South Beauregard Elementary students to start year in new school - KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana

South Beauregard Elementary students to start year in new school

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By Gerron Jordan - email

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LONGVILLE, LA (KPLC) -

"It's going to be a year of growth," said Barbara Newman. "Growth for our teachers and I see our students benefiting from that and so they will indeed grow also." 

Growth that South Beauregard Elementary (SBES) Principal, Barbara Newman, says starts with the opening of a new school building.

"Of course, we're excited about our new facility, we're also very proud of it and the teachers have been working hard to get it ready," she said.  "But to us it's a new beginning of a younger group of students pre-K through 3 with a focus on their needs and their learning styles and meeting their needs ... so we're really excited about that." 

Prior to the new building, which will officially make its debut on the first day of the school year on Aug. 13, there was one building for pre-K to 5th grades and one for grades 6-12. 

"We had just outgrown our buildings ... we had no more room for growth," said Beauregard Parish School Board member Darrin Manuel. "Where this location sits the board before us had brought 22 acres for expansion. We had to get our children out of the portable buildings and into some nice sturdy facilities."  

According to Superintendent Tim Cooley, the new building was made possible by a special bond issue approved nearly five years ago.

"During the bond issue it was discussed about building a new school in this area because of the influx of people moving into this area," Cooley said. "At that time, through the bond issue, we were able to build this new school. "

"These buildings are paid for by the people of Beauregard Parish," said Manuel.  "I think that means a lot and I want people to be aware of that ... it's their tax dollars here." 

Newman says tax dollars used to enhance a learning environment is one of the things that will be evident to both parents and students. 

"I think what our students will see is a group, a team effort -- a group of teachers, faculty and staff who have their best interests at heart and we're all really excited about this new beginning," Newman said. 

Registration for the new school year has already started.  If you'd like a chance to register and see the school first hand, there will be an open house on Tuesday night.

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