RESERVE — St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools is launching a magnet STEM program for grades eighth, ninth and tenth beginning with the 2018-19 academic year.

Present school board members unanimously approved the program during a marathon meeting Thursday evening, setting the stage for a fairly rapid six-month rollout.

Under terms agreed upon this week, the enhanced-admissions program would not function as a standalone high school but would involve students attending fulltime on the Leon Godchaux Junior High campus.

Entry into the program would be restricted to those students who live in the St. John public school boundaries. Students would also have to meet one of the following entrance criteria:

• Mastery or advanced on math or science eighth grade assessment

• Good or excellent on any of the following end of course exams: algebra 1, geometry or biology

• Combined 3.0 final grade point average in math and science the previous school year

• Classified as gifted according to IDEA regulations

•  Magnet program completed at either John L. Ory or Garyville/Mt. Airy Math and Science magnet schools

STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) would be the focus of the program, which would accept 60 students per grade level in year one, with plans to expand a grade level higher each academic year while allowing for the possibility of increasing future grade enrollment numbers.

Although going to class fulltime at Leon Godchaux, students would still be considered members of East St. John High or West St. John High, depending on their home addresses. Students would also remain eligible to participate in extracurricular club and sports programs at the various high schools.

Bus transportation to and from school would also be provided.

Superintendent Kevin George tabbed Garyville-Mt. Airy Math and Science Magnet Principal Terran Perry to head the magnet program as its chief administrator while also remaining in his principal duties at the elementary school.

According to George, the setup would closely mirror a successful one in East Baton Rouge Parish.

School Board Member Nia Mitchell stressed during Thursday’s meeting that the program would not become a financial burden because state funding is tied to each enrolled student, allowing for the program’s enrollees to fund the program’s existence.

An in-place facility and lack of new principal hiring have also been cited for their lack of extra expense.

Mailers are being sent out across the parish, School District officials said, in an effort to inform as many parents and potential students as possible about the magnet program. Two town-hall style, open-public meetings are also planned: the first at 6 p.m. March 27 at LaPlace Elementary School and the second at 6 p.m. April 11 at LaPlace Elementary School.

The open enrollment window is scheduled from March 26 through April 20.

George said he would consider accepting more students than originally planned should the number of qualified applicants exceed the 60-student-per-grade plan.