BATON ROUGE - Several Baton Rouge public high schools are set to receive additions alongside repairs and renovations following a recent multimillion-dollar bond sale, according to a report by The Advocate. 

The parish school board agreed to a $40 million bond sale back in October to enhance the high school experience in Baton Rouge schools. The sale allowed principals to submit wish lists centered on student clubs, fine arts, career and technical education and athletics. 

The list of updates originally cost $37 million; however, the bond sale on Dec. 10 created a net of $42 million as bond investors embraced a "coupon rate", 5% fixed interest rate.

East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent LaMont Cole plans to roll out the new projects in two batches, with the first focused on fine arts and career and technical education. The proposal, planned to be brought before the parish School Board in January, includes various items like curtains for theaters and a welding shop. 

The second batch will focus on larger projects, including bringing athletic facilities to multiple schools. The proposal, planned to be brought before the board a month or two later, will include items like new surfaces for tracks, new artificial turf and field houses.

Cole allegedly asked the school board to hold a special board workshop to establish a standard for the athletic projects, as there is more money than originally planned.

The bonds, paid over 20 years, replaced similar bonds sold in 2009 and 2010. The East Baton Rouge Parish school system budgeted about $3 million a year to pay off those bonds and is set to complete payments this month.