APSBulletin - January 2025

Dr. John Barthelemy, Superintendent

SCHOOL BOARD

Honoray Lewis, Ward 1

Lee Meyer Jr, Ward 2

Andrea Barras, Ward 3

Electa Fletcher-Mickens, Ward 4

Joshua Hebert, Ward 5

Daniel Washington, Ward 6

Bambi Hood, Ward 7

Jessica Ourso, Ward 8

Doris Dugas, Ward 9

CALENDAR

Feb. 8 -- ACT Test Offered

March 3-7 -- No Classes, School Holiday

April 18-25 -- No Classes, Easter Holiday

Four local students recently participated in the All-Youth and Junior High Bands at the District VII Louisiana Music Educators Association Honor Band Concert that was held at H.L. Bourgeois High School in Gray, La.

Those students include:

· Lila Mabile, 3rd Chair Alto Saxophone in the All-Youth Honor Band, from Pierre Part Elementary;

· Kylee Gaudet, 11th Chair Clarinet in the Junior High Honor Band, from Pierre Part Elementary;

· Slade Thibodaux, 8th Chair Clarinet in the Junior High Honor Band, from Napoleonville Middle School; and

· Madison LeBlanc, 4th Chair Clarinet in the Junior High Honor Band, from Napoleonville Middle School.

School Board Approves New Master Plan

The Assumption Parish School Board at its January meeting approved a master plan presented by CSRS, the district’s hired consultants, to reduce the number of campuses from nine to six, by eliminating middle schools in the parish.

The approved plan calls for five PK-6 elementary schools to feed into a 7-12 combination school at the Assumption High School campus. The 7th and 8th graders will be housed in a separate building from the 9th-12th graders.

“The younger students will not take classes with the high schoolers. Lunch periods will be separate, as well elective courses, like band and physical education.  While our younger students will be on the same campus, they will not be mixing with the older students,” Superintendent Dr. John Barthelemy said.

School officials and consultants said the reconfiguration will lead to reduced operations costs, allowing for more funding to go towards teacher pay and student support services.

“This restructuring will give significant academic and extracurricular benefits to our students,” Dr. Barthelemy said. “By consolidating resources, our students will have access to a broader range of programs, including advanced academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities, enhancing their overall educational experience.”

“At the same time, this plan ensures that every local community retains a school, allowing children to remain in their neighborhoods. That is something our parents asked for and we acknowledged that to be very important,” he said.

The district plans to implement the new structure for the 2025-2026 school year.

Restructuring Transition Meetings Set

The district will hold public meetings over the coming months to discuss its restructuring plan. Meetings will be held at 5 p.m. in the Assumption Parish School Board room on the following tentative dates and potential toipics (subject to change):

·         Feb. 5 – Topics of discussion to include facilities, transportation, process for developing 7th and 8th grade schedules

·         March 12 – Topics of discussion to include special education, child nutrition, a “day in the life” of a 7th or 8th grader.

·         April 16 – Topics of discussion to include extracurricular and co-curricular activities, personnel and staff

·         May 21 – Topics of discussion to include final preparations and updates from previous sessions

Assumption Parish School System Receives Perfect Audit

The Assumption Parish School System announced that it has received a perfect external audit for the fiscal year 2023-2024, which is the district’s most recent fiscal report to be reviewed.

“This outstanding achievement reflects the district’s unwavering commitment to accountability, transparency and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” Director of Business Services Darryl Daigle said.

An external audit is a critical examination of the district’s financial statements and internal controls conducted by an independent third-party auditing firm. The audit was conducted by Diez, Dupuy and Ruiz, LLC, a CPA firm located in Gonzales.

Daigle said the comprehensive audit process was meticulous in its review of the district’s financial and operational practices. Key components of the audit included:

·         Financial Review: detailed examination of all budgets, expenditures, and revenues to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.

·         Internal Controls Assessment: Verification that safeguards are in place to prevent fraud, waste, and mismanagement of resources.

·         Compliance Checks: Evaluation of the district’s adherence to local, state, and federal laws, as well as grant requirements.

·         Operational Oversight: Review of key areas such as transportation, food services, and technology to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

The audit report found no discrepancies, irregularities, or compliance issues, earning the district the highest possible rating, according to the report. This is the second consecutive year that the district has received an audit with no findings and no reportable conditions, Daigle said.

Local Students Advance to State Student of the Year Finals

Two Assumption Parish students selected as local Student of the Year winners have advanced as the region’s nominee for state finalist.

Assumption Parish Elementary Student of the Year Annalyse Verdin, a fifth grader at Pierre Part Elementary, and Assumption Parish High School Student of the Year Ava Blanchard, a twelfth-grader at Assumption High School, are state finalists in their respective categories.

This achievement marks the first in the program’s history that two students from Assumption Parish have simultaneously advanced beyond the regional level.

“We are immensely proud of Annalyse and Ava for their dedication and accomplishments,” Superintendent Dr. John Barthelemy said. “We extend our best wishes for their continued success as they prepare for the upcoming competition.”