Lease agreement signed

The building of Vermilion Charter Academy is now on its way to taking place.
In May 2020, the volunteer board from the Maurice area first met to discuss bringing a charter school to the northern part of the parish to help with overcrowding in the public schools.
On Tuesday, more than three years later, their vision became a reality.
At the Vermilion Charter Academy’s monthly meeting at Maurice City Hall, the Vermilion Charter Foundation Board of Trustees signed a lease agreement with Red Apple at Vermilion, LLC. The charter foundation will be the tenant, and Red Apple Vermilion, LLC will be the landlord of a new charter school.
For the past three years, Vermilion Charter Foundation and Charter Schools USA have worked diligently to accomplish our goal of providing an educational choice for parents in a state-of-the art school that is centered on science, arts and innovation,” said Bridget Campbell Winters, the president of the Vermilion Charter Foundation Board of Trustees. “It’s awesome to see this plan come to fruition with the signing of our lease to build this school. I’m so proud of the work we’re doing.
“Go Bulldogs!”
The charter school, which will be built in the north Vermilion Parish area, is at the intersection of La. Hwy. 343 and Hwy. 92, which is located west of the town of Maurice.
Red Apple, a company out of Florida, purchased the land and will build the school. By Oct. 1, work is expected to begin on the new two-story school that will cost $21 million.
Depending on the weather an material, it is expected to take eight months to build the school. The kindergarten through 8th-grade school is expected to open in August of 2024.
John Cook, the board attorney, explained to the trustees about the terms of the lease.
The lease states that Vermilion Charter Academy will lease the school for 20 years from Red Apple. The lease increases 10 percent every five years. The lease agreement is $2.2 million for the first five years, then rises to $2.4 million for another five years. The lease will be $2.9 million a year for the final five years.
Once the 20 years is up, the Vermilion Parish Charter will no longer be required to pay Red Apple. However, Red Apple will still own the school and property.
Before the lease agreement was signed by board president Bridget Campbell Winters, the trustees had questions for Cook.
Trustee Ethan Broussard asked Cook if something breaks at the school, it is Vermilion Charter’s responsibility to repair the problem. Cook said yes, and said the lease the board is about to sign is called a “Triple Net Lease.”
This type of lease makes the tenant responsible for most of the property expenses.
Trustee Javon Dehart asked the board members if the board was happy with the lease. All agreed they were.
When the school opens, the enrollment will be 860 students for the first year. If need be, the school can handle up to 1,023 students in the future.
The charter school will be able to accept students from Acadiana, not just Vermilion Parish.
Vermilion Charter Academy created a new website.
The website address is vermilioncharter.org.
The website is where parents can apply to attend the charter school. The process will begin on Oct. 30 until Dec. 2 of 2023.
The mascot of the new school will be a bulldog.