Jacqueline Brass of St. James Parish Schools, with nine years ofexperience as supervisor of adult education, has three main places where adults can meet their educational goals, whether it is to improve basic math or reading skills, pursue a GED or other goals.

The Adult Learning Center in St. James Parish is located in Lutcher. Othercenters are at St. James Junior High School annex in Vacherie and at FifthWard Elementary in St. James.The Lutcher classes are held Mondays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Vacherie and St.James classes are held Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.A fourth site for adult education classes is the parish jail. The adulteducation program awards an average of 25 GED’s each year.

For more information, phone 869-5375, extension 249.

Chris Donaldson, Associate Superintendent for St. John the Baptist ParishSchools, noted the face of adult education is getting “younger and younger” as more young adults aim to meet their educational goals.

Donaldson noted the GED examination is a tough one, as 35 percent of high school graduates nationwide couldn’t pass it. “It’s not an easy ticket,” hesaid.

In St. John Parish, 455 were registered in adult classes, including 56 GEDgraduates.

There are five sites for adult education, where classes will begin Sept. 8.These include East St. John High School (Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4:30to 7:30 p.m.), Leon Godchaux Junior High (Mondays and Tuesdays, 4 to 7p.m.), West St. John High (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5 to 8 p.m.), LouisianaTechnical College, River Parishes Campus (Mondays through Fridays, 7 to 11 a.m.) and at the parish jail (Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.).Donaldson emphasized there is no enrollment cost and that the primary purpose is “to provide educational opportunities to under-educated adults who need basic literacy skills to be able to function as productive and responsible citizens and to gain employment.”Shirl Cook, coordinator for adult education in St. Charles Parish for thepast 25 years, said the program had 620 students last year, including 132 GED students.

For more information, phone 536-1106 or 1-800-296-1106.

In St. Charles Parish, day classes are held at the Boutte Adult LearningCenter, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and at Norco Adult LearningCenter, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Night classes are held atDestrehan High School, Tuesdays through Thursdays, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., andat Hahnville High School, Tuesdays through Thursdays, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.Basic areas of instruction include reading, spelling, language arts, mathematics and social studies. Supplemental areas stressed includehealth, career education and vocational interests, personal guidance, citizenship and other life-coping skills.

For more information, phone 785-1902 or 764-8458.

Dennis Murphy, director of the Louisiana Technical College, River Parishes Campus, stated: “Our mission is to prepare people to go to work. We wantpeople to graduate, get jobs and stay local.”Classes include everything from air conditioning to practical nursing to welding. There are night programs for computer training and also new dayextension computer courses.

For more information, phone 536-4418 or 1-800-590-9773.

Back to Top

Back to Business Headlines

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

Internet services provided by NeoSoft.

Best viewed with 3.0 or higher