Message from the Superintendent

As we enter the holiday season, we are quickly reminded that state testing is “right around the corner”.  We are excited to say that all schools in St. Martin Parish are working hard to prepare their students for the fast approaching state assessments.  Teachers are involved in various professional development activities and students have been given a practice test.  Results of this practice test will be analyzed by educators in order to best prepare lessons based on the needs of their students as a means of more effectively preparing students for the state assessments to be given in March and April.

In a parish wide effort to provide more support to our schools, all departments have been asked to focus efforts in the schools. This movement started by restructuring and refining several key support systems already in place to make more efficient and effective use of the resources available to us.  Each school has always been assigned a supervisor liaison to assist the principal as needed. This year, each supervisor liaison is required to spend at least one day at the school and take a more active role in assisting the school. As a hands-on superintendent, Dr. Beebe sets the tone by serving as liaison to JCEP.  Our district site visits have been redesigned to serve as a needs assessment, provide more immediate feedback, and offer a team approach of assistance to all schools.
 
In addition to being a part of the parish site visit teams and liaisons to schools, the Federal Programs department has also reorganized to ensure that every effort is made to focus energy, assistance, and resources at the school level. All supervisor job descriptions have been streamlined to target grade levels. The special education personnel have been relocated to a school as a special education liaison giving even more support at the school level. Federal Funding continues to be used to offer academic assistance and instructional support to at-risk and struggling students. This year, to further assist our at-risk schools, federal funds are being used to contract with the National Sam Innovation Project, NSIP and offer the School Administration Manager, SAM process to our six lowest performing schools. SAM uses a unique set of tools to change a principal’s focus from school management tasks to instructional leadership, which will directly connect to improving teaching and learning. 

We just finished up our annual audit and the preliminary results indicate we had another successful year.  We have been fortunate to maintain healthy fund balances, which are attributed to the continued support from the community with renewed sales taxes and bond issuances.

• Accolades were offered to Mrs. Deidre Robertson, Gifted Education/Art Teacher, for having been selected as the 2013 Louisiana Art Teacher of the Year.  Madame Valerie Thierez, first grade French Immersion Teacher at Cecilia Primary, was selected as the 2013 Louisiana Foreign Language Teacher of the Year.  Both were acknowledged and presented Certificates of Achievement during the December 4th school board meeting.
• A special performance was rendered by Cecilia Primary Kindergarten students who are enrolled in the French Immersion Program.  Student talent was  "showcased" as these young students sang Christmas carols prior to the discussion of board agenda items.
• Agenda items included the approval of recommendations offered by the Finance Committee.  These items included the recommendation to approve ING to provide oversight for the 403 B services rendered to employees. The Board also heard a presentation offered by Gallagher regarding a health and wellness program.  The proposal allowed for a wellness program to be funded through revenues generated from savings to the Group Health Insurance Program/Web-TPA.
• Other items approved included a feasibility study involving the reconfiguration of Breaux Bridge Community Schools.  In an effort to increase student enrollment at both the elementary and junior high schools and to maintain the school configuration as found within St. Martinville and Cecilia communities, the Board has  approved a schematic design to be completed by Poche', Pruett, and Associates.  There have been discussions regarding the development of a  Master Plan which will provide for current and future school facilities and operations upgrades.
• The St. Martin Parish School Board has received $5,000,000.00 to begin projects identified    as part of the May 4, 2013 Bond Program.  The Board met with Mr. Schlueter, Bond Attorney,  regarding the general obligation bonds (Series 2014) and approved a resolution authorizing the  Board to advertise for bids for the purchase of $12 million dollars --being the second emission   of bonds for the purpose of land acquisitions, building improvements, and furnishings.  The   Board will proceed to address the priority needs of the various schools within the district which is the rationale for seeking bids.  There were revisions made to plans identified in 2009 and explanations were offered relative to each.
• Mr. Sid Hebert, Brown & Brown, LLC, provided a report relative to a revised building inventory list and a needs assessment of properties and an update to required coverages.
• On another note, the St. Martin Parish School Board was provided guidance from Mr. Mike Hefner, Demographer, and has approved a redistricting proposal and a resolution with minor modifications made to the various school board district lines.  The Board also approved the advertising for an additional lease north of existing leases in the Belle River area.

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