Lafayette's New Ovey Comeaux Academy Targets 2028 Opening

LAFAYETTE, La. - The Lafayette Parish School System is moving forward with plans for the Ovey Comeaux Workforce Innovation Academy, anew career training center expected to be open for the 2028–2029 school year.

The new Career Academy will transform the former high school campus into a much larger workforce training facility, giving students more opportunities to learn real life skills and prepare for jobs that need qualified workers.

It's expected the new Ovey Comeaux Workforce Innovation Academy will also play a role in providing skilled labor for the SpaceX facility in Vermilion Parish.

The Academy isn't just going moving into Comeaux High, there's going to be major construction and remodel.

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What Is The New Ovey Comeaux Workforce Innovation Academy?

The new academy will be built at the former Ovey Comeaux High School campus at 100 W. Bluebird Drive in Lafayette.

Rather than continuing to operate as a traditional high school, the campus is being repurposed to accommodate the W.D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center and the E.J. Sam Accelerated School.

The goal is to create more opportunities for career-focused education.

Superintendent Francis Touchet tells KLFY "Our responsibility is to make sure our students are prepared for the opportunities that are coming. Whether that is welding, manufacturing, construction trades or another high-demand field, we want Lafayette Parish graduates to have the skills and credentials to step into those careers."

These programs will help students develop job skills that companies are looking for, potentially giving them a head start as they prepare to enter the job market.

And, not every student wants to follow the same path after high school. Some may plan to attend college, while others may prefer technical training, certifications, or a direct route into a skilled trade.

When Will The New Ovey Comeaux Academy Open?

LPSS is aiming for the 2028–2029 school year for the new Ovey Comeaux Workforce Innovation Academy.

Work has already begun. As of late September, asbestos removal was underway, with demolition expected to begin in November and construction planned to follow in early 2027.

The project has an estimated cost of approximately $40 million.

The Lafayette Parish School Board voted to take the traditional high school offline beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, with students redirected to other high schools in the district.

The campus is being repurposed to accommodate the career center and E.J. Sam Accelerated School.

LPSS also plans to renovate the existing athletic facilities into a centralized Lafayette Parish Schools Sports Complex that can serve several schools across Lafayette Parish.

If everything stays on schedule, students could begin taking advantage of the expanded career training opportunities during the 2028-2029 school year.

9 Louisiana School Field Trips Acadiana Still Remembers

For a lot of us who grew up in Acadiana, there was one day on the school calendar that always stood out...the annual field trip.

It didn't matter if you were headed to a museum, a nature trail, or...anywhere at all really. Climbing onto a school bus with your friends meant you were in for an adventure, and those memories have a way of sticking with you.

We asked you on Facebook to share the school field trips you remember most, and the responses were packed with nostalgia. Some places are still welcoming students today, while other places are sadly no longer in operation.

One destination, however, caught nearly everyone by surprise.

Gallery Credit: Michael Dot Scott