July 2021

LIVINGSTON PARISH ADDS SROS FOR NEW SCHOOL YEAR

The Livingston Parish School Board recently voted to hire an additional three school resource officers for the 2021-2022 school year.

The new hires will ensure no SRO will have more than four campuses to manage, thereby making the division of the schools more manageable, cutting down on response time and increasing visibility of law enforcement on the campuses.

The school system currently has 10 SROs — eight from the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and two from the Denham Springs Police Department. The new hires will bring the total to 13. The additional hires will come from the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and assume their duties at the start of the 2021-22 school year in August.

LPPS Risk Management Coordinator Wendy Gill said the three new officers will preside over schools in the Live Oak, Springfield, and Walker areas.

 

LOCAL SCHOOL LEADERS LEARN FROM ACCLAIMED SPEAKERS AT “TRUE GRIT” CONFERENCE

Livingston Parish’s school principals, central office administrators, curriculum coordinators and coaches, and teaching mentors participated this month in a two-day “True Grit” leadership conference that featured four nationally acclaimed presenters.

The speakers included Beth Houf, co-author of “Lead Like a PIRATE: Make School Amazing for Your Students and Staff;” Brad Gustafson, a national advisor for Future Ready Schools and Scholastic; Joe Sanfelippo, author of “Hacking Leadership: 10 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Learning That Teachers, Students, and Parents Love;” and Annette Breaux, co-author of “101 Answers for New Teachers and Their Mentors.”

“It is always out mindset in Livingston Parish to take time to reflect on our successes and to search out ways to improve upon our efforts. This workshop offered our leadership that opportunity to explore the impact of new strategies on school systems across our nation and to explore best practices for our local schools,” Superintendent Joe Murphy said.

 

HOLDEN AND MAUREPAS SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE LIGHTING FOR SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL FIELDS

Louisiana State Representatives Clay Schexnayder and Buddy Mincey, Jr., were welcomed by local school officials during their visit to Maurepas High School to announce the State Legislature’s approval of funding for lights at the school’s softball and baseball fields. Pictured, from left to right, are Maurepas High Softball Coach Gabrielle Felps, Maurepas High Baseball Coach Anthony Gregoire, Maurepas School Principal Kenny Kraft, Asst. Superintendent Stephen Parrill, Superintendent Joe Murphy, Schexnayder, Mincey, Asst. Superintendent Jody Purvis, Livingston Parish Councilman Randy Delatte, and Project Architect Gene Eleazar of Alvin Fairburn & Associates. The two state representatives also visited with Holden School officials.

The softball and baseball fields at Holden School and Maurepas School will receive lighting fixtures that will allow evening games to be played on their fields, beginning with the 2022 season, thanks to a $1 million appropriation from the Louisiana Legislature.

Holden and Maurepas are the only high schools in the parish that currently do not have lighted softball and baseball fields.

“This investment will allow all our high school campuses to host evening games on their campuses,” Superintendent Joe Murphy said.  “This is a big deal for those schools and their communities.  This investment will enable them to do more with their programs, by hosting tournaments and hosting key matchups.”

Louisiana Speaker of the House of Representatives Clay Schexnayder and State Rep. Buddy Mincey, Jr., recently visited the two campuses to announce the funding allocation for the projects.  The two legislators also recognized the support and help of State Sen. Rogers Pope in getting the funding approved.

The price tag to install lights at the fields is projected to be about $300,000 for each campus.  The local legislative delegation allocated additional dollars to allow both schools to make other needed improvements to the fields.

 

NEW MASCOT FOR WALKER ELEMENTARY

Walker Elementary School recently announced its new school wildcat mascot, thanks to the help of Fifth Grader Ivi Grace Butler.

The new mascot’s name is Roary.

Butler suggested the name as part of a school contest.  She said she chose the name because it aligns with the schools motto: “ROAR,” which stands for Respectful, Optimistic, Attentive and Responsible.

Principal Kerma Luzier said students were asked to submit original and creative names for the wildcat mascot to the school.  Entries were accepted between June 21 and July 9.

“We are appreciative to all those students who participated in this fun process, and we look forward to incorporating Roary on our school materials this school year,” Luzier said.

Walker Elementary Fifth Grader Ivi Butler stands in front of the school’s new wildcat mascot that she helped to name “Roary.”