During the 2024 Louisiana Legislative Session, the Louisiana State Legislature enacted several new laws that were enacted for the 2024-2025 school year. These new state laws will have a significant impact on all parishes throughout the state, including St. Helena Parish. These are laws that apply statewide.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES - No learner shall possess, use, or operate any electronic telecommunication device, during the instructional day, or in any school bus used to transport public school students. These devices include, but not limited to cell phones, ear buds, or any other accessory that connects to a cell phone.
First Offense – Parent contact, pick up cell phone
Second Offense – In-School suspension
Third Offense – Out-of-school suspension
SUSPENSION - A student in grades six through twelve who is suspended a third time within the same school year for any offense, excluding those related to dress codes or tardiness, shall be recommended for expulsion.
TRUANCY - Parents or guardians of truant learners are required to ensure their child make up missed class assignments by attending remediation opportunities, as determined by the School Board, until the learner has caught up with his or her assignments. The parent or legal guardian shall also attend meetings at the school on at least a monthly basis relative to the learner’s progress until the learner has caught up on his or her missed schoolwork. Families of students who fail to meet attendance requirements will face a series of escalating consequences, which may ultimately result in being reported to the Social Security Office.
SMOKING, TOBACCO AND MARIJUANA USE - Possession or use of any tobacco product, smokeless tobacco, or marijuana product in any form, or any smoking object/device, including but not limited to electronic cigarettes, advanced personal vaporizers, vape pens, vape mods and similar devices, shall be prohibited on and in all St. Helena Parish School Board property and vehicles, and at all school-sponsored or school-approved functions.
ACADEMIC POLICY CHANGES
Summer School Participation for Grades K-2 - Learners who score WELL BELOW on the DIBELS end-of-year (EOY) screener must attend summer school. Failure to attend will result in the learner being retained.
Summer School Participation for Grades 5-8 - Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year and beyond, learners who score below basic on the third benchmark assessment will be required to participate in the online summer school program. To successfully complete the program, the learner must accumulate thirty (30) hours of online course remediation. Failure to participate will result in automatic retention.
All learners who fail to meet their growth target on the LEAP assessment will be required to attend the two-week in person remediation. Failure to attend will result in automatic retention.
Learners who did not have a teacher employed for their failed subject(s) for at least 50% of the school year will be referred to the SBLC committee for decisions regarding promotion.
10-Point Grading Scale A = 90 – 100, B = 80 – 89, C = 70 – 79, D = 60 – 69, F = 0 – 59