The Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) is moving forward with plans to build a new two-story K-8 school on the current JW Faulk Elementary property at 711 E Willow Street & Louisiana Avenue in North Lafayette.
The new $50 million campus will consolidate students from JW Faulk Elementary, Baranco Elementary, and Paul Breaux Middle School into one facility designed to serve approximately 1,200 students.
Construction will take place on the portion of land behind the existing JW Faulk building, allowing the current school to remain operational during the build. Once complete, the existing school structure will be demolished and that area redeveloped into a football field and additional outdoor space. The process will be similar to the construction of the new Lafayette High School.
The school will be organized with dedicated zones for lower elementary, upper elementary, and middle school students for extra security and safety. Plans include a regulation-size gymnasium for middle school athletics, along with a separate activity space for elementary students. Outdoor amenities will include three secured playgrounds divided by grade levels (K–2, 3–5, and 6–8), a football field on the east side of campus, and a central interior courtyard within the building’s footprint.
Additionally, extra security measures include a full perimeter fence, secured outdoor play areas, controlled entry points, and enclosed student spaces.
The property sits on a busy, high-traffic block bordered by Louisiana Avenue and East Willow Street. Traffic improvements include on-site stacking for 15 buses along Louisiana Avenue, a 144-vehicle car rider loop on the north side of the building, and 167 staff and visitor parking spaces. These features are designed to prevent traffic backups onto surrounding streets.
District 4 School Board Member Amy Trahan worked with Superintendent Francis Touchet, Jr. to secure funding and guide the project’s direction. LPSS recently hosted the first of two community meetings to present plans and gather public input.
The project is branded under the LPSS theme “Experience the Difference – Safety • Culture • Growth • Opportunity” and represents a long-term investment in North Lafayette’s educational infrastructure.
While Northside High isn’t the focus yet, this is a step in that direction. Further discussions are inevitable about how to approach the future of NHS.
For more information, continue to follow us as we cover the start of construction, its progress, and ultimately its completion!
Renderings & plans provided by LPSS
