Auditors listed several issues in their review of the St. Mary Parish School Board's books.
Among the findings was more than $200,000 missing from the Patterson High School Student Activity Fund.
Back in December, we reported about two former employees at the school being arrested, accused of using that money on themselves. To read about that, click here.
The audit found "multiple instances of discrepancies between recorded receipts and actual deposits, totaling more than $205,000 between 2020 and 2024. The bookkeeper, who is no longer employed by the School Board, was arrested in December 2024. No restitution has been made, but the School Board has filed an insurance claim."
The auditor also noted that the school system failed to amend their Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund budget as required when actual revenues fell short of budgeted revenues by more than 5%.
Finally, the board also failed to include specific required provisions in contracts related to federal awards, auditors found.
Here's the full audit if you'd like to read it for yourself:
