Pride College Preparatory Academy’s board of directors met Tuesday night and received a clean audit.

The school received an unqualified opinion, a clean audit, from Carr, Riggs & Ingram.

Michael Richard, school leader, said Pride has begun to use Louisiana State University for special education evaluations.  He said next year they would partner with LSU and host a full-time psychologist intern.

Richard said last year the school spent about $35,000 on evaluations.  He said next year the cost of the intern would be between $55,000 and $60,000.  Board members questioned the added expense.

Richard said this year the school has added a full-time counselor on site.  While he said only two or three students require a counseling minutes each week upwards of 15-20 students are using the service.  And when counseling was outsourced last year he said students would sometimes see different counselors each week.

“Morale is so much higher as a result of having this constant support,” said Richard.

On top of that, he said the value of having a psychologist in the building at all times would be well worth the added cost.  He stressed the school’s holistic goal of preparing children for not just college but life.

Richard said the building has been classified as ‘substantially complete’, but the building has not yet been turned over to school leaders.

Board chairman Allen Square said the board is looking to add one member.  Members agreed they were likely looking for someone with a background in education.

The meeting began at 6:40 p.m. and adjourned at 8:28 p.m.  Members Square, Lisa Tabb, Gabriel Bordenave, Rita Reed, Scott Jacobs and Sam Joel were present.  The next meeting is Dec. 11.