[StBernard] St. Bernard, Plaquemines parishes public schools show big gains in performance scores

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard, Plaquemines parishes public schools show big gains in
performance scores
 By Bob Warren, staff writer 
on October 22, 2012 at 5:13 PM, updated October 22, 2012 at 5:17 PM Email |
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Public schools in St. Bernard Parish showed continued academic growth last
year, with all but one increasing its performance score over last year,
scores released Monday by the state show. Public schools in neighboring
Plaquemines Parish also showed increased scores over last year.

Of St. Bernard Parish's 10 public schools, only Chalmette Elementary
experienced a dip from 2011 to 2012 - and then only slightly, from 109.8 to
107.9. The school's letter grade, "B,'' remained unchanged.

Several other schools showed robust increases, led by Chalmette High School,
whose score rose from 113.1 in 2011 to 138.1 for 2012, the data  showed.
Chalmette High's letter grade went from a "B'' in 2011 to an "A'' in 2012.
N.P. Trist Middle and St. Bernard Middle raised their letter grades from
"Cs'' in 2011 to "Bs'' in 2012.

"Our middle and high schools went up significantly,'' St. Bernard Parish
schools Superintendent Doris Voitier said. "We're extremely pleased with our
scores.''

Voitier said St. Bernard Parish's public school scores have grown by almost
30 points since 2008, second in the state to Orleans Parish.

"I'm extremely happy on the movement we've made over the past five years,''
she said.

St. Bernard's scores rank the district 11th statewide. As a district, St.
Bernard graded out at a "B.''

"We've had major improvement,'' Voitier said.

In Plaquemines, meanwhile, scores ranked the district fifth in the state. As
a district, Plaquemines graded out at an "A,'' one of only a handful of
district-wide As in the state.

Belle Chasse High led Plaquemines' schools with a score of 134.6, earning it
an "A.'' Last year the school earned a "B.'' South Plaquemines High,
meanwhile, showed the greatest improvement - going from a "D'' in 2011 to a
"B'' in 2012.