For Immediate Release – February 17, 2009

Contact:  Delia A. Taylor, APR, Taylor Media Services, 225-931-0286 or taylormedia@bellsouth.net or Superintendent Bill Spear, 225-686-7044 or bill.spear@lpsb.org.

Groundbreaking Held for New Elementary School

Competition for School Mascot Announced

DENHAM SPRINGS, La. – The Livingston Parish Public School System hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Juban Parc Elementary today (Feb. 17), and at the ceremony, officials announced a student competition to name the new school mascot.

The elementary school is the second of two new schools being built near the Juban Parc Community Subdivision, located south of Denham Springs on Brown Road, about 1.5 miles south of Juban Road. The subdivision developer, Renaissance Development Group, donated the property for both schools. 

The groundbreaking for Juban Parc Junior High was held last summer, and construction of that school has already begun.  Both the junior high and elementary are scheduled to open for the 2010-2011 school year.

The Feb. 17 groundbreaking ceremony began at the Juban Parc Community Clubhouse, where local engineers unveiled the exterior and interior designs of the new school.  Renaissance Development Corporation’s Tony Bull also spoke on behalf of his company, which donated the property for both the elementary and junior high schools.  The properties sit adjacent to the Juban Parc Community, which is being developed by Renaissance Development Corporation.

At the gathering, school officials also introduced the rules, guidelines and deadline for a student competition to select a mascot for the two Juban Parc schools.  The winner of the competition will receive a $100 gift certificate.

At the site of the new school, school officials spoke and Hebron Baptist Church’s pastor Joe Allain presented a prayer of blessing for the site.

The new Juban Parc schools will relieve overcrowding at area schools. Voters in the Denham Springs School District approved a property tax increase in May 2007 to pay for the construction.

Tony Bull, representative of Renaissance Development Group, and Livingston Parish Public School Superintendent Bill Spear speak during the groundbreaking ceremony for Juban Parc Elementary. Bull's company donated the 19 acres for the school site, located adjacent to Juban Parc Community on Brown Road. Spear thanked Bull and his company for their generous donation, and he recognized former superintendent Randy Pope who negotiated the land donation.

Superintendent Bill Spear listens as Alvin Fairburn, partner for Alvin Fairburn & Associates, presented the details of the new school, which is scheduled to open for August 2010. The school is being built to hold approximately 650 students, although it is projected to open with a starting enrollment or about 450. 

Hebron Baptist Church's Pastor Joe Allain presents a prayer of blessing for the school site during the groundbreaking ceremony for Juban Parc Elementary.

Participating in the groundbreaking ceremony for Juban Parc Elementary were Frank Anzalone, Anzalone Construction; Alvin Fairburn, Alvin Fairburn & Associates; Bill Spear, superintendent; Buddy Mincey, Jr., school board member; Randy Pope, former superintendent; Louis "Loody" Carlisle, school board member; and Wayne Pontiff, project manager for Durr Heavy Construction