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Welcome, Students ::..
 Helping students succeed in school and become well-prepared for the future is a primary goal of all within the School System. Students are encouraged to set high goals for themselves, work hard in school to achieve those goals, take advantage of the many extracurricular activities at school, and commit to life-long learning. Whether students plan to enter an institution of higher learning, enroll in a career training program, or immediately enter the work force upon high school graduation, St. Tammany public schools have programs and curriculum in place to help prepare students for the next step.
 Schools are full of helpful resources for students to help make their time in school productive and enriching. The System Web site offers students another means to access helpful and timely information. Students are urged to take advantage of all the resources that are offered.
Winner and Finalist of Superintendent’s Outstanding Character and Citizenship Award Are Announced
An abilities awareness program at Mandeville Middle School won top honors and a Folsom Elementary School teacher known for her volunteerism was named finalist in the 2007-2008 Superintendent’s Award for Outstanding Character and Citizenship.
Superintendent Gayle Sloan introduced the winner and finalist at a recent School Board meeting. She announced their selection as outstanding examples of how showing respect to others, being responsible, and displaying qualities of caring, trustworthiness, and decision-making can benefit their schools and their community.
The Abilities Awareness Day program at Mandeville Middle School won the top Superintendent’s Award. School Counselor Judy Meyers and PTA Board Member Janelle Meyers represented the program at the award presentation, with Principal Kim Wood joining in to congratulate them.
The program, first suggested by a PTA member two years ago, strives to teach students about those with impairments so students can be more “open minded” about their abilities and differences. The activity proved to be such a success the first year that organizers decided to schedule it annually.
Students are encouraged to “think same, not different” when they meet new people. At the Abilities Awareness Day event, students were able to participate in various activities to learn more about how it felt to be someone who has a hearing impairment, visual impairment or other physical disability.
“This character building program truly is having a positive impact on others by teaching and encouraging tolerance,” Mrs. Sloan commented.
Mrs. Judy Meyers thanked Mrs. Sloan and the School Board for their recognition of the program. “I will tell our students of this honor we have received,” she said. “We would like to thank Families Helping Families, Deaf Action, Lighthouse for the Blind and all the people who helped make the program a success.”
Capital One Bank is donating a $1000 prize to the winner of the Superintendent’s Award to help the program continue its positive impact upon the school and community.
Mrs. Mary Byrd, a Folsom Elementary School teacher, was named finalist for the Superintendent’s Award. Mrs. Byrd has taught in St. Tammany schools for 27 years, and she is known for her caring attitude and always looks for opportunities to help people, Mrs. Sloan said. Her sign language club helps bridge the communication gap between hearing and non-hearing students, and her uniform closet helps provide items needed by students on a daily basis.
Her kindness and generosity extend far beyond the walls of Folsom Elementary School, Mrs. Sloan added, citing her many community and church volunteer efforts.
The Superintendent’s Award was started several years ago to recognize persons or groups in the School System who serve as outstanding examples of community service and citizenship. Recipients are chosen for modeling and teaching good character traits that help students become valuable members of society. “Through the years, we have recognized very deserving individuals and groups that show the many positive contributions that our students and the System make to the community,” Mrs. Sloan said. |
Slidell Junior High School Wins State Science Olympiad Competition
A 20-member student team from Slidell Junior High School won the state “Science Olympiad” competition at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond recently and will go to Washington, D.C., for the national competition in late May.
The group, coached by mathematics teacher Kristen Martin and science teacher Shannon Leger, received the state championship trophy after competing with several Science Olympiad teams from throughout the state, most of them from magnet and charter schools.
The Science Olympiad tests students in a variety of events, judging their skills in everything from ecology and biology to physics and oceanography. Robotics, meteorology, and chemistry also are part of the scheduled competitions, with special emphasis placed on scientific inquiry and experimentation.
The Slidell Junior High team won the regional competition in its division in February. “This is only our third year in competition,” said Principal Brennan McCurley. “Our first year we placed second in the state, and the next year, we placed second again.”He credited the students with outstanding dedication to the competition and the coaches for a thorough job in preparing the participants. “It is truly an amazing accomplishment in the short amount of time that we have taken part in this event,” McCurley stated.
“I think this is a huge accomplishment that speaks very well of the education our public school students get here in St. Tammany, and I think this is a very big feather in our cap," said Terri Gowin, a parent of one of the participants.
The mission of the international Science Olympiad is to promote and improve student interest in science and to improve the quality of K-12 science education throughout the Nation. More information about the non-profit organization may be found at www.soinc.org.
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Personal Data Error Is Reported by State Board of Regents
The Louisiana Board of Regents has reported that it inadvertently posted on its Web site personal data, including social security numbers, of some students across the state who took part in the Louisiana State Educational Planning and Assessment Plan (EPAS) test between 2001 and 2003. The Board of Regents staff removed the personal data earlier this month, within hours of being notified that it was accessible.
"A security firm has been hired to determine whether the information was accessed by anyone or has been used in a malicious manner," according to State Superintendent of Education Paul G. Pastorek, in a special notice he sent to all school superintendents.
Parents with questions about the posting may contact the Board of Regents for more information at the web page http://notice.regents.state.la.us or call Kevin Hardy at 225-342-4253. CLICK HERE for more information.
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Financial Aid Office Issues Notice of Possible Data Loss
The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) recently alerted students and parents of the loss of back-up media that includes personal information on individuals participating in, or considered for participation in, programs administered by LOSFA. The information includes data from anyone who has applied for or received a TOPS Scholarship.
CLICK HERE for notice about the breach of security.
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