LIVINGSTON PARISH SCHOOLS RECEIVES “A” RATING

Livingston Parish Public Schools received an “A” Rating for student achievement, according to the Louisiana Department of Education’s most recent accountability report.

The report, which was released Nov. 20, shows Livingston Parish Schools improved its overall District Performance Score to 90.9, up 1.4 points from last year’s score of 89.5.

The number of schools in the district receiving “A” Ratings also grew over last year’s report – up from 10 to 13. Those schools include Albany High, Denham Springs High, Doyle High, Eastside Elementary, French Settlement High, Frost Elementary, Holden School, Juban Parc Elementary, Live Oak High, North Live Oak Elementary, South Live Oak Elementary, Springfield High, and Walker High.  Of the remaining schools, 23 received B ratings and 7 were scored with C ratings.

The accountability report shows Livingston Parish Schools earned A ratings in its high school graduation rates and strength of diploma categories.

At the same time, the district demonstrated gains in its early childhood scores and ratings. Nine elementary schools received an Excellent rating this year, up from eight schools last year. Those ratings are based on performance and state observations of classroom activity. Those Excellent-Rated schools include Albany Lower Elementary, Denham Springs Elementary, Doyle Elementary, Eastside Elementary, French Settlement Elementary, Frost, Juban Parc Elementary, North Corbin Elementary, and North Live Oak Elementary.

LIVINGSTON SCHOOLS ANNOUNCES TOP PRINCIPALS OF THE YEAR

Livingston Parish Public Schools has announced its Principal of the Year winners for the 2024-2025 school year.

They are French Settlement High School Principal John Chewning, LPPS High School Principal of the Year; Denham Springs Junior High Principal Justin Wax, LPPS Middle School Principal of the Year; and French Settlement Elementary Principal Josh Martin, LPPS Elementary Principal of the Year.

The three Principals of the Year are selected based on their success with students and their work to support teachers. Every year one principal at each level – elementary, middle/junior high, and high school – are selected as district-level winners and they move on to compete in the state competition. The Louisiana Department of Education will select a top principal in each level, and an overall outstanding principal during a special ceremony following this school year.

“We are very proud to present these three principals as this year’s top honorees. They exemplify a commitment to excellence that we expect among our school system leadership,” Superintendent Jody Purvis said.

CULINARY TEAMS COMPETE IN COOK-OFF

The Live Oak High School culinary team won a $500 gift card and individual prizes for receiving first place in the 2024 LPPS ProStart Culinary Cook-Off for its pork taquitos recipe. Pictured from left to right are Melissa Campbell, Management Analyst for USDA Food & Nutrition Service, Southwest Regional Office; Angell Beswetherick, LOHS culinary instructor; culinary students Andrew Stansbury, Addison Zaunbrecher, Bella Culmone, and Jacob Cowart; Sommer Purvis, LPPS Supervisor of Child Nutrition Programs; Misty Woods, Director of School Food Service, Nutrition Support for the Louisiana Department of Education; and David Ratner, Assistant Administrator of Food Distribution for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Thirty-two culinary students representing five high schools in Livingston Parish squared off in a “best dish” competition for the chance to have their food item selected to be on the district’s Curbside Café menu.

Those schools competing included two teams from Denham Springs High School, French Settlement High School, and Springfield High School, and one team each from Live Oak High School and Walker High School. The competition was held Nov. 13 at the district’s Professional Development Center in Satsuma and was sponsored by the district’s Child Nutrition Department. Each recipe in the competition featured Brookwood Farm’s pork carnitas.

The Live Oak High School culinary team won the competition with its pork taquitos recipe. The school received a $500 Gift Card to Webstaurant to purchase small wares for their school’s ProStart kitchen, and each student on the team received a $25 Amazon gift card.

French Settlement High School earned second place with its carnitas nachos recipe, while Denham Springs High School took third place for its tamale pie recipe. Both schools received kitchen equipment and the students received gift cards.

“These students are gaining valuable career-building skills through our school’s ProStart programs, and through competitions like this one. The Curbside Café gives us an opportunity to showcase their work, and for them to gain practical experience in developing recipes, and managing supplies and timelines,” said Sommer Purvis, Supervisor of Child Nutrition Programs.

LOCAL STUDENTS WIN YES I CAN! AWARDS

Pictured are Livingston Parish Public School’s Yes I Can winners Jacob Draper, front left, and Joseph Brignac, front right, being recognized at a district awards event. They are pictured with LPPS supervisor of special education Eric Penalber, left, and Superintendent Jody Purvis, right.

Two Livingston Parish students have been selected as recipients of the 2025 Yes I Can award.

This distinguished award is presented by the National Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), which honors children and youth with disabilities who have excelled. The program recognizes 12 outstanding students across the nation with exceptionalities in the six categories of Academics, Arts, School & Community Activities, Self-Advocacy, Technology, and Transition.

This year’s local winners are Joseph Brignac, a student at Freshwater Elementary, who was nominated by his teacher, Emily Adams, in academics; and Jacob Draper, a student at French Settlement High, who was nominated by his teacher, Angela Leader, in arts.

As program winners, the students and their families will receive travel expenses to attend the National CEC convention award ceremony in Baltimore, Maryland in March 2025.