Two Lafayette School Programs Honored

The Lafayette Parish School System announced today that two of their programs will be included in the Magna Best Practices Database.

The American School Board Journal sent out their list of top-scoring educational programs that will be part of the database.

300 nominations for inclusion were received by the Journal, and eighty-one programs were chosen nationwide.

Lafayette Middle School’s Environmental Science Academy and the Lafayette Parish eCampus Virtual Learning program were selected.

The Magna Best Practices Database is a tool for educators looking for, a the press release states, "innovative new ideas, best practices, and proven and practical solutions for big and small district problems."

The Lafayette Middle School Environmental Science Academy offers a hands-on learning environment.  Officials say the goal is to help students attain a "sense of stewardship" in their school and community.  The program has been operating since 2005 and now has over 150 students.   “This program has changed our school’s culture, and has impacted our community. It’s a privilege to share what we’ve learned with schools in other parts of the country,” says Monique B. Magee, Lafayette Middle School Principal.

The Lafayette Parish eCampus Virtual Learning program was started to help boost grades for students at risk of not getting a high school diploma. "eCampus already serves as a model for other districts across the state, but now we can help out-of-state schools who are facing similar problems,” says Jarrett Coutee, eCampus administrator.

You can learn more about Lafayette's programs at www.asbj.com/magna.