DESOTO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Voters in DeSoto Parish will decide on bond measures that would fund capital improvements in Districts 1, 2 after the school board approved the ballot items on Thursday.

The DeSoto Parish School Board approved the bond measures in District 1, Logansport, and District 2, North DeSoto for the November primary election.

The board said the bonds are needed to “address the evolving needs of both communities while continuing to provide exceptional educational experiences for students in a safe, secure, and modern environment.”

Projected enrollment over the next five years is expected to continue growing for the North DeSoto area and stable enrollment is expected for Logansport as the area continues to grow in residency.

District 1 – Logansport High: $23M building bond proposal would provide safety and security upgrades to limit access to points to the school. The measure proposes the creation of a central corridor to provide consistency across the school, give a sense of pride, and increased security.

The plan also includes upgrades to the football stadium – parts of which the board stated were built in 1952 prior to the stadium’s relocation in 1995. The renovation would provide more space for the marching band, and significant upgrades to the gymnasium.

The increase from a millage rate of 1.6 to 13.15 would result in an annual increase of $144.38 per year or $12.03 per month.

District 2 – North DeSoto Schools: $130M bond proposes the construction of a new North DeSoto High School, which would provide a state-of-the-art facility with ample space for learning and accommodate growth. Modern amenities and cutting-edge resources foster an exceptional educational experience. Once the new high school is built, the current high school would be repurposed to accommodate the middle school (grades 6-8).

The school board said this strategy of repurposing rather than demolishing would efficient utilization of existing facilities while meeting the community’s growing demands.
The current Lower Elementary will be expanded and renovated to provide more PreK classrooms and multi-use spaces for additional support services.

New traffic patterns that aim to alleviate current traffic congestion during the opening and closing of the school and during major events are also factored into the proposal.

The increase from a millage of 3.6 to 34 would result in an annual increase of $684 per year or $57 per month.

Election day is Saturday, November 18, and early voting starts on November 3.