St. Mary students head back to school this week

Staff report
For more than 8,000 young people across St. Mary Parish, it’s time to dive back into the books.
Central Catholic’s elementary and high schools begin classes Wednesday. St. Mary public schools and Immanuel Christian School in Morgan City open the 2025-26 school year Thursday.
Superintendent Dr. Buffy Fegenbush provided this information about what public school students will return to this week:
•Don’t look for major policy changes. Dress codes, the clear bag policy and safety protocols will be the same as last year. Supply lists for elementary and high school students have been posted on school sites.
•The district continues to transition to a fully cashless system for school-related payments. All payments for things such as lunches, field trips and other activities will be made online. Families have been notified with enrollment instructions. Each school is able to provide support.
•There will again be free breakfast and lunch for all students, regardless of family income. It’s part of the Community Eligibility Program, which helps schools in low-income areas provide meals without requiring individual applications.
Fegenbush thanked Dawn Chaisson, supervisor of child nutrition, for her work in continuing to make the Community Eligibility Program a reality for St. Mary Parish schools.
•The district is continuing its focus on good student attendance and the importance of regular attendance for student success. This is also a state initiative this year that the Department of Education called The Power of Presence. You can learn more at https://doe.louisiana.gov/school-system-leaders/school-system-support/at....
A dedicated district attendance team is in place to provide tailored support for schools and families struggling with attendance issues along with the school-based teams.
•Starting this year, a new elective class, Intro to STEM, will be offered at the middle school level. This is part of the district’s commitment to enhancing education and preparing students for the ever-changing job market.
•Bus routes have been updated and posted on the district website. Families are encouraged to review these routes before the first day of school as there have been changes from last year’s routes.
•All students, grades kindergarten through ninth grade, will be receiving new devices. Sophomores, juniors and seniors will be added progressively.
•Project STAY -- Sustaining Teachers, Advancing Youth: Teachers are receiving additional training in innovative teaching strategies, including project-based learning and differentiated instruction to ensure all students’ needs are met.
Sessions have been and will continue to be teacher-created and presented based upon survey responses from our teaching staff.
•Students and parents can access the 2025-26 Student-Parent Handbook on the district web page which outlines a Guide to SMPPS, Student Code of Conduct and the Discipline Matrix.
https://www.stmaryk12.net/parentsstudents/a-guide-for-smp-schools
•Preliminary student counts will be reported at the August School Board meeting.
The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission reminds drivers the school zones that have been dormant since May will be active again in the mornings and afternoons.
“Just as students are preparing for another school year, drivers need to mentally prepare for active school zones and slow down to the posted speed,” LHSC Executive Director Lisa Freeman said.
School zone times vary around the state but generally are in effect from 6-8 a.m. and from 2-4 p.m. during school days.
Freeman reminded drivers that it is illegal to use a hand-held cell phone in a school zone in Louisiana. A first-offense fine can be as much as $500.
“It is dangerous, it is illegal, and it can be very expensive,” Freeman said.
Drivers also must remain vigilant around school buses, especially in the afternoons, when children are walking home after getting off the bus. “Kids don’t always look before they run into the street; it’s up to us as adults to watch out for them,” Freeman said.
When a school bus’s red lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended, all traffic moving in the same direction as the bus must stop until the stop arm and lights are disengaged. Traffic moving in the opposite direction of the bus may have to stop, depending on the type of road:
•On a two-lane road, a three-lane road with a center turning lane, or a four-lane road with no physical median, all vehicles in both directions must stop.
•On a divided highway with a grass median or other physical barrier, vehicles moving in the same direction as the bus must stop; oncoming traffic should proceed with caution.
•On a highway with a center turning lane with two travel lanes on each side, vehicles moving in the same direction as the bus must stop; oncoming traffic should proceed with caution.