The Natchitoches Parish School Board Committee reviewed several items during its Aug. 5 meeting ahead of the full board meeting.
Superintendent Dr. Grant Eloi opened the meeting with updates on the upcoming school year, including open houses, bus routes, staffing, attendance and district projects. Eloi also discussed construction work on Second Street in Natchitoches and the possible impact on traffic during the first weeks of school.
“The first week, the first month of school is extremely busy on traffic,” Eloi said. “We’ve all gotten used to summer traffic, which is nothing. So the buses will be out, parents will be out, all those things, but to compound that, we now have the Second Street kind of bottleneck.”
Eloi said he would ask the City of Natchitoches and the Natchitoches Police Department for assistance with traffic flow but would defer to police officials on placement of officers.
Attendance was another topic during the superintendent’s report. Eloi said truancy has decreased for the second consecutive year, dropping nearly 4% from 40.11% to 36.86%.
He explained that truancy is defined as five unexcused absences or tardies within a semester.
The district’s truancy rate is now below the state average, according to Eloi.
He provided an update on the district’s hunting leases, saying the district has received information indicating nearly all lease holders have been contacted, signed and paid their leases.
Maintenance Report: The first phase of the roofing project at Fairview is complete, with additional awning work still underway. At Marthaville, crews have completed several projects, including painting corridors, the old gym and other improvements. The school’s ball field project is ongoing. Yearly inspections, including fire panel and backflow inspections, are also underway.
At Natchitoches Magnet, painting projects have been completed.
Crews are about 50% finished removing a large bee hive located in Marthaville’s new gym. The project will include sealing areas and replacing damaged sheetrock and boards.
There are also ongoing air conditioning repairs. Sixty-one air conditioning work orders were submitted in one day, along with about 20 kitchen equipment work orders.The Lakeview greenhouse project is complete, but additional electrical and utility work remains.
Board members also discussed improvements needed at the Lakeview track facility, including possible upgrades needed to host track meets. Board members were asked to provide a list of needed improvements so costs can be determined.
The board discussed guidance related to the governor’s MFP stipend program under Executive Order 26-47. Eloi explained that districts fall into three categories: those that already provided an equivalent raise, those that provided a partial increase and those that did not provide an increase.
He said Natchitoches Parish falls into the third category because no salary increase has been approved between last year and this year. The stipend amount previously provided by the state was about $198 million statewide, but the current program differs because certain employee groups are excluded. The governor’s guidance excludes positions including principals, assistant principals, superintendents and several other employee groups.
Eloi said he disagreed with excluding principals and assistant principals and expressed concerns about the impact on employee morale.
“We need to find a way to make sure every employee gets either the $2,000 or $1,000,” Eloi said.
He said the administration will return with a full proposal in September outlining the payment timeline, costs and possible funding options. Eloi said the district is reviewing how much the state allocation will cover and what additional costs would be required to provide stipends to employees not included in the governor’s guidance.
The board discussed an addendum to the memorandum of understanding with Access Health to expand health services at Weaver Elementary. Access Health currently operates health centers through Cabrini and is proposing an expansion to Weaver beginning in January 2027.
The expansion would not require district funding because the program is supported through Medicaid reimbursements. It could also allow students from Natchitoches Magnet to access services.
The board discussed a resolution involving the Louisiana State Mineral and Energy Board and Office of Mineral Resources regarding district property. Eloi said the district owns a 633.12-acre tract of property near Posey Road that has received interest from a natural gas company.
Before any lease agreement can move forward, the matter must go through the Office of Mineral Resources. Eloi said the potential lease could provide revenue for the district, and future drilling could create a continuous revenue stream, although no revenue will be counted until agreements are finalized.
The full Natchitoches Parish School Board is scheduled to meet Aug. 14, when board members will consider action on items discussed during the committee meeting.