Directors of Hynes Charter are exploring the possible addition of another school to their management portfolio.

Al Miester, president of the Hynes Charter School Board said members of the school’s management team have been meeting to discuss the possibility of operating a school in the area of the Columbia Parc public housing development.

“It is still in the formative stages and we are still figuring out how it would be structured, but if the board decides to do something, we will present it later on,” Miester said.

In other business at the Jan. 27 meeting, the board approved plans for two new playgrounds designed by the Mathes Brierre architecture firm for $103,000.

“They are a reputable firm that has done a lot for the city; they recently did the playgrounds at Lusher elementary,” Ken Ducote, planning and construction consultant for New Orleans schools, said.

One playground would be for kindergartners and pre-K students. The other for grades one through eight. In total, the playgrounds will be 6,000 sq. ft. in area.

The school has collected $145,000 for construction and has spent $107,000 on materials, which have already arrived, Douglas said. “We have designed it in phases and will have an opportunity for the parents to come out and help build part of the playground,” Douglas said.

Construction is scheduled to be completed in late spring or early summer, in time for the start of the next school year, Douglas said.

Current Hynes students have until Friday to declare whether they will be coming back next year. The school is oversubscribed with applications. A three-phase admissions lottery begins Feb. 20.

As of Jan. 13, enrollment from kindergarten through eighth grade stood at 661, six students more than projected.

In a report to the board, John Gaudry, chief financial officer, said the increase in enrollment has contributed to the school’s $229,798 surplus. “The total revenue trend is very positive,” Gaudry said.

Second-quarter academic results were also impressive. They showed that 89 percent of Hynes students are reading at or above grade level — close to the school’s goal of 90 percent, Douglas said.

A recycling program implemented in December is going well, Douglas said. It includes using non-disposable plates in the cafeteria and placing recycling bins in every area. “We are teaching students what they can and can’t recycle,” Douglas said. “And we are very proud of our third-grade ‘Recycle Rangers.’”

The 45-minute meeting began at 5 p.m. Members Tim Ryan and Darlene Brown were absent. The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 24.