Awards announced; School Board OKs new elementary school'€™s name

Julia Daniel, PTA president at Abita Springs Middle School, received the National PTA Parent Involvement Schools of Excellence Certification Thursday during the St. Tammany Parish School Board meeting.

Upon receiving the award from Peggy Sharpe, supervisor of instruction/fine arts, Daniel thanked the board for allowing parents to be involved and said when parents are involved, everyone benefits.

Sharpe said of the 660 recipients of the award nationwide since its inception, 11 came from Louisiana, with nine coming from St. Tammany Parish. In addition, over half the PTA members in the state of Louisiana are in St. Tammany.

Other awards and recognitions made at the meeting were:

• The Bureau of Governmental Research Keller Award was presented to Deputy Superintendent Trey Folse for his efforts in organizing the school system’s energy conservation program. Superintendent Gayle Sloan recognized Folse for his leadership in the team effort that has resulted in an energy cost avoidance of $2 million, with $1 million of the savings returning directly to benefiting students in the classroom.

Folse said that the project started with Sloan and Dr. John Swang, who “took the project and ran with it.”

• Kristen Hernandez, a teacher from Carolyn Park Middle School, was named one of “20 to Watch” Leaders in Education Technology nationally. Hernandez was recognized for exceptional accomplishments in embracing technology in her classroom.

• A short presentation on the life and career of Joseph B. Lancaster, the first officially recorded school superintendent in St. Tammany Parish, was made by Sloan and Lancaster’s grandson, 22nd Judicial District Court Judge Peter Garcia. The School Board unanimously passed a proposal to name the new elementary school in Madisonville for Lancaster.

• A resolution thanking all veterans for their service, especially those school system employees who have served our country in the military, was also presented during the meeting.

• Supervisor of Human Resources Brandon Clanton continued his recognition of some of the 90 nationally board certified speech pathologists and audiologists. Recognized Thursday night were Maria Field, Alice Fish-Barattini, Theresa Foley, Gloria Francis, Amy Goldsberry, Linda Gonzalez, Brigette Gravelle, Phyllis Gremillion, Sharon Hagstette, Deanna Harrison, Beth Hebert, Cinamon Higbee, Sherry Hill, Shanta Hollier, Kristii Holmes, Emily Homer, Carrie Howard, Michelle Iverson, Beth Kelly, Katie Keowen, Michael Korowin, Randy Krieger, Aleyce Lacy, Katie Lape, Susan Lemonier, Elizabeth Levet, Laura Loupe, Deena Mahler, Jennifer Massett, Dayle McDonough, Sharon Megilligan, Gina Meyers and Ruth Nimelstein.

In business matters, the board unanimously passed recommendations from the Nov. 6 committee as a whole meeting. They are the acceptance of the new grade configurations for the new elementary school in Madisonville as grades two through four the first year and two through five thereafter; and acceptance of Little Pearl Elementary School as substantially complete.