THIBODAUX, La. — Nicholls State University and the Lafourche Parish School Board announced the creation of a magnet school for high-performing 4th and 5th-grade students in Thibodaux that will begin next academic year.
As part of the agreement, 20 4th-grade students and 20 5th-grade students will visit Nicholls campus every day for personalized instruction from Lafourche Parish and Nicholls teachers. Eligible students must be currently enrolled in a Thibodaux elementary school with a 3.0 GPA and apply to the Lafourche Parish School District.
“This program is another affirmation of our school district being an A-district,” Lafourche Parish School Board President Al Archer said. “It reinforces all of the commitments and the partnerships in education within the community. This is another step for our students to excel and do very well. They can start here at Nicholls at a young age, and when they return as college students, they will be coming home. This is a win-win for everyone involved.”
Students will arrive on campus in the morning with an assigned teacher and aide and will interact with Nicholls College of Education students and faculty. With access to all of the resources on the Nicholls campus, the teachers will be able to craft individualized lesson plans for the students in the magnet school program based on their academic performance.
“This program is going to be beneficial for our students, as well as Nicholls State University,” Lafourche Schools superintendent Dr. JoAnn Matthews said. “It’s a joint partnership that will embrace STEM and embrace moving students along faster. They’ll have access to everything the university can offer.”
The school will not only provide benefit for the elementary students involved, but also Nicholls students training to become teachers, said Dr. Steven Welsh, dean of the College of Education.
“Our students must complete clinical experiences before they go on their residency. With this program, that residency can happen right here on this campus, which we’re very excited about,” Dr. Welsh said. “This will also provide a way for our teaching faculty to model teaching techniques to our students.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 19, 2018
CONTACT: Jacob Batte, Media Relations and Publications Coordinator, 985.448.4141 or jacob.batte@www.nicholls.edu
