School Board OKs Breaux Bridge school reconfiguration

After years of skirting around the issue, school board members last week finally approved a reconfiguration plan for three Breaux Bridge schools that includes the closure of the current Breaux Bridge Elementary campus.

The changes will cost an estimated $7.3 to $8.6 million, with most of the money coming from the $40,350,000 bond issue recently approved by parish voters, and are expected to be implemented in time for the 2015-16 school year.

Grade levels will be adjusted at the following schools:

•BB Primary – Currently pre-K to grade 3, enrollment approximately 773; changing to pre-K to grade 2.

•BB Elementary – Currently grades 4-6, enrollment approximately 380; changing to grades 3-5.

•BB Jr. High – Currently grades 7-8, enrollment approximately 231; changing to grades 6-8.

The bulk of the cost for the changes will be associated with the relocation of the BB Elementary campus from its current site on West Bridge Street to the BB Primary campus bordered by East Bridge and St. Charles streets.

The property would be split, with BB Primary students occupying the East Bridge side and BB Elementary students located along St. Charles.

Each school will retain its own administrative staff, although cafeteria operations will likely be combined to some extent.

Renovations at BB Jr. High are projected to be relatively minor.

There was no discussion last week on possible future uses for the current BB Elementary facility.

Board members have long been concerned with the fluctuation in the number of students per grade level in the Breaux Bridge schools. The numbers are strong at BBP, but fall off rather sharply at both BBE and BBJH before rising again at Breaux Bridge High.

The new configuration will bring Breaux Bridge schools in line with the grade levels of schools in St. Martinville and Cecilia.

In a related topic, there appeared to be little enthusiasm for a suggestion by board member Floyd Knott that school names be reviewed to standardize them in the three main attendance districts.

Superintendent Dr. Lottie Beebe pointed out that principals have spent “thousands of dollars” on branding, with special designs for signage, clothing and printed material. But she did agree to have the staff research the possible cost of changes.

At Knott’s suggestion, with agreement of board president Russell Foti of Catahoula, Dr. Beebe also said she would have her staff look into the possibility of expanding the attendance zone for Catahoula Elementary, a pre-K to grade 8 school with an enrollment of slightly more than 200.

Knott said any adjustment should try to add 40 to 50 more students at the school.