64°
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
7 Day Forecast
Follow our weather team on social media

Ascension schools will see several new additions to the system this year

1 year 7 months 2 weeks ago Wednesday, August 10 2022 Aug 10, 2022 August 10, 2022 7:40 AM August 10, 2022 in News
Source: WBRZ

ASCENSION PARISH  - Tuesday was an exciting day in Ascension parish as it sent nearly 24,000 students back to 31 schools across the district.

With the start of the school year, the school system is welcoming some new additions, including new school buses and smart technology in the classrooms. 

Pecan Grove Primary was one of many welcoming students back to school. Pecan Grove, along with the rest of Ascension's school system, has an array of plans for the students, teachers, and parents this year.

As Ascension continues to see growth in the school system's population and infrastructure, Assistant Superintendent Denise Graves said they're working to make sure new students can also achieve grades that reflect the system's standardized test grades. 

Inside the classrooms, Graves says the school system will continue its path toward advancing academic excellence, and it plans to stay among the top-ranked school systems in the state. It's put new and returning teachers through various pieces of training and preparations.

Ascension is also ranked number one in the state when it comes to educating children with disabilities. This year, the number of special education teachers has increased by about 20.

Ascension will also integrate 89 new buses into the schools this year. To accommodate the addition, a new app, "Here Comes the Bus," will be available for parents. The app will allow parents to track their children while in a specific radius of their home and the schools, says Amy Champagne, principal at Pecan Grove Primary. 

Students will also see a change in school lunches. Child Nutrition Supervisor Leuna Johnson spoke on some new additions to the menu, but also the return of an old favorite. 

The students wondered where one of their favorite meals—orange chicken—went. This year, it will make its return. Johnson says it's all about showing the students that healthy can be fun too. 

Over 500 Dutch waffles were prepared for students Tuesday morning. Just as sensational as a funnel cake, the difference is in its ingredients, as the waffles are made completely out of whole grains. Johnson said the school district is "competing with many commercial food vendors nowadays." Making healthy fun, she says, will allow kids to get the nutrition they need while enjoying foods they like. 

Lastly, smart boards will be implemented in all classrooms throughout Ascension Parish. 

Through a blend of advancements inside the classroom and out, everyone is excited to head back to the classrooms for another year of academic excellence. 

More News

Desktop News

Click to open Continuous News in a sidebar that updates in real-time.
Radar
7 Days