APSB Ascend Magazine Fall 2019
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A Magazine by Ascension Public Schools | Fall 2019 ASCEND Pecan Grove Primary Physical Education Teacher Auburn Cain congratulates a student for making a free throw. CORE VALUES LEADERSHIP LEARNING SERVICE TEAMWORK CORE VALUES his is an exciting time in the history of Ascension TPublic Schools. Our student enrollment continues to grow, and we are Ascension parish expanding and updating our facilities to accommodate that School Board growth. This year, we are opening a brand new primary school, moving our alternative school to a new campus, Taft Kleinpeter opening new buildings for our preschool students and ex- Board President panding state-of-the-art classrooms to replace temporary District 5, Seat B buildings. At the same time, we are prioritizing security Troy J. Gautreau, Sr. enhancements at all of our schools and working to open Board Vice President three additional new schools next year. District 7, Seat A A recent economic impact study conducted by LSU’s Robyn Penn Delaney Office of Research and Economic Development validat- District 1 ed the investment our citizens make in their local public Scott Duplechein school system. Not only are quality schools attracting District 2 people to Ascension Parish, but schools are also generating multi-million dollar investments in the local economy. We Julie Blouin District 3 are grateful to be a part of the economic growth that makes Ascension a great place to live. Marty Bourgeois Our students continue to excel across multiple measures District 4, Seat A including performing at the highest levels in the state of John D. Murphy Louisiana and achieving national recognition for a variety District 4, Seat B of reasons. That hard work is the direct result of strategic John DeFrances investments in people, time and resources. We want to District 5, Seat A attract and retain the best teachers and staff for the benefit of our students - for whom we strive each day to provide Jared “Boo” Bercegeay District 6, Seat A high-quality educational experiences. As you read through the pages of the very Louis Lambert first edition of our magazine, ASCEND, it District 6, Seat B is our hope you will have a greater appreci- Patricia Russo ation of the amazing things accomplished District 7, Seat B by your public school system. We could not realize these accomplishments without the support of our community. David Alexander Superintendent www.apsb.org Ascension Parish Schools Social icon Square Only use blue and/or white. For more details check out our Brand Guidelines. @APSB_official Ascension Public Schools Ascension Schools Ascension Public Schools An Equal Opportunity Employer 4 | ASCEND | Fall 2019 ASCEND A MAGAZINE BY ASCENSION PUBLIC SCHOOLS Table of Contents Featured Stories By the Numbers Pages 6-7 The Economic Benefits of Ascension Public Schools Pages 8-11 District, State, and National Honors Pages 14-17 Who Dat Celebrating Breakfast and Jambalaya in Our Schools? Pages 18-19 The Gift of Giving Meeting the Challenge | 12-13 Pages 22-23 A Construction Zone of Ascension Proportions Pages 28-31 Employee Highlights Pages 34-37 School Calendar Page 38 School Directory Page 39 Partner Spotlight - BASF | 20-21 Publication Staff Editor Jackie Tisdell Graphic Design Danielle Evans A Moment in Time | 24-27 Photography Danielle Evans Caitlyn Little Misty Leigh McElroy Jackie Tisdell Provided Photos Writers Angela DeGravelles Blythe Lamonica Caitlyn Little Jackie Tisdell Building from the Ground Up | 32-33 Fall 2019 | ASCEND | 5 Ascension Public Schools 28 Schools $257 million Ranked #2 3000 Employees with 3 More Under Construction General Fund Operating Budget Overall (Largest Employer in the Parish) SCHOOL BUS #1 for Students with Disabilities 98% 78% 280 buses #1 ELA & Math in New Run 460 Routes Each Day School Attendance Rate Dedicated to AA Academic Growth Scores 18 Graduates 1000+ Salaries and Benefits Credit Rating of Teach Ascension Academy Support Sta #2 for Economically 3.3 million+ Disadvantaged Students Meals Served Last Year $30,405,000 in GOODS (615,000 Items) 1,800 Teachers Purchased and Delivered in a Year Nearly all 27 schools 7,000 maintenance 101 Teacher Leaders* Earned “A” and “B” Grades for Progress Work Orders Completed Last Year $25.7 million 76 Principals, Assoc.,& Asst. 3,250,000 sf in Federal Grants 21 schools 9 schools Maintained by Custodians Earned Top Gains Awards Earned Equity Honoree Awards *Master, Mentor & Teacher Coaches FACILITIES BUDGETRANKINGS EMPLOYEES IMPACT TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS $421 million 20,000+ 22,862 students 88.1% Contributed to the Local Economy Student Devices 48% Female; 52% Male Graduation Rate One-to-One 60% of graduates $25.7 million Student Computers 44% Enroll Directly into College Generated in Sales Tax Each Year Minority in 1st -12th Grade 51% Economically Disadvantaged 20.3 Average 2.5% English Learners 70% of people 3 Million + 2.5 Million + ACT Composite Score said Schools were the Most Important Unique Website Views Facebook Reach Reason They Chose to Live in Ascension 2,000+ college 200+ years 894 Enrolled credit of college in Early Childhood Coures Oered or 6,414 College 471 Trees & 4 Million+ 4,688 Jobs SUPPORTED (PreK) at High Schools Credit Hours Earned Sheets of Paper Saved with 2,500 Students by Ascension Public Schools Operations Peachjar Digital Flyer System with Disabilities 4,482 Industry Based Credentials Earned in 2018-19 6 | ASCEND | Fall 2019 Ascension Public Schools 28 Schools $257 million Ranked #2 3000 Employees with 3 More Under Construction General Fund Operating Budget Overall (Largest Employer in the Parish) SCHOOL BUS #1 for Students with Disabilities 98% 78% 280 buses #1 ELA & Math in New Run 460 Routes Each Day School Attendance Rate Dedicated to AA Academic Growth Scores 18 Graduates 1000+ Salaries and Benets Credit Rating of Teach Ascension Academy Support Staff #2 for Economically 3.3 million+ Disadvantaged Students Meals Served Last Year $30,405,000 in GOODS (615,000 Items) 1,800 Teachers Purchased and Delivered in a Year Nearly all 27 schools 7,000 maintenance 101 Teacher Leaders* Earned “A” and “B” Grades for Progress Work Orders Completed Last Year $25.7 million 76 Principals, Assoc.,& Asst. 3,250,000 sf in Federal Grants 21 schools 9 schools Maintained by Custodians Earned Top Gains Awards Earned Equity Honoree Awards *Master, Mentor & Teacher Coaches FACILITIES BUDGETRANKINGS EMPLOYEES IMPACT TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS $421 million 20,000+ 22,862 students 88.1% Contributed to the Local Economy Student Devices 48% Female; 52% Male Graduation Rate One-to-One 60% of graduates $25.7 million Student Computers 44% Enroll Directly into College Generated in Sales Tax Each Year Minority in 1st -12th Grade 51% Economically Disadvantaged 20.3 Average 2.5% English Learners 70% of people 3 Million + 2.5 Million + ACT Composite Score said Schools were the Most Important Unique Website Views Facebook Reach Reason ey Chose to Live in Ascension 2,000+ college 200+ years 894 Enrolled credit of college in Early Childhood Coures Offered or 6,414 College 471 Trees & 4 Million+ 4,688 Jobs SUPPORTED (PreK) at High Schools Credit Hours Earned Sheets of Paper Saved with 2,500 Students by Ascension Public Schools Operations Peachjar Digital Flyer System with Disabilities 4,482 Industry Based Credentials Earned in 2018-19 Fall 2019 | ASCEND | 7 The economic benefitS OF Ascension public schools East Ascension High graduate Danae Jackson (left) plans to attend Southeastern Louisiana University for nursing, and St. Amant High graduate Trey Hebert plans to go directly into the workforce with his welding credentials. Both graduates meet Louisiana's workforce demands. Ascension Public and income growth within income, or output of these ripple effects with- Schools contributes $421 the parish." produced directly by in an economy using jobs, million annually to the the school district. earnings, and output (or local economy, increases ECONOMIC IMPACT 2. $69 million and 742 total sales) multipliers. property values, and is OF OPERATIONS jobs in Indirect Effect: the top factor in parish Operations of the As- Inter-industry impacts IMPACT OF population growth accord- cension Public Schools of the school district, SCHOOL QUALITY ing to a recent study by district have a total annual such as wholesale ON GROWTH Louisiana State Universi- economic impact of $421 suppliers, construction In addition to support- ty's Economics and Policy million to the local econo- firms, etc. ing activity through its Research Group. my and support 4,688 jobs. 3. $110 million and 1,028 operating budget, Ascen- According to the LSU The impact of the school jobs in Induced Effect: sion Public Schools quality study, "(w)hile any school district's operations was Impacts generated by has served as a magnet district's operations can calculated using three household spending for growth. According to help support economic ac- components: by employees of the the U.S. Census Bureau, tivity at some level, Ascen- 1. $242 million and school district. 30% of Ascension Parish sion Public Schools stand 2,917 jobs in Direct An economic impact residents work in the par- out in their contribution Effect: Amount of analysis provides the tools ish and 40% work in East to long-term population employment, labor to quantify the full impact Baton Rouge Parish. The 8 | ASCEND | Fall 2019 Operations of the Ascension Public Schools have a total economic impact of $421 million to the local economy and support 4,688 jobs. study asserts that the qual- ity of Ascension Schools stands out as a potential factor attracting people to the region despite the "im- balance of local jobs and commuting patterns." LSU surveyed parents of current students to deter- mine the reasons why they chose to reside in Ascen- sion Parish. The average survey respondent has lived in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area for 24 years and, specifically, in Survey respondents ranked the relative importance of factors that contributed to their decision to live in Ascension Parish.