Experience The Difference Newsletter

As the school year draws to a close across Lafayette Parish, stages are set, gowns are pressed, and medals gleam with the promise of recognition. From kindergarten moving-up days to high school graduations, the air is filled with pride—and rightfully so. But even as we celebrate achievement, the Lafayette Parish School System remains anchored by a value that does not glitter but safeguards every moment: safety.

In today’s world, meaningful celebration is inseparable from meaningful protection. That’s why LPSS has implemented a district-wide Clear Bag Policy and Weapons Detection Protocol at all school-sponsored athletic and extracurricular events. These measures are not just security protocols—they are commitments. Commitments to our families, our faculty, and, most importantly, our students, that no honor ceremony or end-of-year gathering will come at the expense of peace of mind.

At first glance, a high school diploma may seem like the end of a road. For some, it’s a ceremonial close to childhood. For others, it’s a symbolic crossing into adult responsibility. But every so often, that moment becomes something more—a declaration that when the right student meets the right system, opportunity isn’t just possible. It’s inevitable.

Kira Billeaudeau is one of those students.

She began her high school journey at a traditional High School in August 2022, a freshman like many others, full of hope but looking for something different. It didn’t take long for Kira to realize she needed a change—not because she wasn’t capable, but because her dreams were moving faster than the traditional pace could match.

David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy (DSTMA) recently hosted an inspiring Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Showcase, inviting community members, state and district leaders to experience the innovative learning opportunities available at the school. The event provided an inside look at DSTMA’s STEM pathways, featuring a guided tour through various courses and hands-on interactions with students currently enrolled in engineering, biomedical science, and computer science programs.

Attendees had the opportunity to see students in action, demonstrating their skills and knowledge through interactive projects and discussions about their experiences in the STEM pathways. District leadership, the Louisiana State Superintendent, and college representatives were among the distinguished guests who witnessed the impact of DSTMA’s rigorous, career-focused curriculum.

At first glance, it may seem like just a number: 4,158,491,611.

Four billion words read by Lafayette Parish students this school year. Words that lived inside library books, digital pages, dog-eared paperbacks, and classroom conversations. Words that formed stories, sentences, and structures—quietly building something far more powerful than a score: a culture.

Literacy is not just a skill. In our classrooms, it’s an inheritance. It’s a right. And now, in Louisiana, it’s also a requirement.