Open enrollment will be October 1st – 30th, and all employees and retirees should look for an email from her in the near future regarding the new changes and what his/her responsibilities will be regarding these changes.  There will be two meetings employees and retirees can attend regarding the new health plans:

Active and Non-Medicare members:

September 13th -      Country Inn & Suites in Pineville @ 10:00 a.m.

            Heyman Performing Arts Center in Lafayette @ 10:30 a.m.

Those with Medicare:

September 14th-    Country Inn & Suites in Pineville @ 9:00 a.m.

            Heyman Performing Arts Center in Lafayette @ 10:30 a.m.

Supervisor, Ted Soileau gave a PowerPoint presentation regarding the new “Jumpstart & Career Diploma Pathways” adopted by the State for all children who have entered high school as a freshman this year and those who will follow.  Current sophomores, juniors and seniors will not be required to use the new pathways.  Evangeline Parish is part of the Greater Acadiana Regional Team.  The team has adopted 17 of the 35 pathways the state approved and they include such pathways as Oil & Gas, Welding, Web Design, Nursing Assistant, Fashion Design, and ProStart, a culinary program.

The Pathways are designed to give the students a Jumpstart on entering the workforce and being able to fill High Demand/High Wage positions.  It was pointed out that Louisiana is slated to have more than 86,000 jobs upcoming from industrial projects.

Assistant Superintendent, Darwan Lazard, said there are “big changes on the way, and they are going to be costly.”  He also pointed out that these changes are mandatory and set by the state.