Tagged: schools

Tangipahoa Parish public schools students will see a day added to the school year to make up days missed because of Hurricane Isaac.

The Daily Star reports the School Board voted this past week to extend the school year through May 24. The last day for teachers will not change, Superintendent Mark Kolwe said.

When I used to coach track and field, I would tell my colleagues, “A great leader removes all excuses for their athletes to fail.” The same is true in education. Our systems should make it easy for parents and students to succeed by removing excuses’ door.

While empowering, New Orleans highly decentralized system of charter schools has been as confusing. Parents encounter loopholes when they don’t fully understand their options.

The state agency that runs most New Orleans public schools is reporting a small improvement in scores for students taking the ACT college entrance exam.

The average composite score on the ACT for students in the Recovery School District's New Orleans schools rose four-tenths of a point from 16.4 to 16.8 from 2011 to 2012.

Statewide, the average composite score was 20.3, up from 20.2.

While the state score is higher, the Recovery District notes that the increase was larger for the New Orleans schools.

Officials say Hurricane Isaac caused no catastrophic damage to St. James Parish public schools, but the district needs to spend $500,000 to $750,000 for storm repairs.

Jim Mitchell, administrative director of business services for the district, told school board members Wednesday the Federal Emergency Management Agency would reimburse the district for at least 75 percent of eligible costs because the parish has been declared a disaster zone.

Schools closed by the drenching rains and gusty winds of Hurricane Isaac are beginning to reopen.

Officials say nine schools within the St. John the Baptist Parish School District reopened Monday with at least a 92 percent student attendance rate. District-wide attendance increased to almost 95 percent by Tuesday.

Superintendent of Schools Herbert Smith said employees have been "working tirelessly" to ensure a quick return to schools.