St. Mary schools see fewer students in 2016-17

CENTERVILLE — The student enrollment figure used for state Minimum Foundation Program funding is lower in St. Mary Parish this year, Superintendent Leonard Armato reported at Thursday’s school board meeting.

As of Thursday’s meeting, the MFP count was 8,457, down 340 students from last year’s October count, Armato said.

Parishwide , total student enrollment is 8,857, which includes pre-K. Eleven full-time and 69 part-time students take courses in the Virtual Learning Program.

Twenty-five students from other parishes are now enrolled in St. Mary Parish schools because their own schools were affected by flooding.

In other business, the 2016-17 St. Mary Parish Teachers of the Year Brooke Quick of Bayou Vista Elementary, Laura Rentrop of Berwick Junior High and Nannette Millet of Patterson High received plaques for their service.

Berwick Junior High eighth-grader Chase Gaudet and librarian Lisa Russo were also recognized.

On the table for discussion is the possibility of mandatory direct deposit for district employees. Currently, 93 percent of employees are enrolled in direct deposit, which means 7 percent are not enrolled.

The purpose of direct deposit is to prevent potential delays in receiving paychecks due to inclement weather or other unforeseen problems.

Board members asked Armato to create an employee survey to assess further action on direct payment options.

The board also approved:

—Casualty insurance, which saves the board $20,698 and costs $445,560 beginning Oct. 1. This is compared to last year’s total cost of $466,258. This does not include the flood insurance plan. It is scheduled for review at a later date.

—A mandatory increase for visitor and extra meal costs. The approved price for breakfast is $2.15 and lunch $4.30. Costs were increased to be in compliance with state regulations of the School Food Service program.

—District 3 Maintenance Committee expenditures for Morgan City High, M.E. Norman and J.S . Aucoin elementary schools.

—$75,000 for computers in the old library, two computer labs and furniture at Morgan City High.

—$8,100.50 to complete painting from the summer at Norman Elementary.

—Approximately $17,000 to create a lab and purchase 10 additional computers.