Ville Platte Upon a recommendation from its architect, the Evangeline Parish School Board, Wednesday, approved a change order to the major renovation project going on at Ville Platte High School. The changes include: replacing wiring and conduit to the school gymnasium, change door openings, renovate the main building stairs and replace the flooring in the main building hall ways. The total price tag for the change order, according to architect Perry Watson will be $116,822.
The original contract called for the project to cost the school board $3,008,000. With the newest change order, the renovation project has increased to $3.3 million dollars.
Superintendent of Schools Toni Hamlin said there has been a lot of progress in the construction work at the school. She said the auditorium is about 90 percent complete. The office area is complete and furniture has been ordered..
The architect told the members of the school board that the entire project should be completed by New Years Day.
In a related matter, Superintendent Hamlin said local industries have had the opportunity of visiting Ville Platte High School.
She announced that the Cabot Corporation Citizens Board held a recent meeting at the school. She said the board was impressed with the school construction and the academic advancements the school district is making.. She also announced that Cameron Corporation visited Ville Platte High School last week.
Hamlin told the board she is committed to continue reaching out to local business and industry and to prepare and train students who do not go on to post secondary education to enter the job market.
In other action the school board:
--received encouraging news from Business Manager Amy Lafleur that sales tax collections for June, the final month in the fiscal year, actually increased over the same period a year ago. Overall, the school district collected $216,710 less sales taxes during the entire year over the previous year.
--approved a recommendation by the superintendent to permit the use of parent volunteers as substitute teachers once they have completed the parish training. A background check will be required.