VOTERS TO DECIDE FUTURE OF LIVINGSTON PARISH SCHOOLS
Livingston Parish voters have an opportunity in the March 25 election to improve the district’s ability to hire and retain qualified employees. The ballot includes a 1-cent sales tax proposition to fund a 10-percent salary increase, with a minimum $2,500 pay raise, for all Livingston Parish Public School employees.
The funding is needed to enable the district to compete with neighboring school systems. Currently, Livingston Parish Public Schools ranks last in nearly every employee pay category, when compared to other districts nearby. That disparity has caused many experienced employees to leave the district for higher pay, while also lessening the ability of local schools to attract new qualified hires.
For more information on the proposition and how the dedicated funds will be utilized, visit Livingston1Cent.com.
DISTRICT HOSTS CAREER FAIR ON APRIL 1
Livingston Parish Public Schools is hosting a district-wide Career Fair on Saturday, April 1, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Southside Campus, located at 26535 La. Hwy 16 in Denham Springs.
Applicants for job positions are needed in all classifications across the district, including teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, custodians, bus drivers, food service technicians, maintenance workers, technology specialists and various special education professionals, according to Human Resources Supervisor Steve Vampran. He noted that the Career Fair is not for current employees, but for prospective candidates to add to the district team.
Vampran said the district held its Career Fair last year in June, but this year’s event was scheduled earlier to allow Livingston Parish to compete with other school districts that are hosting similar job fairs in the coming weeks.
“This is a highly competitive environment,” he said. “We decided to move our event up earlier in the year to allow our administrators and school principals an opportunity to interview more candidates.”
Vampran said persons interested in working for Livingston Parish Public Schools can fill out an online registration form, which is available at www.lpsb.org.
SPRINGFIELD HIGH SCHOOL’S ROBOTIC TEAM QUALIFIES FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
The Springfield High School “Bulldog Bytes” robotics team recently finished as the runner-up in the Louisiana State Championship Robotics Team competition, earning a spot in the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas, in April.
The team consisted of 23 students, ranging from grades 6 to 12, who utilized computer science and engineering skills to program and operate robots to perform a range of timed tasks. They competed against student teams from other schools across the state.
“Our goal at the beginning of the year was to qualify a team to compete in the state tournament; so to have made that tournament and qualify for the Worlds is a dream come true,” Springfield High School STEM Club Sponsor and Robotics Team Coach Yvette Hill said.
The VEX Robotics Competition High School Event is scheduled for April 25-27 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.
LIVINGSTON PARISH SCHOOLS TO HOST 2023 STEAM EXPO
Livingston Parish Public Schools will host its 2023 STEAM Expo on April 29, giving students and their family members an opportunity to experience and access fun hands-on activities related to science, technology, engineering, art and math.
The event will be held at the Denham Springs High School STEM & Robotics Center, located at 1129 S. Range Avenue in Denham Springs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The goal of STEAM education is to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the 21st century by fostering creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. STEAM education helps students to see how these subjects are interconnected and how they can be applied to real-world problems.
Last year’s event attracted nearly 1,000 community members and more than 40 vendor participants. District organizers anticipate this year’s event to be even larger.