Due to the change in high-stakes testing dates made by the LA State Department of Education, the Ascension Parish School Board made changes to its 2013-2014 school year calendar. The revised calendar was approved by the school board at their meeting on Tuesday, May 7. In the proposed 2013-2014 school year calendar, the Easter Holidays have changed to April 18 – April 25, 2014. In addition the state testing dates for LEAP & iLEAP will change to March 18 & April 7 – 10, 2014.

The new 2013-2014 school year calendar is attached.

Ascension Parish School Board Awarded $150,000 to Pilot a Community Network for Early Childhood

“For St. Tammany Parish to be selected as a pilot site makes us very proud of the long history of collaboration that Regina Coeli Head Start Centers have had in the community. We are excited to work with the school district and child care partners to help shape the implementation of Act 3 in our community and across the state,” said Dr. Susan, G. Spring, Executive Director for the Regina Coeli Child Development Centers (RCCDC).

“The Lafayette Parish School System is very pleased to be among the early childhood pilots selected by the Louisiana Department of Education. Developing quality, sustainable, and inclusive early childhood programs in each school district is the key not only to the future success of Louisiana’s education system but also to the quality of life of its future citizens. We applaud the Department for the vision and the perseverance in taking the necessary steps to make these pilot programs a reality,” said Superintendent Pat Cooper, Lafayette Parish Schools.

These pilots, in conjunction with additional legislative changes proposed in Senate Bill 130 and Senate Bill 222 to create a Tiered Kindergarten Readiness Improvement System and align licensing requirements, will inform the transition, policies, and operations of the Early Childhood Care and Education Network as it launches statewide. Community Network Pilots are unique in that they require all early childhood programs that receive public funds to work together to improve care and education for all children in need under age five. While forward-thinking communities have developed strong relationships between schools, Head Start and child care, this marks the first time that the state has made such a significant investment in building and strengthening these local networks.

These communities, representing all areas of the state including rural and urban regions, have requested $2.6 million in direct funding to better coordinate services, help early childhood professionals improve, and make it easier for families to access high quality education and care. In addition the Department of Education, Department of Children and Family Services and the Department of Health and Hospitals will provide training and ongoing support. Pilots will officially launch on July 1; however, work will begin immediately to help communities get their networks up and running.

“We are delighted to have been selected to develop a community network pilot project in New Orleans. This is an exciting opportunity for the early education sector in the city and we look forward to working with our partners and childcare professionals in such an important endeavor,” said Dr. Anthony Recasner, CEO of Agenda for Children.

“On behalf of Fundamentals Early Learning Center in St. Tammany Parish, a private, for profit childcare center, I am delighted to hear our community network pilot proposal has been chosen. I am extremely hopeful that private childcare centers' seat at the table in this pilot will lead to an increased awareness of the uniqueness found in the needs of families served in the childcare setting, specifically infants and toddlers, which in turn become needs of childcare center programs. The comprehensive team of entities represented in the pilots should bring a level of collaboration among the stakeholders unlike any effort in recent history,” said Wyatt Graves, Owner of Fundamentals Early Learning Center and President of the Child Care Association of Louisiana.

"Our community is grateful for this opportunity provided by the Louisiana Department of Education. Over 50 local organizations will leverage state funding to create a structure that provides early childhood education access for all Caddo Parish children. The end result of this collective impact is that our students will be ready to learn and prepared for success when they enter school. It's a great day for education in Caddo Parish," said Paula Hickman, Executive Director of The Community Foundation of North Louisiana.

For more information on early childhood education in Louisiana, please click here. For a presentation on the framework of the Early Child Care and Education Network, please click here.
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ASCENSION PARISH SCHOOLS IN LOUISIANA RECEIVES

TAP AWARD OF DISTINCTION

District receives recognition for commitment to

TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement

Washington, D.C.—Leaders of Ascension Parish Schools, Louisiana, were surprised with the TAP Award of Distinction, which honors an organization for its dedication and commitment to TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement.  The Award comes with a financial prize of $10,000.  It was presented before more than 1,200 educators and policy leaders during a special Saturday luncheon at the 13^th National TAP Conference in Washington, D.C.  Superintendent Dr. Patrice Pujol accepted the award on the district’s behalf.      

TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement is America’s leading comprehensive education reform offering teachers career advancement, professional development, educator evaluation and performance-based compensation.  For more than ten years, TAP has worked to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement in high-need urban, rural and suburban schools and districts across the country.  It is managed and supported by the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching. 

“I commend Superintendent Pujol for her commitment to TAP as a cornerstone for turning schools around,” said Dr. Gary Stark, president and chief executive officer of NIET.  “The district has set a clear vision for effective instructional improvement that is leading to notable gains in student learning.”

“The TAP system has been a tremendous, positive experience for us,” said Pujol.  “Not only has it had a huge impact on the eight schools, but we’ve leveraged that impact of best practices across our entire district. 

“I have committed to our community that we will close the achievement gap.  It has been phenomenal to start to see that happen in a significant way.” 

As part of TAP, each school selected master and mentor teachers who, along with the principal and other administrators, form the TAP Leadership Team.  This team drives instruction through daily professional development, follow-up, classroom observations, and pre- and post-conferences with every teacher.

Ascension Parish’s efforts to create strong teaching and learning conditions were recognized by The Education Trust in the 2012 report, Building and Sustaining Teacher Talent.  The report highlights five districts across the U.S. that have transformed schools into places of learning growth where top teachers are eager to teach, and more importantly, stay and thrive. 

“I’m proud to be here,” said Jennifer DeWitt-Miller, a TAP career teacher at Pecan Grove Primary.  For the 2011-12 school year, the school earned the highest value-added score of 5, signifying far above average growth compared to similar schools in the state.  “TAP has transformed the way I think about my kids.”

Reflecting on her school’s value-added 5 score, Gonzales Middle School Principal Lori Charlet added, “TAP is the best answer in growing students and increasing student achievement.”

Ascension Parish Schools joins Knox County Schools, Tennessee, as the 2013 TAP Award of Distinction recipients. 

Photos of the TAP Awards of Distinction presentation will be available for download at http://www.tapsystem.org/newsroom/newsroom.taf?page=photos

The TAP Award of Distinction profile video for Ascension Parish Schools can be viewed at http://www.tapsystem.org/newsroom/newsroom.taf?page=videos and on the TAP system’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/thetapsystem.

Initiatives of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching are improving the educational experience for more than 100,000 teachers and one million students.  For more information on TAP or the 13^th National TAP Conference in Washington, D.C., visit http://www.tapsystem.org.

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News release courtesy of TAP.

www.tapsystem.org