FEMA Funding Leads To A New Elementary School In Vermilion Parish 

Release Date: October 9, 2009
Release Number: 1603-882

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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Plans to construct LeBlanc Elementary School are progressing after the new facility received a "green light" from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) when the agencies recently provided a $10.1 million consolidated grant to enable the post-Rita recovery project. 

"Again, we are happy to be in a partnership with FEMA," said Vermilion Parish School Board Superintendent Randy Schexnayder. "This funding for the construction of LeBlanc Elementary School was very much needed to meet the needs of our community's shifting population."   

At the request of the Vermilion Parish School Board, FEMA and the state have approved the construction of LeBlanc Elementary School as an alternative project, utilizing funds previously obligated for Rita-related damages across multiple sites at Henry Elementary School.

"The local school board asked FEMA to allow funding flexibility so that they could build a new elementary school at a different location in the northern portion of their parish," said FEMA's Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office Acting Director Tony Russell. "FEMA continuously works to support our applicant's recovery plans. Through our Public Assistance Program, we consolidated six project worksheets allocated for Henry Elementary School repairs and repackaged them into one consolidated grant to facilitate the construction of LeBlanc Elementary School."

The new school will be built on 32 acres of land, located outside the 500 year flood plain, and formerly acquired by the school board. It will be slightly larger than 100,000 square feet, contain 42 classrooms and have the capacity to educate 875 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grades.

"Thanks to FEMA's willingness to work with Vermilion Parish officials on the best way to use their recovery funding, students in Abbeville will receive a much-needed new elementary school," said Paul Rainwater, LRA executive director. "This is yet another example of the cooperation and dedication we've seen from FEMA since Tony Russell has been in Louisiana."

LeBlanc Elementary School, which is being rebuilt in Abbeville, will consist of six one-story buildings, including the administration building, gymnasium building, cafeteria and arts building and three classroom buildings. The administration building will connect to the other five buildings by a covered walkway.

Currently, construction plans are completed, and the facility is expected to open January 1, 2011.

When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are transferred to a federal Smartlink account. Once the funds have reached this account, the applicant can request reimbursement from the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) for eligible work completed. Obligated funds may change over time as the project worksheet is a living grant that is often adjusted as bids come in and scope of work is aligned.

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations' buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

Created in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in 2005, the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) is the coordinating and planning body leading the most extensive rebuilding effort in American history. The central point for hurricane recovery in Louisiana, the LRA works closely with the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and partners with state and federal agencies to oversee more than $20 billion worth of programs, speed the pace of rebuilding, remove hurdles and red tape and ensure that Louisiana recovers safer and stronger than before.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 13-Oct-2009 13:10:15