Superintendent: First Stop, Northside High

Posted: Jan 20, 2012 5:06 PM
Source: Herbie Smith
Updated: Jan 20, 2012 5:07 PM

Lafayette Parish School System Superintendent, Pat Cooper, Ph.D. has plans to improve Northside High School, the lowest performing schools in the parish. "When I walked through that school I was just heartbroken," Cooper said. Cooper says part of the reason students aren't doing well is because of the condition of the school.

"The lighting is terrible, the bathrooms are terrible and the flooring is terrible. We have broken out windows," Cooper said.

Some students agree the school does need to be renovated.

"We become aggravated because when it's cold outside we don't have heating, and when it's warm outside we don't have an air conditioner. It's really uncomfortable to learn," said high school student, Dalanie Duhon.

"In the bathrooms, the paint on the walls are chipped," said high school student, Alexander Domingue.

Besides a facelift, part of Cooper's plan to turn academics around is hiring a full staff such as more teachers and security officers.

"They've got an assistant principal on medical leave and they've got a book keeper on leave. My question to everyone at the central office is how did we let it get that way," Cooper said.

"Building up staff and cleaning up our school will build up pride in our student body and make us want to do more," Domingue said.

Northside High is one of the 11 schools Cooper wants to improve in the northern part of the parish.