West Feliciana Parish Schools

We are leaders at our school.  And leaders make sure that things get done.  ~ Marley Kador Bains 4th Grade Student

#GrowthMindset

#WeAreWestFel

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UPCOMING EVENTS: 

School Board Meeting ~ 

August 21

1st West Feliciana Reading Council Meeting ~ August 27 at Bains at 3:30

West Fel versus East Fel  ~ August 31

Home Game

Reflecting on Last Week 

• First Day for Pre-K Students!

Ms. Zanobia Carter (Pre-K Teacher), Ahmir Lee, Evan Smith, and Kadrick Jackson

Charles Washington and Kaiden Dixon

Ava Rowan and her stuffed animal, Lady

Lucy Lindsey

Ms. Amanda, Harper, and Mr. Odis Ratcliff

• Bains students are back at it!  They are reading, studying, and reviewing their work long before the school day begins. 

Noah Johnson enjoys reading a book on Cobras before school at Bains!

India Carter enjoys reading Swing it Sunny before school.

• A SHOUT OUT! goes to Mr. Grant Ollenburger, Bains Lower Speech Therapist, for helping fix a flat tire for a parent in the car pool line.

• Sheriff Deputy Shelton Scales assists James Hudson Deville and his grandmother as they bring supplies to his pre-k classroom.

• Bains Elementary is a Lighthouse school for teaching leadership to our students.  What happens at a Lighthouse school?  Students like Georgia and Marley help clean tables at breakfast.  Georgia Metz said, "We take pride in our school and cleaning up after ourselves is a responsibility." Marley Kador added,  "We are leaders at our school.  And leaders make sure that things get done." 

• Who says Mondays can't be fun? Bryli Dupont and Madison Reed were both enthusiastic about coming to school and getting the week off to a GREAT start. They held hands as they entered the main hallway simply to stay "together" as they head for Ms. Viguerie's first grade class.

• Ms. Andrea "Monique" Mathis has been selected as one of the 2018 Trademark Women of Distinction.  Trademark Women of Distinction recognizes top flight women in business. Ms. Mathis has been the Principal of Bains Lower for the last three years.  During her tenure, she has led the school to the Lighthouse distinction for the Leader in Me program. The Leader in Me program teaches our students the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Students. She has also partnered with the George Rodrigue Foundation to teach our students through the lens of the arts in all classes and all content areas.  Bains Lower has been deemed a Louisiana A Plus School because of our work with the George Rodrique F oundation.  Ms. Mathis was the 2018 West Feliciana Principal of the Year!

• We are very excited to announce that we have three students selected to the inaugural Baton Rouge Youth Entrepreneural Academy (YEA!).  Congratulations goes to Lilly Ray, Jack Hosford, and Mary Barrow for their selection into YEA!

• WFMS 6th graders worked in teams to choose their Superhero in Ms. Reed's class.  Gauge Metz, Darius Emery, Bodie Triche, and Collin McEachern chose a superhero who inspires us all and helps the homeless.  Now that's an ideal superhero! 

• The WFHS cheerleaders performed for the freshmen at the Freshmen Only Night, introducing them to the school culture and organizations.

• Lucie Stout shared a great idea for Bains:  a family bench!  I really like the idea because as I heard our School Board Vice President say on Tuesday night, "Family is the oldest institution that makes all other institutions stronger."  We will explore the idea of a family bench. If the idea becomes a reality, then Lucie, a courageous second grader, deserves all the credit.  

• From growing up in a small suburb outside of Chicago on welfare to being televised internationally in 69 countries with 2.2 Million viewers, A'ric Jackson's high-energy, experience, passion and love for making a difference show in his speaking, coaching and writing so vividly. We were fortunate to have A'ric Jackson speak to our high school students about not just having a dream but using tangible tools to achieve their dreams.  #BelieveTheHype

• Ms. Sharon Gabriel provided insight about the Better Behavior Program at Bains to the St. Francisville Rotary on Tuesday.  The program started off as a pilot last year but has garnered tremendous success.  

• Sixth grade students Chip Joiner and Wyathe Freeman post questions to the INQUIRY BOARD in Ms. Ingram's Science Class.  

• Students in Ms. Ingram's 6th Grade Science Class explore the laws of force during a game of tug of war! 

• Mrs. Lyons gets her Physical Science students moving in an activity demonstrating Kinetic Theory.

Looking Ahead

• Please consider joining the West Feliciana Reading Council!  Our reading council supports our efforts to improve literacy for all of our students.  To learn more about the council or to join a wonderful group, please e-mail Ali McMillan (President of the West Feliciana Reading Council) at: McMillana@wfpsb.org
• All of our schools are implementing a door buzzer entry system into our facilities as a part of our district-wide security upgrades.  Each school has made their main entrance their single entry point for parents and community members.  The main entrance will be locked for most of the day. Visitors will need to buzz the office in order to enter the building.  Our goal is to improve safety but also keep a warm welcome to all visitors.  We thank you for your cooperation to ensure the safety of all students and employees.
• The 2018 West Feliciana Education Foundation Dodgeball Challenge will be Saturday, October 6th at the West Feliciana Sports Park.  For more information on the foundation or the challenge, please click here.

• Please consider joining Reader Leader at Bains Lower Elementary!  As a Reader Leader, you will have an opportunity to read to students on a weekly basis, helping students learn the value & joy of reading.  For more information, please e-mail Ms. Stephanie Ferguson at stephferg34@gmail.com

Food for Thought

• We hired a broker to sell the old St. Francisville High School located in the Pecan Grove area near the historic town of St. Francisville.  In 2014 we started working with the parish government to move the clothes closet and food pantry services out of the buildings and into the renovated grocery store across from the Burger King near Hwy 61.  In 2016 we hired a professional group to rid the area of asbestos and to demolish the buildings.  In 2017 we partnered with the St. Francisville Area Foundation and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation to hire Urban Design Associates (UDA), a national architectural firm, to create a vision and conceptual plans for the property.  This summer we advertised for a broker to sell the property.  Last week we hired Mike Falgoust and Associates to sell the property with a vision for the property to  become a residential development that is complementary to the town of St. Francisville and the residents of Pecan Grove.  The property is unique in that it is one of the last sections of land that can be developed in the historic town of St. Francisville and the property sits high on a bluff that overlooks the Mississippi River.  With a bold vision, this property could be developed into a modern version of our town, which would garner national attention just like our town regularly receives for its architectural design and historic preservation.  #wearewestfel
• In case you missed it, the Baton Rouge Business Report highlighted the property this week.  Please click here  to see the article.