TWO FLOODED SCHOOLS TO REOPEN JAN. 6, THREE TO RELOCATE
Graphic provided by The Advocate Newspaper, published Oct. 21, 2016.
Students from Denham Springs High School and Denham Springs Freshman High will return to their home campuses for the start of the second semester, on Jan. 6, 2017, while students from three other schools will relocate to temporary campuses at that time.
The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church will make available nearly four acres of its property on Hatchell Lane to house the temporary campus for Denham Springs Elementary. The church has agreed to enter into a zero-dollar lease with the school system for use of the land.
At the same time, a temporary campus for Southside Elementary will be constructed on school property next to Juban Parc Elementary, and a temporary campus for Southside Junior High will be located on school property next to Juban Parc Junior High.
School officials continue to work with FEMA to determine what action can be taken with the three campuses that remain damaged; however, that determination may not be made for another six to nine months, according to Assistant Superintendent Joe Murphy.
HOLDEN GYM NAMED IN HONOR OF ALTON LEGGETTE
Holden High School’s 1963 boys state championship basketball team, from left to right: (front row) Wayne Stewart, Nelson Hinson, Sherman Mack, Van Osborne, (middle row) Clinton Mitchell, Thomas “T.L.” Hodges, Coach Alton Leggette, Mike Higginbotham, Ronald Sykes, (back row) Corley Trawick, Charles Allen, Edward “Ed” Green, Richard Harrison and Emerson Causey.
The Livingston Parish School Board unanimously voted to name the old Holden school gym the Alton Leggette Memorial Junior High Gym.
Leggette was a former school board member and hall of fame boys’ basketball coach, best known for coaching the 1963 Holden team that won the Class C state title. He started his career as the girls’ coach at Maurepas, but went on to become the boys’ coach in Holden and finished his career as head coach at Denham Springs in the mid-1970s with a career record of 498-155. In 1990, he was selected as Louisiana’s Mr. Basketball by the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches.
WALKER PARTNERS WITH NORTH OAKS FOR SPORTS MEDICINE FACILITY
Livingston Parish School officials and members of the North Oaks Health System recently participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony for Walker High School’s new sports medicine facility. Pictured from left to right are: (front row) Alexis Amato, North Oaks’ Athletic Trainer for Walker High School; Nathan Borget, North Oak’s Head Athletic Trainer; Mac Barrient, North Oaks Rehab Services Director; Staci Polozola, Livingston Parish’s Career & Technical Education Supervisor; Jason St. Pierre, Walker High School Principal; Rick Wentzel, Livingston Parish School Superintendent; and (back row) Stephen Parrill, Livingston Parish School Assistant Superintendent.
Walker High School recently opened a new sports medicine facility in partnership with North Oaks Sports Medicine. The new facility is located in Walker High School’s newly constructed athletic field house and weight room facility, and it serves as a classroom laboratory and treatment center for the school’s athletic programs.
“We are proud to partner with North Oaks to keep our student-athletes healthy and to train our students in the exciting and growing field of sports medicine,” Walker High School Principal Jason St. Pierre said. He noted that the partnership gives students hands-on training opportunities, including access to visit and conduct clinical training at the North Oaks facilities in Satsuma and Hammond. He also said the program will benefit the school’s Certified Nursing Assistant curriculum.
EMERIL LAGASSE FOUNDATION DONATES NEW UNIFORMS TO STUDENTS
Brian Kish, president of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, prepares to toss a bag of new uniforms to Southside Elementary student Karoline Norris, after giving uniforms to classmate Gavin Davis. Looking on, from left to right, are Mandeville students Chase Erickson and Catherine Treuting, and KINDD Founder Karen Treuting.
The Emeril Lagasse Foundation recently donated new school uniforms to nearly 350 students at Southside Elementary and Southside Junior High in Denham Springs who were severely impacted by the flooding.
Brian Kish, president of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation said his organization donated $10,000 to Kids in Need During Disasters (KINDD), a fund that supports children affected by natural, manmade and environmental disasters, in order to purchase two uniforms for each of the 350 students identified as affected by the flood. Each student received two pairs of short, two shirts and a sweatshirt in his or her correct size.
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS HONORED FOR ROLE IN SUCCESSFUL DROPOUT PREVENTION PROGRAM
Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance Edward Foster and Principal of Pine Ridge Alternative School Tony Terry were recently honored at the International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention (IATDP) Conference for their participation in a cooperative dropout prevention program that has significantly increased the graduation rate in Livingston Parish.
The 21st Judicial District Court’s Juvenile Drug Court and Dropout Prevention Program received the IATDP’s “Program of the Year” award. The program operates under the judicial supervision of Judge Blair Edwards of the 21st JDC and includes members of Livingston Parish Public Schools, the District Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Public Defender, TASC/FINS and Juvenile Drug Court, the Office of Juvenile Justice and the local office of the Department of Children and Family Services.