The Allen Parish School Board knows how to spotlight students and employees who have achieved recognition. At Monday’s meeting, the Students of the Year at the district level, were recognized. At the fifth grade level, Kinder Middle School’s Carter Welch was district winner. Eighth grade district winner was Emersyn Kingrey, who also was a Region Seven participant, represented Kinder Middle. Ava Fruge, Kinder High School, was the 12th grade district winner, Region Seven participant and state participant.
The board also recognized Students of the Year at each school, representing the parish. They included:
Elizabeth High School – Fifth Grade Ruby Snatic; Eighth Grade Brooklyn Terrebonne and 12th Grade Karissa Terrebonne.
Fairview High School – Fifth Grade Mayson Smith, Eighth Grade Carlee Smith and 12th Grade Kayla Stracener.
Oakdale Middle School – Fifth Grade Joli’ Strother, Eighth Grade Peyton Jones.
Oakdale High School – 12th Grade Maurie Grace Dickens.
Oberlin Elementary School – Fifth Grade Collin Fruge.
Oberlin High School – Eighth Grade La’Dara Ceasar and 12th Grade Raven Willis
Reeves High School – Fifth Grade McKinley Estay, Eighth Grade Nolan Shearer and 12th Grade Noah Lafargue.
In the area of programs and employees, the parish’s head start program was recognized.
•Early Childhood Teacher of the Year participants: Samantha Bryant, Kids R Us Christian Center; Brooklyn Johnson, Kinder Head Start Center; and Jatrya Jones, Oakdale Head Start Center.
•Early Childhood New Teacher of the Year Participant: Zakariah Christian, Kids R Us Christian Center.
•Pre-K Teacher of The Year participants: Lauren Fruge, Kinder Elementary School; Kama Guillory, Kinder Elementary School; Charity Sonnier, Oberlin Elementary School; and Alexis Cooley, Fairview High School, district winner.
•Performance Profiles for the 2022-2023 honorees were:
Proficient – Oberlin Head Start
High Proficient – Kids R Us Christian Center, Oakdale Head Start Center and Oakdale Elementary School’
Excellent – Kinder Head Start Center, Elizabeth High School, Fairview High School, Kinder Elementary School, Oberlin Elementary School and Reeves High School.
In his report, Superintendent Brad Soileau introduced new administrators and discussed project progress, conventions and summer programs.
Stephanie Perry, supervisor of personnel, reported 23 teachers were lost with only five going to another district and 18 leaving education. Six educators retired. There were 12 in-parish transfers and eight positions remain open.
The summer learning program has 58 high school students on six campuses working to recover Carnegie units. In second to fourth grade, there are 212 students working on literacy.
Soileau took this time to remind everyone that next year third graders will be retained if they do not meet the DIBLES requirements.
In the area of maintenance, he said the former superintendent did a great job of updating campuses. “We are in good shape,” he said.
The summer feeding program has 4,400 students – 1,317 in Kinder, 849 in Oberlin and 2,234 in Oakdale.
In other business, the board:
•Approved the minutes of its May 2, special meeting and May 13, meeting.
•Adopted the 2024-25 professional staff and support salary schedules, effective July 1.
•Gave the superintendent permission to execute a contract between the district and Rapides Foundation for the Healthy Behaviors School District Partnership Grant program.
•Adopted a number of resolutions to canvas returns, declare the results of a special election and continue to levy the taxes for 5.15 mills, 8.74 mills in District Three, 23.08 mills in District 4-A, 7.6 mills in District Five, 5.65 mills in District 25 and 5.730 mills in District Ward One. Both the board and superintendent thanked the public for its support and belief in the importance of education by continuing these ad valorem tax collections.
•Approved to pay Kolder, Slaven and Company LLC $38,000 for its annual financial audit, $11,500 for its single audit, $9,500 for agreed upon procedures and $15,000 for the additional statewide agreed-upon procedures.
•Approved a job description for a new position of Special Education Coordinator.
•Accepted the recommendation to award the Oakdale High School HVAC replacement to Gallo Mechanical LLC.
•Accepted bid from Alliance for a Healthier Generation for the Walking Classroom for $102,900 to be paid for with CLSD grant funds.
•Declared surplus of Kubota L2350 at Elizabeth High and John Deer 670 at Fairview High.
•Approved out-of-state trips for two different groups.