School officials break ground on Mulberry expansion

John David Bolduc
October 15, 2020
Terrebonne Booking Log: 10/16/2020
October 16, 2020
John David Bolduc
October 15, 2020
Terrebonne Booking Log: 10/16/2020
October 16, 2020

Thursday morning, members of the Terrebonne Parish School District (TPSD) gathered at Mulberry Elementary to perform the ceremonial groundbreaking for a future much-needed expansion for its students and faculty.  

 

“It’s truly a day to rejoice, especially for the students and teachers and to the parents and administration of the Mulberry family, ” said Debi Benoit, School Board President. “…Today, with the sight of gold shovels and getting ready to break ground, it signifies that the new chapter that we have for Mulberry School is ready to begin, and that is exciting for all of us.” 

 

Benoit went on to say that expansion projects are a sign of a healthy and fiscally sound school system, and thanked the taxpayers. “Without them, we could not begin to build what will eventually be a beautiful safe future for our students,” she continued. “So we thank you for giving us that opportunity.” 


In September, the school board approved a $1,496,516 increase for the addition and renovation of the school, bringing the project’s budget to $14,875,389 — funded through limited tax revenue bonds, series 2019, and the building fund.

One of the most overpopulated schools in the district, construction will add 18 classrooms, replacing the 18 portable classrooms currently used by students and faculty. The site plan for the project also includes a new cafeteria and new administration offices, an additional room for teachers and a band room.

 

Merlin Lirette, principal architect with the Merlin Group, said after that new space is complete, renovations to the existing school will begin as well as construction for the new parking lot. 


 

“We look forward to a project that will benefit the children, the teachers of the facility. It’s been on the table for quite a while, but we’ve worked through some things and are looking forward to a successful building program with a contractor that’s successfully built three other projects for the school system, Thompson Construction,” Lirette said during the ceremony. 

 

He added: ”We’re going to work through a lot of details, keeping the children safe, making sure that access to the school for the children, the parents, the teachers is readily available while the construction goes on. 

 

Lirette said the project has an 18-month time frame from Monday. 


 

“Today is the day we’ve been waiting for,” said Gwen Ferguson, Principal of Mulberry Elementary. “We are ready to get rid of our portables. We are ready for our students to be in a strong, safe structure. And so this is a great day for us; we’re so excited. And we look forward to the progress that we’re going to see here at Mulberry.”

Check out pictures from the ceremony below: