Posted About Four Years Ago
by
Mark Layne
Local High Schools Honored on a National level and School Board Introduces a Revised Assignment Policy
It was clear by Wednesday's Evangeline Parish School Board meeting attendance that many held strong feelings regarding the assignment policy that was sent for revision during the last school board meeting. There were so many people in the board room that many were left standing or simply sitting on the floor. The proposed assignment policy does not allow for school principals to work with immediate family members on their staff unless the immediate family member was employed at the school for at least one year prior to the principal or department head's appointment and a Disqualification Plan (which provides an alternate evaluator for the employee) is approved by the Louisiana Board of Ethics.
Retired Basile High School Principal, Georgie Courville spoke out about hardships that the adoption of such a policy would impose on the schools in small communities such as Basile and gave testament to the instances in which had no choice but to hire an immediate family member because there simply were no other educators to fill teaching positions at the school. She argued that contrary to what some people believe, principals are less lenient when supervising family members on their staff than they are with other teachers. Mrs. Courville asked the Board to consider these statements before voting on whether or not to adopt this policy.
Ultimately, the School Board members voted to only introduce the policy, request that the Ethics Board provide a written opinion on the revised policy, and to vote on whether or not to adopt the revised policy once that Ethics Board review is received. Special Counsel, Jon Guice advised that if the Ethics Board agrees to provide a written opinion on the policy the School Board may not have that document to bring to a vote until December.
Administrators from Basile High School, Mamou High School, Pine Prairie High School, and Ville Platte High School were honored at the meeting for their national recognition by the US News and World Report for their academic performance. Mamou High is ranked #102 in the state of Louisiana, Ville Platte High is ranked #111, Basile High is ranked # 158, and Pine Prairie High is #162 in the state. These rankings are based on college readiness, math and reading proficiency, graduation rate, etc.
Ville Platte High School principal, Melanie Moore was presented with a plaque as this is the school's first year being recognized for a ranking. All of the administrators were commended for their hard work and dedication to improving their schools and the lives of their students.
The next Board meeting will be held on October 30, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.