Honoring the good

The Evangeline Parish School Board’s meeting held on Thursday was a night spent recognizing the good happening throughout the parish’s school district.
Supervisor of Assessment, Career & Technical Education & Transportation Ted Soileau said, “This is a positive night despite all the bad that has occurred because of the flooding. We see a lot of good happening in Evangeline Parish and we want to share that with everyone.”
Soileau then recognized the local students that qualified for FBLA nationals in California.
Those students included: Kade Chatlain, Sammy Martelo and Tori Fontenot from Mamou High; Veronica Bernal from Pine Prairie High; and Stethanie Cormier and Andrew Ardoin from Ville Platte High.
Soileau then recognized VPHS’s JROTC program for scoring a 196 out of 200, or 98 percent, on their recent inspection, which Soileau said, “Speaks very well about that program.”
Philip Buller, who is over Child Welfare and Attendance for the school district, then addressed the board to recognize the outstanding support personnel of the year in Evangeline Parish.
Before naming the recipients of this honor, Buller took a moment to remind everyone of how important the individuals that fill support personnel positions are.
Buller said, “Without support personnel, teachers would not be able to teach and students would not be able to learn. They are a vital component and play a major role in the success of all.”
The outstanding support personnel of the year included Bayou Chicot Elementary’s Shirley Lafleur with Food Service for the elementary division, paraprofessional Brenda Webb at BCE for middle school, Evangeline Central’s paraprofessional Althea O’Brien for high school, and in the departmental division Child Nutrition’s Data Processor Barbara Victorian.
Each winner presented with a plaque and $100.00 from Superintendent of School’s Darwan Lazard.
Next, the board received some good news from Louisiana State University at Eunice representative Sondra Cormier.
Cormier shared that starting in the fall junior and senior students will have the opportunity to earn up to 60 hours of college credits, which is equivalent to an associates degree, and the cost for students is free.
There are certain requirements that must be met to be accepted into what is being called the LSUE Academy. For students who may be interested, you can contact Cormier at (337) 457-6130 for more information.
Other items approved at the meeting were:
• Accept the low quote from Millennium Security of Acadiana in the amount of $8,926.36 for a camera system for James Stephens Montessori School using the parish-wide maintenance fund.
• Accept low quote from Invision Technical Solutions in the amount of $8,978.00 for a camera system for Evangeline Central School using the parish-wide maintenance fund.
• Accept low quote from Fontenot Siding & Patio in the amount of $5,800.00 for walkway covers for sidewalk and handicap ramp to classrooms at Mamou Elementary School using the parish-wide maintenance fund.
• Contract with Gabbart Communications in the amount of $8,447.00 for web hosting services for the district and the twelve school sites using the general fund.