FEMA: FEMA Funds New Early Learning Facility in Plaquemines Parish
Following a $7.7 million grant recently announced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Belle Chasse Primary School within Plaquemines Parish will soon build a new addition to their current campus—an early learning facility for prekindergarteners through second graders.
“Our funding of the Belle Chasse Primary Early Learning Center supports the local school board’s post-Katrina rebuilding goals,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan. “This new, educational facility will provide a permanent, state-of-the-art space for functions currently offered in other locations, including temporary trailers at Belle Chasse Primary School.”
Once built, approximately 67,850 square feet of space will contain 36 classrooms and room for administrative offices. The new, one-story facility will also contain a computer lab, art room, music room, media center and cafeteria.
FEMA has approved funding for this addition as a consolidated project, following Plaquemines Parish School Board’s request to transfer FEMA recovery grants for other damaged facilities to this new facility’s construction. Four donor facilities, including Buras Middle School’s main building, Buras High School’s broiler room and Port Sulphur Junior High’s main building and industrial arts building, have each been demolished, and dollars allocated for their rebuilding will now fund this project.
“Once constructed, our Early Learning Facility will enable us to offer our youngest learners a top-notch environment in which they can continue to receive a top-notch education,” said Plaquemines Parish School Board Superintendent Denis Rousselle. “We greatly appreciate FEMA’s support of this project, as well as others throughout our community.”
The Belle Chasse Early Learning Center project is expected to go out to bid for construction over the next few months, with actual work starting shortly thereafter.
To date, including this recent consolidated grant, FEMA has provided approximately $201.9 million in funding to the Plaquemines Parish School Board for recovery efforts related to hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are made available to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, who disburses them to the applicant for eligible work completed.
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.
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.
Reported by: FEMA
Published on: 2012-01-27
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