EPSB notes early dismissal next week

By: CARISSA HEBERT

Managing Editor

At Wednesday’s Evangeline Parish School Board meeting, Superintendent Toni Hamlin announced beginning Monday, May 26, students will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m. each day during the last four days of the 2007-08 school year. Teachers will stay all day, and their last work day is Friday, May 30.

The board also learned two teachers and a student have been recognized for their achievements. One of the first educators recognized was Carl Bordelon, who received a plaque from the family of Mamou High School student Shawn Nacquin.

Nacquin’s mother said due to scheduling problems, her son was not able to take band class this year. She said that didn’t stop “Shawn or Mr. Carl.” Nacquin’s mother said Bordelon spent hours after school giving Nacquin his lessons, so he could keep up with the other band students. “Shawn looks forward to attending school because of his music.” She thanked him, as Nacquin presented Bordelon with a plaque.

Bordelon also recognized Nacquin, who was named to the District III Honor Band and the Louisiana All-Star Middle School Honor Band. He said Naquin was selected to the intermediate district honor band last year and to the middle school band this year. He had to audition for his place, and he was seated fifth in clarinet out of 24 clarinet players. Students must perform scales for this audition, and then they are seated based on their scores.

Bordelon said he also recommended Nacquin to the All-Star Summer State Honor Band, which will perform in concert in July.

Hamlin recognized an educator at Pine Prairie for his actions in saving a student’s life. Peggy Forman, board member, asked the board to send a letter of commendation to Johnny Deshotels.

Deshotels worked in the medical field before switching to education. On this particular day, a student had a seizure, and the school nurse was out with a sick child. From reports Hamlin and Wayne Dardeau, board president, received, the student was blue when Deshotels reached her. Because of his training, Dardeau said Deshotels ran a tube up her nose to assist her with breathing. “He actually saved a life.”

“He was there and able to attend to the needs of the little girl,” Hamlin said as she remarked to everyone this story could have had a different set of circumstances.

Hamlin informed board members the courts approved the replacement of the Bayou Chicot Elementary gym roof. She said water was in the building after the previous rainfall, and the board asked the courts and Justice Department to allow monies to be utilized to replace the roof. “We’re grateful for that."

Mamou High School received an 8G competitive grant in the amount of $59,614 to create a computer lab for 30 students, complete with Smart board, a teacher’s station and all other supplies. She said Mamou was one of 37 projects funded by the state. They received applications for 157 projects. She commended Rhonda Fontenot for leading the way in writing this grant. She said it will target eighth, ninth and 10th grades in the area of English Language Arts.

In other business, the board:

•Named Hancock Bank as its fiscal agent for 2009, 2010 and 2011.

•Approved action items of the policy committee, which met May 20th, in regards to the drug testing policy for varsity athletes and cheerleaders.

•Learned Hamlin will visit with the Chamber, speak on the Bennett Baquet Show and to four schools in Ward One in regards to the upcoming tax proposal for Ward One on the July 19th ballot. She also commended board members, who are working to educate the public about this millage proposal.

Dardeau made reference to an article in The Gazette. (Dardeau was actually referring to a letter to the editor, where the writer opposes the proposed property millage to build a new high school in Ward One.) Dardeau asked board members and its attorney if they had ever been in any meeting to discuss one school for the parish. He said he had not been in this type of meeting as the others agreed no such meeting had been held. He said it was time to have factual information in the paper. He said there has never been a discussion of one high school parishwide.