Plan for extra school help rejected

Three low-performing Opelousas schools will not get master teachers as recommended by the St. Landry Parish School Board’s Academic Committee.
The committee approved hiring master teachers for South Street Elementary, Opelousas Junior High School and Washington Elementary School.
At Thursday’s School Board meeting, the hiring was sent to the Board’s Personnel Committee on a 12-1 vote.
Eunice Board member Mary Ellen Donatto put the brakes on the hiring by questioning the job descriptions for the teachers and the lack of funding.
The teachers are to be paid through a School Improvement Grant.
South Street and Opelousas Junior High are “F” schools in the state grading system. Washington Elementary is a “D” School.
Milton Ambres, an Opelousas Board member, said failing schools need more help. Ambres voted against sending the master teacher hiring back to committee.
Failing schools need help, he said. “The only way we are going to do that is to give people what they need.”
The plan raised criticism of State Superintendent John White who visited Opelousas recently.
Anthony Standberry, a Lawtell Board member, criticized White for telling school officials the money is available.
“Superintendent White told us he had money for this, but he didn’t tell us that it was federal money that they were waiting on. This money is nowhere near Louisiana at this point,” Standberry said.
“John White came here and dangled a carrot in front of our faces to see how many rabbits would follow,” he said.
Hazel Sias, an Opelousas Board member, said, “I’m glad the superintendent came because if he hadn’t we would not have known about the SIG grant.”
Rep. Dustin Miller, D-Lawtell, cautioned, “While we are at the negotiating table trying to get as much money as possible for St. Landry Parish let’s try not to throw rocks at the superintendent. That’s all I ask because he is committed to us.”
School Board members also haggled over the job description for special education instructional specialist. The description was altered to include a provision preferring five years of successful experience teaching special education. Originally, the job description required five years of teaching experience.
In other business, the Board approved two re-roofing projects. They are: $459,000 for Eunice High School; and $210,936 for Opelousas High School.