Last year, Evangeline Parish schools saw a number of lockdowns and some canceled days due to shooting threats.

Over the summer, the board brainstormed how they could stop the problem and that is when they came up with one big addition.

“The board has purchased walk-through metal detectors,” says Superintendent Darwan Lazard.

Superintendent Darwan Lazard says there is now at least one metal detector at each school in the parish and that puts the schools in the best position to stay safe.

“When students are being checked, it makes that process much quicker because students can just simply walk through and I’m grateful for the board for putting in that safety measure,” says Lazard.

Lazard says this should deter any possible attempt to bring a gun on campus.

He says another preventative measure is how strong the schools’ relationships are with local law enforcement.

“Our close working partnerships with state police, with Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, also with the local police agencies throughout the parish,” says Lazard.

Lazard himself was recently in Washington D.C. after he was asked to represent Louisiana District Superintendents for the National Superintendents’ Organization. 

An honor he says reflects well on the parish more than anything else.

“To have Evangeline Parish put on the educational map in such a positive way and again, I’m just grateful to my colleagues to have selected me,” says Lazard.

Lazard also announced that every parish school employee received a raise heading into the year.

That is the first time that has happened in 17 years.