JS Clark Leadership Academy, a tuition-free public charter school in Opelousas, is expanding with a new 54,000-square-foot middle and high school campus at 1040 South Bullard Street in the city’s West End.
Founded and led by CEO Tiffanie Lewis, JS Clark Leadership Academy has centered its expansion around the guiding theme “For Us, By Us, and With Us.” Lewis explained that choosing to build in the West End was a deliberate effort to contribute to the area’s revitalization and economic growth. Ten JS Clark staff members participated directly in the design process, ensuring that every aspect of the new building was tailored to meet the needs of its students. The project also brought a full-circle moment when one of the school’s welding graduates returned to work on-site, helping pour concrete for the foundation.
Renderings kindly provided by Grace Design Studios.
The expansion will allow the academy to separate grade levels, with grades 7 through 12 moving into the new facility while grades K through 6 remain at the existing campus. According to provided data, JS Clark currently serves about 490 students, and once complete, the expansion will increase total capacity to roughly 720 students—making room for around 230 additional students and reducing a waitlist of more than 350 families.
The new JS Clark campus will feature an allied health wing, modern science labs, and a technology repair station where students will service computers and tablets as part of their curriculum. The building will also include a 520-seat gymnasium with locker rooms and a weight room, a football practice field, and a coffee shop designed as both a community gathering space and a student work opportunity.
The signing and installation of the final beam. Image provided by JS Clark.
The project is being led by Building Hope, a national nonprofit specializing in school development, alongside Rudick Construction and Civic Builders. Once open, the new facility will mark a major milestone in the academy’s growth and serve as a catalyst for continued revitalization in Opelousas’ West End.
The new school expansion is expected to be completed and open in the Fall of 2026.
Learn more or apply for enrollment at https://jsclarkcharter.com.
