Since the mid-eighties there has been a record of Iberia Parish voters electing to authorize the School Board to issue general obligation bonds for the purpose of financing capital improvement projects within the school district.
Through the years, the School Board has carried out plans that have established and maintained modern facilities that offer students high quality learning environments that are the envy of surrounding parishes. In February of 2023, Superintendent Heath Hulin and his administration developed and presented a Capital Improvement Plan that was adopted by the School Board. The projects proposed within the plan are designed to be accomplished pending the approval of a $62.5 million-dollar bond proposition being considered by Iberia Parish voters in an April 29 election.
If approved, this bond issue is projected to be accomplished with no change to the existing bond millage rate of 25 mills. With the voters approval, the school system will accomplish all of the following projects designed to enhance the quality of education for the children of Iberia Parish with no increase in property taxes for residents.
Maintaining 21st Century Classrooms
All Iberia Parish classrooms currently employ a 1:1 student to device ratio which enables each child to have access to technology designed to enhance their educational experience. In order to support and continue this initiative requires ongoing maintenance and upgrades. A Capital Improvement Bond allows for a 10% set-aside to be used on technology. The proposed plan
includes upgrading and replacing end-of-life student and teacher devices, upgrading classroom instructional technology such as interactive display panels, expanding district-wide wireless network connectivity, repairing and upgrading wired infrastructure, and upgrading network topology to differentiate instructional and operational network traffic.Â
Enhancing Student Safety and Security
One of the most important duties tasked to the school system is to ensure the safety and security of the students entrusted to its care. The growing number of public safety threats and increasing community violence at home and around the country have caused school systems to take a closer look at procedures and infrastructure dedicated to maintaining a safe educational
environment for students and staff alike. Included in the proposed plans are measures designed to protect against situations that could threaten the safety of students and provide a peace of mind for parents. Projects in this priority area include the installation of high-volume weapon detection systems at all middle and high schools, the installation of card access systems on exterior doors at all school campuses, the upgrade and expansion of video surveillance systems at all campuses, the installation of entryway lock-out panic buttons at all campuses, and the enhancement of school entryway security walls
Relocating Anderson Middle School
Multiple factors have informed the decisions and planning to address issues faced by Anderson Middle School, situated within the west end of the Iberia Parish feeder system to Westgate High School. Increasing crime and violence have posed threats that have affected the schools enrollment, the ability to secure experienced teachers, and the ability for parents to enjoy a sense of security for their students while at school. Rather than construct an additional school in the midst of a downturn in student enrollment, the school system administration has proposed a plan to consolidate elementary schools within the Anderson Westgate feeder system to allow for the transformation of the existing Sugarland Elementary into a state-of-the-art middle school facility. The proximity of the campus to Westgate will allow for cooperative endeavors
and services between the neighboring middle and high schools. The design for the campus transformation includes reconstruction of the administrative suite to allow for the addition of a student guidance department, parent conference rooms, and teacher meeting areas. Additional construction on the campus will include a new library and multimedia center, a band room, science labs, and a new gymnasium with an auditorium stage for student assemblies. Upgrades to the cafeteria kitchen and student dining area, the installation of a new bus drive thru canopy, and a reconstructed building façade will round-out the campus transformation projects.
Expanding the Iberia Parish Career Center
In an effort to provide training to Iberia Parish students that is aligned to the needs of the workforce in local business and industry, this proposed plan includes an expansion project at the Iberia Parish Career Center. The career campus located on Ember Drive in the former airbase complex caters to students seeking to gain industry-based certifications and employment skills to enter the workforce directly or to continue their education after high school
graduation. The expansion would bring together several existing technical programs into one campus complex with room for expansion into new areas based on the needs of local industry. Current programs include carpentry, electrical, HVAC, welding, automotive repair, outdoor power equipment, Emergency Medical Technician, Certified Nursing Assistant, Patient Care
Technician, and a variety of computer-based information technology certifications. The Career Center services students from every high school in the district and provides them with skills to be successful in the workforce, right here at home in Iberia Parish.Â
Preserving and Enhancing Facilities
As important as growth and expansion is to the future success of the school district, equally as important is the responsibility to taxpayers to protect the investments that they have made over the years. The final projects included in the 2023 Capital Improvement Plan aim to preserve and enhance facilities for continued use by current and future students. Roof replacements and student cafeteria renovations are anchor projects in this category. Additionally, refurbishments and enhancements are planned for each of the five high schools indoor athletic facilities. Resurfacing and refinishing gym floors, bleacher replacements, HVAC replacements, and weight room renovations have been included to modernize facilities that provide students and the community opportunities for athletic and extracurricular involvement.
The Iberia Parish School Board has a stellar reputation for fiscal responsibility and decision making. The projects included in this bond proposal reflect high priority needs that can all be accomplished with no projected increase in the current millage rate for taxpayers. For more details on proposed Capital Improvement Projects, please visit the school districts website to view an informational brochure.
