GREENSBURG, LA (WAFB) -
Two items voters have knocked down
several times before in St. Helena Parish has finally passed in the November
2012 election.
Two proposals were on the ballot:
one a bond, the other a millage increase. One will give teachers about a $6,000
pay raise. The other will go toward paying for school construction.
The millage tax would mean
renovations to the schools; not just painting, but gutting the schools and
making it like new. That would mean students at the high school get a real
library. What's there now is mostly classroom text books, with only two shelves
holding books that can be checked out.
For a $200,000 home, that would mean
an additional $322 in property taxes per year.
In October, Superintendent Joseph
said the library would also be turned into a multimedia room.
"Bottom line is that it means a lot for our
kids. They are finally going to get the facilities they need to learn properly,
and our teachers are finally going to get a competitive salary. And that is so
important to retain our teachers. Those were the two main areas we needed to
address when we got district accreditation. We are now able to have the
resources we need to build the right facilities, and the money we need to
retain our teachers. I'm just excited!" said Dr. Kelli Joseph, Superintendent
of St. Helena Parish Schools.
St. Helena has been identified by
the Louisiana Department of Education as number one in the state for academic
growth. More students are improving and meeting state standards and more
teachers in the classrooms are certified.
"Being the most improved district in
the state, getting accreditation, going out and seeking grants, we are getting
the right people in and doing the right thing for our children. We gained the
confidence we needed for them to vote yes," said Joseph.
"We will not let the community down.
Our children will grow, and we will become the best district in the state of
Louisiana!" said Joseph
Copyright 2012 WAFB. All rights reserved.
