School group picks leader

• By PATRICK COURREGES
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: May 7, 2008 - Page: 1BA - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LAFAYETTE — The newly named leader of the group working on recommendations for future construction and maintenance of Lafayette Parish public schools has already established a reputation with the school system central office staff.

Members of the School Board-created Community Coalition for Lafayette Schools last week voted Sarah Walker, a mother of two children in the school system, to chair the overall coalition.

“I don’t know if I’m going to be any good, but I am passionate,” she said.

School system senior staffers had generally guided the coalition through its early months, but as the group prepares midsummer reports in the areas of current facilities, future construction and funding of future plans, system officials asked one of the community volunteers to take the lead.

Members of the coalition and staff noted that Walker stood out as a member of the subcommittee studying the current state of school buildings in the parish, with staffers jokingly noting that they got to know her well in a hurry as she called again and again for information.

Deputy Superintendent and Human Resources Director Lawrence Lilly was one staffer whom she called on a regular basis during the initial subcommittee study period.

“I have the utmost respect for her,” he said. “She is very genuine and concerned about public schools and the students in the parish.”

Walker said she intends not only to push the coalition to make sure committees do their homework and have recommendations ready for the School Board on schedule, but also to make sure the board is clear on the coalition’s wishes.

She said that she has worked as a parent volunteer in various parish schools, and had been waiting for about three years for the chance to do something to help the facility situation in the parish.

Walker said that though she had seen first hand many facility problems, her work with the coalition brought to her attention problems she had never known about.

“I was amazed at how old and decrepit some of the electrical systems are,” she said.

Walker said that though Carencro High School houses the parish’s high technology academy, students have to be turned away and equipment is still in boxes because the electrical system is at maximum capacity.

She said one of the first orders of business will be pushing the School Board to contract for a master plan for facilities.