Evangeline Parish School Board hosts parent involvement day

During an event held at the Ville Platte North Side Civic Center on Thursday, personnel from the Evangeline Parish School Board Office shared information about the Title I programs in the district with parents and members of the community.
According to event organizer and Title I Supervisor for Evangeline Parish Grace Sibley, the theme of the event was FACEBOOK, which stands for Family and community engagement builds overwhelmingly outstanding knowledge.
The parish’s Title I Director Mary Ann Fontenot told the audience, “Family and parent engagement is very important to the education of all of our students. The schools have activities all year long that help the parents be involved in the education of our students.”
She continued, “We also have programs that help to educate parents such as family night to promote literature in the home and to teach the parents about our new Euraka math. We want to do things that help our parents to be a part of the education of our students.”
Fontenot went on to explain, “Title I is a federally funded program.” She added the program exists in order that “all of our children have an equal opportunity to a good education where they are able to meet the standards that are required of them by the State of Louisiana.”
Money received by the school district here in Evangeline Parish from Title I, according to Fontenot, goes to paying for master teachers, core recovery teachers, tutors, preschool teachers and paraprofessionals, grade and attendance recovery programs, computers and Chrome books, Smart boards, educational supplies, media lab, family and community activities, professional development for teachers, and programs for the homeless, English learners, and the migrants.
Schools in the district also get money from Title I to conduct annual needs assessments and to develop school improvement plans.
Parents of students in Evangeline Parish schools are invited to get involved in the school advisory council to give recommendations on how the Title I money should be spent.
Fontenot also went over certain rights the parents need to know. Parents have a right to know if their child is taught four or more weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified according to ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) guidelines, and parents have a right to know the qualifications of a teacher who is teaching their child. A parent must request this information in writing, and the school must respond in writing.
After Fontenot went over the parent and family engagement policy, Dr. Tina Stefanski from the Louisiana Region IV Office of Public Health addressed the audience about the rise of sexually transmitted diseases in the country and, in particularly, in Acadiana.
“Usually, the higher number of cases in the state are around New Orleans followed by Shreveport,” said Dr. Stefanski, “but then we in Acadiana are right behind them and are on the verge of tipping over into the higher case rate especially congenital syphilis.”
According to Dr. Stefanski, congenital syphilis is a disease when babies are born with syphilis.
Dr. Stefanski used her presentation to say it is really important to bring people’s attention to this health matter.
“I feel we’re doing a disservice to our young people by not letting them know about these high rates and what they can do to prepare themselves,” she said. “We encourage you to talk to teenagers and educate them about STDs to prevent the spread to anyone else.”
The highlight of the event was former Green Beret Terry “Trooper” Johnson. He is an author and conducts prison ministry and corporate training programs as well as motivational speaking events.
Johnson encouraged the parents and community members to “dream that you can do it.” He added, “No one will believe in you until you believe in you.”