Harlan Kirgan
A plan to change Highland Elementary into an early learning center focused on 4-year-olds and move its pre-kindergarten through fourth-grade students to Eunice’s three other elementary school passed without dissent at St. Landry Parish School Board meeting Monday.
Eunice Board member Mary Ellen Donatto said she was prepared to defend or explain the plan, but with no opposition at the special meeting Board members approved changes at the four elementary schools without discussion.
The big change for the elementary schools is moving 4-year-olds to Highland Elementary. The students, about 160, will come from the four existing elementary schools, Highland, East, Eunice and Glendale.
The Eunice Head Start Center will focus on infants to 3-year-olds.
The change, pending a public hearing at the April 1 Board meeting, will occur with the 2021-2022 school year.
Superintendent Patrick Jenkins said the plan will provide “universal” education to the school district’s youngest students.
Eunice Board member Albert Hayes Jr. called the plan “good news.”
Hayes said, “We’ve already discussed how it is going to improve the situation there in Eunice.”
Hayes added that it is time for teachers to get their resumes together to meet with principals involved.
Jenkins said the April public hearing is to settle on zone lines for the kindergarten through fourth-grade classes at East, Eunice and Glendale schools.
Maps distributed at the meeting included enrollment numbers at the four schools as of February 2020. They are: Highland Elementary, 224 students; Eunice Elementary, 224 students; East Elementary, 232 students; and Glendale Elementary, 255 students.
At a meeting earlier this month, June Inhern, director of early education in the parish, said it is common for children to be turned away from early classes. The plan would open up more seats for early education through age 4.
The School Board has a lease on the Eunice Head Start facility until 2058. The only cost to the School Board is that it pay 76.3% of the electric, water and sewer costs. The city pays for gas service.
Jenkins said the city of Eunice is planning roof repairs at the Head Start facility.
Jenkins said if the Eunice early education center is successful the plan would be used in Opelousas and elsewhere in the parish.