Former principals honored

Two St. Mary Parish Principals’ Association Scholarships were renamed to honor former school administrators and the winners of the scholarships were announced Thursday at the regular meeting of the school board.
Tommy Bourgeois Sr., former principal and coach, died at the age of 55 on Jan. 6 after an extended battle with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Bourgeois was a teacher, coach, athletic director, assistant principal and principal during his 32-year career as an educator. His career included 11 years at Berwick High School and 12 years at Berwick Junior High School. He also served at Bayou Vista Elementary, J.B. Maitland Elementary and Central Catholic High School during his career.
Michael Ira Payton, Foster Elementary School principal, died Oct. 23, 2013, after a long illness. He began his tenure with the school system as a vocational agriculture teacher at Centerville High School in 1989, where he stayed until 2004 and became assistant principal of B.E. Boudreaux Middle School in Baldwin. Payton became principal at Foster Elementary School in Franklin in 2009.
The District I scholarship was renamed the Michael Payton Memorial Scholarship and was presented to the parents of Courtland Pouge, of Centerville High, who was unable to attend the meeting.
The District II scholarship has been renamed the Tommy Bourgeois Memorial Scholarship and was presented to Sarah Rentrop of Berwick High.
The District III St. Mary Parish Principal’s Association Scholarship was presented to Logan Scully of Morgan City High.
With the announcement of several school appointments and hires, St. Mary Parish Superintendent of Schools Donald Aguillard said the system is now fully staffed.
The following assistant principals were announced: Lane Larive, Berwick Junior. High; Sheryl Gibbons, Hattie Watts Elementary; and Dennis McDill, Morgan City High.
The summer school principals appointed were Michelle South, Morgan City Junior High; Shantell Toups, Patterson Junior High; J. Ina, Franklin Junior High; and Donald Sanders, B.E. Boudreaux Middle School.
The elementary school appointed curriculum facilitators were Laine Mayon, Berwick Elementary; Lenette Hebert, W.P. Foster Elementary; Martha Boudreaux, M.E. Norman Elementary; and Wanda Bowers, Lagrange Elementary.
Other appointments were Tara Fromenthal, Franklin Junior High guidance counselor; Amber Monceaux, program manager; Gidget Everitt, at-risk interventionist; Maude P. Phillips, West St. Mary High secretary; and Vanetta Thomas, clerk typist II-central office complex.
Martha Bourgeois was appointed finance administrator for the school system.
The board approved an onsite agreement with Catapult Health for a wellness program that will be associated with its employee Blue Cross health insurance plan. The agreement will allow for limited onsite tests and screenings of employees that will have no out-of-pocket expense to the employees.
In legal matters, the board went into executive session to be given an update of its ongoing litigation with Dune Energy regarding use of Section 16 lands. The board approved the extension of the contract with Michael Duran for legal services regarding that suit. It also approved a resolution, which was a revision of a similar resolution that the state attorney general said was lacking, for the school system to participate with the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board in its lawsuit against the state regarding Minimum Foundation Program Funds.
In other action the board:
—Approved a field trip for Morgan City High School to Disney World in Orlando, Fla., for a twirling competition Feb. 12-17, 2015, and recognized the Morgan City High and Berwick High schools as state Music Festival Sweepstakes winners.
—Granted permission to advertise for bids for the Hattie Watts Elementary School addition.
—Approved a clinical affiliation agreement with Nicholls State University.
—Authorized an intergovernmental agreement between the school board and the District Cooperative of Louisiana.
—Awarded bids for food service items, large kitchen equipment and for custodian supplies.
—Approved a student accident insurance plan for the new school year.
—Approved The Daily Review as the official journal of the school board as well as approved the newspaper to provide the 28-page tabloid newspaper for the 2014-15 school year.