IBERIA PARISH — The Iberia Parish School District is implementing several changes ahead of the new school year, including a fully air-conditioned bus fleet and a new middle school.
Superintendent Heath Hulin said the district has expanded its transportation fleet so that 100% of its buses now have air conditioning. The district is also testing new technology that would allow the school system — and eventually parents — to track buses in real time.
"Those buses will also have GPS devices with turn-by-turn directions for drivers. We could locate buses while they're en route to find out where they are, as well as have analytics on the health of the bus, the speed, the braking time," Hulin said.
During orientation this week, parents and students will be able to view the new Anderson Middle School. Hulin said the school is opening as part of the 2023 bond proposition, which allocated $19 million to convert Sugarland Elementary School into a middle school.
"As part of that renovation, we have a brand new gymnasium. We have a brand new band room, science labs, a new library, all new construction added to the existing Sugarland Elementary," he said.
The bond proposition also includes a $14 million expansion to the Career Center, which is set to open ahead of the 2027-2028 school year.
"All of our career-related courses are going to have a brand new state of the art facility," he said.
The district is also introducing an online payment option, giving parents an alternative to cash payments.
"Schools will be able to roll it out throughout the year for parents to pay for things like field trips or club fees or different things," Hulin said.
