Jefferson Parish construction plan targets neediest campuses

$50 million proposal targets 8 existing schools

April 15, 2008

2 min read

Jefferson Parish (La.) Superintendent Diane Roussel has unveiled a tentative $50 million capital improvement plan that targets eight existing schools in the district and funnels the lion's share of funds to West Bank campuses deemed most lacking by district officials. In addition to repairing or rebuilding current schools, the plan calls for expanding the West Bank's magnet program by purchasing the former Archbishop Blenk campus in Gretna. It also proposes building a new Haynes Academy magnet high school on a 20-acre plot in north Kenner. The existing Haynes property in Old Metairie would be put up for sale or considered for alternative use.
Click here to read The New Orleans Times-Picayune article.

FROM FEBRUARY: The Jefferson Parish (La.) School Board has approved a plan to borrow $50 million to replace 18 schools or parts of schools over the next several years, a significant element of Superintendent Diane Roussel's master plan for the school system.
Click here to read The New Orleans Times-Picayune article.

EARLIER: Jefferson (La.) Parish School Supt. Diane Roussel wants to replace 18 aging school campuses with state-of-the-art facilities. The projects are part of a master plan that maps out proposed programs and school configurations through 2013. Roussel has begun assessing the district's financial status to determine how much money it could collect through a bond issue.
Click here to read The New Orleans Times-Picayune article.