School Board to receive $1 million
Money to help FHS prepare for consolidation
, Publisher
03-18-2009
Union Parish has been approved to receive $1 million in one-time funding from the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The funding, approved by BESE last week, is to help the Union Parish school district offset lost revenues with the impending closing of the Pilgrim’s Pride plant in Farmerville.
The money will be used to refurbish Farmerville High School and prepare it for the influx of approximately 200 students next year from Bernice High School, Spearsville High School and Marion High School.
The Union Parish School Board has already voted to close Bernice High School beginning next school year with its students who elect to remain in the public school system attending Farmerville High School.
The board has not voted to close Spearsville and Marion, but Superintendent Steve Dozier said the current economic situation, coupled with the low enrollments at those two schools, make them prime candidates to be closed. Students at those two schools, who wish to remain in the public school system, would also attend Farmerville.
“The intent of this money is to refurbish Farmerville High School and prepare for the consolidation effort that undoubtedly will take place,’’ Dozier said. “However, it is still a board decision.’’
Dozier said the money would be used to refurbish classrooms, update technology, expand the school’s vocational offerings and refurbish the gym.
“A million dollars will make the campus look very nice and it will be very effective,’’ Dozier said. “The kids will not only get a very attractive place to work, but also an effective place.’’
Dozier has already asked Farmerville principal Pam Schooler to put together a team to discuss how to use the money.
“The team, myself and the board will make some decisions on what we want the campus to look like and offer academically and vocationally,’’ Dozier said. “This is a great thing for us.’’
The money was needed because the school system expects to lose as much as $1.5 million from the impending closure of Pilgrim’s Pride and the possible opening of D’Arbonne Woods Charter School next fall.
“I want to publicly thank Senator (Mike) Walsworth, Governor Bobby Jindal, (State) Superintendent (Paul) Pastorek and Representative Hollis Downs for helping push this through,’’ Dozier said. “There were times when it appeared (receiving the money) might not happen.’’
Dozier said the consolidation plan being discussed does not include Downsville High School, which has an enrollment of approximately 150 students.
It would also turn Bernice, Spearsville and Marion into kindergarten through eighth grade facilities.
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