back to school 2010

| BACK TO SCHOOL 2010 | WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010

BACK TO SCHOOL 2010 | WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010 | PAGE 3

Former Deputy Superintendent ‘Trey’ Folse elected superintendent

By Suzanne Le Breton and Debbie Glover

St. Tammany News

School Board member RonaldBettencourtt compared the St.Tammany Parish School Systemto a garden and Deputy Super-intendent William L. “Trey” FolseIII as a homegrown tomato.

“You just can’t beat a home-grown tomato,” he said.

In front of a standing roomonly crowd of well wishers, the15-member School Board voted inMay to appoint Folse as its nextsuperintendent. The announce-ment and vote was followed by aroaring applause from the crowd.

Elsie Burkhalter, president ofthe St. Tammany Federation ofTeachers and School Employees,was so excited when board mem-ber Michael Dirmann nominatedFolse that she, sitting in the audi-ence, tried to second the nomina-tion.

Board President John Lam-arque told her politely that heappreciated her input but that hervote really didn’t count.

Burkhalter backed up her sup-port with a letter of recommenda-tion, praising Folse’s work andasking the board to nominate him.

“I have first hand knowledge ofthe respect as an education leaderthat he has in Baton Rouge andWashington D.C., our state andnational capital,” Burkhalterwrote in her letter to the board.

“I believe he had the dedica-tion, intelligence and motivationto success in any task he pursues,”she wrote.

Folse took over as superintend-ent on July 1, when Superin-tendent Gayle Sloan’s retirementwent into effect.

Folse has served as deputysuperintendent since 2003. Priorto that he served as assistantsuperintendent of administration,administrative supervisor andassistant personnel director forthe system.

Before coming to work in thecentral office, he worked at twoSlidell schools.

He was assistant principal atSlidell High School from 1990-1998 and taught computer litera-cy at Salmen High School from1985-1990.

Folse, like Sloan, has neverbeen shy to proclaim that he is “aproduct of the system.”

In an interview after he tookoffice, Folse said, “I don’t believein change for the sake of change.We have a strong team andalthough some positions maychange, most people will still behere. I plan to continue the teamapproach and using the strengthsof the people in the right posi-tion.”

Folse said that although somethings may need tweaking, heplans to continue many of theprograms and projects started bySloan, including the tradition ofexcellence and achieving themoving target of being a greatschool system.

Instead of a deputy superin-tendent, Folse’s administrationwill see three assistant superin-tendents- curriculum andinstruction; administration; andoffice of human resources.

Among the challenges Folsewill face are state non-fundedmandates that the system willneed to absorb the costs of in thenear future. “I know we will havesome tough financial things com-

ing from the state,” he said. Buthis background in businessadministration, personnel andfinance as well as his experienceas assistant superintendent ofadministration will no doubt helphim find any solutions that maybe needed to solve financial prob-lems.

He said one of his first formalappearances to the parishwideschool administrators will be atthe administrators conferencethis summer. He then expects tovisit each school and administra-tor to let them know what can beexpected from his administration.

Folse delights in saying that heknows how important the schoolsare to the community; and howimportant the community is tothe school system. DuringKatrina, he was embedded in theEmergency Operations Center,sleeping on a sofa. As shelterswere needed, he saw to it theschools were opened and pre-pared for use. He said every daythe meetings would start with,“What does the school systemneed? What can we do to help?”Folse said, “It was an awesomefeeling; everyone wanted to helpus.”

He is looking forward to theformal opening of the newSalmen High School, which wasdestroyed in Katrina. “Those kidsare going to be excited. It’s a stateof the art school,” he said. “FEMAreally did their part. It was a greatexample of agencies workingtogether.”

The Brooks Curriculum Centeris another Katrina recovery thatwill be great for Slidell. “It’s stillhard to believe what we wentthrough,” he said.

He said his background withthe school system from teacher toassistant principal at Slidell HighSchool and then the central officehas helped him become a well-rounded administrator andleader.

“I feel I have learned a lot bylistening to what other peoplehad to say,” Folse said. One of histoughest things was being assis-

tant principal over teachers hehad in high school. “They taughtme again,” he said, even though healso was their immediate superior.

In the central office for the past13 years, he has worked with sev-eral of the assistant superintend-ents and supervisors that willcontinue in their current posi-tions. Besides his administrativeexperience, he also worked asassistant personnel director.

Leadership experience in-cludes Leadership St. TammanyWest, class of 2001; St. TammanyParish Delegation for Katrina/FEMA Loan Forgiveness in 2009;a national presenter of severalpapers including “School Safety –10 Years after Columbine” for thestate superintendents conference;“Crisis Planning and Community

Connections” to the NationalSchool Boards Association Con-ference; “Leadership in the Eye ofthe Storm,” SACS/CASI nationalconference; and boasts his mem-bership in the Who Dat Nation.

A graduate of William CareyCollege in Hattiesburg, Miss., heholds a Master of Science inEducation degree Plus 30 desig-nation. His college is the onlytime he was out of the parish, thusprompting the title of a “home-grown tomato.”

That may well be, but Folsenow holds his dream job, and said,“I’m excited. I’ve been involvedwith this school system my wholelife. Still, it’s a humbling opportu-nity to make sure the school sys-tem’s great education traditioncontinues.”

Message from the superintendent

Dear parents,

Our public schools work well because our community valueseducation and provides support for its high expectations. Parentsare full partners in the education of their children and contributein important ways to student success. Good attitudes about schoolbegin at home. Discussions about the importance of education andclear expectations about student responsibility in completingassignments, attending school every day, following rules and regu-lations and giving full attention and effort to school work go a longway in signaling that school is a top priority.

Ongoing involvement in the educational program is essential tohelp ensure steady student progress. Parents are encouraged toattend open house and other opportunities that are provided byschools to become familiar with programs and services. Parentconferences are an important means to addressing specific con-cerns and getting current information about each student. Parentshave a powerful tool in our online home school connection, STIHome, to check on student grades, attendance and other importantinformation, any time and any place.

We believe that it is vital that school personnel and parents worktogether to support student achievement and to make daily deci-sions that will promote successful school experiences. Involvedparents help to make St. Tammany Parish Public Schools the rightchoice for our community.

Thanks for your active participation in your child’s education.

TREY FOLSE

4 | BACK TO SCHOOL 2010 | WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010

St. Tammany Parish Public Schools 2010-2011 School Calendar

Aug. 5 Teachers professional development dayAug. 6 Teachers’ dayAug. 9 School opensSept. 6 Labor Day HolidayOct. 1 Parish Fair HolidayOct. 7 End of first grading periodOct. 8 Half day professional development/half day record keeping for

teachers. No students report to schoolNov. 2 Election Day HolidayNov. 22-26 Thanksgiving HolidayDec. 21 End of second grading period/End of first semester

Students report half day/Half day record keeping for teachersDec. 22-31 Winter/Christmas breakJan. 3 School Re-opensJan. 17 Martin Luther King HolidayMarch 3 End of the third grading periodMarch 4 Half day professional development/half day record keeping for

teachers. No students report to schoolMarch 7-11 Mardi Gras HolidayMarch 22 LEAP/GEE testing (phase I)April 11-15 LEAP-Grades 4 and 8 (phase II);

iLEAP Grades 3,5,6,7 and 9; GEE-Grades 10 and 11; LAA-2 (Phase II)

April 22-29 Spring/Easter breakMay 20 End of fourth grading period/end of second semester/end of ses

sion. Students report to school for half dayHalf day record keeping for teachers

May 23 Teacher’s dayMay 24 Teacher’s professional development make-up day

The school board requires an appropriate program on veteran’s Day Nov. 11School administrators are asked to avoid scheduling activities on the following day(s)

when possible:Rosh Hashanah (Begins at sundown) Sept. 8Yom Kippur (Begins at sundown) Sept. 17


» registration schedule

Registration for all stu-dents entering the St. Tam-many Parish public schoolsfor the first time during the2010-2011 School Year willbegin July 28 at the schoolthe student will attend. Theregistration date for eachschool is printed below.

An Assignment/TransferRequest Form must be com-pleted for students chang-ing schools within St.Tammany Parish (otherthan students going toanother school because ofgrade promotion), studentswho are entering theSchool System from homeschooling, and parents orcourt-appointed guardianswho do not have therequired proof of residency.The forms are available atthe Child Welfare andAttendance offices locatedat the Covington SchoolBoard Annex at 406 EastBoston Street or the SlidellSchool Board Annex at 980Ninth Street. An assign-ment letter must beobtained from one of theseoffices before registering atthe school they will attend.

Any child born beforeOct. 1, 2004, will be eligiblefor the first grade, and anychild born before Oct. 1,2005, will be eligible forkindergarten.

The hours of registrationwill be 9 a.m. until noon onthe dates listed:

JULY 28Abney Elementary Chahta-Ima ElementaryCypress Cove Elementary Florida Avenue ElementaryFolsom ElementaryFolsom Junior HighFontainebleau Junior High

Lake Harbor MiddleLittle Oak MiddleLittle Pearl ElementaryMagnolia Trace ElementaryMandeville ElementaryMandeville HighMandeville MiddleMandeville Junior HighMonteleone Junior HighNorthshore High – 1st

RegistrationPearl River HighPine View MiddlePontchartrain ElementaryRiverside ElementarySalmen High – last names

A-LSlidell HighTchefuncte MiddleWhispering Forest

ElementaryWilliam Pitcher Junior High

JULY 29Abita Springs ElementaryAbita Springs MiddleAlton ElementaryBayou Lacombe MiddleBayou Woods ElementaryBonne Ecole ElementaryBoyet Junior HighCarolyn Park MiddleCovington ElementaryCovington HighFifth Ward Junior HighHoney Island ElementaryLakeshore High – 1st

RegistrationLyon ElementaryMadisonville ElementaryMarigny ElementaryNorthshore High – 2nd

RegistrationSalmen High – last names

M-ZSt. Tammany Junior HighSlidell Junior High Woodlake Elementary

JULY 30Brock ElementaryClearwood Junior HighCreekside Junior HighFontainebleau HighLee Road Junior HighLakeshore High – 2nd

RegistrationMadisonville Junior HighSixth Ward Elementary

Pre-kindergarten classesare being offered at 21school sites during the2010-11 school year for 4-year-old children who meetprogram criteria. Registra-tion for all classes will beheld at the school the childwill attend. The schoolsand registration dates are asfollows:

JULY 28Bonne Ecole ElementaryFifth Ward Jr. HighLyon ElementaryMadisonville ElementaryWoodlake Elementary

JULY 29Abney ElementaryBrock ElementaryFolsom ElementaryLee Road Jr. HighLittle Pearl ElementaryMandeville ElementarySixth Ward ElementaryWhispering Forest

Elementary

JULY 30Abita Springs ElementaryAlton ElementaryBayou Woods ElementaryChahta-Ima ElementaryCovington ElementaryFlorida Avenue ElementaryMarigny ElementaryPontchartrain Elementary


Kindergarten and FirstGrade Students

Children must be fiveyears old before October 1,2010 to be eligible for kin-dergarten and must be sixyears old before Oct. 1, 2010,to be eligible for first grade.

Every child, as a prereq-uisite to enrollment in anyfirst grade of a publicschool, shall meet one ofthe following criteria: haveattended a full-day publicor private kindergarten fora full academic year; orhave satisfactorily passedacademic readiness screen-ing at the time of enroll-ment for first grade.Students who have com-pleted kindergarten at anaccredited private schoolmust furnish proof of atten-dance.

Registration for kinder-garten and first grade stu-dents is held at schools eachyear in the spring. An-nouncement of specific reg-istration dates and times foreach school is on the SchoolSystem Web site. Also, reg-istration information can beobtained at School BoardAnnex Offices and schools.

All other studentsAll other students new to

St. Tammany Parish regis-ter at the school in the dis-trict where they reside.They must present proof ofresidency, a state certifiedbirth certificate, a socialsecurity card, an immuniza-tion record, LEAP results (ifapplicable), and custodypapers (if applicable).

Students changing schoolswithin St. Tammany Parish(other than students goingto another school becauseof grade promotion), stu-dents who are entering theSchool System from homeschooling, and parents orcourt-appointed guardianswho do not have the re-quired proof of residencymust complete an assign-ment/transfer request format one of the Child Welfareand Attendance Offices. They

must obtain an AssignmentLetter from this officebefore registering at theschool they will attend.

Fall registration will beheld late this month.

The following items arerequired for student regis-tration:

• State certified birthcertificate

• Proof of residency• Social Security Card• Health record of

required immunization• Report cards/records

from last School/LEAP 21results (for in-state trans-fer)

• Assignment letter (ifapplicable)

• Custody papers (ifapplicable)

Those who do not have abirth certificate may con-tact a St. Tammany ParishSchool Board Annex intheir area for informationon how to obtain one.Contact the CovingtonAnnex at 898-3370 or theSlidell Annex at 646-4917.

Proof of residency mustbe established using at leastthree of the documents list-ed below. Documents thatare suspect or inconclusivemay be disallowed andadditional documentationmay be required. All docu-ments must be the mostcurrent available.

Documentation mayconsist of a current utilitybill (butane, electric, gas,water, cable or satellite), thecurrent year W-2 form, themost recent federal or stateincome tax return, a vehicleinsurance print-out fromthe parent’s or legal guar-dian’s insurance company, asigned residential buildingcontract, a signed realestate lease agreement orsigned mortgage loan docu-mentation.

All documents mustshow the name of the par-ent or legal guardian, thestreet or road address ofresidence or the utilityservice address (if usingutility bills). Lease agree-

ments must show street orroad location and must befrom a real estate office,apartment complex ormobile home property, notfrom an individual. U.S.Post Office box numbers,printed checks or drivers’licenses are not consideredproof of residency.

The Social Security num-ber serves as the student’sidentification number on allrecords. The Social Securitynumber written on a pieceof paper cannot be accept-ed.

Parents or guardiansgranted custodial rights of astudent must present atregistration the custodypapers granted through acourt system.

To ensure correct gradeplacement of new students,a report card and standard-ized test reports from thelast school the studentattended must be present-ed. Students entering fifthand ninth grades from in-state nonpublic or anyhome schooling programare required to show evi-dence that they have passedthe English/ Language Artsand the Mathematics sec-tions of the LEAP test, asmandated by the State ofLouisiana. All students ent-ering grades other thanfifth or ninth from home-school programs are re-quired to take the home-school re-entry test. Formore information about theLEAP requirement, contactthe St. Tammany ParishPublic School System Test-ing Coordinator at 898-6481.

Students who are trans-ferring within the parish(other than those beingpromoted to a higher gradefrom feeder schools) andstudents who are enteringthe School System fromhome schooling must ob-tain assignment lettersfrom one of the SystemChild Welfare and At-tendance Offices beforebeing registered at schools.

» registration requirements


Safety is a priority for theSt. Tammany Parish PublicSchool System. The systemhas joined in a partnershipwith law enforcement, par-ish government, emergencyresponders and emergencypreparedness officials tocoordinate emergencyresponse plans in order toensure everyone acts swiftlyand effectively in emergencysituations, including poten-tially threatening weather.

Emergency plans arereviewed regularly andschool leaders conduct drillsthroughout the school yearto make certain students andstaff members know theproper emergency proce-dures.

Principals are available todiscuss emergency plans andanswer any questions youmight have about safety.Parents and caretakers canhelp us by understandingwhat schools will do in anemergency and cooperatingwith school and emergencyofficials.

In the event of an emer-gency, the School System willsend out informationthrough the EmergencyAlert System. By signing upfor this system, you willreceive immediate and criti-cal information as soon as itis available.

The service is free andwill send alerts through textmessages, emails and phonecalls.

During an emergency sit-uation, school and emer-gency officials must actquickly to secure schools inorder to safeguard studentsand staff. Parents and care-givers can assist greatly bybeing prepared before anemergency.

Here are a few criticalthings parents can do:

• Sign up for the emerg-ency alert system to receivetext messages, e-mails andvoice call alerts. Go towww.stpsb.org/alert to signup for this free service.

• Review and fill out the

attached School EmergencyContact Card and keep itwith you at all times.

• Make certain schoolofficials always have accu-rate contact information onfile.

• Provide your schoolwith contact information foradults authorized as emer-gency contacts for yourchild.

• Talk to your child aboutwhat to do and how to con-tact you in an emergency.

• Stay informed aboutpotentially serious weathersituations.

• Let your child andschool officials know if youanticipate being unavailable,out of town or difficult toreach for an extended periodof time.

• Notify school officialsor the Crimestoppers SafeSchool Hotline at 1-877-903-7867 if you see or hear ofanything that could create adanger at school.

In the event of an emer-gency, monitor stpsb.org, thesystem TV station Channel13 and www.thesttammanynews.com.

An emergency may re-quire the closing of a schoolor all schools for a short per-iod of time to help ensure thesafety of students, staff, par-ents and others in the com-munity. Notification of emer-gency closings is given assoon as possible so parentsand caregivers can makearrangements.

School lock-downs orforecasts of exceptionallyhazardous driving condi-tions may cause delayed dis-missal of students or earlydismissal of students fromschool.

In case of delayed dis-missal, students may arriveat their bus drop-off siteslater than usual.

If school officials are notable to notify parents aboutearly dismissal or closing,students may be kept atschool until parents canarrange for students to be

picked up.During an emergency,

schools have special proce-dures for a secure release ofyour child from school, ifevacuation during the schoolday is required, including thefollowing:

All adults will need a gov-ernment-issued photo ID(such as driver’s license,passport, military ID) to pickup students.

Students will be releasedONLY to persons who havebeen designated as emer-gency contacts on the stu-dent emergency card kept onfile at the school.

Non-custodial parentswho may pick up studentsmust be listed on the studentemergency card as aguardian.

Parents will be notifiedthrough the emergency alertsystem, the school systemWeb site at stpsb.org, Chan-nel 13, and www.thesttam-manynews.com about whenand how to pick up students.

Keep the following infor-mation with you for quickemergency contact refer-ence.

• Go to stpsb.org ormobile.stpsb.org.

• Watch the System TVstation on AT&T U-verseChannel 99, Charter CableChannel 13 or live streamingat Channel 13 Web page.

• Call the SystemEmergency Hotline at 635-0801 or 800-580-1874

• Receive EmergencyAlert text messages, emailsand phone calls if you havejoined the Emergency AlertSystem

• Tune into local TV sta-tions, radio stations andnews Web sites for alerts

• Watch www.thesttam-manynews.com or Twitterfor breaking news.

• If you or your child haveinformation about a seriousor potentially serious schoolsafety concern, call theschool principal or theCrimestoppers Safe SchoolHotline at 877-903-7867.

Emergency informationINFORMATION PARENTS NEED IF EMERGENCIES

ARISE AT SCHOOL OR IN THE COMMUNITY


Immunizations neededfor school registrationImmunization require-

ments for public school:Health Record: State

Law requires that all chil-dren attending school in theState of Louisiana have thefollowing immunizations.This requirement includesstudents in pre-kinder-garten through grade 12.Included are students whoare coming into the St.Tammany Parish PublicSchool System from anoth-er parish, state or nonpublicschool.

• DTP (Diphtheria,Tetanus and Pertussis orWhooping Cough) – A min-imum of four doses isrequired. The last DTP or abooster is to be given afterthe fourth birthday.

• Polio – A minimum ofthree doses is required. Thelast polio or booster is to be

given after the fourth birth-day.

• MMR (Measles,Mumps and Rubella) - Onedose is required at 12-15months of age. A secondMMR is required beforeentry to school.

• Hepatitis B – Threedoses are required for firsttime enrollees into Loui-siana public schools.

• HIB – Four doses orproof of at least one doseafter 15 months of age arerequired for pre-kinder-garten and noncategoricalstudents to enter school.

• Varicella (Chicken-pox) – Two doses or a histo-ry of the disease is requiredfor pre-kindergarten andkindergarten.

• MCV4 (Meningococ-cal Conjugate) – Requiredfor all students entering

sixth grade or 11 years old inany other grade. These stu-dents must also have proofof booster doses of Tdap,MMR, and Chickenpox.

Dates of the aboverequired immunizationsmust be recorded on anofficial immunization formand presented to the schoolat the time of registration.Contact the Slidell HealthUnit at 646-6445, the Cov-ington Community Well-ness Center at 871-6030 orthe Greater New OrleansImmunization NetworkMobile Unit at (504) 733-3268 for immunizationinformation.

The immunization policyof the St. Tammany ParishSchool Board dictates thatno child be allowed to enterschool without proof ofimmunizations.

St. Tammany ParishSchool Board recentlyannounced its policy forfree and reduced pricemeals served under theNational School Lunchand/or School BreakfastProgram(s). All schools andthe central office have acopy of the policy, whichmay be reviewed by anyinterested party.

Application forms arebeing sent to all homes,

along with a letter to house-holds. To apply for free orreduced price meals,households should fill outone application for thehousehold and return it tothe school. Additionalcopies are available at theprincipal’s office in eachschool. Applications maybe submitted at any timeduring the year. The infor-mation provided by thehousehold is confidential; it

will be used for the purposeof determining eligibility.Information may be veri-fied at any time during theschool year by school orother program officials.

For the school officials todetermine eligibility, eachhousehold that is nowreceiving SNAP (Supple-mental Nutrition Assis-tance Program, formerlythe Food Stamp Program)or that is on the Family

Independence TemporaryAssistance Program mustprovide its SNAP or FITAPcase number as well as thesignature of an adult house-hold member. All otherhouseholds must providethe following informationon the application: namesof all household members;the social security numberof either the parent/guardian who is the pri-mary wage earner, or theadult household memberwho signs the application,or a statement that thehousehold member doesnot possess one; theamount of income (beforedeductions for taxes, SocialSecurity, etc.) each house-hold member receives; howoften the person receivesthe income; where it isfrom, such as wages, retire-ment, or welfare; and thesignature of an adult house-hold member certifying

that the information pro-vided is correct.

If a household memberbecomes unemployed or ifthe household size increas-es, the household shouldcontact the school. Suchchanges may make the chil-dren of the household eligi-ble for meal benefits.

Foster children who arethe legal responsibility of awelfare agency or courtmay be eligible for benefits.If a household has fosterchildren and wishes toapply for such meals forthem, the householdshould contact the schoolfor more information.

Households that receiveSNAP or FITAP benefitsare not required to com-plete an application.School officials will deter-mine eligibility for freemeals based on documenta-tion obtained directly fromthe SNAP/FITAP office,

which will certify that achild is a member of ahousehold currently re-ceiving SNAP or an assis-tance unit receiving FITAPbenefits. School officialswill notify households oftheir eligibility. House-holds who are notified oftheir eligibility but do notwant their children toreceive free meals mustcontact the school. SNAPand FITAP householdsshould complete an appli-cation if they are not noti-fied of their eligibility byAug. 25.

Under the provisions ofthe free and reduced pricepolicy, the school cafeteriamanager will review appli-cations and determine eli-gibility. If a parent or guar-dian is dissatisfied with theruling of the official, he maywish to discuss the decisionwith the determining offi-cial on an informal basis.

Free and reduced priced school meals


State education boardrevises absentee policy

By Debbie GloverSt. Tammany News

State education guide-lines for how many days astudent may be absent willchange for the 2010-2011school year, and parentsshould review how thosechanges will affect excusedand unexcused absences.

The Louisiana Board ofElementary and SecondaryEducation recently revisedseveral attendance policies.While previously studentswere allowed 20 absenceseach school year, beginningin August, High School stu-dents will be allowed fiveabsences per semester, andElementary through JuniorHigh students will be al-lowed 10 absences.

Absences of two or fewerconsecutive school daysattributed to personal ill-ness or serious illness in the

family may be validated by aparent or caregiver by a writ-ten excuse note. However, ifa student is absent for threeor more consecutive days orfor other types of absences,a student must present anote from a physician,nurse practitioner or den-tist to be excused.

The new guidelines willnot allow students to beexcused for vacations orother family trips. As aresult, parents shouldschedule vacations and nec-essary appointments duringschool breaks. Upon adop-tion by the state of the newpolicy, then-superintendentGayle Sloan said, “The2010-2011 School calendarincludes ample breaks fortravel plans.”

Extenuating circum-stances will be consideredbut must be approved bythe Supervisor of Child

Welfare and Attendance.The circumstances must beverified by a physician,nurse practitioner or den-tist in order to be consid-ered as an official excusefrom the attendance regula-tion. State law also allowsexceptions based on theobservance of special andrecognized holidays of astudent’s faith.

The only other exceptionto the law will be absencesthat are verified by the prin-cipal for the purposes ofschool system approved tra-vel for education, a death inthe family or a natural cat-astrophe or disaster. Stud-ents who are participatingin school-approved fieldtrips and other instruction-al activities such as CollegeSpring Testing and ap-proved college visits will beconsidered present atschool.


It’s that time of year – getting smartabout your back-to-school checklist

The back-to-school bug is inthe air as summer camps start towrap up, teachers head back totheir classrooms and parents startreviewing class lists for this year’srequired school supplies.

But back-to-school doesn’thave to be a stressful season ifparents and teachers prepareearly and take advantage of dealsand offers.

Here are some smart ideas forhow to get organized this schoolyear:

• Review the clothes closet.Your child has likely grown overthe summer and may need somenew items. Try everything on(including shoes), to avoid anylast-minute surprises, and make a

list of what you need to replace.Consider donating anything thatdoesn’t fit to a charity.

• Start planning your familyschedule for the school year.Make it a priority to review howyour children are getting toschool, when they’ll be arrivingback home, how they’ll get to anyafter-school activities and whenthey’ll have time to do homework.Taking the time to review theschedule as a family before thefirst bell rings will help to makesure the first day goes smoothly.

• Check the supplies list andstart stocking up as soon as youcan to avoid the last minute rushbefore school starts. Make sureyour child has everything on theirschool supply list such as back-packs, binders, notebooks, andpencils.

Purchasing new school sup-plies doesn’t have to break thebank when you know how to findthe right deals. Take advantage ofpenny specials being offered atstores like Office Depot beginningon July 26. You can find core sup-plies like pencils, rulers, gluesticks, folders, scissors and morefor just $1 and under. Be sure tocheck the Sunday circulars inyour local paper all summer longto learn about free promotionsgoing on as well.

Need some help figuring outwhat’s hot for back-to-school thisyear before hitting the stores?Below are some of the top picksyour children are going to love

this school year (all back-to-school supplies are available atyour nearest Office Depot).

• Project Backpack- A newbackpack is one of the essentialskids need before heading backinto school. For something totallyunique, check out this backpackdesigned by 17-year-old JerryDelgado, last year’s winner ofOffice Depot and Sharpie’s“Project Backpack” design con-test. The music inspired backpackwill have your kids singing downthe hallways.

• HP G62 laptop computer -The start of school is a perfecttime to purchase new computers.The HP G62 is great for everydaystudent needs and comesequipped with AMD Turion IIDual-Core processor, 3 GB’s ofRAM, and a webcam and micro-phone.

• Microsoft Office Home andStudent 2010- Students will wantthe latest version of MicrosoftOffice which includes Word,Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.It’s perfect for use throughout theschool year.

• Ativa 4 GB flash drives -Flash drives offer a convenientway to access your documentsanywhere. There are more than40 patterns/colors to choose from(three styles available for No Fearflash drives).

• Mead fashion binders - Keephomework organized with funnew binders from Mead. Choosefrom various patterns such ascandy colored stripes, retro flow-ers, or for alternative flair, thenew punk plaid line.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Teachers need to getready too. Network withfellow teachers and getready for the school yearat Teacher AppreciationBreakfasts being hostedat stores like OfficeDepot. While you’rethere, stock up on all yourback-to-school needs likepocket charts, notepads,bulletin boards, recordbooks, nametags andother classroom suppliesin the exclusive teacheraisles. For more info onteacher appreciationbreakfast dates and times,visit mystarteacher.com/tab.

By Debbie GloverSt. Tammany News

With the completion ofSalmen High School andBrooks Curriculum Centeralmost completed, the eff-ects of Hurricane Katrinaon the St. Tammany ParishSchool System will finallybe put to rest.

While Salmen will beopen for the school yearAug. 9, the dedication, orre-dedication of the schoolhas yet to be set. TheBrooks Curriculum Centeris set for dedication Aug. 12prior to the August regularschool board meeting.

Several of the schools inthe parish are being reno-vated or expanded as partof the 2008 bond issue.Ongoing projects includethe following:

Abita Springs Element-ary is getting a new multi-purpose/P. E. building aneight-classroom additionwith restrooms and renova-tion of the existing cafete-ria/multi-purpose buildinginto an expanded cafeteria

at a cost of $3.9 million.Abney Elementary is

receiving a new administra-tive area, renovation of thefront of the school, en-closed breezeways and oth-er associated work at a costof $3.58 million. Modularclassrooms at the schoolthat includes 16 classrooms,administration building,walkways and required as-sociated parking, landscap-ing and clearing has not yetbegun at Abney, but theproject is for $2.2 million.

Alton Elementary willhave the entire campus ren-ovated, an addition to theadministration building,library and cafe/kitchen aswell as a new bus canopy,thanks to QSCB bonds fromfederal stimulus money at acost of $4.76 million. Theproject also allows for reno-vation to restrooms in thegym, renovation to thebleachers and flooring andthe additional of a foldingstage and storage rooms.

Bayou Lacombe MiddleSchool will get a faceliftwith renovations to the

entire classroom building,administration area and thesixth grade building at acost of $3.2 million.

Boyet Junior High isreceiving a new administra-tive area and student serv-ices area at a cost of nearly$2 million funded by the2008 bond issue.

Carolyn Park MiddleSchool is having air condi-tioning and heating systemfor two classroom wings,the cafeteria and library ren-ovated at a cost of $750,000.

Covington High Schoolis having the gym roofreplaced at a cost of$226,000 from the rooffund and bids are beingsubmitted for the weightroom 15-ft. extension, newflooring, ceilings, light fix-tures, handicap accessiblerestrooms and new paint ata budget cost of $222,290.

The Educational Centerand Graphic Arts buildingis getting a roof replace-ment funded by the rooffund.

Fifth Ward Junior Highis getting a new cafetori-

um/chorus/band building,renovations of existingcafeteria into the library,the library will become acomputer lab and renova-tions of the oldest wing at acost of $6.9 million.

Florida AvenueElementary will have thegym, stage and boiler build-ing roofing replaced at acost of $135,000 from theroofing fund.

Folsom Junior HighSchool will receive a newcafetorium at a cost of $2.85million.

Fontainebleau JuniorHigh School will receive areplacement of the originalmodular wings with con-ventional construction at acost of $4.2 million.

Harrison CurriculumCenter is being renovatedas part of the 2008 bondissue at a cost of $67.45 mil-lion. The project has notbeen bid as of yet.

Lee Road Junior High isgetting a 10-classroom

addition with restrooms ata cost of $2.25 million.

Mandeville High Schoolis getting a $3 million addi-tion with new administra-tion area, student servicesarea and classrooms. Theroofing fund is also provid-ing reroofing to the indus-trial arts building.

Mandeville Junior HighSchool is receiving areplacement to the fieldhouse and storage buildingroofs at a cost of $49,372.

Northshore High Schoolis getting the roof of themain building partiallyreplaced at a cost of$187,000 to the roof fund.

Pearl River High Schoolis also getting their indus-trial arts building reroofedat a cost of $17,899.

Pitcher Junior High ishaving their main buildingand gym renovated at a costof $8.26 million.

Slidell High School ishaving the existing NinthStreet building demolished

and replaced at a cost of$915,700.

The Treen TechnologyCenter is getting additionalparking for the technologyfaculty at a cost of $77,965.

Whispering ForestElementary is the recipientof an eight-classroom addi-tion with restrooms at acost of $1.45 million.

Woodlake Elementarywill get renovations to theoriginal classrooms, hall-ways and restrooms at abudget of $2.5 million. Theproject has yet to be bid.

In addition the St. Tam-many School Board is con-structing two new schools:

J.B. Lancaster Element-ary in Madisonville is underconstruction at a cost of$18,454,682.11 from the2008 bond issue.

Henry Mayfield Elem-entary School in Slidell/Bayou Woods is also underconstruction at $18.4 mil-lion from the 2004 bondissue.


Parish schools are always building for future

Finding school lunch ideas that stay fresh canbe challenging. But with a few simple solutions,you can provide delicious and tasty sandwich-es.

Be sure to choose the right bread.The more moisture in the fillings, thedrier and denser the bread should be.Breads with thick crusts work perfectly,or swap your regular bread for flour tor-tillas, bagels, English muffins or pitas.

To keep sandwiches crispy and deli-cious, the “Fresh Squad” freshness experts at Hillshire Farm suggest placing a single layerof deli meat on each slice of bread, then spreading the condiments on those. Cheese alsoworks as a barrier. Never place tomatoes directly on cheese – the juice will make the cheesesoft and cause the bread to become soggy. Instead, place tomatoes in between lettuce slices.

To get more quick and easy recipes or additional freshness tips, visit www.gomeat.com.

Fresh and tasty school lunches

4-6 slices Hillshire Farm DeliSelect Ultra Thin Honey Ham

1 bagel2 teaspoons cream cheese1 teaspoon honey mustard1 thin slice beefsteak tomato6 thin cucumber slices

Split bagel, spread each cut half with 1teaspoon cream cheese.

On each half of bagel, layer half of eachof the ingredients in this order: HillshireFarm Deli Select Ultra Thin Honey Ham,honey mustard, tomato, and cucumberslices. Join the two halves together. Cut inhalf and wrap.

The Back to School Bagelwich


By Erik SanzenbachSt. Tammany News

If one didn’t know theywere usually staid highschool teachers, one wouldthink this was a group ofhighly excited kids going toplay in the best playgroundin the world.

With big smiles, and lotsof laughter, the teachersand staff of Salmen HighSchool got their first look atthe new school slated toopen in time for the 2010-11school year.

“I think it is just amaz-ing,” said math teacherRegina Marshall.

The teachers, staff andstudents have been workingout of a series of temporarymetal building for the pastfive years, because Hurri-cane Katrina destroyed theschool. As they walkthrough the halls of thisspacious, well-lit, modernand cheery school, there arecries and tears of joy.

The $49.5 million schoolsits on a huge lot next to thetemporary school on Spar-tan Drive.

The entire facility, class-room wings, gymnasium,cafeteria, administration,library, parking lots and busloop take up 122,245 square

feet.More than 90 percent of

the funding came from theFederal Emergency Man-agement Administration.

There are 225 parkingspaces for the students, and230 spaces for faculty andstaff. All the classrooms areraised off the ground, andthe buildings are all con-nected with covered open-air passageways. There areclassroom wings for sen-iors, juniors, sophomoresand freshman.

The new building boastsa full-sized television stu-dio, 40 general classrooms,five computer labs, bandroom, auto-tech shop, afully equipped home eco-nomics classroom, library,kitchen and cafeteria.

“I was so excited when Isaw the TV studio, I almostcried,” said broadcastingand English teacher CharityLeBlanc. “This is just soamazing.”

Home ec teacher AlisonArmand was just happy tohave a classroom with bigwindows that let in lots ofsunlight.

“I’ve been waiting a longtime for this,” Armand said.

For some, like Marshalland her sister, musicteacher Brena Faciane, it

was like coming home. Thetwo are also graduates ofSalmen High and cameback to teach.

“I’m just so impressed,”Faciane said.

There were little thingsthat were very important tosome of the teachers — likeindoor plumbing. Whenthey went to the new teach-ers’ lounge, there were criesof joy when they saw bath-rooms. One teacher saidnow they won’t have to getout the umbrellas when itrains, and they have to go tothe bathroom.

“There is just so muchroom in these classrooms,”said ESL teacher EdLarson. “It’s just beautiful.”

Even though the schoolis slated to be opened inJune, the contractors arestill working on weightrooms for the athletes, anda concession stand.

St. Tammany SchoolBoard spokespersonMeredith Mendez said thatall the temporary buildings,except for the gymnasiumwould be gone by the fall.Then the space will be usedfor the new baseball field.

“Oh this whole thing iswonderful, just wonderful,”said paraeducator LindaFranklin.

Teachers get first look insideShown is the newly built Salmen High School that was destroyed in the wake ofHurricane Katrina. (File Photo)

Each year, millions ofstudents gear up for a bat-tery of pre-college testing.In order to help students dotheir best, Americans spendabout $4 billion dollars onclasses, tutors, study guidesand books.

While helpful, many testprep resources can be dull,making it more difficult forstudents to stay focused. Tohelp make effective testprep more engaging, WileyPublishing, Inc. has createda unique and exciting wayfor students to build theirvocabulary and raise scoresusing Stephenie Meyer’spopular “Twilight” series.

The “Twilight” bookshave a very loyal following,particularly among teens.Many parents looking toharness that passion intoconstructive study time findthat the “Defining Twilight”guides are a perfect fit.

The series first began inJune 2009 with “DefiningTwilight” and then expand-ed to include “DefiningNew Moon.” The third andlatest book in the series,“Defining Eclipse: Vocabu-lary Workbook for Un-locking the SAT, ACT, GED,and SSAT,” will arrive instores on May 24, just intime for the release of themovie “Eclipse.”

Author and test prepexpert, Brian Leaf says,“Every time I see a newlyadministered SAT test, I amamazed at how many of thevocabulary words appear inthe ‘Twilight’ books –words like solicitous,macabre, inexorably, inure,baleful, ecstatic, blithe, pla-cate, haggard, belligerent,stymie and nebulous.Students who learn all thevocabulary words in the“Defining Twilight” serieswill absolutely raise theirtest scores.”

“Defining Eclipse” has

40 four-page chapters withwell over 600 vocabularywords and synonyms. Justgrab a copy of “Eclipse,”refer to the page whereeach vocabulary wordappears, read the word incontext, and come up with adefinition. Then check defi-nitions against those pro-vided in the workbook,make corrections, and com-plete the drills. Studentswill acquire vocabularyskills, learn synonyms, wordparts, and memorizationtools, and get drills andquizzes to integrate whatthey’ve learned.

To find out more about“Defining Eclipse” andother books in the series,visit cliffnotes.com.

Family Features


College testprep with a bite

The back-to-school sea-son can be both an excitingand anxious time. As a par-

ent, you can teach yourchild a few lessons, andtake a few precautions

yourself, to put your mindat ease when children leavehome to go back to the

classroom.From the lunch contain-

er you buy to teaching yourchild about playgroundsafety, you can do a lot toprevent your child fromfalling ill or getting hurt.

“Parents need not worryabout sending their chil-dren back to school. Bydoing a few little things toensure your child’s safety,you’ll put your worries torest and allow yourself tohave a fun and stress-freestart to the school year,”said Dorothy Drago, childproduct safety expert andauthor of “From Crib toKindergarten: The Es-sential Child Safety Guide.”

Drago offers the follow-ing tips to consider as yourchild goes back to school:

• Food safety: Whenpacking a lunch for yourchild, make sure you keepitems that need to be cold(like cheese or yogurt) atthe proper temperature bystoring them in an insulat-ed container. Products thatkeep foods and beverages atthe proper temperature forlonger, like the ThermosFUNtainer series that in-cludes both insulated bev-erage bottles and food jars,inhibit the growth of poten-tially dangerous bacteria.

• Transportation safety:Make sure to check withthe school on approvedwalking or biking routes.Many schools are makingefforts to communicatewith parents about thisissue to encourage activelifestyles, while also keep-ing kids safe. If you are buy-ing a new bike helmet foryour child before school,make sure it fits correctlyand refer to the helmetwearing instructions toensure the safest ride. Ifyou bike with your kids,wear a helmet to set a goodexample. Also, rememberthat safely crossing the

street is not always such aneasy task for children. Findout if the school has cross-ing guards on your child’sroute to school.

• Product safety: Makesure any products, from artsupplies to lunch boxes, arecertified under the U.S.Consumer Product SafetyImprovement Act.

“Independent testingresults like the CPSIA-required compliance cer-tificates are a smart andeasy way for parents to val-idate that the products theypurchase meet currentsafety regulations and stan-dards,” Drago said.

This information shouldbe available on the prod-uct’s packaging or detailedon the company’s website.For example, Thermos, theleading manufacturer oflunch storage products,makes it easier for parentsto find this CPSIA certifica-

tion information for theirproducts. By visiting ther-mos.com/cpsia, parents canview the results of thesecritical compliance tests.

• Playground safety:Playgrounds are fun areasfor kids of all ages but theycan be dangerous. Take alook at how much protec-tive surfacing is underequipment. There shouldbe at least nine inches ofmulch, and it should bereplenished or re-spread asneeded to ensure that thedepth is maintained.Encourage kids to play withthe existing play structuresand to never add jumpropes or other toys becausethey may introduce a stran-gulation risk.

With these safety issuestalked about and taken careof, nothing should stand inthe way of a great start tothe school year for you andyour child.


Back-to-school safety: Follow these tipsto keep your child safe and healthy

ST. TAMMANY PARISHPUBLIC SCHOOLS

Abita Springs ElementaryK-3

Rebecca Stogner22410 Level St.

Abita Springs, La. 70420892-8184

Abita Springs Middle4-6 grades

Donna Forrest72079 Maple St.

Abita Springs, La. 70420892-2070

Abney ElementaryK-5 grades

Robert “Mike” Alford825 Kostmayer Ave.

Slidell, La. 70458643-4044

Alton ElementaryK-5 grades

Schanette Hebert3876 5th Ave.

Slidell, La. 70460863-5353

Bayou Lacombe Middle4-6 grades

Patrick Woods27527 St. Joseph St.Lacombe, La. 70445

882-5416

Bayou Woods ElementaryK-3 grades

Linda Bankston35614 Liberty Dr.Slidell, La. 70460

641-1901

Bonne Ecole ElementaryK-6 grades

Dr. April S. Owens900 Rue VerandSlidell, La. 70458

643-0674

Boyet Junior High7-8 grades

Mitchell Stubbs59295 Rebel Dr.Slidell, La. 70461

643-3775

Brock ElementaryK-5 grades

Rose Smith259 Brakefield

Slidell, La. 70458643-5166

Carolyn Park Middle4-6 grades

Anthony Esposito35708 Liberty Dr.Slidell, La. 70460

643-8593

Chahta-Ima ElementaryK-3

Casey Gleason27488 Pichon RoadLacombe, La. 70445

882-7541

Clearwood Junior High4-8 grades

Alan R. Bennett130 Clearwood Dr.Slidell, La. 70458

641-8200

Covington ElementaryK-3 grades

Martha Romo325 S. Jackson St.

Covington, La. 70433892-4311

Covington High9-12 grades

Deborah McCollum73030 Lion Dr.

Covington, La. 70433892-3422

Creekside Junior High6-8 gradesLisa Virga

65434 La. Hwy. 41Pearl River, La. 70452

863-5882

Cypress Cove ElementaryK-1 gradesLisa Dial

540 S. Military RoadSlidell, La. 70461

641-3033

Fifth Ward Junior HighK-8 grades

James Smith81419 La. Hwy. 21Bush, La. 70431

886-3273

Florida Avenue ElementaryK-6 grades

Ramona Carlin342 Florida Ave.Slidell, La. 70458

643-1605

Folsom ElementaryK-5 grades

Lesa Bodnar82144 La. Hwy. 25Folsom, La. 70437

796-3820

Folsom Junior High6-8 grades

Sharon Garrett 83055 Hay Hollow Road

Folsom, La. 70437796-3724

Fontainebleau High9-12 grades

Johnny Vitrano100 Bulldog Dr.

Mandeville, La. 70471892-7112

Fontainebleau Junior High7-8 grades

Dr. Timothy Schneider100 Hurricane Alley


Honey Island Elementary2-3 grades

Mary Jane Smith500 S. Military Road

Slidell, La. 70461641-3557

Lake Harbor Middle4-6 gradesSusan Patin

1700 Viola St.Mandeville, La. 70448

674-4440

Lakeshore High School9-11 grades

Brennan McCurly26301 La. Hwy. 1088


Lee Road Junior HighK-8 gradesAnna Bowie

79131 La. Hwy 40 (LeeRoad)

Covington, La. 70435892-3636

Little Oak Middle4-6 grades

Amy DiCarlo59241 Rebel Dr.Slidell, La. 70461

641-6510

Little Pearl ElementaryPreK-KindergartenDr. April Whitfield63829 U. S. Hwy. 11

Pearl River, La. 70452863-5906

Lyon ElementaryK-3 grades

Jeanine Barnes1615 N. Florida St.

Covington, La. 70433892-0869

Madisonville ElementaryK-3 grades

Lauren Spencer317 La. Hwy. 1077

Madisonville, La. 70447

845-3671

Madisonville Junior High4-8 gradesFran Shea

106 Cedar St.Madisonville, La. 70447

845-3355

Magnolia Trace Elementary2-3 grades

Melanie Edwards1405 La. Hwy. 1088


Mandeville ElementaryK-3 grades

Elizabeth Laine519 Massena St.


Mandeville High9-12 grades

Bruce Bundy1 Skipper Dr.


Mandeville Junior High7-8 grades

Mary Ann Cucchiara639 Carondelet St.


Mandeville Middle4-6 gradesKim Wood

2525 Soult St.Mandeville, La. 70448

626-8778

Marigny ElementaryK-1 grades

Leslie Martin1715 Viola St.


Monteleone Junior High7-8 grades

Donna Addison63000 Blue Marlin Dr.Mandeville, La. 70448

951-8088


» school directory

Northshore High9-12 grades

Dr. Michael Peterson100 Panther Dr.Slidell, La. 70461

649-6400

Pearl River High9-12 grades

Michael Winkler39110 Rebel Lane


Pine View Middle4-6 grades

Janis Daviston1200 West 27th Ave.Covington, La. 70433

892-6204

Pitcher Junior High7-8 grades

Roslyn Hanson415 S. Jefferson Ave.Covington, La. 70433

892-3021

Pontchartrain ElementaryK-3 grades

Kimberly Thomas1500 W. Causeway

ApproachMandeville, La. 70471

626-3748

Riverside Elementary1-5 grades

Mary Lou Jordan38480 Sullivan Dr.


St. Tammany Junior High6-8 grades

Vincent DiCarlo701 Cleveland Ave.Slidell, La. 70458

643-1592

Salmen High9-12 grades

Terri Wortmann300 Spartan Dr.Slidell, La. 70458

643-7359

Sixth Ward ElementaryK-5 grades

Dr. Mary Biernacki72360 La. Hwy. 41


Slidell High9-12 grades

William C. Percy Jr.1 Tiger Dr.

Slidell, La. 70458643-2992

Slidell Junior High7-8 grades

Patrick Mackin333 Pennsylvania Ave.

Slidell, La. 70458641-5914

Tchefuncte Middle School4-6 grades

Laura Norsworthy1530 W. Causeway

ApproachMandeville, La. 70471

626-7118

Whispering ForestElementary

K-3 gradesEric Sacks

300 Spiehler RoadSlidell, La. 70458

641-3400

Woodlake ElementaryK-3 grades

Dr. Jean Krieger1620 Livingston St.


PRIVATE ANDPAROCHIAL SCHOOLS

Archbishop Philip M.Hannan High School

Grades 8-12Fr. Charlie Latour

71324 La. Hwy. 1077Covington, La.

249-6363Aug. 9- Book day

Aug. 11-First day of school

Calvary Baptist School3 years old- 8th gradePrincipal, Susan Hickey1615 Old Spanish Trail

Slidell, La. 70458 643-7224

Aug. 6- First day of school

Cedarwood School2 years- 7th grade

Principal, Kathryn LeBlanc

607 Heaven’s Dr.Mandeville, La. 70471

845-7111Aug.18- K-7 First day of

schoolAug. 19- preschool first day

Christ Episcopal SchoolPK-K

Principal, Greg Homer120 S. New HampshireCovington, La. 70433

892-9156Aug. 13 First day of school

Christ Episcopal SchoolGrades 1-8

Principal, Greg Homer80 Christwood Blvd.

Covington, La. 871-9902

Aug. 12-First day of school

Christ Episcopal HighSchool

Grades 9-10Principal, John Morvant

80 Christwood Blvd.Covington, La.

871-9902Aug. 12-First day of school

First Baptist ChristianSchool

Grades 1 – 12Principal, Mona Nelson

4141 Pontchartrain DriveSlidell, La. 643-3725

Open registration until allclasses are filled

Aug 6- First day of school.

Holy Trinity LutheranSchool

18 months-PK1 North Marigold Dr.

Covington, La. 70433892-6146

Kehoe-France Northshore1 year old- 7th gradePrincipal, Mitch Bilbe

25 Patricia DriveCovington, La. 70433

892-4415Aug. 19- Grades 1-7 First

Day of SchoolAug. 23- Pre-school, PK,and K first day of school

Lake Castle Private SchoolMadisonville

PK-8th grade

Principal, Barry M. Butera235 La. Hwy 21

Madisonville, La. 70447845-3537

Aug. 7- PK, K screeningsAug. 18- First day of school

Lake Castle Private SchoolSlidellPK-8

Principal, Brian J. Butera363 Thompson Road

Slidell, La. 70460 641-3363Aug. 10 PK, K assessment

new studentsAug. 18- First day of school

Mary, Queen of PeaceCatholic School

PK3-7th gradePrincipal, Sybil Skansi

1515 W. Causeway ApproachMandeville, La. 70471

674-2466Aug. 12- grades 1-7 first day

of schoolAug. 16 – PK3-K first day of

school

Northlake Christian School6 weeks – 12th grade

Head of schools, Dr. L. JoeSchorter

Preschool Principal,Maureen Gaddy

Secondary principal, MontyFontenot

Elementary Principal,Brenda Williamson

70104 Wolverine Dr.Covington, La. 70433

635-0400Aug 2- daycareAug. 9-PK3, PK

Aug. 16-grades K-12 first dayof school



Our Lady of the LakeCatholic SchoolPK-7th grade

Principal, Frank Smith312 Lafitte St.



Our Lady of Lourdes SchoolGrades 1 – 8

Principal, Robert V. Kiefer Jr.345 Westchester Blvd.

Slidell, La. 643-3230

Aug. 6—Parents Check InDay

Aug. 11- First day for grades1 – 8

Aug. 12- First day for kinder-garten students

Aug. 13—First day for Pre-Kstudents

Pope John Paul II HighSchool

Grades 9-12Principal, Richard Berkowitz

1901 Jaguar DriveSlidell, La. 70461

649-0914

Slidell Christian AcademyGrades K-8

59344 N. Pearl DriveSlidell, La. 70461


St. Margaret Mary SchoolGrades K-8

Principal, Bobby Ohler1050 Robert Blvd.Slidell, La. 70458

643-4612Aug. 3-Registration

Aug. 6—First day of class for

grades 5 - 8.Aug. 9—First day of class for

grades 1 – 4.Aug. 10—First day of class

for kindergarten studentsnames A – J only.

Aug. 11—First day of classfor kindergarten student

names K-Z onlyAug. 12—First day of class

for all students.

St. Paul’s SchoolGrades 8-12

Principal, Br. RaymondBulliard, FSC

917 S. Jahncke Ave.Covington, La. 70433

892-3200Aug. 6-Book day

Aug. 9- First day of classes

St. Peter Catholic SchoolPK-7th grade

Principal, Melody Barousse130 E. Temperance St.Covington, La. 70433

892-1831Aug. 8- Back to school

social Aug. 9- First day of school

St. Scholastica AcademyGrades 8-12

Principal, Mary KathrynVillere

122 S. Massachusetts St.Covington, La. 70433

892-2450Aug. 9- Book day

Aug. 10- 8th grade orienta-tion

Aug. 10- Senior night withparents

Aug. 11- First day of class

Playing outside and getting messymay just seem like fun to kids, butplaytime actually has an importantrole in child development.

Research shows that varioustypes of play and parental interac-tion are vital to the healthy develop-ment of children. That’s why award-winning child care author of “TheBig Book of Parenting Solutions,”and mom of three, Dr. MicheleBorba is teaming up with all® Oxi-Active™ laundry detergent to letmoms know it’s okay to let their lit-tle ones get dirty and have a blastdoing it, instead of fretting about themess.

“By teaching kids that it’s okay toget messy sometimes and evenencouraging it occasionally, we asparents show them that nobody isperfect, that accidents happen andmost importantly, we teach them tobe themselves,” said Borba.“Childhood is just too short toworry about getting dirty. Moreover,today’s advanced detergents, suchas all® Oxi-Active, can remove manytough stains in one wash, but thememories that come with makingthem can last a lifetime.”

“We’ve always known that kidsand play are just a natural combo,”Borba said. “But new research alsoshows that letting kids engage inself-directed play has immensevalue for their social, emotional,cognitive and physical growth.”

Play expands kids’ minds andneurological development. Self-ini-tiated play improves skills such asproblem solving and interpretingand is important to brain develop-ment and learning.

Play boosts children’s creativityand imagination. Play gives childrenthe chance to invent, build, expand,explore and develop a whole differ-ent part of the brain.

Play stretches our children’sattention spans. Playing outdoorsjust 30 minutes a day increaseschild’s ability to focus and pay atten-tion.

Play boosts self-confidence andself-regulation. Kids learn tobecome masters of their own des-tiny without an adult directing,pushing, managing or scheduling

Play helps kids learn to enjoy justbeing in their own company, enter-taining themselves and developingidentity. Ease that guilt when yourkid says, “I’m bored, Mom!” andwants to be amused by you.

Borba urges parents to ask thesequestions:

• How much are your kidsplugged into some kind of a digitaldevice? (Did you know the averagechild is plugged in for 7 1/2 hours aday?)

• How often are they glued tothat TV or clicking that keypad?

• How much free time do theyhave (unscheduled, unsupervised)?

• How often do they go outdoorsto just decompress?

• Do your kids know how toentertain themselves and enjoy thegreat outdoors?

• How do you respond whenthey get messy?

Visit www.all-laundry.com formore information and to downloada coupon and go towww.facebook.com/alllaundry toshare your favorite messy moments.

Family Features

Why getting messy is good

back to school 2010

Documents

the15member school board

school employees

tammany parish school

salmen high school from1985

deputy superintendent

greatschool system

assistant superintendents

board president john