St. Landry officials moving toward construction and improvements at district schools
St. Landry Parish school officials have begun taking steps to spend approximately $45.8 million in remaining federal relief money to address repairs, renovations and expansion at nearly all elementary and secondary school sites.
School Board members last week approved a pre-construction schedule submitted by a District-employed project management firm that allows school officials to meet soon with prospective architects and contractors that have acknowledged interest in performing the improvements scheduled for completion over the next three years.
Portions of the $110 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) revenues earmarked for the District have already been expended by St. Landry school officials.
Now the remainder of that total amount is scheduled to be spent among six designated school zones for both replacement issues and capital outlay projects that have separate completion dates in 2023 and 2024, according to a project plan adopted last week by board members.
Volkert Inc., which has been selected to oversee the series of projects that cover the six zones, will meet individually with board members beginning this week in what project manager Lyn Kenley has described as kickoff meetings.
The informal meetings will also include introductions with architects and contractors who intend to submit bids for school site construction as well as visits to campuses where the work is set to occur.
Kenley said steps leading up to the start of construction are aimed at keeping board members involved in the process.
Members were also reminded by Kenley that deadlines for starting and completing the projects are tightening, since the overall list of plans need approval by state officials beginning in September.
How Much Will Be Spent
Board president Albert Hayes, Jr. said it’s important to note that the overall expenditures for the projects include all District schools.
“We also must realize that every school and area are different and tailor the projects to a particular site,” Hayes said.
ESSER II funding is intended to satisfy air quality issues at all schools ($4.98 million) in addition to replacing school building entry doors ($928,000) and various other replacements ($1.76 million).
The ESSER III money totals about $36.7 million that will cover renovations, additions and expansion projects at some of the schools. The majority of the funding will be dedicated for expansion projects ($31 million).
Kenley said the potential completion date for the ESSER II projects is September of 2023. The completion dates for the ESSER III spending is September 2024, according to Kenley.
Curriculum Director Angela Cassimere said there is a possibility that state officials will at some point receive federal approval to extend the deadlines for completion of the projects by as much as 18 months.
“We (the District) are still waiting to get confirmation on that. From what we have been told the short extensions could be six months or up to a year and a half,” Cassimere said.
Kenley said the biggest detriment to meeting the completion dates are the prospects of material shortages that will impact areas that require mechanical, electrical and plumbing repairs.
Board member Mary Ellen Donatto said she is concerned about the noise and possible classroom learning interruptions that will be caused by the construction work at school sites.
The disruptions occurring during school days are something that can’t be avoided since much of the repairs and expansions that occur will involve major contractors, said Kenley.
“What we know for sure once we get started is there will be a lot of work going on around the parish. It will impact all the school zones and the projects that we have scheduled won’t involve any of the smaller contractors,” said Kenley.
This article originally appeared on Opelousas Daily World: St. Landry officials moving toward construction at district schools
