By Christian Coffman

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Several reconstruction and repair projects are done or under way in the Concordia Parish School District.

These projects are taking place at Vidalia Junior High School, Ferriday Junior High School and Concordia Parish Academy.

“We just got through completing (the projects) or have completed them as we speak,” Superintendent Whest Shirley said.

The parish is finishing roof and utilities construction on VJH and FJH schools.

Director of Business Affairs Tom O’Neal oversaw projects.

“We had two different projects for VJH: we redesigned the roof and new ceilings and lights in it, and that cost $335,000,” O’Neal said. “This was for the eighth-grade wing, near the cafeteria.”

O’Neal said workers then went into the main building and dropped the ceilings by four feet for energy conservation.

This step in the reconstruction of VJH cost $108,000 and is finished for the 2017-18 school year.

“We’re doing this to make everything brighter and more cost effective,” Shirley said. “The school was built in 1969, and we hadn’t made any changes since then.”

O’Neal said the cafeteria in FJH was remodeled to provide additional seating.

The roof over the cafeteria was also redesigned to be pitched instead of flat.

“We (built) a pitched roof to match the gymnasium,” O’Neal said.

The total costs for the reconstructions of the cafeteria and roof in FJH was $225,000.

Shirley said that Concordia Parish Academy in Ridgecrest would be undergoing extensive additions to its campus. Leaders are hoping to add a new wing in the future, Shirley said. The topic would a new wing be discussed at the next school board meeting, Shirley said.

“We’re adding tenth graders this year,” Shirley said. “Every year we add 20-25 students, and we’re running out of classroom space.”

O’Neal said that Concordia Parish Academy’s building was not originally intended to house more than kindergarten through sixth-grade students.

“The school wasn’t designed for high school students,” O’Neal said. “What we’re trying to do is to add a new wing that would be just for high school students.”

O’Neal said that under a contractual obligation, the parish was to add one grade every year because the school is a magnet school.

“That was the way the program was designed,” O’Neal said. “We didn’t go out there a built a magnet school at one time. It’s a step in progression.”

O’Neal said he estimates the project will cost $1.6 million.

However, this number could increase depending on how solid the ground upon which the wing would be built proves to be.

“It’s a low area; if that building would have to be put on piers, it would be around $300,000 to $400,000 more than that,” O’Neal said. “But we don’t know if that will happen at this time.”