Our focus is to offer a child-centered environment for our pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students.  The instructional program is inclusive of academic, social, and emotional growth and development efforts.  We are happy to highlight several of the exciting and memorable events from our 2008-2009 school session.  The following listings provide a positive reflection of our recent past.  In addition, they serve as a strong foundation for continued progressive learning opportunities. You are invited to visit and work in our school.  When we unite to put “Children First”, our directions and efforts will bring success.  We appreciate your support.

Students in the News

• Gavin Falcon earned first place in a parish competition for first graders with his drawing/writing regarding Abraham Lincoln.
• Gabrielle Trupiano was named spelling champion for our 4^th-5^th grade division.
• Duncan Quantrille was our champion for 2^nd-3^rd grades.
• Kameron Cummings, Jordan London, Mishonne Marks, Emily Schittone and Alternate, Malik Kelly, participated in the parish Elementary School Fitness Meet. Kameron Cummings placed second and went on to state competition where he earned first place giving him the title “Mr. Fitness 2009”.
• Rachael Edmonson, Maria Huntley, Makenzey Heughan, Jessica Martin, Hayden Schneider, Amber Easterly, Brianna Self, Andy Liu, Mishonne Marks, Leslie Crowson, Brielle Self, Katelyn Aughey, Jenny Cook, Brennan Burleigh, and Rachel Tullier were Destination Imagination team members.
• Allana Hopper, Leslie Crowson, Maggie Sauer and Makenzy Heughan earned certificates for participation in the MLK Essay and Art Contests.
• We had schoolwide participation in the PTA Cultural Arts Competition.  Students competed in Visual Arts and Photography categories. District winners Abigail Coldwell, Jordan Westbrook, Patrick Fisher, Keshawna Jones, Dejay Jones, McCord Heughan and Makenzey Heughan all competed at the state level and earned Awards of Merit.
• Rachel Edmonson, our Student of the Year, was awarded second place in the East Baton Rouge Parish Elementary Student of the Year competition.
• Our Annual Talent Show was held.

Special Student Activities and Incentives

• We again recognized fifth grade students for earning the President’s Education Award.  Five of our students were recipients of this scholastic honor this school year.
• We hosted our seventh Academic Olympics to allow students to compete in the areas of language arts, math, science and social studies.
• The Cajun Village came alive as an outdoor Social Studies workshop depicting life in an early Acadian setting.  This annual effort involved Kindergarten and Third Grade students.
• The Accelerated Reader Program continued to be an important part of individualized reading skill development.
• Honor Roll recognition was given each nine weeks period to applaud academic and behavioral achievements. 
• Our Kindergarten children again sold fruits, vegetables, and flowers from their garden.  This was their sixteenth year to market their products through the Kinder Vender program.
• The PTA sponsored Holiday Treats during the year.
• The PTA sponsored Schoolwide Skating and Laser Tag Events throughout the school year.
• We continued to promote student involvement in the Instructional Mastery Club program via the school website.

Staff Recognition

• Kathrin Mundinger submitted final paperwork and took exams to become a National Board Certified Teacher.
• Dana Kelly graduated with a M.Ed.
• Angela Delaroderie was selected to participate in the nationally recognized Achievement and Inquiry in Math and Science Project
• Deborah Russell was chosen the 2009 Baton Rouge Symphony K-8 classroom Teacher of the Year.
• Our school qualified for Title 1 Funding.  We focused on Technology Services.  Dana Kelly served as the key teacher for that program.
• Kathryn Mundinger again worked with Destination Imagination teams to promote creativity, problem solving and teamwork.
• Anne Creighton served as our Teacher of the Year.
• Sarah Boger, Nicholas Phelps and Jamie Leonard, served as our Arts Liaison in a parish effort to promote arts programs in local schools.
• Teachers attended various workshops to prepare for Reading and Math Initiatives.
• Dana Kelly, Nicole Montgomery and Kathy Norris served as mentors to new teachers in our parish.
• Carolyn Sauer was named 2008 “Family Favorite Principal” by Parents Magazine.
• Ellen Johnson and Nicholas Phelps each earned grants from the Baton Rouge Excchange Club Adopt a Teacher Program to provide teaching materials.
• Brandi Bergeron earned a grant from the Academic Distinction Fund to support a library instructional project.

Parental/Community Involvement

• For the seventh year, local attorneys from the Kean Miller Law Firm gave every third grader a new dictionary for home reference use.
• Special Invitation Lunch Days were held.
• The SHARE Reading Program was continued and encouraged family reading activities and reading for pleasure.
• Patty Cook was named as our Volunteer of the Year and was recognized by Volunteers in Public Schools.
• Sponsors and adopters continued to support our school through service and funding allocations.  Citizens Bank and Trust and Darnell Browning State Farm Insurance Agency provided sponsorship.
• Our PTA continued to provide a high level of involvement and support of the instructional and learning aspects of our school.
• Eagle Grove was maintained and enhanced by Shenandoah staff, students, and parents.  The area offers an environment that is available for quiet activities.
• Tax plan funding provided fifteen (15) new computers.
• Our school was one of twenty (20) parish schools to be reviewed in order to receive SACS District Accreditation.  AdvancED awarded that prestigious honor to our school system.
• We again held Camp Fire amd Junior Achievement Programs for many of our students.

Charitable Contributions

• The tradition of contributing funds to St. Jude Hospital, in lieu of exchanging Christmas gifts, was again honored.  This was our nineteenth year of participation.  Our donation was $1,935.53.
• The twelfth Annual Footsteps for Friends effort raised $1,362.14 in donations for the Candlelighters group of the Baton Rouge Cancer Services.
• For the seventh consecutive year, we participated in Jump Rope for Heart.  We earned $4,006.25 for the worthy cause.
• We collected new, originally packaged toys for the Toys for Tots Campaign at Christmas.  This was our ninth year of participation in this effort.
• We continued our efforts to collect aluminum tabs off soda cans to profit the Ronald McDonald House in Memphis, Tennessee.
• Our Student Council sponsored an effort to promote the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank to support needy families.