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American Press
02-08-2025
- General
- American Press
Ralph Wilson Center of Opportunities opens its doors
Friday marked a new beginning for a Calcasieu Parish school. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the newly-named Ralph Wilson Center of Opportunities. The building has been transformed from an elementary school into an education facility that will serve at-risk students from across the district. The Calcasieu Parish School Board unanimously approved the reconfiguration of Ralph Wilson and John J. Johnson II Elementary in April. Instead of two separate elementary schools, John J. Johnson is a kindergarten through fifth-grade school, and Ralph Wilson is an education center for students in grades sixth through 12 who are overage, undercredited or have any special circumstances that have hindered their education. Schools Superintendent Jason VanMetre said 'opportunity' is the key word. 'We want to be able to do in this place is create an opportunity for kids who may be passed through,' he said. 'Those kids who are overage, undercredited, to be able to give them an opportunity after high school. And the only way to do that is to give them an opportunity in high school.' The school will offer an alternative program that utilizes the Edgenuity program, a credit recovery course that adapts to each student. Students will receive academic support, career and technical education opportunities, and mentoring and counseling services, and a combination of face-to-face lessons and asynchronous virtual learning. CPSB Chief Academic Officer Ronnie Harvey said this not a 'cost-saving measure,' but a chance to optimize the resources that CPSB already has to benefit every student at every district school, from 'Starks to Bell City,' he said. 'We took a step and a leap of faith, and we put all our eggs in one basket,' he said. 'Here in Calcasieu, one of the gaps we've had is that we haven't used all our energy and all our resources to save all children. We constantly talk about saving the whole child. But we have to save the whole family and the whole community as well.' Principal Shaquana Thibodeaux was once an at-risk teen herself, she said. Now, she is ready to provide an opportunity to students who are in similar situations. 'I just wanted the opportunity to get out and do something different with myself,' she said. ' I thank God for him putting me in this position, traveling forward with me throughout my education, and I look to do the same thing with students in this school. All I ask is, like you said, support us in this mission, and we will move forward.' Ralph Wilson was named after Ralph F. Wilson, who served as principal of Opelousas Elementary School until he died at age 39 in 1975. Opelousas Elementary was renamed Ralph Wilson Elementary a month after his death. His widow, Phyllis, said the opening of the Ralph Wilson Center of Opportunities is a 'heartwarming' and emotional full-circle moment. 'The memories of my husband, and how he stood, the last day of his life, working for the children of Calcasieu Parish, the very last day of his life,' she said. 'And here we stand today, all of you, just to support the children of our city and of our parish.'
American Press
11-07-2025
- Business
- American Press
School Board puts off HVAC decision for west side of district
(American Press Archives) The decision on the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) contract for the west side of the Calcasieu Parish school district has been halted a second time. A heated discussion about splitting HVAC contracts between two companies – one for the west side and one for the east side of the parish – that began in June was carried into the July Calcasieu Parish School Board meeting on Tuesday. The board was divided on the decision to move forward with splitting the district by maintaining Johnson Controls (JCI) services on the east side of the parish and granting a contract to a different company on the west side of the parish. The other three companies considered were Bernhard, Corporate Mechanical Contractors (CMC) and STAR. CPSB completed a request for proposals for HVAC services to begin on Nov. 1, 2025. The district's intention to complete the RFP was voiced at the October 2024 regular meeting, following a request from the long-range planning committee. At the same meeting, CPSB recommended that the board extend the contract with JCI for one year while the RFP was created by CSRS, a consulting firm. In June, the board was presented with the RFP and staff recommendations. After about two hours of discussion, the board voted to award the east side to JCI. The decision on the west side was delayed until July, so that staff could present more detailed recommendations. Board members were concerned about several things, including the higher cost of services for companies other than JCI, the number of available HVAC technicians, and the way distance would affect the quality of service. RFP interviews were held by CPSB staff in June. Superintendent Jason VanMetre said at the July meeting that staff found that since all companies could provide quality services, 'staff felt that price was a deciding factor and recommended Lafayette-based Bernhard. Bernhard's base annual cost of service is approximately $2.5 million, plus $433,628 for the cost of controls, totalling just over $3 million. STAR's base cost is $3.4 million, plus $377,160 for the cost of controls, totalling $3.8 million. CMC's base cost of service would have been $4.2 million, plus $3.3 million for controls cost, totaling $7.6 million. Bernhard and CMC would provide eight to 10 employees. STAR would provide 12 to 15. The proposals also include potential additional costs to convert CPSB's HVAC controls to a graphical user interface (GUI), which would modernize the district's systems. In the STAR contract, GUI conversion is required. At the start of the discussion, board member Tony O'Banion, District 10, suggested that the board actually grant the west side contract to JCI and dedicate $1 million annually to replace equipment throughout the district. He stated that while CPSB has had issues with JCI's services over the years, the service has improved since the district put millions into HVAC infrastructure. 'For years, we have chosen to cut the budget, and there were probably valid reasons at the time. We probably needed to cut,' he said. 'But we cut to the point where they couldn't perform. Once we increased it … they've done better. They've done preventative maintenance.' JCI's proposal for the west side includes 17 employees in the service area for a total cost of $2.4 million, with an optional first-year cost to convert to GUI controls. Board member Dean Roberts, District 6, suggested the board be willing to spend more money for better service, as 'Johnson Controls has not performed. Period.' 'We all debated that and we decided to split it. 'Here, we've gone through that process. We didn't do this to find the lowest price, the cheapest price, so we end up in the same boat. … Cheap has not worked.' After a series of failed motions, the board ultimately decided to table the discussion until August with a vote of 11-4. Board members Russell Castille, District 12; Glenda Gay, District 3; Aaron Natali, District 1; and Roberts voted against the tabling.
American Press
15-05-2025
- Business
- American Press
School Board approves ITEP for Lotte Chemical
Production at Lotte Chemical's ethylene glycol manufacturing plant in Westlake is underway. The plant is part of a $3.1 billion project, which also includes an ethylene cracker plant that will produce 1 million tons of ethylene per year. (Special to the American Press) The Calcasieu Parish School Board approved an Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP) application for Lotte Chemical on Tuesday. Lotte Chemical, a Westlake facility that produces MonoEthylene Glycol, applied for a 10-year, 80 percent exemption for facility additions. Robert Wege of Summit Credits, representing Lotte Chemical, said the application is for the final phase of a wastewater treatment process that was installed at the facility, which included 'tanks, pumps, and valves.' He called the additions a 'direct investment' into the facility that 'do bring new revenue to the parish in the way of sales tax.' He also stated the abatements are not fully representative of the additions' value. The additions are representative of nearly $2 million in investments, according to application documents The total of forgone revenue for 10 years is $43,408 for CPSB, and $228,657 for all taxing bodies. The generated property tax revenue over 20 years is estimated to be $34,104 for CPSB. The project created two direct jobs with a payroll of $120,000. Renee Rule spoke at the meeting to represent the Calcasieu Association of Educators. While she believes that 'not all ITEPs are bad,' she called for the board to use discretion when approving applications, stating that the forgone property taxes ITEPs provide restrict CPSB's financial flexibility. 'When we provide ITEPs that are not beneficial to us, it limits our budget to what we can do now. We know that's true because we have, for several years, not been able to absorb the cost of rising insurance premiums to employers, while also not being able to afford raises. 'We have to consider what ITEP costs us. When we cannot pay educators, when we cannot fund education, we are not just hurting educators. We are not just hurting local educational agencies. We are hurting children,' she added later. Board member Dean Roberts, District 6, said the revenue created from the projects, despite abatements, will continue to provide the district opportunities 'unlike we've ever seen.' 'If you look at the big picture of industry and how it impacts Southwest Louisiana, whether you like it or not … we thrive off industry.' The application was approved with a split vote. 2018 ITEP Rules Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order last year that pulled back on ITEP requirements instituted under the administration of former Gov. John Bel Edwards and altered the ITEP application approval process. Instead of presenting ITEPs to several boards for approval, ITEPs submitted after the executive order are approved or denied by a consolidated board of representatives from each governing body in a parish, including the school board. But ITEPs for projects that began before the executive order are still subject to 2018 ITEP rules. Since the Lotte Chemical ITEP approved on Tuesday is for an expansion of an existing project, it has to be approved individually, said CPSB Chief Financial Officer Wilfred Bourne.
