Ville Platte-    Superintendent of Schools Toni Hamlin informed the Evangeline Parish School Board Wednesday that she and her staff are preparing for the changes beginning next school year due to education reform measures approved by the state legislature.

                        Hamlin reported that she and seven other area school superintendents are due to meet with State Superintendent John White on May 9 in Alexandria to discuss “the future of our education system”.  He is meeting with groups of superintendents throughout the state on a regional basis.

                          Personnel Director Michael Lombas said the final staff development day of the school year is due for Friday April 20. He said “It will be a very important staff development day to prepare school staffs for the new standards beginning next year.”

                             Superintendent Hamlin commented “We don’t want our teachers over anxious but we want them to be prepared. We will do everything to prepare our staff for the changes.”

                            In another matter, Hamlin said state police officials will be available to provide in-service to schools with at risk students on issues dealing with “bullying.” “We recognize the need for this information and we hope that our schools in the district will take advantage of this resource from the state police.”

                             The school board approved the 2012-2013 school calendar. The calendar calls for the first day of school for students will be August 20 and the final day will be on May 30. The calendar also calls for holiday breaks for Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, Martin Luther King, Mardi Gras, President’s Day and Easter break.

                               In other action, the school board:

--received good news from Business Manager Amy LaFleur that sales tax collections for March increased by $114,816 over the same period a year ago;

--approved two year contract renewals for Title One Supervisor Penelope McDaniel and Bayou Chicot Principal Delores Miller;

--approved the appointment of the following assistant principals: Mary Christine Fontenot at Bayou Chicot Elementary; DeEtte Loyd at Pine Prairie High School and Tommy Jones at Ville Platte High School;

--approved changing the second meeting date for May from May 16 to May23 at 6:00pm.