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St. Mary Parish Public Schools start school year with new superintendent, program
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MORGAN CITY - St. Mary Parish Public Schools is heading into the new school year with a new superintendent and programs aimed at student safety and learning options.
The parish school system serves roughly 7,000 students and is comprised of 21 schools. Dr. Rachael Sanders is taking over as superintendent, bringing 28 years of experience within the school system.
"I'm excited to start a new school year, I really am. I love this place, I love our school system. It has so much to offer, I'm going to do my best to make sure we expand those opportunities," Dr. Sanders said.
One of the things Sanders is helping invest in is a virtual learning option open to any student in the district.
"We're hoping that students maybe who don't thrive in the traditional school setting will feel comfortable and confident and come back to St. Mary Parish and re-enroll and join our virtual learning option," she said.
On the safety side, all schools will have single-point entry, metal detectors and seven student resource officers spread across campuses. Sheriff Gary Driskell said his office is also stepping up its presence.
"We put more deputies on the streets, we have them going to the schools as patrolmen, doing walk-throughs, being seen and helping out however they can," Driskell said.
The district is also launching a new program called The Futures Project, which focuses on helping students make better decisions around alcohol, nicotine and drugs.
Officials said the previous DARE program was no longer keeping up with current issues facing students in the parish, including vaping.
The new school year starts August 7.
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