Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley visited Lafayette Parish on Wednesday, spending the morning with educators and students at two Lafayette Parish School System campuses to recognize academic excellence and learn from strong instructional practices.
Dr. Brumley began at Southside High School at 8 a.m., meeting with school and district leadership before conducting a learning walk that included stops in math classrooms. Southside recently earned an “A” rating on the state’s accountability system, and the visit provided an opportunity for Dr. Brumley to see high-performing instruction in action and personally congratulate the Sharks’ team on their academic results.
Joining him at Southside were members of the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), President Simone Champagne and District 7 BESE member Kevin Berken, who participated in the discussions with educators about instructional practices and student engagement. The group highlighted effective teaching strategies and celebrated the school’s success on the state accountability scale.
At 10 a.m., Dr. Brumley, President Champagne, and Vice-President Berken traveled to Early College Academy (ECA) for a recognition ceremony celebrating ECA’s selection as a 2025 Louisiana Blue Ribbon School, one of eight schools statewide to receive the honor. The Blue Ribbon designation recognizes schools for overall academic excellence or significant progress in closing achievement gaps.
ECA Principal Bridget Malveaux emphasized that the recognition is a celebration of student effort and a reminder of what’s possible when high expectations meet strong support. The Early College Academy’s model allows students to earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree, creating a direct pathway to college and career opportunities for Lafayette students.
The visits were part of a Region 7, two-day summit with state education leaders focused on classroom engagement and improving math instruction, underscoring a shared commitment to elevating learning outcomes across the region.
Lafayette Parish School System leaders thanked Dr. Brumley and the BESE members for taking time to visit classrooms, recognize student achievement, and celebrate the work happening every day across LPSS schools.