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Special to the News Leader
In May of 2019, the voters of Beauregard Parish approved a Capital Improvement Plan of $29 million for construction, renovation, and improvements to school facilities.
The board voted to implement the bond in phases to address the most pressing needs in Phase I with additional needs listed for Phase II and Phase III as funds were available.
Phase I projects included an elementary school in DeRidder, a classroom addition at East Beauregard Elementary, a new cafeteria and administration office at Merryville High School, and a new classroom wing at South Beauregard Elementary.
Bond funds were also earmarked for technology which included upgraded Smartboards in classrooms across the parish and Chromebooks for all students as digital learning was required after the hurricanes and during COVID. The school board also installed hot spots across the parish for use during digital learning and for homework as the district has transitioned to Google Classroom learning.
“In addition to the technology upgrades across our parish, three of the four bond projects are completed and in use for our students and staff,” said Superintendent Larry Hollie. “These include the South Beauregard Elementary wing completed in the fall of 2022, the Merryville High School Administration and Cafeteria, completed for the fall of 2023, and the East Beauregard Elementary kindergarten wing completed for the fall of 2023. The final project, the DeRidder elementary school, is well underway, with completion anticipated for the fall of 2024.”
In November of 2019, the board formalized agreements with architects Champeaux, Evans, and Hotard for the SBE wing and the DeRidder school, and with David Moss for the MHS building and EBE classroom projects.
Kraus Construction was awarded the bid for the South Beauregard Elementary wing for $2,547,000 in August 2020.
Contracts were signed with Pat Williams and Company in February 2021 for the Merryville High School building for the bid plus alternates 1 and 2 for a total cost of $5,774,000.
The East Beauregard Elementary kindergarten four classroom addition was awarded in September 2022 to K & J Development of SWLA for $2,040,000.
The DeRidder Elementary project was awarded to Ratcliff Construction, LLC, in September 2022 at cost of $24,940,000.
“All the projects in the bond proposition increased in cost since the original estimates from 2019 due to hurricanes, supply chain problems, higher than expected inflation, and other issues,” explained Hollie. “All projects are completely funded using 2019 bond and BPSB maintenance and general funds as well as purchasing furnishings through the 2023 bond.
“We are committed to improving facilities for the children of our parish, and we are glad that we have completed three projects and are nearing the completion of the final project of the 2019 bond, which will benefit our students and our school system for years to come,” he said.
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