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TERREBONNE PARISH, La. — Between downpours Wednesday, contractors were getting a temporary school campus set up, on campus, at South Terrebonne High School   

“They’re well done, humongous setups,” said Terrebonne Parish School District Superintendent Bubba Orgeron. “It’s a whole campus.”  

The high school is one of two in Terrebonne Parish destroyed by Hurricane Ida last year, forcing students to consolidate with other schools.   

“It was rough, but it was the best option at the time,” Orgeron said. “You want to get back to something as normal as possible.”  

To do that, Orgeron says the focus is getting South Terrebonne and Ellender High Schools ready for school next month.   

“It’s going to be onsite, in their community, regular schedules, that’s one of the most important things,” Orgeron said.  

Complete with cafeterias, band and choir rooms, libraries, and science labs, Orgeron says these temporary campuses will be fully functional, while extensive repairs are made to the school building.   

“A new building the size of our high schools, roughly, that’s a $40 to $50 million project, so we’re looking anywhere from $20 or more just to repair,” Orgeron said.   

Repairs could take three to five years.   

“You could have some kids essentially in these temporary buildings their whole high school time, from their freshman year through their senior year,” Orgeron said.  

Two elementary schools in lower Terrebonne were also destroyed. Those students will use existing buildings already owned by the school district.     

“I feel for our teachers and our families and our students because it’s been a tough ride,” said Lafourche Parish School District Superintendent Jarod Martin.  

Martin projects Hurricane Ida costs to be around $100 million dollars.   

“Last school year we had a lot of damage in the southern part of our parish and then in the extreme northern part of our parish,” Martin said.  

South Lafourche High School needs repairs. Bayou Boeuf Elementary needs to be rebuilt and students need a place to go.  

“Rather than have those students spread out among two different campuses we’re going to bring back to life one of our older campuses and have those children all under one roof,” Martin said.

FEMA is expected to take on much of the financial costs in both districts.

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