Harlan Kirgan
Some St. Landry Parish School Board member asked the superintendent to find a different way to improve under-performing schools.
The request, which drew a passionate response from Superintendent Patrick Jenkins, came at the end of the Board’s meeting Thursday.
“When I read the committee meeting agenda and I saw ‘Discussion of Opelousas Schools’ I was excited,” said Board member Josh Boudreaux.
Boudreaux said he and Board member Mary Ellen Donatto had discussed a transformation zone idea “about what we can do different. What we had displayed on the screen tonight and all of the slides is positive.”
Boudreaux said, “We need to do something different. So, as much I enjoy listening to the accolades and everything else it is just not working.”
The focus on Opelousas schools struggling compared to other parish schools and those in the state’s accountability program.
“This is not what I expected to see tonight. I expected more what we can do different or any ideas. You said it yourself where other people coming in sometimes gives a different perspective,” Boudreaux said.
Jenkins said, “We disagree” to the observation.
The superintendent said Opelousas schools have grown. “They are not where we want them to be and I think we can all agree on that, however, if you go back four, five, 10 years you’ll see where they are now is significant growth,” he said.
The school system had made gains that were mitigated by a change in the state’s scoring, he said.
Early learning programs also are underway are helping children with their growth. Jenkins said the growth won’t be seen until the children are in the third and fourth grades.
“What we are doing now is laying a foundation for growth of St. Landry Parish schools,” he said.
Jenkins also pointed to Opelousas High School improving its graduation rate rate from 49% in 2016 to 69.9% in 2020.
“We grew those schools. You can’t tell me it is not working because I take that personally and because these people are working their butts off,” he said.
Jenkins pledged that the Board would see significant growth in two years.
Board member Milton Ambres said he can remember when Opelousas High was a “flagship” school in the state. The school “ is not great now and nothing in Opelousas is great now.”
Ambres said he cannot see the Opelousas schools moving up if there is no change.
“We need to think out of the box. Something needs to be done and I don’t know what it is. I don’t know the answers because if I knew the answers I’d definitely tell it to you,” he said.
Mary Ellen Donatto, a Eunice Board member, said, “Nobody in this room tonight said that the people in this room are not working hard. Nobody said that. It is very obvious that they are working hard and things are getting done.”
Donatto said it tends to be the same schools that struggling.
“I’m not trying to hurt anybody’s feelings by saying let’s reach in and see what is happening in those few schools where children are struggling,” she said.
“What we just saw has caused the majority of our children to grow,” she said about the programs in place.
Donatto, who retired as principal at East Elementary in Eunice, said she spent 50 years working the St. Landry Parish School system. “I love the St. Landry Parish School system ...” she said.
She noted many of the Board members are educators and said the issue being presented is to find out why some schools are not succeeding.
Board President Hazel Sias added the school staff needs to find what are the underlying reasons some schools are struggling.
Board member Kyle Boss suggested one reason schools are struggling is “kids are in not school.” Boss said when he drives in Opelousas he often sees children not in school.