School board approves bids and RFPs, endorses student moves and zoning review
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Summary
Trustees authorized bids to replace chillers, approved RFPs for insurance/audit/HVAC services, and signed off on moving Preswell students to Highlands junior high for 2026–27 amid discussion of capacity and future building reuse.
The St. Landry Parish School Board on April 9 advanced several facilities and procurement items: it approved advertising bids to replace damaged chillers at North Central High School, authorized requests for proposals for insurance brokerage, audit services and HVAC maintenance/replacement, and approved moving Preswell students into the Highlands junior high building for the 2026–27 school year.
Board staff said the chiller replacement will be publicly advertised and that demographer consultations are underway to review zoning lines between Harkness, Northwest and other high schools. A trustee urged that the redrawing of boundaries be data‑driven and that the district consider tax‑district implications when reassigning zones.
Regarding the Preswell-to‑Highlands move, staff described available capacity in the renovated junior high building and said the relocation would give the program more space, including a gymnasium. Trustees discussed implementation details, extracurricular eligibility concerns and reporting structures; the superintendent and legal counsel said staff will coordinate with the athletic association and provide clarifying job descriptions for transitional positions.
On procurement, the board emphasized fairness and transparency for RFPs and heard from a local HVAC firm (speaker 15) that the company serves St. Landry Parish and could compete for district work. All motions passed by voice vote.
