Photograph: St. Landry Parish School Superintendent Milton Batiste III. (Photograph by Freddie Herpin)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
St. Landry Parish School Superintendent Milton Batiste III during a Tuesday noon meeting of the Opelousas Rotary Club, stressed the importance of passing a parishwide School District property tax renewal proposition scheduled for the Oct. 14 ballot.
Batiste told the Rotarians that the current millage which has been in place for 30 years, is essential in order to maintain the teacher salary structure and maintenance operation of District schools.
The presentation by Batiste also included discussion about social officials eventually considering a four-day work week for students and employees, student transportation and campus security matters.
Students will begin attending classes parishwide on Thursday.
The staggered attendance arrangement for the two initial days of classes include having students with last names beginning with A through I required on Thursday. Students with last names of J through Z will attend school on Friday, Batiste said.
All students will report to campuses beginning Monday, according to Batiste.
Parishwide Millage Renewal
Batiste pointed out that the parishwide millage proposition has been renewed several times since it was first approved by voters.
“All we are asking is that we (the District) will be able to maintain and keep what we have. This (funding) goes for salaries and maintenance and nothing else,” said Batiste.
According to a discussion by school board members during a Feb. 7 meeting, the current 16.95 mills collected yearly by the District provides about $12 million for both teachers and maintenance.
Batiste estimated that about 12 percent of the total budget for the District can be attributed to proceeds from the tax.
Four-Day School Week
Batiste said District officials are not yet prepared to discuss whether four-day class scheduling would be a beneficial arrangement in St. Landry.
“This is a matter that has not really been vetted yet. You have to take into consideration that our bus drivers and cafeteria workers are paid by the day,” said Batiste.
Board president Joyce Haynes, who attended the meeting, told the Rotarians that the data supporting a four-way week is still unproven.
“From what I have read, no one has been able to show that (four-day work weeks) is the best thing going. There are still a lot of things that you need to know and survey before we make a decision,” Haynes said.
School Security
Batiste said that the District has recently signed separate agreements with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff Department and Opelousas Police Department for providing campus security officers.
The Sheriff’s Department will provide deputies at rural campuses on a retaining basis, while the Opelousas Police Department has agreed to provide an officer at the Opelousas schools, said Batiste.
New buses purchased by the District will contain security cameras. Currently there are about 40 -50 buses that have security cameras aboard the vehicles, Batiste said.
Money from a $1 million grant obtained by the state will help provide additional security devices for classrooms and school buildings, Batiste said.
School Transportation
Batiste said student bus transportation in St. Landry is challenging due to the vast number of parish, state and federal highways within the parish.
St. Landry contains more than 900 square miles of parish roads, Batiste noted.
The vast distances that buses are required to travel in order to transport students is sometimes overwhelming, said Batiste.
“If you leave Melville and go to Cankton, that takes an hour. It takes the same amount of time if you go from Krotz Springs to Eunice,” Batiste said.
