SUPERINTENDENT RICK WENTZEL ANNOUNCES PLANS TO RETIRE
Superintendent Rick Wentzel
Superintendent Rick Wentzel told Livingston Parish School Board members at the Feb. 21 meeting that he will retire June 15, 2019.
“I have been honored to serve as superintendent of this great district, and to work with some of the state’s very best teachers and school administrators. I couldn’t ask for a better job than the one you’ve allowed me to have over the past three years,” Wentzel said. “But after much prayer and discussion with my family, I believe now is the right time for me to make this transition so I can spend more time with my family.”
School Board President Buddy Mincey, Jr., said the board will perform an extensive search for the best possible candidates to replace Wentzel. The board expects to announce its selection before May 2019.
WALKER HIGH SCHOOL CUTS RIBBONS ON FOUR ON-CAMPUS BUSINESSES
Walker High School Principal Jason St. Pierre, Walker High Pro-Start Student Amber Stroughter, Papa John’s Representative Dan Murphy and Livingston Parish Schools Career & Technical Supervisor Staci Polozola cut the ribbon for the on-campus location of the pizzeria. The restaurant is operated by Pro-Start students, and it’s open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Mondays-Fridays, and from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays.
Walker High School administrators, teachers, students and local business leaders participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 7 to celebrate four businesses opening locations on the new, expanded campus.
The four businesses include Papa John’s, Neighbors Federal Credit Union, Nike’ Apparel and Walk-On’s Conference Center. All four businesses are jointly operated and managed by students and professional business professionals, and all four businesses are open to on-campus and off-campus customers.
“These partnerships offer our students real-life learning opportunities and valuable experience they can parlay into an immediate career or use to further their knowledge and skill-level for additional training in one of these career pathways,” Walker High School Principal Jason St. Pierre said.
LIVINGSTON PARISH LIBRARY TO PROVIDE FREE ACCESS TO STUDENTS
The Livingston Parish Library recently announced it is partnering with Livingston Parish Public Schools to provide all students immediate access to the library’s digital resources and services through a new eCard program. The program automatically enrolls more than 26,000 LPPS students into the library system.
The new LPL eCard grants students access to all electronic resources provided by the library, ranging from scholastic databases that offer assistance, to homework, to resources offering downloadable eBooks, audiobooks and magazines. In addition, the LPL eCard will allow students to visit their local library branch to check out physical items such as books, DVDs, video games and more.
ALBANY HIGH WINS GOVERNOR’S SECOND ANNUAL BREAKFAST CHALLENGE
Albany High recognized its nutrition workers during a Saints-sponsored pep rally at the school. Pictured from left to right are, (front row) Livingston Parish Schools Child Nutrition Director Leah Smith; Albany High School Child Nutrition Technicians Janie Morgan, Jessica Lopez, and Amy Ellzey; Cafeteria Manager Scarlett Ray; Production Manager Shannon Davidson; Albany High Child Nutrition Technician Lindsay Pallia; Livingston Parish Schools Child Nutrition Special Programs Administrator Sommer Purvis, Saints Mascot Gumbo, (back row) Saints Tight End Josh Hill (#89), and Albany High School Child Nutrition Technicians Lynette Glascock and Wanda Anthony.
Albany High School won first place in the second year of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ “No Kid Hungry: School Breakfast Challenge,” a contest aimed at increasing statewide breakfast participation.
The NFL Saints’ mascot, Gumbo, interacts with Albany High School students during a school-wide pep rally to celebrate the school wining first place in the “No Kid Hungry: School Breakfast Challenge.”
Albany High saw the highest increase of any school in the state, bumping up its breakfast participation by 65 percent. Approximately 83 percent of Albany’s students eat a school-provided breakfast, through traditional breakfast services and the “Second Chance Breakfast” program, according to Child Nutrition Special Programs Administrator Sommer Purvis.
Purvis noted that all Livingston Parish students are eligible to receive a free breakfast. She said the parish has seen an increase in breakfast participation over the last couple of years. Last year, French Settlement High and North Corbin Junior High were recognized for recording the highest increases of breakfast participation in the state.
STEAM EXPRESS REACHES OUT TO LOCAL COMMUNITY
Southside Elementary Principal Laura Williams and Southside Junior High Principal Wes Partin serve up jambalaya to children who participated in the STEAM Express Community Outreach event that was held on March 11.
The Livingston Parish STEAM Express recently headlined a community outreach event in the South Denham Springs residential area of Eastover Estates. Educators were joined by volunteers from various parish organizations to provide a variety of learning activities, games and food for local families. More than 350 people attended the event.
“Taking learning into our communities is at the very heart of what we envision with our STEAM Express mobile classroom,” Assistant Superintendent Joe Murphy said. “This event was a powerful opportunity for our teachers and school leaders to interact with our students and their parents in their home environment. We want these families to know that we care about their wellbeing and the education of their children.”