Celebrates Ten Wonderful and Productive Years with Additional Support from LASIG I and LASIG II (2002-2012)

Plaquemines Parish is proud that we were one of LASIG’s chosen few for over eleven years.  The journey began through collaborative efforts with Nanette Oliver, former LDOE LASIG Co-Director; Stewart Stanley, Plaquemines Parish Special Education Director; Sharoine Davis, Special Education Curriculum Coordinator; and the principals at each school in the District.   Melanie Forstall Lemoine, our LASIG site liaison, helped facilitate and support the initial process. The district embraced the school-community dialogues regarding Validated Practice Initiatives, Individual Differences, PBIS , Disproportionality, and Parental Involvement. 

As of today, we are pleased to say that the collaborative efforts of our district professional learning communities are paying off.  This school year, Co-Teaching in all of our schools, has been one of our most exciting and most successful initiatives. 

LASIG funds provided the district with a co-teaching consultant, Mary Schlieder, a Special Education teacher in the Norris School District in Lincoln, Nebraska. Ms. Schlieder conducted several face-to-face visits with the assistance and continuous follow-up by   Laurie Carlton, Secondary Curriculum Coordinator; Patricia Haydel, Elementary Curriculum Coordinator; and, Sharoine Davis, Special Education Curriculum Coordinator. In addition to direct training, Ms. Schlieder provided six distant learning sessions which included a book study (Marilyn Friend’s Co-Teach) and ongoing support.

Each school in the district has embraced the co-teaching model.  This has been a great ongoing experience and journey for us. Our teachers appear to enjoy trying-on the different co-teaching approaches. This huge project has had promising benefits for all students, parents, and educators in Plaquemines Parish.

The unyielding support of our Parish Superintendent, Denis Rousselle, and our LASIG site liaison, Pamdora Williams has made co-teaching a powerful tool for the success of our students. 

Although LASIG will be missed, we certainly are grateful for the many contributions we received through the LASIG Initiatives for the past 11 years. 

 Powerpoint Presentation