The Jeff Davis Parish School Board accepted a nearly $3 million bid on Thursday for safety improvements and other upgrades at Lake Arthur High School and Lake Arthur Elementary School.

Pat Williams Construction was awarded the $2.8 million bid.

“Once these projects are completed, it will mean community pride for our schools,” board member Greg Bordelon said. “It’s going to make the high school look brand new and make both of them more secure, which is our main focus.”

Bordelon noted that this is the first major upgrade to Lake Arthur High School in nearly 50 years.

Key improvements include enhanced security measures, including new fencing around the entire high school property, similar to what’s already in place at the elementary campus. The high school will also implement a new single point of entry, similar to Jennings High School, where students will go through security clearance with metal detectors. The front of the building will be redone to accommodate this change.

The project also includes resurfacing of the track and adding a new press box, as the current press box is rusty and compromised by weather.

The track resurfacing is scheduled for completion before the first home football game in September, while construction of the new press box will begin in January, after the football season concludes.

Additionally the project will include updates and repairs to air conditioning systems and the roof, along with repainting the school.

For Lake Arthur Elementary School, upgrades include keyless entry doors without windows and improvements to the cafeteria.

“We’re just securing a few more things around the school,” Bordelon said, noting that the elementary school has already implemented a single entrance for security.

The projects are being funded by a 20-year, $3 million bond issue approved by voters in April 2024, which will be paid off through a 4 mill ad valorem tax previously approved by voters.