ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / September 30, 2000

RESERVE – Martha Cotton, a teacher at East St. John Elementary,was chosen as Elementary Teacher of the Year for 2000-2001 for the St. John the Baptist Parish School System.Germaine Roussel, a special education teacher at West St. JohnHigh School, was chosen High School Teacher of the Year.

The announcements were made at a recent St. John School Boardmeeting.

Other business discussed included:

Both East and West St. John high schools have received $4,000grants from CitiGroup to continue their financial academies at each school. These academies are part of the overall School-to-Work program that teaches high schoolers such careers as welding, culinary arts, petrochemical skills and nursing. The financialacademies teach students how to handle money, investing in stocks and bonds, desktop publishing and other financial skills. Atgraduation the student receives not only a diploma but an “employability” certificate showing they have learned skills that will allow them to enter the job market.

Carol Adams was named the new acting assistant principal at Leon Godchaux Junior High. This was done to fill the vacancy when LydiaBazile became acting principal after principal Grady Hall took a leave of absence due to illness.

The Department of Human Resources recommended to the board that Jessie Oubre be named as the new supervisor of Custodial/Maintenance Services.

However, board member James Madere asked that the appointment be tabled.

The motion to table the matter passed 6-5 with Leroy Mitchell, C.J. Watkins, Patrick Sanders, Matthew Ory and Felix LeBouef votedagainst tabling the motion.

The board authorized the board to buy five new school buses at a cost of $250,000. The money will come out of the ConstructionFund. The board also OKed the purchase of new student desks forEast St. John Elementary, East St. John High and West St. JohnHigh. The desks will cost $19,808 from the Construction Fund. The board accepted a program that would allow the school board to recoup Medicaid funds for efforts the district makes to identify Medicaid-eligible students. This will not cost anythingto the school system.

The board accepted the recommendations of the Magnet School Committee.

The recommendations for the proposed west bank magnet school are: the program would be from K-12; it would be a total magnet program; students who reside on the west bank and white students on the east bank would be given priority in attending the magnet school; and all students would be provided transportation to the school. Assistant Superintendent Wilbert Ocmond told the boardthey are tabulating the survey responses to what the theme for the school shall be and that the board will be presented the choices at the next board meeting.

The board accepted a system for accepting bids on award items from finance department. The system would mean that if a teacherneeded a trophy, medal,ribbon or other award, they would have to select from a list of low bidders on each item. The board passedthe measure 10-1 with Sanders voting against. Watkins said thatthe system will need alert policing if it is to work.

After missing two school board meetings due to a hospital stay, Felix “Pappy” LeBoeuf was back in his usual position between Sanders and Watkins on the board looking as chipper and feisty as ever.

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