The Ouachita Parish School Board was presented with a construction update for the new Sterlington Middle School campus on Tuesday during a regular board meeting.
The football stadium, press box and concession stand at Sterlington Middle were released for occupancy on October 4 by the Louisiana State Fire Marshal, per project architect Rice Gregory. Baron Construction, the contractor on the project, has also begun work on the construction punch list.
Ouachita Parish Schools received a substantial completion on the project from Gregory on July 19. Sterlington Middle began the 2024-2025 school year in the new building.
Special Recognitions
The School Board recognized Sterlington Elementary for being named a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School. Only seven schools in the state of Louisiana received this honor, and of those seven schools, only four were traditional public schools.
Sterlington Elementary is the fourth school in the Ouachita Parish School System to receive this distinction from the U.S. Department of Education.
Central Elementary renames gym
The School Board approved renaming the gym at Central Elementary School in honor of Alvin Britton Sr.
Britton Sr. was a bus driver for Ouachita Parish Schools from 1949-73. He was a passionate advocate for African American youth and purchased a school bus with his own money to transport children to school. Britton Sr. also operated a convenience store and a coin laundry facility.
Architect selected for Central Elementary remodel
The School Board selected TBA Studio as the architect for the latest construction project at Central Elementary School.
TBA Studio will design remodeled restrooms and an additional hallway at Central Elementary so students can access the entire school from indoors.
National 4-H Week
The School Board recognized National 4-H Week during the meeting.
Ouachita Parish Schools partners with Ouachita 4-H Club expand the organization across the parish. Over the past year, the Ouachita 4-H has grown from 18 clubs to 59 clubs.
Pupil Progression
The School Board approved the Pupil Progression Plan for the 2024-2025 school year.
The new Pupil Progression Plan includes revisions made by the School Board and law changes made during the 2024 Louisiana Legislative Session. This document is available online at opsb.net.
Bids
The School Board approved bids on the following items:
Bid Item: Richwood High School Fieldhouse Additions and Renovations
Funding Source: ES Bond
Budget Amount: $1,400,000
Bid Item: Swartz Upper Roof Replacement Funding Source: M&O
Budget Amount: $1,000,000
The School Board granted permission to bid on the following item:
Bid Item Funding Source Budget Amount
Walk-In Cooler and Walk-In Freezer CN Equipment Fund $ 90,000
Additional settings for Safari Browser.
