Lafourche Parish School Board approves $17 million bonds, cybersecurity MOA and multiple contracts and change orders

The Lafourche Parish School Board on July 2 approved a series of district actions including authorization to issue $17,000,000 in general-obligation school bonds, a memorandum of agreement with the State of Louisiana on cybersecurity, adoption of the 2025–26 parent and student handbook and several procurement and facilities items.

The board voted to adopt a resolution authorizing the issuance of $17,000,000 of general-obligation school bonds for Consolidated School District No. 1 of Lafourche Parish; the board record shows the motion and a second and the chair announced the motion carried. The bond resolution was presented as an item from the business committee and no further public discussion is recorded in the transcript.

The board also approved entering into a memorandum of agreement with the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) for cybersecurity for fiscal year 2025–2026. The motion was introduced and seconded; the board announcement records the motion carried.

Other approved business included accepting terms and pricing for a three-year subscription to the Spark PE curriculum at a district cost of $59,423.59; renewing flood insurance per the recommendation from Cuomo Grove with Norris Insurance Consultants (as stated in the meeting record); approving the proposed renewal from Humana Medicare Advantage for the 2026 plan year; and approving advertising for a request for proposals (RFP) for a district procurement item described in the transcript as “solutions or sensory wrong” (transcript text unclear on the exact phrasing).

On facilities and construction matters, the board approved multiple change orders and time adjustments: a $4,538.94 change order and 12-day extension to reconnect power to the Golden Meadow Middle School field house; a $6,423.60 change order and, after a correction to committee minutes, a 15-day extension to address a subsurface sewer piping conflict at the St. Charles Elementary classroom addition project (the record notes the July 16 meeting mistakenly listed a 6-day extension and was corrected to 15 days: 7 days for the sewer reroute and 8 days for weather delays); a 16-day weather-related time extension for the LPSD Transportation Center project; and a credit of $12,331.90 plus a 16-day weather extension for Golden Meadow Lower Elementary School and South Lafourche High School projects (the transcript contains two slightly differing school name spellings; the board record language was read aloud during the item).

The board approved a request to hire Salus O’Brien for the Central Lafourche High School scoreboard modification project with an order-of-magnitude cost (OPC) of $300,000, funded by Central Lafourche High School. A board member praised the school’s presentation and emphasized that academic funds would not be used for the project.

The board adopted the Lafourche Parish School District parent and student handbook for 2025–26, described by a presenter as the updated handbook that is available online.

The board approved retaining Arapin, Haven & Hawkins as associate legal counsel to pursue claims on behalf of the district related to alleged improper insulin pricing that damaged the district’s self-administered health insurance program; the motion was moved and seconded and the board recorded the motion carried.

Finally, the board moved into executive session under Louisiana Revised Statute 42:17.7 to consider a student expulsion appeal pursuant to LPSD policy JDE; the motion to enter executive session was moved and seconded, a hand vote was taken and the board announced it was moving into executive session at 6:46 p.m.

Votes at a glance

- Approve minutes and routine committee recommendations: motion carried (minutes and routine approvals recorded across committee items). - Approve Spark PE curriculum, 3-year subscription — $59,423.59: approved. - Renew flood insurance per committee recommendation (Cuomo Grove/Norris Insurance Consultants as stated): approved. - Renew Humana Medicare Advantage for 2026 plan year: approved. - Adopt resolution to issue $17,000,000 general-obligation school bonds (Consolidated School District No. 1, Lafourche Parish): approved. - Enter MOA with Louisiana GOHSEP for cybersecurity FY 2025–26: approved. - Advertise RFP described in the agenda as “solutions or sensory wrong” (transcript wording unclear): approved. - Facilities change orders and time extensions (multiple projects): approved (see clarifying details). - Approve request to hire Salus O’Brien for Central Lafourche High School scoreboard project, OPC $300,000, funded by school: approved. - Adopt 2025–26 parent and student handbook: approved. - Retain Arapin, Haven & Hawkins as associate legal counsel to pursue insulin‑pricing claims for district health plan: approved. - Move into executive session to consider a student expulsion appeal under LA Rev. Stat. 42:17.7 and LPSD policy JDE: approved (hand vote); board entered executive session at 6:46 p.m.

Why it matters

The bond authorization, cybersecurity agreement and legal action on insulin pricing are the most consequential items for district finance and operations. The bond authorization enables district capital financing; the MOA with GOHSEP addresses district cybersecurity posture and potential state coordination; and the legal retention signals the district is pursuing recovery related to drug pricing that the board says affected its self-insured plan. Several facilities change orders and time extensions reflect ongoing construction and weather impacts to school projects.

What the record shows

The transcript records motions, seconds and repeated announcements that motions carried for the items above; it does not include roll-call vote tallies or dissenting recorded votes in the meeting transcript provided. Several agenda lines and readbacks contain minor transcription or name inconsistencies that are reflected in the board reading of committee recommendations (for example, school name spellings and the phrasing of the RFP item). Where the transcript text was unclear, this article notes that uncertainty and reports the agenda language as read aloud by board staff.