BOARD BRIEFS: January Meeting

The Ouachita Parish School Board elected officers for the 2026 calendar year during Tuesday’s regular board meeting.

Tommy Comeaux, District A, was re-elected president of the School Board. Comeaux’s district includes Boley Elementary, Crosley Elementary, George Welch Elementary, Highland Elementary, Kiroli Elementary, Good Hope Middle and West Monroe High

Greg Manley, District G, was re-elected vice president of the School Board. Manley’s district includes Jack Hayes Elementary, Lakeshore Elementary, Sterlington Elementary, Ouachita Junior, Sterlington Middle, Ouachita High and Sterlington High.

Training Hours

The School Board was recognized for exceeding the six training hours for school board members required annually by the Louisiana Legislature:

·         Dabo Graves (District F), 27.75 hours

·         Harold McCoy (District E), 24.25 hours

·         Mike Batey (District C), 23.75 hours

·         Jerry Hicks (District D), 14 hours

·         Shere May (District B), 14 hours

·         Tommy Comeaux (District A), 13 hours

·         Greg Manley (District G), 8.25 hours

Batey, Graves and McCoy were recognized as certified board members by the Louisiana School Board Association for voluntarily earning 20 or more approved training hours in one calendar year.

Engineer Selected

The School Board selected Lazenby & Associates as the engineer for a construction project at West Monroe High. Lazenby & Associates will design and engineer a new parking lot on Riggs Street.

Special Recognitions

Football State Champions

The School Board recognized the football teams at Ouachita High and Sterlington High for winning state championships during the 2025 season. Coaches and seniors from both teams were present at the meeting.

·         The Ouachita Lions, led by head coach Benjy Lewis, finished with an 11-4 record and defeated Ruston 21-20 in the Division I Non-Select State Championship Game.

·         The Sterlington Panthers, led by head coach Lee Doty, finished with a 12-2 record and defeated Jena 34-20 in the Division III Non-Select State Championship Game to capture back-to-back state titles.

Evaluation of Bids

Bid Item                                                                      Funding Source                 Budget Amount
SES Playground Equipment                                          Timber/PTO                          $85,000
Online Marketplace                                                       Various                                  Various
Copy Paper                                                                      Various                                  Various

The School Board granted permission to bid on the following items:

Bid Item                                                                      Funding Source                 Budget Amount
OJHS Track/Athletic Improvements                           ES Bond                                 $900,000                                 

RHS Football Field Replacement                                 M&O/ES Bond                     $950,000
SES and OJHS Marquees                                               ES Bond                                $50,000