School chief plans listening tour

St. Landry Parish School Superintendent Patrick Jenkins announced a six-stop “listening tour” of the parish that coincides with his public introduction of a zone cluster organization of schools.
“This gives me an opportunity to listen ... and find out what those concerns are that they may have regarding education and how to improve it from their perspective,” he said.
One impetus for the tour is the defeat of a pair of school taxes in March, he said.
In a news release announcing the tour, Jenkins stated he would like the public’s thoughts on:
— What are our strengths?
— What are our challenges?
— What should we start doing?
— What should we stop doing?
— What is possible?
Each of the zones discussed at an School Board Executive Committee meeting on Sept. 24 are on the tour, which begins in Eunice on Monday.
The zones, formed around high schools, and their leaders are: Opelousas, Jenkins; Eunice, Joseph Cassimere, assistant superintendent; Port Barre, Scott Champagne, director of Title I; Northwest, Milton Batiste, supervisor of Transportation; Beau Chene, Jerome Robinson, supervisor of Health/P.E./Athletics; and North Central, Spencer Arnaud, supervisor of High School/Middle School.
There will be morning “Coffee and Conversation” talks and evening “Town Hall” meetings.
Morning sessions are scheduled form 8 to 9 .m. and the town halls are from 6 to 7 p.m.
The Coffee and Conversation schedule is:
Monday: Mosaic Cafe, 202 S. 2nd St., Eunice.
Tuesday: First Baptist of Port Barre, 853 Saizan Ave., Port Barre.
Oct. 10: Grand Prairie Elementary Library, 669 Highway 363, Washington.
Oct. 11: Old Courtableau Cafe, 104 N. Main St., Washington.
Oct. 17: Java Square, 103 W. Landry St., Opelousas.
Oct: 18, Chicory’s Coffee and Cafe, 219 E. Martin Luther King Drive, Grand Coteau.
The Town Hall schedule is:
Monday: East Elementary School Cafeteria, 550 Brother J Road, Eunice.
Tuesday: Port Barre Elementary Cafeteria, 199 OG Track Road, Port Barre.
Oct. 10, Lawtell Elementary Cafeteria, 1013 School Road, Opelousas.
Oct. 11: Palmetto Elementary Cafeteria, 235 Rideau Road, Palmetto.
Oct. 17: Park Vista Elementary Cafeteria, 1000 Abdalla Blvd., Opelousas.
Oct. 18: Grand Coteau Elementary Cafeteria, 238 Church St., Arnaudville.