Former Acadia school supt., BESE member Bertrand dies

Former Board of Elementary and Secondary Education member and Acadia superintendent of schools John Avery Bertrand, died Tuesday. He was 88. Services are Friday.
Survivors include his wife Ella and three daughters.
He was a Coast Guard veteran of World War II who served in the South Pacific and took his first education job teaching seventh grade in Rayne. He also taught at the secondary and college levels.
He was also a principal for 13 years, then superintendent for 19.
Elected to BESE in 1983, he served for 16 years, including several terms as president.
Those years included BESE adopting stricter graduation rules calling for more meaningful English and math courses, and eventually required graduates to take a test before receiving their diploma.
For six years Bertrand was chairman of Council for the Development of French in Louisiana. CODOFIL works to preserve the French language and culture in Louisiana.
Dr. Bertrand was active in civic and church affairs, serving as president of the Crowley Chamber of Commerce, member of the Crowley Kiwanis Club, member of the Board of Directors of the Crowley Rice Festival, Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus council 4562, lector at St. Michael Catholic Church, President of District and State Superintendents Association, and president of CODOFIL. After the death of James Domengeaux, Bertrand was credited with moving CODOFIL forward. He was a huge promoter and supporter of studying the French language in all Louisiana schools. Bertrand remains a great promoter of the French Immersion program in the state of Louisiana.