Recognitions, changes discussed at meeting

The Acadia Parish School Board has decided it’s time for a change.
In an action item Monday night, the board unanimously approved the recommendation of the Personnel, Insurance and Curriculum Committee that committee meetings move from the third Wednesday of each month to the third Monday.
The item has received no real discord, and only initial discussion for clarification.
The item was motioned forward by James Higginbotham, chair of the committee and seconded by Milton Simar.
The changes will take place beginning next month as Rice Festival will askew agenda dates. Committee meetings will be held Wednesday, Oct. 21. The next school board meeting is set for Monday, Nov. 2.
In opening items, the board was eager to recognize its National Blue Ribbon schools. Rarely can a parish as small as Acadia celebrate one school being nationally recognized, two may just be unprecedented.
“It seems funny that little ole Acadia Parish got two,” said Bourque. “We’ve been preaching for years that kids come first.
“We are so proud of Martin Petitjean, South Crowley and their staffs.”
Last Tuesday, the year-long journey came to an official conclusion as the U.S. Department of Education announced its 2015 National Blue Ribbon Schools, among the list of over 330 schools nationally was Acadia’s own Martin Petitjean Elementary (Rayne) and South Crowley Elementary schools.
Both principals – Kim Cummins (Martin Petitjean) and Irma Trosclair (South Crowley) – will be honored in Washington, D.C., in early November where they will each receive a flag to be flown or displayed at their schools and other recognition items.
“This is them,” said Cummins, pointing to her faculty and staff. “They did this.
“It all comes down to believing in kids, believing they can achieve no matter what the circumstances are when they go home.”
Trosclair echoed those sentiments, also highlighting her students.
“I’ve always believed in, and I’ve said before, ‘in spite of’, and that’s what we believe at South Crowley,” she said. “In spite of poverty, in spite of race, in spite of anything children encounter, we still have a job to do.
“It isn’t an excuse and it doesn’t let us off the hook.”
Following that moment, the board also put forth the recognition of October as National Rice Month within the school system.
Though September is actually National Rice Month, the board looked to do so this month instead as it was a great chance to honor the rice industry as it all coincides with Crowley’s 79th International Rice Festival, set for Oct. 15-18.
To open the meeting, Phillip DeVillier, candidate for Louisiana House of Representatives, District 41, spoke to the board announcing his candidacy and explaining why he decided to run for state office.