Lafayette Middle School's Environmental Science Academy and the Lafayette Parish eCampus Virtual Learning program, were chose in The American School Board Journal's top-scoring educational programs to be included in the 2012 Magna Best Practices Database. Of the 300 nominations received by the Journal over the past year, only 81 programs were chosen nationwide.
The Magna Best Practices Database provides the education community with valuable resources about innovative new ideas, best practices, and proven and practical solutions for big and small district problems. Each year, the American School Board Journal selects the highest-scoring programs from those submitted for inclusion in the database, where they are available for at least five years. Information about both Lafayette programs is now posted online at www.asbj.com/magna.
The Lafayette Parish eCampus Virtual Learning program was created to improve graduation rates by offering core and elective courses online to seniors who are at risk of not graduating. The program, which is offered at no cost to students, enables them to learn at high levels in a flexible, online environment. The success of eCampus has earned the attention of 10 other school districts that have visited and modeled their own virtual learning programs on its framework.
"eCampus already serves as a model for other districts across the state, but now we can help out-of-state schools who are facing similar problems," says Jarrett Coutee, eCampus administrator.
The Lafayette Middle School Environmental Science Academy was also created to solve a problem. A hands-on learning environment was conceived to improve performance and to instill in students a sense of stewardship in their school, community and state. The program began in 2005 with 15 students, and now more than 150 students are enrolled. Environmental Science Academy students are achieving at a higher rate, taking ownership for their behavior and making an impressive environmental impact.
"This program has changed our school's culture, and has impacted our community. It's a privilege to share what we've learned with schools in other parts of the country," says Monique B. Magee, Lafayette Middle School Principal.