Safer Schools, Stronger Schools

Prior to 2012, the St. Helena Parish School Board operated with a millage of only 17.86 which generated approximately $990,484.53. The school facilities were in disrepair and the beginning teacher's salary was only $30,512.00. It had been over 20 years since a tax was passed for our schools and the Federal Court was threatening to impose a tax.

In 2012, the community supported the school district by passing a brand new tax. Because of your support, the beginning teacher's salary increased by $6,000.00, new facilities were built and existing buildings were renovated.

Since 2012, we have achieved major accomplishments. Some include earning District Accreditation, increasing our graduation rate, and closing access and opportunity gaps for our learners by expanding dual enrollment courses and upgrading technology. We applied for multiple grants to purchase much-needed items and eliminated our huge deficit.

Now, the St. Helena Parish School Board will have a crucial issue before us on Saturday, November 18, with a new tax proposal on the election ballot parish-wide that will help us step into the future. This new proposal is essential to the overall long-term future of the children in the St. Helena Parish School District.

The major factors that impact the progress of our school district:

High teacher turnover
Lack of sustainable funding for academic programs
School Safety

High Teacher Turnover - St. Helena Parish Schools have had slow, steady growth over time. A major factor that is preventing us from growing at a faster rate academically is our inability to attract and retain employees, specifically certified teachers. Over the past three years alone, we have lost over 66 teachers and hired over 102. This has led to inconsistent instruction for learners. We hope to become more competitive by increasing certified teacher pay by $6,000.00 and non-certified employee pay by $4,000.00. This will put our beginning teacher's salary at $47,000.00.

Lack of sustainable funding for academic programs - these programs are vital to the success of our learners and help close the access and opportunity gaps we face being a small, rural school community.

Early Literacy - means helping children develop a rich vocabulary, self-expression, and reading comprehension—tools they need to become successful readers and lifelong learners. These skills allow a young child to enter kindergarten with a readiness to learn.
Post-secondary opportunities - Dual enrollment allows high schoolers to get college credit early at little to no cost, saving them from paying for the class when they're actually in college.
Technology - enables students to explore new subjects and deepen their understanding of difficult concepts, particularly in STEM. It also allows our learners to develop relevant skills for college or the workforce.

School Safety - impacts everyone. We are asking the community to invest in school safety so we can keep our kids protected during the school day and other school events. We need secure entry points on each campus. This includes the main entrances, interior and exterior doors, and perimeter fencing. Bus monitors and school resource officers will serve as another layer of protection against unwanted people who seek to cause harm to our children. School security systems (cybersecurity, cameras, and software) will serve as protection against online and real-time threats.