ERIK SANZENBACH and LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / August 21, 1999

RESERVE – According to Ann Laborde, St. John School Board spokesperson,the first week of school went amazingly smooth.

“All schools reported a very smooth start,” she said.

The most remarkable development is the acceptance of the new mandatory uniform rule.

“No student showed up not in uniform,” Laborde said.

In fact, over at Fifth Ward Elementary where uniforms are optional, over half the student body showed up in uniform, and at West St. John Highwhere uniforms are also optional, over 85 percent of the student body came to school in uniform.

Grady Hall, principal at Leon Godchaux Junior High said, “The kids look nice, and more dressed up. They seem to be taking school more seriously. Ithink they are motivated by the formality.”Laborde reported that all the principals agree the uniforms have made a big difference. Even at the Redirection Center the uniforms are a big hit. Redirection is the school where students are placed when they are recommended for expulsion.

But Laborde said the students are showing up in their respective schools’ uniforms and they are behaving.

Talking about behaving, East St. John High has installed security videocameras in the hallways and the principal, Debbie Schum, has said the cameras have cut down on class tardiness.

Over at Garyville Magnet, the students there are taking a shine to the new “Respect Law.” It seems they are catching and correcting themselveswhen they forget to say “Yes, sir” or “Yes, ma’am.” It could be a habit thatcatches on.

The teachers are working hard at training the students for the big LEAP and GEE tests. They were also told to read the book “How to be an EffectiveTeacher” by Harry Wong over the summer, and the extra reading seems to have paid off. The teachers are putting what they have read to work andtheir attitude is really improved, officials said.

Enrollment is about the same as last year. Total student population as ofyesterday was 5,528. Teachers are also calling students who don’t showup and urging them to come to school.

In St. Charles Parish, 10,000 children packed public schools, as the 1999-2000 school year was launched this week.

“Perfect!” Rochelle Touchard, spokeswoman for the school district, observed of the first day on Wednesday.

With pre-planning, a lot of the preliminary work was done, such as issuing school books and supplies prior to the actual first day of classes.

Therefore, Touchard commented, “The actual first day included some learning going on.”She added of the teachers, “They’re very pleased.”Barbara Fuselier, new principal at Hahnville High School, commented she was overwhelmed by how well the school year has begun “without a glitch.”Carolyn Garrett, of the school district’s child welfare office, said the 10,000 students are an estimate, as late admissions, kindergarten and Head Start students are not included at this point.

An official count must be turned in to the state education department by Oct. 1.

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