Acadia Parish School Board approves turf contract, employee pay supplement and begins purchase process for Midland High adjacent property
Loading...
Summary
At a special session Oct. 21, the Acadia Parish School Board approved a construction contract for a turf field at Iota High School, increased the sales-tax-funded employee supplement for 2026, authorized staff to pursue purchase of land next to Midland High School, and approved a one-time Head Start claims exemption.
The Acadia Parish School Board on Oct. 21 approved a series of measures in a short special session, including a construction contract award for a turf field at Iota High School, an increase to a voter-approved sales-tax supplement for employees, authorization to pursue purchase of property adjacent to Midland High School and a one-time Head Start claims exemption.
The board voted to authorize the superintendent to determine the lowest responsive and responsible bidder and to execute a construction contract for the Iota High School turf field; the board was told the award goes to Academic Term Solutions. The board also approved an increase to the January sales-tax supplement for professional and support employees, updating the 2026 salary schedule to raise the professional supplement to $1,010 and the support supplement to $715, figures the board reviewed as derived from a funding formula tied to a voter-approved half-cent sales tax dedicated to salaries and benefits. Members also approved a motion to allow the superintendent, the chief financial officer and board legal counsel to move forward on a purchasing process for about 6 acres of property adjacent to Midland High School and approved a Head Start one-time exemption request for an April 2025 childcare food program claim totaling $30,269.50.
Why it matters: the package of approvals affects near-term capital work, ongoing payroll supplements funded by a dedicated sales tax, and local efforts to secure land for athletics at Midland High. The Head Start exemption addresses an administrative claim-processing error that would otherwise delay federal reimbursement.
Votes at a glance - Turf field contract at Iota High School: motion to authorize superintendent to determine lowest responsive and responsible bidder and execute contract; award reported to Academic Term Solutions; motion carried (ayes recorded). - January sales-tax supplement (2026 salary schedule): motion to increase supplements to $1,010 (professional) and $715 (support); motion carried (ayes recorded). - Purchase process for property adjacent to Midland High School: motion to authorize superintendent, CFO and board counsel to move forward with purchasing process for roughly 6 acres; motion carried (ayes recorded). - Head Start one-time exemption (childcare food program): April 2025 claim of $30,269.50; motion carried (ayes recorded).
Board members who moved or seconded motions during the session included Mr. Jones, Mr. Higginbotham, Mr. Hebert and Mrs. Atkinson; motions were carried with the board responding “aye” at the roll calls.
The board added agenda item 2.2 — a report on crisis management and response plans required under Act 334 of the 2023 legislative session — after a motion to add the item passed by roll call.
The approvals do not include detailed attachable plans or purchase contracts in the public packet at the time of the vote; several board members said they expected attachments or further details to be provided later. The board instructed staff to proceed with the purchase process and contract award steps consistent with the motions passed.
