Harlan Kirgan
Sometimes St. Landry Parish School Board members sound like friends sitting a table around discussing education.
That was the case at a meeting Wednesday of the Board’s Executive Committee.
It was the second night of meetings for Board members and a presentation on policies prompted observations about education.
Comments ranged from administrators returning the public’s phone calls to an observation about state school performance scores showing black children under-performing their white counterparts.
Candace Gerace, Board president, commented about a presentation made a Tuesday Academic Committee meeting about school subgroup performance.
A subgroup is a major racial or ethnic group; and economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, English learners, students in foster care, homeless students, and military affiliated students.
“Last night, when I got back home and I looked at our numbers, all those numbers that were dissected, that we discussed. There was something that was so glaringly obvious to me is that we are failing our black children, our African-American children. We are missing something. I don’t know what it is ...,” Gerace said.
Gerace’s statement came as the Board members heard about the district’s policy on parent conferences.
“If our parents aren’t showing up it is not he child’s fault, but what is the answer? I think that is something that needs to be talked about later,” she said.
Gerace said the district’s staff has “done some amazing jobs” in moving student performance forward.
Eunice Board member Mary Ellen Donatto said, “I agree with Mrs. Gerace. I would really encourage Board members to really look at that.”
Donatto added, “When you have a letter grade gap of two letter grades and then you turn around find another school that happens to be ‘quote’ successful by comparison, which is not saying a lot ... but that school also has the two letter grade gap between the races and it is difficult to conversation to have...”
Donatto, who retired as principal of East Elementary in Eunice, said the performance gap is something that comes with the territory.
Kyle Boss, a south St. Landry Parish Board member, said there are problems with white and black students “walking the streets instead of being in school.”
Superintendent Patrick Jenkins said he and Jerome Robinson, supervisor of health, physical education and athletics, have met with the parish district attorney’s staff on truancy issues.
Jenkins held out Eunice area schools as an example of how police and court officials work with the school system to keep students in school.
In Eunice, parents are notified after a student misses two or three days in school, he said.
Parents in Opelousas are being contacted after seven days of absences, Robinson said.
Jenkins said an equalizer for disadvantaged students is the district’s focus on early education.
“Kids can learn no matter what the economics are in their home,” he said citing his own upbringing in an economically poor household.
Early schooling engages children and parents to understand the value of education, he said.
In September, the school district assumed control over the parish Head Start program.
As for those phone calls to administrators that are not returned, there was no real solution advanced.
Board member Raymond Cassimere said, “I hear this all the time. ‘I called and they are not going to return my call.’”
Jenkins said, “I can tell you everyone wants to talk to me.”
Boss said the phone call issue also occurs with principals.