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The new school year in Vermilion Parish is set to begin later this week. 
Below, Vermilion Parish Superintendent Tommy Byler shares some thoughts on the new year:

When does school start for everyone except Pre-K and kindergarten?

The first day for students is Friday, August 8th. That will be all students in grades 1-12 and half of our kindergarten for each school. 

When does Pre-K and Kindergarten begin?

All kindergarten students will be in place by August 12, and Pre-K will be in place by August 15. 

As the opening of the school is about to get underway, what is your biggest concern?

As with every year, ensuring the safe transportation of our students to school, starting the school in an orderly and organized manner, and ensuring our teachers and students are set up to be successful are always my concerns. We work extremely hard throughout the summer to give all of these factors the best chance to be successful. Inevitably, things will never be perfect, but we will do our best to get things straightened out as soon as possible.

Explain why that is a concern.

As I mentioned earlier, we want things to go well and make the first day experience for students a comfortable situation. 

Are there any new rules that the students and parents need to be aware of before the start of school?

The only major adjustment to any rule would be the makeup policy. We have reverted back to our pre-covid make up policy.

How many students are you projecting on the first day of class?

At the current time, we will be around 8,300-8,400 students when we add our final total from Pre-K.

How has the hiring been going? A week before school, is the school system still looking for certified teachers?

Hiring has gone as usual. We fill most of our positions early, but we still have a few spots where we are still trying to fill. Also, some of our teachers are discovering that they have been offered positions in neighboring districts and are leaving us for higher pay. We are still working to fill the last spots.

What is the status of the two football stadiums undergoing the artificial turf transformation?

We have gotten good weather the last couple of weeks, and good progress has taken place. We are still on schedule to be complete in Kaplan to start the season, and a few weeks later, we are hoping to have North Vermilion complete.

This summer, Lafayette Parish is allowing its students to wear jeans (Blue or Black). ;
Any chance the school board would do the same shortly?

This information was shared with our board and the discipline and dress code committee. However, neither group favored moving forward with this proposal.

KAPLAN — The interviews for the next head football coach at Kaplan High School have already begun, despite the job still being open until noon on Friday.
As of Thursday, six candidates had applied for the head football coaching job. The school district did not release the names of the six. Interviews began at 11 a.m. on Thursday. 
One of those six names who interviewed on Thursday is a parish native who has coached at Vermilion Catholic for many years.
VC assistant football coach John Thompson confirmed he applied for the head football job at Kaplan High School. 
Thompson graduated from VC in 1997 and signed a football scholarship to attend South Carolina.  He coached under Ossie Blaize and VC head coach Broc Prejean. He was a big part of VC winning the state title last season. 
For the past couple of years, Thompson was also the head boys basketball coach and led his team to the playoffs.
One unconfirmed names who applied for the KHS job is former Abbeville High assistant football coach Doug Guillory.
Guillory was an assistant coach at Abbeville under Coach Roderick Moy was at Abbeville High.  Today, he is an assistant coach at Oakdale High School. Guillory is also familiar with the Wing-T offense, an offense the Kaplan football program has run for several years.
The new Kaplan head football coach is expected to be named as early as Friday or by Monday.

October 7, 1949 ~ August 4, 2025

Kathleen Budd LeBouef passed away peacefully at her residence, surrounded by love, on August 4, 2025. She was 75 years old.
Born on October 7, 1949, in Opelousas, Louisiana, Kathleen was the beloved daughter of the late Charles J. “Buddy” Budd, Jr. and Virginia Latour Budd. A proud graduate of the Academy of the Immaculate Conception, Kathleen was honored by her peers as “Miss Darling,” and crowned as Homecoming Queen. She was also one of the spirited “Yammettes,” traveling across the region to promote the Yambilee Festival and the yam industry that her hometown so proudly celebrated.
Kathleen went on to Northwestern State University, where she earned both accolades and a degree—serving as both “Lady of the Bracelet” and Northwestern’s Homecoming Queen before graduating in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree. Her career as a licensed clinical social worker was marked by compassion and advocacy, focusing first on substance abuse counseling from 1972–1983, then expanding into private practice until her retirement in 2004.
A woman of deep conviction and compassion, Kathleen considered one of her proudest moments to be marching in Washington, D.C. in 1976, carrying the banner for the Equal Rights Amendment; and one of her proudest accomplishments was playing a role in opening a battered women’s shelter in Lafayette several decades ago—efforts that reflected her lifelong dedication to justice, dignity, and care for others. Her greatest pride and purest joy, however, came later in her role as “Amie” to her grandchildren, who were the absolute lights of her life.
In 1983, Kathleen married the love of her life, Dr. Corbett J. LeBouef. Their 35-year marriage was one of deep affection, joy, and shared purpose until his passing in 2018.
Kathleen’s intellect was matched only by her wit—both sharp, quick, and impossible to ignore. She possessed a fiercely independent spirit and a deep well of compassion. Her life was a beautiful blend of strength and tenderness, and her legacy will continue to inspire all who knew her.
Kathleen is preceded in death by her parents, Buddy and Virginia Budd, her brother, Charles Joseph “CJ” Budd III, and her husband, Dr. Corbett J. LeBouef.
Left to cherish her memory are her grandchildren, TJ, Tate, and Jenna Teicher, Corbett J. “Chip” LeBouef IV (Elizabeth), Leah LeBouef Servat (Ryan), Donald Oliver (Paige), and Danielle Oliver Albares (Paul); her daughter Vanessa Kaposta; her son-in-law Timothy Teicher; her stepchildren Corbett J. “Cobb” LeBouef III (Stephanie), Lisa LeBouef Oliver (Tim); and her great-grandchildren, Corbett, Samuel and Harrison LeBouef, Nancy-Grace and John-Ryan Servat, Hazel Oliver and Paul Albares. She is also survived by a host of dearly loved cousins, many cherished friends and her favorite companion of all, her sweet pup, Ben.
Kathleen’s life will be honored at a funeral mass, beginning with a Rosary, on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 12 noon, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Abbeville.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Kathleen’s memory to the Dr. Corbett LeBouef Endowment at Hospice of Acadiana, 2600 Johnston Street, Suite 200, Lafayette, LA 70503. (Phone: (337) 232-1234 www.hospiceofacadiana.com).

January 3, 1951 — July 30, 2025

Conrad Avery Simon, 74, of Forked Island, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on July 30, 2025, with the love of his life, Yvonne B. Simon, by his side. Connie and Yvonne shared 54 years of marriage and 59 years of love, having met at the young age of 15. Together, they built a life centered around family, faith, and service.
Born in Kaplan, Louisiana, Conrad was the son of the late Eugene and Billie Simon. He is survived by his three loving children: Brady Simon (Joanna), Cynthia Spadoni (Craig), and Mandy Indest (Stephen). His legacy lives on through his seven cherished grandchildren: Connor, William, and Elijah Simon; Sophia and Elise Spadoni; and Austin and Jackson Indest.
He is also survived by his siblings: Bethany “Decie” Simon Arnau, Gene Simon, Russell Simon (Becky), Joey Simon, and Jill Simon Hebert. In addition, he leaves behind his brothers-in-law: Richard Broussard (Kathleen), Alan Broussard (Brenda), and Hal Broussard (Cyndi), as well as a host of beloved nieces and nephews.
Connie was preceded in death by his in-laws, Charles and Rose Broussard, and Eva Mae Simon and Joey Hebert.
After graduating from Kaplan High School, where he was both an athlete and a talented artist, Connie worked in the oilfield before discovering his true passion as a rice and crawfish farmer. He found deep satisfaction in working the land and took great pride in his role as a steward of his family’s farming legacy.
Connie served his community with unwavering dedication. He coached little league and minor league baseball, helped build the Forked Island baseball fields, and volunteered with the Forked Island Fire Department, where he served as Vice President of the Board. He was also a Certified CPR Instructor, a First Responder, and a proud Board Member of the Vermilion Rice Growers Association.
Beyond his service, Connie loved the outdoors—especially hunting, fishing, and playing golf. But more than anything, he found joy in traveling each summer across the country with his family, creating treasured memories along the way.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at St. Anne Catholic Church in Cow Island, Louisiana, celebrated by Father Keith Landry. Visitation will be held on Monday, August 4, from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and will resume Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m. until the time of service. A rosary will be prayed at 7:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025.
Following the funeral, a reception will be held at 211 Eleazar Avenue in Kaplan. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Connie’s life.
Connie’s grandsons—Connor Simon, William Simon, Elijah Simon, Austin Indest, and Jackson Indest, and his godchild Kerry Simon—will serve as pallbearers. Erin Broussard and Kelli Simon Davis will serve as readers. Sophia Spadoni and Elise Spadoni will bring the gifts to the altar. Eulogies will be delivered by William Simon and Ernest Girouard.
With heartfelt gratitude, the family acknowledges the Radiology and Emergency Departments of Abbeville General Hospital, as well as the nurses, therapists, and staff of Kaplan Home Care, for their unwavering care and support over the past two years. The Simon family also extends their deepest thanks to Heart of Hospice and to the doctors, nurses, and staff of 10 West at Ochsner Lafayette General for their compassionate care during Connie’s final weeks.
He will be remembered for his quiet strength, steadfast dedication, and the deep love he gave to his family, friends, and community. He will be deeply missed and forever cherished.