Lafourche Parish school board recognizes student musicians, hears foundation report and approves routine contracts and 2025-26 calendar

The Lafourche Parish School Board on Feb. 19 recognized student musicians and staff from across the parish, received an update from the Lafourche Education Foundation on its King Cake Fest fundraising, and approved a package of routine contracts, bid advertisements, change orders and the 2025-26 academic calendar.

The foundation’s update, delivered by Diana LaFouche, noted proceeds from last year’s festival and outlined how that money has been used. “We raised $80,000 and with that money we’ve been able to do some really cool things for the teachers,” LaFouche said, adding the foundation distributed about $40,000 in innovation and education grants and provided $250 supply grants to roughly 30 new teachers this school year.

Why it matters: The foundation’s fundraising supports classroom-level grants and early-literacy programming that the foundation said it would otherwise have difficulty funding. Board actions on contracts and the academic calendar set the district’s spending and school-year timeline for the coming year.

Students and staff recognition: The board paused regular business for an extended awards segment highlighting students selected for statewide ensembles by the Louisiana Music Educators Association and the Louisiana American Choral Directors Association. School staff and board members called out teachers and directors who prepared students for district and state auditions; dozens of students from Thibodaux, Central Lafourche, Bayou Blue, Lockport and other schools were named.

Foundation and King Cake Fest details: LaFouche told the board the Louisiana King Cake Fest (the foundation’s community fundraiser) produced…