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 ticket and sponsorship revenue that has underwritten teacher grants and other programs. She said the festival brought in about $80,000 in proceeds the prior year, of which roughly $40,000 was awarded in innovation grants to teachers. The foundation also continues to fund the Donald Clark Imagination Library, a program that mails a book monthly to children ages 0–5, LaFouche said.

LaFouche outlined festival logistics and community participation: a children’s wagon parade at 10 a.m., festival opening at 11 a.m., $10 general admission that includes five tasting tags for king‑cake samples, VIP ticket options, and vendor and sponsorship tiers. She said the L’Oréal Foundation was a major sponsor this year and estimated the foundation contributed about $30,000 in sponsorship support.

Board approvals and routine business: The board moved through multiple business and facilities items, taking formal actions (motions carried by voice vote) to renew insurance and vendor contracts, advertise for services and award procurement. Key items approved included:

Votes at a glance

- Renewal quote for insurance premium (proposed premium $355,083): motion approved (mover: board committee; outcome: approved; vote tally not recorded in transcript). Note in committee discussion: rejection of uninsured motorists and terrorism coverage as part of the renewal.

- Authorization to advertise for proposals for emergency/disaster-related environmental services (asbestos, mold, lead): approved.

- Award to CND Computers for refurbished desktops and laptops (lowest, responsive bidder): approved.

- Authorization to advertise for bids on small and large equipment for child nutrition for 2025–26: approved.

- Authorization to advertise for bids for specific child nutrition supplies (milk, bread, other food items, janitorial/paper products, grease‑trap cleaning, concentrated detergents): approved.

- Extension of existing contracts for E‑Rate Category 2 products/services (Aruba Central transceivers and switches) through June 30, 2026 (original RFP terms): approved.

- Extension of another E‑Rate Category 2 contract through June 30, 2026 (original RFP terms as awarded Feb. 16, 2022): approved.

- Facilities committee approvals including a change order at Saint Charles Elementary (add $46,211.94 and 23 days): approved.

- Three‑year lease renewal with Veil Virtual Academy of Lafourche for Building No. 7 at Grace Graceland Middle School: approved.

- Fee‑waiver approvals for community groups to use school facilities (DTB Track Club stadium/track/field and Diamond Elite Volleyball gym use through 2027), with requesters responsible for $300 damage deposit and custodial fees: approved.

- Authorization to advertise for facility condition assessment services: approved.

- Acceptance of several change‑order credit adjustments for hurricane repairs/omissions (examples: a $3,400 credit for a Seavull and Field House installation item; $9,217.57 credit removing canopy repainting at Central Lafourche High; $6,907.67 credit omitting rear canopy replacement at 10 sites): approved.

- Approval of the 2025–26 academic calendar: approved. District staff presented the proposed calendar as providing 65,625 instructional minutes (375 minutes per day) and 182 teacher work days, above the minimum instructional requirement cited in state law. Students’ first day was presented as Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2025, and the last day as Thursday, May 21, 2026, with five built‑in emergency days; the board approved the calendar by voice vote.

Discussion versus decisions: Many items were routine committee recommendations or procurements with minimal board discussion beyond clarifying questions. The foundation update and the student recognitions generated the most extended remarks. Several land and facilities change orders were accepted as credits or increases depending on the item; those change orders include timing adjustments (the Saint Charles classroom addition added 23 calendar days).

Clarifying details recorded at the meeting: the foundation reported roughly $80,000 in festival proceeds; about $40,000 in teacher innovation grants were distributed; roughly 30 new teachers received $250 supply grants; the foundation estimated its major sponsorship contribution from the L’Oréal Foundation at about $30,000 (speaker’s estimate); festival admission is $10 and includes five tasting tags for king‑cake samples; the festival schedules include a children’s wagon parade at 10 a.m. and a festival opening at 11 a.m.

What’s next: The board noted tentative committee dates and scheduled the next regular school board meeting for March 2025. Several procurement advertisements and vendor extensions will move forward under superintendent authorization as approved by the board.

Ending: The meeting concluded after memorial resolutions and routine approvals. The board adopted the listed motions by general consent or voice vote; the transcript contains no roll‑call tallies for the items reported as carried.