JENNINGS — The Jeff Davis Parish School Board is preparing for a record enrollment of prekindergarten students this fall.

“It runs in cycles with enrollment up and down, but it looks like this year may be a record for where we are,” Superintendent Brian Lejeune said. “If everybody shows up that is supposed to show up, we are going to be in a bind.”

The board on Thursday agreed to hire an additional pre-K teacher and paraprofessional at Welsh Elementary to help with the projected growth.

All costs will be paid for by LA-4, REAP and EEF funding, with no general fund money required. The increase in enrollment is due to more parents taking advantage of the program, Lejeune said.

“It’s an option that they haven’t always chosen in the past,” he said. “But this year we have had a record registration.”

According to projected enrollment, all three sections of pre-K at Welsh Elementary are expected to be full, with 19 students on a waiting list.

The program is already filled at Lacassine High School, with half a dozen on a waiting list to go to Fenton Elementary, which has only one pre-K class. Lacassine has two pre-K classes.

Ward Elementary has seven sections of pre-K. Those classes were expected to be down, but they are now at an all-time high, Lejeune said.

As of this week, Lake Arthur Elementary has one slot left in its three pre-K classes.

Classes are also expected to be full at Elton Elementary and Hathaway High; they have two pre-K classes.

Pre-K classes average about 20 students per class.

The board also voted 9-3 to replace an assistant principal position at Jennings High.

The position was originally not to be filled as per Principal Ben Oustalet’s wishes. But Oustalet has changed his mind, board members said.

Members John Juneau, Malon Dobson and Greg Bordelon voted against a request from the Ward II Committee to replace the non-filled position, citing financial concerns.

“I am bringing it up because of the budget crisis,” Bordelon said, in questioning the per student ratio and budget.

“I’m not against Jennings High School,” Dobson said. “I am just trying to stop the bleeding.”

Lejeune said the position is not a new one. The vacancy was created with the recent promotion of an assistant principal, he said.

The board also named Tanya Gaudet principal at Hathaway High School. She replaces Jeremy Fuselier, who resigned to take a special-education position in Calcasieu Parish.

Cleo Williams was named assistant principal at Jennings Elementary, replacing Cassidy Juneau, who moved to Hathaway High.

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