Eunice Elementary students who have been attending classes at Highland Elementary are to return to their campus within the next few days.
The students were moved to Highland after a fire on Aug. 14 damaged a building at the Eunice Elementary campus.
Claudia Blanchard, director of operations for the St. Landry Parish School system, said temporary buildings have been installed at the 9th Street campus.
“Teachers are certainly anxious to get in their temporary buildings, as is the principal,” Blanchard said at a meeting of the School Board’s Buidlings, Lands and Sites Committee on Monday in Opelousas.
Blanchard said a canopy has been built over the walkway to the temporary buildings.
Cleaning and “some light demolition” has occurred at the building where the fire occurred, she said.
An insurance adjustor is to determine the scope of work needed at the fire-damaged building that housed 11 classrooms.
The damaged building is 55 years old.
The ceiling tile and light fixtures must be replaced, but the floor remains in question because it includes asbestos, she said.
Eunice School Board member Albert Hayes Jr. suggested now would be a good time to add LED lighting to the building.
About 110 third- and fourth-graders, along with special education students, were displaced by the fire.
The third-graders and special education students were moved into other buildings on the campus and used spaces such as the library and computer lab for classes.
The fourth-graders have been attending classes at Highland Elementary.
Blanchard said the state Fire Marshal completed a report, but has not released it.
The fire was unofficially reported to have started in a window air conditioning, heating unit.
A cost has not been assessed on the damage. The school system has a $25,000 deductible on its insurance policy with Dupre, Carrier Godchaux Insurance.
At an Aug. 2 meeting, the School Board approved a roof replacement project costing $1,099,000 for Eunice Elementary and Eunice Junior High School. It has been unclear how the fire is going to impact the roofing project.
Blanchard has said the roof project may proceed at the other buildings, but the project would have to be renegotiated.
Also at the meeting, Blanchard said replacing temporary buildings and restrooms at Palmetto Elementary would cost about $800,000.
The school system is paying about $60,000 a year for the portable classrooms.
Eunice School Board Mary Ellen Donatto member said, “This is something that almost needs to be a completely separate meeting in my opinion.”
Opelousas Board member Randy Wagley said Palmetto Elementary is one of the school system’s worst facilities.
The Board also needs to consider moving the children to North Central, which would need renovation, Donatto said.
In other action, the committee voted to take school property on 9th Street next to the old National Guard Armory out of consideration for sale.
Donatto said she received an inquiry from someone about buying the property.
The property is a prime piece of real estate for the district given its location next to Eunice Elementary and Eunice Junior High School, she said.
“While we are not certain what we will do with schools, we certainly don’t want to lose any of our property that can be utilized to move children ...” she said.
Donatto said emergency access to the two Eunice elementary schools on the north side of the railroad tracks can be blocked a train at times.
Hayes said in the interest of assessing the property in a business matter, “I would have to ask what they are willing to pay for it?”
He added, “We could use another couple of million dollars.”
