Parents and community residents are asking Terrebonne Parish school officials to reconsider last month s decision to close Pointe-aux-Chenes Elementary amid dwindling enrollment.
And they are hopeful that a Houma lawmaker s $1 million addition to the state budget bill will add an incentive to keep the school open.
But School Board President Greg Harding and Superintendent Philip Martin said they don t expect the board to overturn the decision.
Harding said his concern is that the proposed state money, even if approved by the Legislature, will not be sustainable year after year.
“So that would be my only concern is not to sell the residents and the people who live in Pointe-aux-Chenes with a false hope in saying that they don t continue on funding these programs, Harding said.
The board, before a packed meeting room, voted 6-3 to close the school and send its students to Montegut Elementary, about four miles away, starting next school year.
Here is how board members voted:
For the closure: Debi Benoit, Clyde Hamner, Gregory Harding, Michael LaGarde, Stacy Verhagen Solet and MayBelle Trahan.
Against the closure: Roger Dale DeHart, Matthew Ford and Dane Voisin.
Terrebonne schools Superintendent Philip Martin said previously that the closure is warranted because the school s enrollment is dwindling. He said it s difficult to justify keeping it open when the students can attend Montegut Elementary so close by.
Pointe-aux-Chenes enrolls fewer than 90 students, and Montegut enrolls 143, officials said.
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Officials are set to discuss the proposed merger of two Terrebonne Parish elementary schools Tuesday.
The School Board s Education Committee will consider a plan that would close Pointe-aux-Chenes Elementary and send those students about four miles away to Montegut Elementary starting next school year.
Pointe-aux-Chenes Elementary currently enrolls 83 students and last year earned an “A” ranking in student progress.
Terrebonne Superintendent Philip Martin said next year s enrollment at Pointe-aux-Chenes is expected to decrease by 14 students.
“It’s actually very simple, Martin said. The enrollment of Pointe-aux-Chenes has gotten so low it’s just hard to justify keeping a school open especially when there’s a school right down the street.”