ABC 26 narrator, Michael Hill facilitated a visit to the Satellite Center in Luling, Louisiana by Don Trahan, Louisiana Department of Education; Bese Members, Penny Dastugue, Glenny Lee Buquet, Jim Garvey; Senator Ben Neves, Chairman of Education Committee; State Representative from Norco, Gary Smith, JR. The officials interviewed seniors Mason Noote and Ryan Cannon from the applied science program, Destiny Bridges and La’Nai Joseph from nursing and Dalton Alfortish from graphic design programs. The consensus of opinion articulated by the students interviewed was of excitement. Some of the comments from the visiting officials:
Penny Dastugue, BESE Member. “I am really excited about what is going on in St. Charles Parish. Rodney Lafont is a great leader. He and his board determine what their students need and give it to them. He doesn’t get any more dollars than other districts around the state and yet he seems to be spending it where it needs to be spent. He told me today that his dropout rate is about 2% -that alone tells the whole story.”
Glenny Lee Buquet, BESE Member. “It is important for the public to see this. So often people will say; ‘You are throwing money at education. You are not really doing anything.’ This is a perfect example of how to use your funding well.”
Senator Ben Neves, Chairman of Education Committee. "St. Charles the Parish School Board has done really well……. this will become a pilot state wide and St. Charles Parish has set the tone for many across the state to follow.”
Jim Garvey, BESE Member. “I was surprised at the relative low cost of setting this place up. The money went a long way.”
State Representative Gary Smith Jr. “It’s a better use of the dollars. It is so great to see the students engaged and happy to be in school.”
Vickie Krutzer, Monroe City School Board. “This has been so exciting. In northeast Louisiana we desperately need career option programs for our students. It is so exciting to see the board and the superintendent partnering with business.”
The Satellite Technology High School was the collaborative effort of a diverse group resulting in a wonderful structure and educational tool for the growing community. The team led by St. Charles Superintendent, Dr. Rodney Lafon concentrated on career paths that were projected to show the greatest growth over the next decade. The design hinged on a truly comprehensive planning process. The school was conceived to focus on specific curriculum not available in the traditional classroom setting. Glenn C. Higgins, project architect, (Principal in Charge at Glenn C. Higgins Assoc. prior to joining HMS Architects) was invited to be a part of the planning team from its inception. The initial process began with education studies, national research and local industry trends.
The design challenge of the Satellite Center was two-fold. The first task was to create innovative spaces that best met the requirements of each academic program, but also to integrate the unique building demands of each program into one cohesive structure. With functional needs varying from sound-proof recording studios to fully operational professional-kitchens, achieving the appropriate building materials and a strategic floor plan were paramount to our success.
Watch the video from ABC 26
More information about the Satellite Center
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