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Our Board voted to purchase two fifteen acre sites for new elementary schools at their meeting January 19, 2006. The main issue facing our school system when we went to the voters in September, 2004, was overcrowding at Airline High, Apollo Elementary, Benton Elementary, Benton High, Stockwell Elementary, and Haughton High.
The enrollment at Apollo Elementary, Benton Elementary, Benton Middle and Stockwell Elementary has grown dramatically since 2002 when we began our long range planning. In 2002 Apollo had an enrollment of 812 students which has grown to 1033 students for 2005-2006. Benton Elementary had an enrollment of 700 students in 2002 which has grown to 794 students in 2005-2006. Stockwell Elementary had an enrollment of 638 students in 2002 which has grown to 786 students in 2005-2006. We had originally planned a new elementary school east of Red Chute, but the most dramatic growth in the Stockwell Placeattendance zone has been west of Red Chute. In order to reduce the overcrowding at Stockwell we believe that a new elementary would need to be located west of Red Chute, therefore we are in negotiations for property on Modica Lott Road, north of I-220. The attendance lines are not yet completely determined because we do not know the extent of expected development in this area. We do know that we must relieve the overcrowding at Stockwell Place Elementary. The attendance lines for the new school to be located adjacent to Legacy Subdivision on Swan Lake Road are yet to be determined due to the tremendous growth in the current Apollo Elementary district. Apollo currently has 1033 students, therefore we must adjust the attendance zones to provide an adequate reduction in Apollo’s enrollment. The Benton area continues to grow and that must be taken into consideration as we look at their attendance zone. I know that there is a great deal of concern in the Haughton area because that part of our parish is growing also, but we are planning on shifting approximately 150 students from Rodes, Platt, and Princeton to Elm Grove Elementary when the South Bossier high school is completed. We do have plans for a new twenty-four (24) classroom wing and new gymnasium at Haughton High School as part of the bond issue. The former Bossier Parish Community College Building adjacent to Airline is being renovated for new classrooms at Airline. Benton High School is getting a new sixteen (16) classroom wing. We do not have plans to change attendance zones for our middle and high schools. Additional information about our building program can be found on our website under Building Program.Click on the links below to go directly to the following documents: Tentative Boundaries for the New Elem. Schools Summary of Progression of BPSB Capital Improvement Thank you for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Bossier Parish. |
