Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
The Advocate’s James Minton interviews Superintendent Devillier. Read the article
Teachers welcomed 1st and 2nd grade students to their new school this morning as Rollins Place Elementary opened its doors for the first time. The new facility is the lastest in a $129 million building program, and features state-of-the-art learning spaces. An open house will be held on February 19 at 6 p.m., the public is invited to tour the new school.
The Zachary Community School District elementary Special Olympic athletes competed against 179 other athletes from East Baton Rouge Parish and the Central School District. They took home seven 1st place awards , six 2nd place awards, five 3rd place awards, two 4th place awards and 2 students earned 5th place .
The athletes were from Mrs. Taylor’s class at Copper Mill Elementary and Ms. Byrd, Ms. Pigott and Mrs. V. Williams classes at Zachary Elementary. There was also one Special Olympic athlete from Northwestern Elementary in Mrs. Allen’s class. Congratulations to all of our Special Olympic athletes.
The athletes were assisted by Zachary High Interact Club members who helped all the athletes during the meet. Thank you Interact Club members for a job well done.
Thanks for your giving spirit Zachary! We are helping to meet the needs of the hungry in our community.
The Zachary Community School District will host a Community Celebration Thursday, November 1 at 6:30 p.m. in Bronco Stadium. The district will celebrate achieving the number one school performance ranking in Louisiana for the 8th consecutive year with free food, giveaways and a school spirit contest. Performances will include Northwestern Middle and Zachary High School bands and spirit groups. There will also be a fireworks display sponsored by the City of Zachary. Gates will open at 6 p.m. with the program set to begin at 6:30 p.m.
Watch the coverage of Superintendent-Elect Scott Devillier’s first day
The Zachary Community School Board voted Thursday to name Scott Devillier as the district’s new superintendent. Devillier previously held the position of principal at Zachary High School and most recently served as the district’s director of operations. Read The Advocate Article
Zachary Community School District officials were once again pleased with the district performance data when the Louisiana Department of Education conducted the fall 2012 accountability release Monday. For the eighth year in a row the Zachary Community School District ranked as the top performing school district in the state. The district performance score grew by 13.4 points to 134.7.
“We are proud to celebrate the continued success of our school district with our 8th straight #1. Moreover, we are excited that this continues to affirm the quality of education we know is taking place in our schools every day,” said Interim Superintendent Gordon Robertson
Zachary’s schools continue to grow overall with a score increase of 20 percent since 2008. Every school in the district achieved academic growth. Five of the district’s schools have achieved the state goal of 120 school performance score and a letter grade rating of “A”. Only 12.6 percent of schools in the state achieved the “A” rating. Northwestern Elementary School, Northwestern Middle School, Zachary Elementary School and Zachary High School achieved Top Gains and will receive a monetary stipend from the state to be spent on instructional programs.
Under the current accountability system alternative schools are evaluated using the same system as traditional schools. The Louisiana Department of Education is studying the system to determine a more appropriate measure for these schools. Port Hudson Career Academy, the district’s alternative school, received a baseline SPS of 43.0 in 2011 and received a baseline SPS of 64.1 in 2012.
“We are working to meet the challenges facing our teachers and students with changes in assessment and the accountability system, but this is an accomplishment that we celebrate. We are very proud of the work they are doing,” Robertson said.
More information on the state accountability release data can be found at www.louisianaschools.net.
Copper Mill Elementary 5th grade students and teachers are celebrating Louisiana Archaeology Month, October 1-31, by delving into a unit on the Indigenous People of the Americas. Students are intellectually engaged this month as they become junior historians through simulated archeological excavations, hands-on research using primary and secondary sources, related writing experiences, skyping with historians, and a visit to actual Indian mounds. The students will travel to Natchez after studying about the mound builders of prehistoric southeast US. They will visit Grand Village and Emerald Mound where the Natchez people once lived and experience the culture of these past people. Students, teachers, parents and administrators will gain a deep understanding of the culture of the Natchez through a viewing of authentic artifacts, painting, museum mystery, games, tour of the mounds and pottery making. The day will culminate at Emerald Mound on the Natchez Trace where the students will climb to the top of one of the largest Indian Earthen Mounds in the United States. At 8 acres, the mound will be used to inspire Copper Mill students to imagine what it was once like to be part of a culture that revered these unique structures built by ancient cultures of southeast United States. Two trips will take place on October 24 and November 1. The groups will depart Zachary at 7:30 a.m. to return for 4:30 p.m.
The Zachary Area Reading Council is sponsoring a community book drive to help replace books that were lost and damaged at Lake Ponchartrain Elementary School due to Hurricane Isaac. ZARC is collecting gently used children’s books that can be donated to the teachers of Lake Ponchartrain Elementary. We are interested in books for students in grades Pre-K – Eighth Grade. If you would like to help, you can drop off your books at the Zachary Elementary front office located on 39th Street or at the Bank of Zachary, October 9 – October 16. Please only send books that are in good, usable condition!
After seeing the success of the ZES Has Heart Campaign and learning of the amount of devastation at the schools in LaPlace, ZARC is hoping to make a sizable donation of children’s books to help the teachers replenish their classroom libraries. We hope this drive will be successful and show that the community of Zachary has HEART!