Oil and gas collection for Vermilion Parish School Board is showing record numbers

The Vermilion Parish School Board is having a record year in its collection of oil and gas revenue from its 16th Section Land.
With four months still left in the fiscal year, the school board has collected its best total since the 2008-2009 school year. After eight months, the school board has collected $4.7 million. Over four years, the school board has averaged just over $3.5 million over a 12-month period.
If the school board continues to collect its average of $550,000 a month in oil and gas revenue, over the final four months, the school board is projected to collect $6.9 million for the year.
If the school board collects that amount ($6.9 million), it will be the second highest total collected in 10 years. The largest yearly amount collected from oil and gas revenue is $8.4 million. The least amount collected was in 2009-10 ($2.6 million).
Because of the
fluctuating amount in collections each year, the school board does not budget oil and gas revenues. It considers the money lagniappe and uses it as it sees fit.
In other school board business:
• The new middle school behind North Vermilion High School will officially be called North Vermilion Middle School. The board voted on that name.
• The school board accepted the resignation and retirement of employees.
Two teachers and two guidance counselors announced they will be retiring at the end of the school year.
Guidance counselors Kayla Robies (Eaton Park) and Jacqueline Broussard (Kaplan High) will resign. Herod Elementary teacher Annie Decuir and Eaton Park Elementary teacher Mary Margaret Doucet are resigning May 24.
Retiring from the school system are:
• Erath middle school principal Lynn Moss, teachers Karen Bodin (Dozier), Phyllis Bonhagen (NVHS), Christine Choate (Seventh Ward), Nancye Duhon (Rene Rost Middle), Gwen Langlinais (Kaplan Elementary), and Sandra Smith (Rene Rost Middle).
Jesse Owens Elementary is losing its librarian Charlotte Mayer, while Denise Nugent, will officially retire as the guidance counselor at NV on Aug. 1.