RESERVE — Southeastern Louisiana University has teamed up with St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools to begin offering a cohort of Master of Education courses at the central office in Reserve, making it more convenient for local teachers to advance their education and improve their teaching skills.

The cohort will meet in the demonstration classrooms located in the annex building of the School Board Central Office, and students will take six hours each term (Spring, Summer and Fall).

The first class will meet on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. beginning Jan. 20, 2009, with two additional hours of instruction time being delivered via the Internet.

SLU Education professors Dr. Michel Richardson, Dr. Kenneth Lane, Dr. Tony Armenta and Dr. Felicia Blacher-Wilson attended a recent school board meeting to announce the new program.

“A master’s degree in the Education Leadership Program at Southeastern Louisiana University is designed to provide the essential foundation for school administrators to assume the role of instructional leaders for effective school improvement,” Lane said.

He noted that information sessions have been held in the parish. He said students must apply for and be admitted for study to the university, and they must satisfy all other graduate admission requirements with the university.

Lane said university officials have met with more than 50 local teachers who are interested in the program, and he is expecting about half — nearly 25 — to sign up for the Spring 2009 semester.

Dr. Courtney P. Millet, superintendent of St. John the Baptist Parish Schools, praised the university’s program, and she encouraged the district’s teachers to take advantage of this continuing education opportunity.

For more information about the program, visit Southeastern Louisiana University’s Educational Leadership Program website at www.selu.edu/acad_research/depts/edlt or call Dr. Lane’s office at 985-549-3765.