PORT ALLEN — The new Cohn Elementary School will hold its open house Sept. 2, but students and teachers will walk into classrooms without permanent cabinetry after a manufacturing delay pushed millwork back two to three weeks past the start of school.

Facilities Supervisor Chad Fontenot told the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Wednesday, July 15, that Milton Womack, the general contractor on the project, placed the cabinet order on time. But the manufacturer's rollout of a new AI-based ordering system caused a software failure that stalled production.

Temporary cabinets will be installed before school starts Aug. 6. The contractor plans to install the permanent millwork in afternoons and on weekends once the pieces arrive.

The rest of the building is on track. Workers were assembling classroom furniture and stripping and waxing floors earlier this week. The demolition of the old Cohn campus is complete.

Fontenot said the demolition turned up an unexpected discovery: the original building, constructed in the 1940s, sat on a four-inch concrete slab with no footings underneath it. He said both he and the project architect were stunned the building stood for more than 80 years without a proper foundation.

Brusly Upper gym gets $110,000 floor

Fontenot also reported progress on the Brusly Upper Elementary gym floor, which the board approved for replacement at its June meeting after termite damage destroyed the original wooden bleachers and subflooring. He received two quotes and went with the lower bid at $110,000, saving $25,000 off the higher estimate. Demolition began July 16, with completion expected by mid-August. Only the first two weeks of school should be affected.

A new roof on the second-grade building at Lukeville Elementary is also underway and expected to be finished before students return.

Fontenot said he has 17 to 18 additional projects roughly halfway done across the district and plans to present a full photo update at the August board meeting.

Payroll goes twice a month

The district has switched from monthly paychecks to twice-monthly pay for all employees. The change started this month with 12-month staff and will include all employees by Sept. 15.

Superintendent Dr. Chandler Smith said the switch is aimed at helping younger teachers, paraprofessionals and child nutrition workers who have said a single monthly paycheck is difficult to manage.

Employees will be paid on the 15th and at the end of each month.

Stipend will cost $1.4 million in local money

The board discussed plans to fund the governor's teacher and support staff stipend mandate using local revenue, not state dollars.

Gov. Jeff Landry's Executive Order 26-047, signed June 2, redirected approximately $168 million in Minimum Foundation Program funding to pay $2,000 stipends for certificated teachers and $1,000 for support staff. A lawsuit challenging the order as unconstitutional was filed June 18 in 19th JDC by three education advocates. Judge Richard "Chip" Moore issued a temporary restraining order that same day.

But on June 29, Moore lifted the TRO after ruling that Baker Donelson, the law firm representing the plaintiffs, had a conflict of interest because the firm also represents the governor in separate federal litigation. The case was dismissed June 30.

The state's share for WBR will be approximately $1.178 million. But covering all employees, including categories the executive order excludes like Head Start teachers, counselors and nurses, costs approximately $1.4 million.

Director of Finance Jared Gibbs told the board the millage roll forward approved in June will generate an estimated $1.8 million to $2 million in new revenue, enough to cover the gap.

Smith emphasized that the board should make clear to employees the stipend is being funded with local taxpayer money, not state dollars.

The full 2026-2027 budget will be presented at the Aug. 11 committee meeting.

Pupil progression plan tightens rules

The board unanimously approved the updated 2026-2027 Pupil Progression Plan, which sets the rules for how students advance from grade to grade.

Key changes include new state-mandated waivers allowing eighth graders who fall short on LEAP testing to be promoted under specific conditions, a requirement that all courses carry a minimum of nine grades per nine-week grading period, and a cap on retentions at no more than twice between kindergarten and eighth grade.

The plan also restructures how reading is graded in first through third grade. Previously, phonics quiz scores could inflate a student's overall grade. Under the new breakdown, reading assignments carry 45 percent of the grade, writing 40 percent and phonics 15 percent.

Kelley Stein, who presented the plan, said a committee of principals, assistant principals, teachers and parents reviewed the document and recommended the changes.

Head Start struggling to fill low-income seats

Smith told the board the district is having difficulty filling Head Start slots reserved for low-income families, particularly at Cane View Elementary.

As of July 13, only 100 of 136 funded Head Start slots had been accepted, leaving 36 vacant. Twenty-six families are on a waiting list but do not qualify because their income is too high.

Cane View had filled just 17 of its 34 Head Start slots, while Port Allen Elementary was nearly full at 50 of 51.

Smith asked board members to help spread the word in the community.

Sales tax revenue down for the year

Gibbs reported that sales tax collections are trending better over the last four months but remain down overall. June collections dipped about 1 percent from the prior year.

The full fiscal year tells a different story. According to the district's sales tax report, total collections through June came in at approximately $11.03 million, down 8.42 percent from $12.05 million the prior year.

Total fund balances across all general funds stood at approximately $48.8 million as of May 31, more than double the $19 million the district held six years ago. Gibbs said the district expects to end the fiscal year roughly $1 million in the black.

The board approved the May financial reports unanimously.

Beta Club students make school history

Smith recognized three PAMS students who competed at the National Beta Convention in Nashville.

Kendall Wishom won first place in pottery, becoming the first student in school history to win a first-place finish at the national convention. Her sister Kennedy Wishom competed in jewelry making, and Meena Davis competed in digital arts.

What's next

Stuff the Bus is July 22 at the Port Allen Walmart, with WBRZ covering beginning at 6:30 a.m.

Professional development sessions run July 21 through 31. Staff return Aug. 3. Convocation is Aug. 5 at Brusly High School. Students start Aug. 6.

The board returns to two meetings per month in August: committee meeting Aug. 11, regular board meeting Aug. 19. The full 2026-2027 budget and the district's LEAP scores and strategic plan will be on the August agenda.

Board terms expire Dec. 31, 2026. The qualifying window for school board candidates is July 29 through 31.

Full coverage of the district's LEAP results and four-year strategic plan is coming later next ​week.