Board approves moving Queensborough zone into J.S. Clark Academy despite legal concerns raised

The Caddo Parish School Board voted June 17 to modify J.S. Clark Academy's attendance zone to include the former zone of Queensborough Elementary School after hearing public concern about legal and timeliness issues.

John Glover, a neighborhood resident, addressed the board at the public hearing and warned that a pending lawsuit by a parent challenging the Queensborough closure raised the prospect of "immediate and irreparable injury" if boundary changes were implemented without consideration of timing. "If that modification is addressed, then it would definitely do away with the immediate and irreparable injury," Glover said, urging the board to consider how their actions interact with the pending litigation.

Board members and staff discussed the change during the meeting and proceeded to a vote. Board member Miss Bell moved to approve the modification; Miss McLean seconded. The board approved the attendance‑zone change during the regular meeting after discussion.

Staff indicated they had reviewed the attendance maps and enrollment impacts and would work with affected families and principals. The board did not reverse the closure decision at this meeting; rather, it authorized the boundary modification to align J.S. Clark Academy with the territory left by Queensborough's closure. Attorneys and staff noted the board had previously conducted required processes for boundary changes and public hearings; members acknowledged the existence of litigation and the concerns of the speaker but proceeded with the staff recommendation.

The modification will change enrollment assignments and requires staff to update school rosters, transportation assignments and communication to impacted families before the start of the 2025–26 school year.