Teachers of the Year (TOY) were recognized by the Allen Parish School Board along with FFA students who placed first in the state in forestry.
The parish recognized the TOY candidates for 2023-24 are: Fairview High – Natosha Dowies (middle); Kinder Elementary – Caroline Botley; Kinder Middle – Rebecca Habetz; Kinder High- Sullivan Fontenot; Oakdale Elementary – Melissa Ware; Oakdale Middle- Tremeka Waller; Oakdale High – Robbie Carlisle; Oberlin Elementary – Valerie Guree; Oberlin High – Sandra Fontenot (retired) and Reeves High – Penny Sweat (Elementary).
Three teachers moved on to the district level of the competition: Valerie Guree, elementary; Rebecca Habetz, middle; and Sullivan Fontenot, high school. (See sidebar story)
FFA sponsor and educator Sullivan Fontenot introduced his students to the board. He said last year, the team that placed fourth at state, placed first this year.
Fontenot said forestry is one of the toughest competitions. Students must study 250 questions and answer 50 of those 250 questions on the test. They also must know the identification for 47 trees – 20 of them are on the test. They are handed a packet on chain saws and 20 questions are pulled from that pamphlet. In compass and pace, they must use these items for distance. Map Reading also has 20 questions on the test, so students are reading maps and studying townships, etc. In the area of sawing logs, student must answer 10 questions and measure a tree with a stick to determine how many logs will be logged from the tree.
Kinder’s first forestry win was in 2019. They have back-to-back wins and are the 2023 state winners once again. In 2019, the school’s high man was Gabe Courville, who earned scholarships and will graduate in forestry from La Tech in May. Then, Will Fontenot scored as second high man status and won scholarships to LSU where he will graduate in forestry. In 2022, Caroline Comeaux was high man, and she is now studying forestry at La Tech. This year, Will Savant added his name to the school’s success as high man and will secure scholarships for his college studies.
Fontenot explained students also have claimed advanced forestry credentials. He said there were five in 2021-22, five in 2022-23 and he hopes there will four to five during this school year. He said that means scholarships and 160 points per student for the school’s score.
Board member Caroline Manuel said Fontenot was her student teacher in 1993. She said he had a great work ethic then and now, and she commended him on his success.
In his report, Superintendent Brad Soileau introduced Kathy Shields, who gave a demonstration on how the SPIRE, Intervention Support System, works.
Kim Rider, supervisor of CTE, gave a report on the Jump Start Summers program. In three years of its existence, she said there have been 137 students in the program with each one averaging a $1,000 and earning a Carnegie Unit for graduation and a credential.
Soileau reported the fall break will occur at the end of the week. October 10, ends the first nine weeks. He also noted sending a news letter and policies to the board. He recognized Christin Duplichan, the new assistant principal at Fairview, and Tracy Richard, who will fulfill the secretary to the superintendent when Melinda Karam retires in December.
The board gave authorization to the superintendent to sign the required papers for Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage and a contract with Alliant Insurance Services for insurance coverage for general liability, automotive liability, Great American Crime and Educators Legal Liability.
The board also approved:
•A new job description for a student support specialist. This position allows a person to be employed as a counselor to perform all duties besides counseling, when the district cannot find a certified counselor.
•Policy revisions for BCBK (executive session), DC (annual operating budget), DID (audits), EBBC (emergency/crisis management, EBBI (public health emergency), EBCB (video/audio monitoring of school board property, ED (student transportation management), EDC (student transportation safety program), GBRIB (sick leave), GBRIC (maternity and adoptive leave) and JQE (expectant and parenting students).
Tabled two policy revisions on the list – IDDFB (service animals) and KGA (public conduct on school property) until the wording is created to better understand these policies.
•Adding the Stipened Scale to the 2023-34 salary schedule.
•The Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire for the June 30, audit.
•The minutes for September 11, meeting.
•Paying all bills approved by the finance committee.
•Out of state trips for 11 employees to attend the TCEA ( Texas Computer Education Association) in Austin, Texas, from February 3, to 7, 2024, and for Data/Technology Coordinator Elizabeth Faulk in Austin, Texas, from November 1, to 3.
•A trip for sixth and seventh graders at Elizabeth High, with Sponsor Jessica Tarver, to the Space Center in Houston, Texas.
