By Kimberly Hopson

L’Observateur

DESTREHAN – Surpriya Jindal, Gov. Bobby Jindal’s wife, paid a special visit to New Sarpy Elementary School Monday morning to see how the recipients of her School Surprise Program awards were using their new tools in the classroom.

The School Surprise Program, with the help of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation, was created based on input from teachers about how to enhance the classroom environment and provides kindergarten classrooms with tools to aid in the education of young students. According to the foundation website, the program has awarded nearly 30 elementary schools in Louisiana so far.

Jindal observed as the students of Rosalie Hauk’s kindergarten class used their 10 frame charts, writing paddles and counters to compose numbers and participated as the students sang “We’ve Got the Whole World In Our Hands” while passing around their new inflatable globe. The students listened quietly as Jindal sat down to read “Corduroy,” a childrens’ picture book.

Jindal also addressed the seven kindergarten teachers who received the awards and gave them each a generous collection of new picture books.

Hauk said each kindergarten teacher was allowed to choose items they felt would enhance their classroom environment.

Each teacher was allotted a budget of $1,500. Hauk said she chose science material, games for vowels and magnifying glasses among other items for her class. The teacher also said her students came up with the idea to sing for Jindal all on their own and that they had already been working on common core learning before they received the new materials.

“It’ll be great next year because now I have the a lot stuff I need for common core. (The students) were like ‘Wow, we got more? Is it Christmas?’” said Hauk of the children’s reactions.

“They were very excited about the books. (Common core learning) is much tougher than in the past. This is really our first year with kindergarten implementation, but I think they’ll be better first graders because of it.”

“Establishing a strong foundation for our students to build upon is so very important – we all want to ensure our kindergarten students master the basics of reading, writing and math. Thus, the foundation has decided to award classrooms with hands-on interactive tools to further aid in our students’ mastery of core subjects,” said Jindal. “With hard work, we believe we have the opportunity to make a lasting and positive difference in education.”