ST. LANDRY PARISH — KROTZ SPRINGS, La. — Two days after a judge dismissed a temporary restraining order that sought to delay the closure of Krotz Springs Elementary, town leaders and parents gathered Tuesday night to discuss what comes next for the community.
During the Krotz Springs Town Council meeting, Mayor Carroll Snyder asked council members to support efforts to explore the possibility of creating a Type 2 charter school. While the proposal remains in its early planning stages, Snyder said the goal is to keep educational opportunities in Krotz Springs after the elementary school’s closure.
“I think they know we’re still fighting for them. We’re not giving up,” Snyder said. “It’s in us to look out for the best interests of the community as a whole.”
Snyder said he nor the council can legally operate or serve on a charter school’s governing board, but he plans to work alongside parents by gathering information and connecting them with the appropriate resources as they begin exploring the process.
The discussion comes as families continue adjusting to the closure of Krotz Springs Elementary, where students will now attend Port Barre Elementary.
For parent Samantha Evans, the transition is especially difficult.
“My son, Cade, loves going to school here,” Evans said. “He keeps asking me every day, ‘What’s going to happen, Mommy?’ And I don’t know what to tell him.”
Evans said transportation is another major concern for many families.
“Transportation would be a very big issue because a lot of people like myself don’t drive,” she said. “My little boy is concerned because it’s going to be a long bus ride, and it’s just going to be a hardship for a lot of people.”
Parent Derek Evans, who has helped research the charter school proposal, believes bringing a school back to Krotz Springs would benefit local families.
“It’ll be more local and a lot more efficient for parents to get their kids to and from school,” he said. “I’m definitely on board for my girls.”
Another parent, Emily Deshotel, said she has already enrolled her children in a virtual charter school for the upcoming school year but hopes an in-person charter school eventually opens in Krotz Springs.
“So this year it’s online virtual,” Deshotel said. “Next year we’re going to be in person with teachers, boots on the ground.”
The proposed charter school would require approval through Louisiana’s charter school process, and town leaders acknowledged it could take years before a school becomes a reality.
For now, parents say they remain focused on ensuring their children have access to quality education while continuing to advocate for bringing a school back to their community.
The mayor also announced that another community/parent meeting is scheduled for this Thursday at 7 p.m. at Krotz Springs Town Hall to discuss what’s next for the Krotz Springs Elementary community.
