According to the board, Perry Weather works through an app that up to 240 users across the parish schools can access. Each school will decide who gets access to the app. This system comes with a range of features, including lightning detection, humidity monitoring, and real-time weather forecasting.
Coaches will primarily use it to monitor whether additional water breaks are needed and to stay on top of alerts for safe and unsafe weather conditions during practices and games.
For instance, the lightning detection works so that if lightning strikes within 10 miles of an area, a thirty-minute timer starts on the app. If lightning strikes again, the timer is reset, and users can see a lightning graph showing where it struck in the area. This will help ensure proper safety measures are in place before a sports game can resume.
Each high school in Livingston Parish will be outfitted with a weather station on campus to provide accurate, precise weather readings in collaboration with Perry Weather.
“When we put these weather systems up, they will pretty much cover the entire parish,” Board member Dr. Ron McMorris said.
Currently, the weather-measuring instruments and devices are being manufactured at a facility; however, they will ship directly to the schools within the next ten days. School maintenance workers will install the devices as they arrive at each high school, and each weather system setup will be solar-powered, meaning it will continue to run even if electric power fails, a representative explained at the meeting.
The representative noted that, once everything is set up, a Zoom call with all principals and athletic directors will be held to explain the mechanics and operations of Perry Weather and the app.
“[Perry Weather] could create an opportunity for our schools across the district to be much safer when it comes to outdoor activities,” the representative concluded.
As this was simply an update, the board then moved on to discuss advertising for bids for the Doyle High School football project.
The project will include creating a football field and field house for Doyle’s football team of 49 students who are currently using a T-building as a dressing room and a classroom as a weight room.
“We have so much support in the community. Around this town, I see people in the store and they say ‘when we getting a football field?’... they’re ready. This community is ready for football,” Boardmember Brad Sharp stated.
The board voted unanimously to approve the process of advertising for bids for the project.
Afterward, the board needed to ratify the bids for the Walker High baseball and softball field project.
Architect Sean Primeaux with Ziler Architects noted that the estimated cost for the project was $1.1 million; however, there were also two alternate prices depending on some additions to the project. One alteration included additional site paving and sidewalks, while the other included a new metal canopy structure over the softball bleacher area. 5 bids were received, and the low bidder was Blount General Contractor for the amount of $1,058,500, including the two alternate additions in that price.
The board unanimously approved to ratify the bids and the meeting was adjourned.
