Iberia Parish School Board Chairman Dana Dugas and Vice-Chariman Elvin Pradia take their oath of office for the Iberia Parish School Board Wednesday evening.  

The Iberia Parish School Board kicked off its first meeting of the year with a short ceremony for the swearing in of new and old board members, then took care of a little business as well. 

Legal counsel Wayne Landry swore in the 14 IPSB members in front of an audience of 20 or so local residents who attended to witness the moment. 

Those being sworn in included Raymond “Shoe-Do” Lewis, Mike Mayeux and Debra Savoie. Lewis and Mayeux replace Thomas Jolivet and Kim Lockett, respectively, on the board after they were election winners last year on Nov. 8. 

Savoie was appointed to the board after board member Robbie LeBlanc resigned in December. LeBlanc announced his retirement after decades of service on the Iberia Parish School Board. 

Lewis called a point of order before the swearing in, noting that the paperwork had placed his wrong middle name. 

“My documents are incorrect. I don’t know how to handle it,” Lewis said. “I’m not going to send that to the state of Louisiana.”

The issue was resolved after the meeting with the help of Landry, however. 

In other business, the board also voted in its officers for the year. Dana Dugas, IPSB chairman, was voted in again unanimously for the position. Also, Elvin Pradia was selected as vice-chairman with a unanimous vote. 

The board also announced a public meeting to consider an election for the renewal of an ad valorem tax, which passed with no opposition. 

After welcoming the new members, the IPSB members congratulated Westgate High School on its recent victory at the LCA Showcase Classic. 

“It’s a tournament that has been building as one of the premiere basketball tournaments in the state,” Iberia Parish Superintendent of Schools Carey Laviolette said. 

“The fact that they won is truly outstanding, but the most important thing I think is that we received a reply to the school saying how well-behaved and respectful our young men were when they were participating in the tournament.”