NAPOLEONVILLE — Parents and teachers are feeling a myriad of emotions after a consulting firm suggested consolidating schools to save money and further academic success. The consolidation would lead to the elimination of all middle schools in the district.

Former East Baton Rouge schools superintendent Warren Drake, now a consultant with CSRS, on Wednesday night laid out the firm's analysis of inefficiencies the school system is dealing with, including a decline in enrollment and a lack of funding. The Assumption Parish School District has a "B" grade from state regulators and is ranked among the top 16 school districts in the state, but Drake says its resources are being spread too thin.

According to CSRS, in order to increase financial efficiency, the school system needs to enable long-term savings by decreasing maintenance, transportation and logistics costs. In a "bold recommendation," CSRS suggests Assumption Parish restructure its school system to make five pre-K through 6th grade elementary schools, with one in each local community. The plan also includes adding grades 7 and 8 to Assumption High School.

The current district configuration consists of four pre-K through 4th grade primary schools, three 5th through 8th grade schools, one pre-K through 8th elementary school (Pierre Part Elementary), and one 9th-12th high school (Assumption High School).

A district employee who demanded anonymity out of fear of retribution told WBRZ there are valid concerns with changing the current model. The employee was worried about longer travel times for students and with placing pre-teens students on buses with older students.

In his presentation, Drake argued sending 7th- and 8th-graders to the high school will grant them more opportunities academically and through extra-curricular activities. He provided examples such as students working on high school credits in the seventh grade and joining the marching band. 

Others said opportunities would dry up because the number of teams would be reduced. 

School Board member Joshua Hebert declined to comment at this time. 

The school board will vote on the master plan in January. You can view the presentation to the board and the full plan here.