SUPERINTENDENT JOHN WATSON ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Superintendent John Watson
Livingston Parish School Superintendent John Watson recently announced he will retire at the end of June, bringing an end to more than 33 years of working in the district. Watson said he will retire six months before his contract’s end to allow the school board an opportunity to find his replacement before the 2016-17 school year begins. Watson has served as superintendent of the Livingston Parish Public School district since 2012. Prior to that time, he worked as an assistant superintendent, administrator, principal, teacher and coach.
LIVINGSTON PARISH SCHOOLS HONOR YEAR’S TOP PRINCIPALS
The Livingston Parish Principal of the Year winners were honored at a special May 5 ceremony. Superintendent John Watson presented plaques to the winners, pictured left to right: Elementary School Principal of the Year Stacey Milton, Seventh Ward Elementary; Middle School Principal of the Year Jeff Frizell, Juban Parc Junior High; and High School Principal of the Year Kelly Jones, Denham Springs High School. Frizell was also named a semi-finalist for the Louisiana Middle School Principal of the Year.
LIVINGSTON PARISH SCHOOLS HONOR YEAR’S TOP TEACHERS
The Livingston Parish Teacher of the Year winners were honored at a special May 5 ceremony. Pictured with Superintendent John Watson, from left to right are: High School Teacher of the Year Rosalind Dalberg, Live Oak High School; Middle School Teacher of the Year Joni Smith, Albany Middle School; and Elementary School Teacher of the Year Michele Link, Albany Lower Elementary. Smith was also a state semi-finalist for the Louisiana Middle School Teacher of the Year Award.
Those Livingston Parish teachers who were given the Teacher of the Year award at their respective schools are as follows:
2016 LPPS High School Teacher of the Year winners — Karen Drinnon, Walker Freshman High; Cortney Haser, Albany High; Bradley Watts, Doyle High; Rosalind Dalberg, Live Oak High; Kelly Becnel, Walker High; Dana Ray, Holden High; and William Bradford, Denham Springs High. Not pictured is Cade LeJeune, Springfield High.
2016 LPPS Middle School Teacher of the Year winners — Nicole King, North Corbin Junior High; Susan Scardina, Juban Parc Junior High; Velvet Crow, Southside Junior High; Joni Smith, Albany Middle; Melissa Varnado, Holden Junior High; and Lisa Hoover, Springfield Middle. Not pictured are Tonya Costa, Live Oak Middle; and Cynthia Beall, Westside Junior High.
2016 LPPS Elementary Teacher of the Year winners — (front row) Amanda Lavigne, South Fork Elementary; Bette Jo Sibley, French Settlement Elementary; Rebecca Waguespack, Gray’s Creek Elementary; Michelle Jones, Eastside Elementary; Hannah Gates, Frost Elementary; Kim Ishee, Albany Upper Elementary; Michele Link, Albany Lower Elementary; (back row) Rachel Baio, Walker Elementary; Theresa Callicott, Juban Parc Elementary; Thomas “Art” Clement, North Corbin Elementary; Carrie Button, Freshwater Elementary; Erin Nettles, Live Oak Elementary; Yolanda McGee, Springfield Elementary; Debbie Kish, Denham Springs Elementary; Rebekah Nickel, Levi Milton Elementary; Britney Gillich, South Walker Elementary; Leslie Ellis, Lewis Vincent Elementary; Minnie Spinosa, South Live Oak Elementary; Sarah Watson, Southside Elementary; and Amy Millet, Seventh Ward Elementary. Not pictured are Tasha Pruitt, Northside Elementary; Sunny Anderson, Maurepas Elementary; and Shawn Wascom, Holden Elementary.
STUDENTS PERFORM “TOP 40” MUSICAL
The Gray’s Creek Elementary 4th and 5th graders recently performed the musical “TOP 40” for a packed audience of students and parents. The musical included dancing, acting, soloists, costumes, props, comedy and a 200-member voice choir. Many musical hits from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s were highlighted, including impersonation performances of Elvis, The Beatles and Sonny & Cher.
JUBAN PARC JUNIOR HIGH BAND EARNS AWARD
The Juban Parc Junior High School 8th Grade Band earned a sweepstakes award at both the District and State Music Performance Assessment Festivals this spring. The award is the highest honor offered at these festivals. This is the first year the band participated at the state-level competition. Band Director Abby South said she plans to have next year’s group compete at both festivals as well. She said they will have an opportunity to get a “jump start” on sharpening their skills this summer during a music camp at the school.
LIVINGSTON PARISH NEWS PUBLISHER DONATES ITEMS
Juban Parc Junior High School Band Director Abby South thanks Livingston Parish News Publisher Nancy David for donating a piano to the school. She said the donation will allow students to practice piano at the school, enable teachers to offer piano lessons at the school, and help to prepare piano students for their annual solo and ensemble festival competitions. She noted that the school plans to have a piano accompanist for its band at festival competition this next school year, which was not possible before without a piano at the school.
School leaders recently extended their sincere appreciation to Livingston Parish News Publisher Nancy David for donating several items to area schools in memory of her husband, Jeff David. The donated items included an upright Kimball piano and weight equipment, which were given to Juban Parc Junior High, and a running treadmill and lat pull machine, given to Denham Springs Freshman High School. All the equipment has been delivered and installed on the campuses.