The Evangeline Parish School Board met Wednesday night.  Most of the meeting involved handling ordinary business including budget and committee actions of the Executive Committee and the Policy Committee.  The board also approved presented requisitions and invoices.   Permission was given to consider leasing or selling the Old Hester Heath School Building to the Evangeline Parish Police Jury for the purpose of providing the Bayou Chicot Community and all of Evangeline Parish with a multi-purpose community center. The first step is to have an appraisal done to determine the Fair Market Value.

Superintendent Lazard made the following comments:

• Thursday, 9/5, is a virtual day for the students.  All staff, with the exception of the bus drivers must report for training by NIET for the new evaluation system.  Training is taking place at Ville Platte High School, Vidrine Elementary and Pine Prairie High School.
• September 15^th is the deadline for the Nepotism Disclosure for Board Members.
• Congratulations to Mr. John Havard, the Band Director at Pine Prairie and Bayou Chicot, for his receipt of the Robert L. Wilhite Award of Excellence!
• Mr. Lazard signed the contract for the Ville Platte High Track.  It is slated to begin after football season, and it will be a 270 day project.  Parking for Reimagine Academy will be affected, and they are working on a plan for that.  The James Stevens Modular Building Project contract has been signed, and he hopes to get the contract for the Gym Project on 9/5.

The CFO, Ms. Amy LaFleur, was then invited up to speak about compensation.  The state hasn’t issued official guidelines for the payment of staff stipends, but the plan is to pay a $2000 stipend to professionals, and a $1000 stipend to support staff.  These are one time payments that are to occur prior to December 15^th.    She will report back to the board once the guidelines are issued by the state.  They are beginning to work on Retention and Recruitment stipends.  Commitment has to be made to work through the 2024-2025 school year.

The next School Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 18^th.