St. Mary School Board gets initial OK on federal aid for reopening

CENTERVILLE — The St. Mary Parish School System received substantial approval this week for its initial set of funding requests allocated by the federal government to assist with reopening schools.
The funding is included in three different stimulus funding sources, Superintendent Teresa Bagwell told the board at its monthly meeting Thursday. The funding sources are defined by the Louisiana Department of Education as Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund I, II and III.
“Each stimulus fund spans an availability timeline and ultimately stretches into 2024,” Bagwell said of the three funding sources. “These one-time allocations are significant and present a considerable fiscal responsibility to properly assign funds according to the state’s prescribed priorities.”
St. Mary’s approvals came from Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund II and III.
“Overall, the approval will allow St. Mary to support student learning throughout various summer activities and address recognized infrastructure demands,” Bagwell said.
In other action, the board approved job descriptions at Berwick Elementary for a K-2 Literacy Coach, and a K-2 Literacy Paraprofessional. A job description for a Social-Emotional Learning coach was approved, too.
The school qualified for the funding through the Comprehensive Literacy State Development 2020 Grant.
Through the grant, qualifying schools can work to improve student success in literacy for those in grades K-2.
With the grant, St. Mary will be able to have a K-2 Literacy Coach and two K-2 Literacy Paraprofessionals assisting as long as the grant is funded. That is projected to be three years.
“We’re going to have parental involvement activities, community involvement activities,” Nikki Fryou said. “Hopefully some of the COVID things will go away, and they’ll be able to come in person on our campus to help our readers because that’s what it’s all about. It’s about moving your K-2 students and catching them before that gap gets too big.”
The Social-Emotional Learning Coach job description also was approved, although the job will not be filled unless funding is available through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund III Intervention funding, the position is available to elementary schools that do not have a guidance counselor.
Also Thursday, the board:
—Approved adjustments to the 2021-22 employee salary scales to reflect increases of $3,000 for certified employees and $1,500 for non-certificated employees. The raises stem from the public’s passage of a 0.45% sales tax earlier this year. The raises are effective July 1.
—Adopted a resolution calling for a special election in Consolidated School District No. 5 in St. Mary Parish on Oct. 9 for the renewal of an 11.82 mill tax. The entire parish will vote on the millage renewal.
—Approved a request from St. Mary Community Action to approve the summer feeding program at St. Mary Alternative Program site in Verdunville, Raintree Elementary School in Baldwin, Hattie Watts Elementary School in Patterson and J.B. Maitland Elementary in Morgan City. Board member Pearl Rack abstained from voting for the item.
—Adopted its tax millage rates for the 2021 year after hearing no public comments.
—Learned from Bagwell that school will close on June 4, with report cards being distributed.
—For two weeks, beginning June 7, more than 1,200 elementary students will attend the district’s first-ever Summer Adventure Camp.
“We are looking forward to providing our youngest learners with a fun-filled two-week learning experience of project-based learning,” Bagwell said.
—Approved special project requests offered to the board in maintenance committee reports from Districts 1-3. A District 1 request also was approved to transfer $250,000 from the District 1 Maintenance Fund to the Capital Projects fund. A District 3 request to move $900,000 from the District 3 Maintenance Fund to the Capital Projects fund also was approved.
—Agreed to meet May 27 at 5 p.m. at the Central Office Complex in Centerville to discuss job description for a literacy coach they received funding for in a grant at Urgent Intervention Required Schools. The board also will discuss Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund expenditure approvals.