CONGRESSMAN GRAVES COMMENDS LIVINGSTON SCHOOLS
U.S. Congressman Garret Graves recently recognized Livingston Parish Public Schools on being named a Forbes Magazine Best Employer in the State of Louisiana.
“Having worked with LPPS, and (Superintendent Joe Murphy) specifically, over the years to rebuild after the 2016 Flood and to adapt during a global pandemic, I know that the Forbes recognition is a tribute to the nurturing, collegial, dynamic and transparent environment that has been carefully cultivated at Livingston Parish Public Schools,” Graves wrote in his Feb. 9 letter to the superintendent. Graves represents Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Though the education excellence of LPPS is widely known, it is worth noting that Forbes recognizes LPPS as the top school system and the top public service entity in Louisiana to achieve this recognition,” Graves added. “Please extend our congratulations to the women and men who comprise this best employer in the State of Louisiana.”
LIVINGSTON SCHOOLS NOW SCHEDULING COVID VACCINATION APPOINTMENTS FOR MARCH 10
Superintendent Joe Murphy announced that Livingston Parish Public Schools will make available COVID vaccinations on March 10 for those active employees who register online for the service.
Murphy said the district anticipates being able to accommodate 720 qualified registrants for that day with vaccinations administered by the school system’s nurse professionals from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Suma Professional Development Center in Satsuma. He noted that March 10 is currently scheduled to be a professional development day, so no classes are scheduled to be held that day.
“We want to encourage all our employees to take advantage of this opportunity, or to continue working with their private health officials or pharmacies to receive the vaccination,” Murphy said. “The vaccination can help our employees protect themselves, their students, their coworkers, their families and our entire community.”
Murphy said if the number of registrations exceed the 720 count, the district will place those names on a waiting list to be contacted in the event there are cancellations, or the district will follow up with them to set appointments at a later date.
Murphy said an on-line registration link was made available at 5 p.m. Feb. 23, for employees to sign up for an appointment. He noted that active Livingston Parish Public School employees include all those who received a check from the district in December 2020 or January 2021.
School district employees across Louisiana became eligible to receive the COVID vaccination following a proclamation from the governor. Since that time, the district has been working with state health officials to share pertinent information with employees and to help facilitate a vaccination station with on-staff nurse professionals.
SCHOOL BOARD ASKING VOTERS TO FUND ATHLETIC IMPROVEMENT AT DSHS
The Livingston Parish School Board is asking voters to extend an existing 8.64 mills dedicated to capital improvements in the Denham Springs School District to fund much-needed athletic facility improvements at the high school with NO increases in taxes paid each year.
The proposal includes improvements to DSHS Jacket Stadium, including a realignment of the field and better security designs for parking and field entry, a new track and field events facility, a new soccer and football turf field, a new field house and expanded weight rooms for both male and female student-athletes, and the addition of fully designed baseball and softball fields on site. The complex improvements will also include a new band practice area.
This $13 million investment will mark the first major improvement to the high school’s overall athletic program in more than 65 years!
School leaders propose taking advantage of record-low interest rates with a 20-year refinancing plan that will save $2 million overall and create an additional $13 million to invest in capital improvements. The funding plan will NOT increase what taxpayers currently pay each year.
Voters in the Denham Springs School Taxing District will vote on the proposal on the April 24 ballot. Early voting for the election will be held April 10-17.
LIVINGSTON SCHOOLS ANNOUNCE STUDENTS OF THE YEAR
Livingston Parish Public Schools has announced its Student of the Year winners for the 2020-2021 school year. The top winners in the district are Emma Miranda, a senior at Albany High School; Sophia Chavers, an 8th grader at Albany Middle School; and Khloe’ Golden, a 5th grader at Juban Parc Elementary School.
All three winners were selected from the individual school winners and they will advance to compete in the state’s regional competition. Winners at the regional level will qualify for the state’s finals, which are held in May.
Those Livingston Parish students named 2020-2021 Student of the Year winners at their respective schools include:
12th Grade – Emma Miranda, Albany High; Hailey Enamorado, Denham Springs High; Jessica Jemison, Doyle High; Blain Seale, French Settlement High; Olivia Barnes, Holden High; Ethan Cooper, Live Oak High; Maci Scivicque, Maurepas; Kaitlyn Norman, Springfield High; and Madeline Watson, Walker High.
8th Grade – Sophia Chavers, Albany Middle; Peyton Baker, Denham Springs Junior High; Alex Aucoin, Doyle Junior High; Phoenix Bhramayana, French Settlement High; Reagan Turner, Frost; Sawyer Herring, Holden Junior High; Kellie LaPorte, Juban Parc Junior High; Jace Griffin, Live Oak Junior High; Mackenzie Hutson, Maurepas; Sadie Gallman, North Corbin Junior High; Sadie Nickens, Southside Junior High; Sydney Kinchen, Springfield Middle; Julianna Easley, Walker Junior High; and Sasha Caruso, Westside Junior High.
5th Grade – Dillon Sutton, Albany Middle; Gabriela Gann, Denham Springs Elementary; Oaklee Bigner, Doyle Elementary; Gage Wynne, Eastside Elementary; Bentley Allement, French Settlement Elementary; Lillian Murphy, Freshwater Elementary; Peyton Ogle, Frost; Khloe Gotreaux, Gray’s Creek Elementary; Bailey Kemp, Holden; Khloe’ Golden, Juban Parc Elementary; Claire Puig, Levi Milton Elementary; Collin Hamilton, Lewis Vincent Elementary; Jaxson Lefebvre, Live Oak Middle; Michael Miller, Maurepas; Karigan Bourgeois, North Corbin Elementary; Sarah Jacobsen, Northside Elementary; Katelyn Devall, Seventh Ward Elementary; Isabella Blanchard, South Fork Elementary; Rylee McKenzie, South Walker Elementary; Ceionna Brock, Southside Elementary; and Jackson Aucoin, Springfield Elementary.