LEAP, GEE remediation classes under way

For some Tri-parish students, summer fun will have to wait until they complete the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program and Graduation Exit Examination retest on June 26.

“The state requires that we provide 100 hours of remediation for students who don’t meet the standards on the LEAP and GEE,” Lafourche Parish testing coordinator Julie Bourgeois said.

According to Bourgeois, Thibodaux High School does 20 of its remediation hours upfront as part of the school’s Bridge Time program, where students receive tutoring after school during the school year.

Lafourche Parish LEAP and GEE remediation began on May 28 at three sites in the district.

“Remediation sites are generally set up at the all parish schools, but due to finances, some of the students will be attending remediation at Central Lafourche, Thibodaux and South Lafourche high schools instead of their own schools,” she said.

The parish has 326 fourth graders and 412 eighth grade students that are eligible for the LEAP retest in June. Graduating 718 of its senior, Lafourche has 60 high school students that are eligible for the GEE retest, according to Bourgeois.

“More than 70 percent of the parish fourth grade passed the LEAP exam, and more than 65 percent of the parish eighth graders scored at or above approaching basic level on the LEAP,” Bourgeois said.

St. Mary Parish began remediation classes on June 4 at four sites in the district. Those sites are Morgan City Junior High School, Watts Elementary School, Franklin Junior High School and B. Edward Boudreaux Middle School.

The parish has 150 fourth graders and 167 eighth grade students that are eligible for the LEAP retest in June. Graduating 610 of its senior, St. Mary has 135 high school students that are eligible for the GEE retest, according to testing coordinator Kevin Derise.

Summer remediation for Terrebonne Parish began on May 30. Several calls were made to the Terrebonne Parish testing center for details but were not returned before press time.

Outside of the LEAP and GEE remediation in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes, school officials have incorporated programs geared toward getting students to the next level in their academic careers.

In Terrebonne Parish, a new district First Grade Academy will be introduced. The program is a month-long session intended to help the parish first graders who are lacking the skills to pass. “This program is designed to keep the first grade students from falling behind in their academic work,” Richard said.

According to the Supervisor of Elementary Education Pam Lemoine, the elementary pilot program is scheduled to include 20 instructional days for the first graders who lack the skills necessary to go on to the second grade.

“All the students will be pre-tested in reading and mathematics. Remediation is based on the student’s individual need. The students will be post-tested to assure that they have reached promotional criteria. And a written recommendation for promotion will be made at the end of the session for all the student who qualify,” Lemoine said.

In accordance with the Louisiana Department of Education’s summer school requirements, students will complete three-and-one-half hours of instructional work per day at East Houma Elementary and Mulberry Elementary schools.

The Terrebonne Parish School Board members have expressed their support for the elementary program. “This program will have a positive impact on our school system,” said Education and Policy Committee Chairman Gregory Harding.

This summer it’s all about motivating the students to achieve more in the Tri-Parishes. Lafourche Parish has two separate summer program for parish students not attending LEAP or GEE remediation.

According to the Supervisor of Middle Schools Chris Bowman, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant is funding its second year of summer programs for Lafourche Parish.

“The program caters to the needy families and the academic skills of the students in Lafourche Parish,” Bowman said.

Open June 4 to kindergarteners through eighth graders, Bowman said the program provides tutorial and enrichment programs, as well as recreation and arts and crafts.

The program is offered at Thibodaux Elementary School, W.S. Lafargue Elementary School, Golden Meadow Upper Elementary School and Central Lafourche High for Raceland Upper and Raceland Middle schools.

“We try to do what we can to keep the students motivated. It gives them a chance to come away with some academic skills that can help them prepare for next school term,” Bowman said.

The other Lafourche Parish summer program for non-LEAP and GEE re-testers is the Kids in ACTION summer program called “Discover Zone.”

In its third year, the program is a part of the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. According to Site Director Mary Reynaud, the four-week program will be held at Larose Cut Off Middle School for students in grades Kindergarten through eighth grade.

Like the TANF program, the four-week session is geared toward enriching the academic and social aspects of the Lafourche Parish elementary and middle school students.

The Discover Zone program is full, Bowman said, but students can attend the TANF program. To register, contact Bowman at (985) 446-5631.