Nine teachers headed for advance training, other business from LaSalle School Board

Nine LaSalle Parish teachers will travel to Atlanta, GA next month to train at the Ron Clark Academy after the LaSalle Parish School Board unanimously approved the trip at its Oct. 13 meeting.

Three teachers from Fellowship Elementary School and six from Good Pine Middle School will attend the training Nov. 12-13. The trip will be paid for with federal Title II funds.

Federal Programs Supervisor Kathryn Tyler told the board’s Finance Committee, which met before the regular meeting, that Fellowship Principal Melissa Loe brought the Ron Clark approach to her school first.

“She’s really implemented it with fidelity,” Tyler said, “and Melinda (Roberson, Good Pine principal) is trying to implement it at her school this year.”

Good Pine teachers will receive their first training, while the Fellowship teachers will go for additional training in math, science and English language arts. Tyler said Fellowship’s physical education teacher will attend a session on teaching boys how to read.

“Ron Clark Academy is very different,” Tyler said. “They go and they actually observe the classrooms and how they’re being taught, and they learn a lot, and it’s a lot of fun.”

Asked by board member Jonny Fryar about past trips, Tyler said teachers from both Fellowship and Good Pine attended two years ago.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business, the board unanimously approved the following.

Wrestling events. The board approved a lease allowing Exist to Inspire Wrestling to use the Good Pine gymnasium Oct. 24 and Dec. 19 for wrestling matches. LaSalle School Superintendent Jon Garrett said the group had outgrown the community center it had been using.

“It’s something new for us,” Garrett said. “It could be something real fun for the community, and we’ll revisit it.” He said he will update the board after the October event. The group will pay the rental fee because it is a for-profit event.

Literacy event. The board approved a lease allowing the Alpha Upsilon chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma to use the Jena High School gymnasium Oct. 13 for its Tales on the Trail Family Literacy Event and waived the rental fee.

“They just traditionally use this facility for this,” Garrett said. “It’s a family event, it’s a not-for-profit, so we’re just asking to go do it and waive the fee.”

Policy updates. The board adopted revisions to eight policies recommended by Forethought Consulting: Emergency Operations Plan; Education of Students with Exceptionalities; Cameras in Special Education Classrooms; Discipline; Suspension; Expulsion; Child Abuse; and Behavioral Health Services for Students.

“These stem from laws that passed this summer,” Garrett said. “Some different definitions, different wording added. No official new policy, just modifications to ones that already existed.”

Pupil Progression Plan. The board approved the 2026-2027 La-Salle Parish Pupil Progression Plan. Secondary Supervisor Tish Taylor said the changes were mostly administrative, following updates to the Louisiana Department of Education’s template. “There were no substantial changes,” she said.

One state change clarifies how eighth-grade promotion waivers are applied. Taylor said LaSalle already follows the suggested approach, which uses a committee with input from parents and educators.

“We do what’s best for the child according to what the waivers state,” she said.

The plan also requires that seventh and eighth graders’ career interest inventory results be recorded in each student’s individual growth plan. Taylor said students already take the inventories, so the change is mainly documentation.

Taylor said Carl Perkins funds and the Orchard Foundation pay for career education for students in grades 7-12, from career interest inventories to high school internships.

“Y’all have always seen fit to make sure that we’re above the standard,” she told the board.

Personnel Report. The board also accepted the Personnel Report from Superintendent Garrett, which showed the following: NEW HIRES

Robbie Robbins, Maintenance Department, effective September 23, 2026 Kacee Allen, teacher, Good Pine Middle, effective September 27, 2026 (replacing Brittney Turnage) RESIGNATIONS Elijah Webb, Maintenance Department, effective August 28, 2026 Nicole Bradford, child nutrition technician at Jena Jr. High, effective September 18, 2026 Jennifer Perry, child nutrition technician at Good Pine Middle, effective September 18, 2026 Brittney Turnage, teacher at Good Pine Middle, effective September 27, 2026

Sharon Jenkins, paraprofessional at Good Pine Middle, effective October 1, 2026 Sierica Jenkins, child nutrition technician at Jena Jr. High, effective October 2, 2026 Cassie Smith, child nutrition technician at Fellowship Elementary, effective September 29, 2026