MACA Lands Key Awards
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
If the 2024 student state performance results had been scored as a horse racing achievement, the Magnet Academy For Cultural Arts would have won the Triple Crown.
The Opelousas school was recognized recently by state officials as not only A-rated, but MACA was also given credit for Top Gains and Opportunity Honoree accomplishments.
Representatives from MACA and those from 12 other St.Landry Parish School District campuses were given banners from administrators,signifying their state accolades Thursday night during a monthly School Board meeting.
Eunice High and Palmetto Elementary also left the meeting with A-rated school banners.
Other Awards
Top Gains banners were presented to Palmetto, Arnaudville Middle, Cankton Elementary, East Elementary-Eunice, Eunice Junior High, Glendale Elementary-Eunice, Grand Coteau Elementary, Grand Prairie Elementary, Washington Elementary and Plaisance Middle.
Northwest High and Glendale Elementary gained recognition as Opportunity Honorees.
Meaning Of Awards
Schools who reach Top Gains status show exceptional student progress and meet or exceed their learning goals.
Opportunity Honoree schools are those who perform in the 90-percent category or above for economically disadvantaged students or those with disabilities.
The MACA Culture
MACA principal Natalie Angelle indicated during her presentation that although the campus is not the newest in the District, her faculty and students have found ways to make the situation work.
“I wouldn’t say that we have all cream of the crop students. The kids that we have work hard and so do our teachers. We are proud of where we are (located) and on our faculty, there is not a high amount of turnover,” said Angelle.
Students who attend MACA are selected for the school following auditions. “We also get the weak and the low (students), but our teachers work with them and build them up,” Angelle pointed out.
Additional A-Schools
Eunice High principal Irma Trosclair, who left the District over a decade ago and served as the Lafayette Parish School Superintendent, said he was happy to be back in St. Landry.
Trosclair pointed out that she is proud of her faculty and their classroom management skills.
“That is where the magic really happens,” said Trosclair.
Palmetto principal Lindsay St. Cyr said the rural school located in District 5 has been “blessed” with high student achievement and a dedicated faculty.
St. Cyr also complimented the students’ parents who have made consolidation work at a campus that educates children from Melville, Morrow and Palmetto.
Over At Grand Coteau
Bradon Singleton, principal at Grand Coteau, gave credit to his faculty for transforming the school that received a grade of “D” three years ago, to a “B” score in 2024.
Singleton added that when he first arrived at Grand Coteau and interviewed the school staff, he realized that he had the nucleus for moving the achievement there forward.
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