Denham Springs High School and Denham Springs Freshman high will be up and running by the first day of the second semester on Jan. 5, allowing students to return nearly five months after the August flood decimated the schools.
Livingston Parish Public Schools says in a news release that it will spend some between $5 million to $6 million to restore the high school and freshman campuses. The campuses will receive a final cleaning and new technology and furniture in the coming weeks, but because of time constraints—the second semester starts Jan. 5—the final coats of paint in some classrooms will not be applied until after students return.
“We are most appreciative of the patience and cooperation of everyone involved,” Livingston Superintendent Rick Wentzel says in a prepared statement. “In the midst of our challenging circumstances, our school communities have remained focused on the safety and educational well-being of our students, allowing us to continue our pursuit of academic excellence across our parish.”
The school system also announced today that students at Southside Elementary and Southside Junior High will transfer to new temporary campuses on Jan. 5. The temporary campus for Southside Elementary is located on roughly four acres directly behind Juban Parc Elementary, and the temporary campus for Southside Junior High School’s will be on a four-acre tract behind Juban Parc Junior High.
Meanwhile, students at Denham Springs Elementary will be relocated to a temporary campus next to to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on Hatchell Lane in Denham Springs. That campus won’t be ready until Jan. 30 because of Federal Emergency Management Agency code issues.
Students and employees at Denham Springs Elementary School will continue to attend or work at Eastside Elementary, Northside Elementary and Freshwater Elementary until new temporary campuses are completed by end of the month.
The school system expects to fork over some $11 million to build the other schools’ temporary campuses.
