By MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / November 4, 1998

ST. JAMES – Often times when policy affecting students is discussed byadministrators and faculty, an important voice is left out – that of the students.

The St. James Parish School System’s Student Advisory Committee looksto give students that voice, allowing them to give their input on everything from their studies to the buildings they take classes in. The St.James Parish School Board unanimously approved the committee at its meeting Tuesday night at St. James High School.The committee will consist of 24 students, with each grade being represented by their student council president as well as the class president at each of the high schools. Advisors will be on hand for thestudents, including the counselors at each school and assistant superintendent Caldonia Ceasar.

Ceasar said the purpose of the committee would be threefold. The studentswould advise the superintendent on matters relating to school plant improvement, student policy such as the discipline policy and on curriculum and development.

The committee will meet quarterly. The first meeting is scheduled forDec. 4 from 8-9:15 a.m. at the Instructional Resource Center in the SchoolBoard Office. Ceasar said it will be more of a meeting to organize althoughshe said she will probably talk to the students about the school system and the school-to career initiative.

“The students are looking forward to it,” Ceasar said. “They like to haveinput. It makes them feel more a part of the system.”The board members were also in favor of letting the students give their input.

“It is good to let the students have a voice to tell us what we can do for them to help them,” Richard Reulet, District 7 board member, said.

In other business, the board gave approval to superintendent Walter Landry to take a survey of parents to get their input in regards to mandatory school uniforms. On that topic, the board also approved the dress codepolicy stating that all shirts and blouses must be tucked inside pants. Theonly exception would be extenuating circumstances approved by the superintendent after consulting with the principal.

Landry also gave an update on the recent ACT Summit held at Nicholls State University. Over 50 of the parish’s high school students attended thesummit conducted by professional personnel at the college and were exposed to ACT content review, time management skills and test taking techniques. A second ACT Summit is being planned for the parish’s publicschool juniors during the second semester of this school year.

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