NOTICE: The Louisiana Special School District Board of Directors' meeting scheduled for Feb. 11, 2025 at 9:00AM has been cancelled.  The next scheduled board meeting is March 18, 2025 at 9:00AM.

Earlier this month, SSD held the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for our new barn. Attendees got a chance to see the animals that are already here and an overview of the programs including aquaponics. We were thankful to have Senator Caleb Kleinpeter come to campus to show his support. Representing the SSD Board of Directors was President Kristy Flynn and Sherry Crosby.

In addition to the State office closure on Wednesday, 1/22, State offices are also closed on Thursday, 1/23, therefore all SSD offices will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. We will continue to provide updates as they become available. Stay safe!

LSDVI will be closed on Monday, 1/20, for the MLK Holiday and will be closed on Tuesday, 1/21, due to the predicted winter weather. The situation is being monitored closely and will be reevaluated on Tuesday. The decision has been made that residential students will not come to campus next week but will participate in virtual learning when school reopens.

ANNOUNCEMENT: LSD Student Performance Scores Show Record Increase From: Dr. David Martin, SSD Superintendent Date: November 22, 2024 The Louisiana Department of Education released the 2023-2024 School Performance Scores this past Wednesday. The Louisiana School for the Deaf (LSD), which is operated by the Louisiana Special School District (SSD), posted a record increase of 27.4 points moving it up a letter grade and off of the F list for the first time in 20 years. This 27.4 point improvement ranks the school as one of the top increases in school performance scores statewide. Dr. Natalie Delgado serves as the LSD Executive Director. The 2023-2024 school year was her first year serving as the leader of the school. She attributes the increase performance score to the hard work of the staff and intentional focus on student outcomes. “LSD has been laser focused on student outcomes,” Delgado commented. “Through increased teacher collaboration and addressing the complex needs of the whole child, we are moving the needle on student achievement.” She further added, “Ensuring student success is truly a collective effort and every LSD staff member and student played a part in this accomplishment.” “I am really proud of the progress made by Dr. Delgado and her team this past year,” Dr. David Martin, SSD Superintendent commented. “The whole LSD community truly rallies behind its students and makes remarkable opportunities happen for them each and every day.” Kristy Flynn, SSD Board President stated, “The growth seen at LSD can be directly attributed to the hard work of the school’s leadership and teachers. The SSD has some of the most skilled and dedicated educators in the state and working together, they are moving students forward.” Aside from LSD, the SSD operates the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired (LSVI) and the Special Schools Programs (SSP) which provides special education services for the Office of Juvenile Justice, Department of Corrections, and educational programming for selected Department of Health sites. More information about the SSD can be found at www.ssdofla.org. Media Outlets: Please contact Dr. David Martin for any further information. David.Martin@la.gov or via telephone, 502-422-0571. Link to full press release in PDF format visit: https://5il.co/31ohk

TODAY: LSVI's Annual Family Engagement - Bake Sale and Silent Auction Date: Friday, November 22, 2024 Time: 9:00AM -11:00AM Join us this year to help raise money for our Trojans! We are seeking donations of sweet treats, cakes, cookies and morel. A silent auction will be held at school to auction all items donated. Watch out for the specialty items auctioned as well! You Never know what's in store! *All monies raised will be added to the student activity fund.. This fund helps pay for field trips, special events, and more.

Here is a photo of CLSSC's students’ framed art from their partnership with River Oaks Arts Center. Mrs. Lindsay Moore has been working with our students on this collaborative art piece. It is currently hanging at River Oaks and will be on display for the run of their current show which opens with a ceremony on Thursday evening. Ms. Lexie Walker is planning a few trips to let her students see their beautiful work hanging in the gallery!

We are proud of Jeri Thiels, an instructor at Renaissance Home for Youth, presented at the National Science Teaching Association conference held in New Orleans this week. She did a fantastic job of representing Special School Programs.

REMINDER: Tuesday - Board of Directors Meeting Date: 11/12/2024 Time 9:00 a.m. Location: 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 SSD Board Room - Student Center If you are unable to attend in person the meeting with be available via Livestream on SSD's YouTube Page. A link for the stream is here: https://www.youtube.com/live/mq384BDV0kc?si=Wz72ueynO2deJ2Sz You can find this agenda here: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5006651/Agenda_11.12.24.pdf

REMINDER: SSD Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday; November 12th, 2024 Time: 9:00 am Location: 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 Student Center Board Room Link to agenda: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/5006651/Agenda_11.12.24.pdf

Each year the students from LSD and LSVI trick or treat around our campus getting treats from our staff. The departments really get into the spirit and this year the team from District Wide Supports (DWS) chose a PAC man theme.

The Louisiana Special School District is excited to announce it has launched a newsletter this month to keep stakeholders informed of events and information important to the agency. You can find the first in this series located at this link: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/4930300/October_SSD_Newsletter.pdf Topics covered include ; School News, Business and HR information and details from Special School programs. Please feel free to share this with those who may be interested.

REMINDER: SSD Board of Directors Meeting tomorrow Time 9:00 a.m. If you are unable to attend in person the meeting will be available via Livestream ion SSD's YouTube Page at this link: https://youtube.com/live/87MwPqg8bMg?feature=share To see the documents from this meeting visit the document library located here: https://www.ssdofla.org/page/boardmeetings Location: 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA in the Student Activity Center; Room 196 For more information visit www.SSDofLA.org

NOTICE: SSD Board of Directors Meeting Date: October 15th, 2024 Time: 9:00 a.m. Location: Louisiana Special School District 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 Student Center Board Room To view the agenda for the meeting and other documents from Board Meetings visit our Documents page and then select "Board of Directors Meeting Documents". The agenda for the meeting can be found at this link: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/4922591/Agenda_10.15.24.docx__2_.pdf

September 19, 2024 The Louisiana Special School District is pleased to announce the implementation of the Safe Schools Anonymous Reporting App. The Governor's Office and Louisiana State Police have partnered with Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans to offer the Safe Schools Louisiana App to all middle and high schools throughout the state. The Safe Schools Louisiana Anonymous Reporting App, is a free resource for our school community, providing students the ability to communicate, anonymously, about a pressing school, criminal, or mental health concern or issue. Tips are monitored and received via the Safe Schools Louisiana App or via the website, www.safeschoolsla.com, and once vetted, the proper representatives are notified for engagement. When there is an emergency, our Safe School team will be contacted for immediate response and intervention. The web based platform called P3 Campus is used in over 20,000 schools and by over 10 million students across the United States. How It Works: • Submit an anonymous tip 24/7 through the website or the Safe Schools Louisiana Mobile App (links above) • Receive a Report ID and Password if you would like to follow-up on your report • The Crimestoppers Call center reviews, assesses and processes all submissions • The Crimestoppers Call center sends all submissions to law enforcement and/or school administration for intervention • If needed, the Crimestoppers Call center may contact you anonymously through the app or by case number follow-up • The Crimestoppers Call center posts status of submission with case number as case progresses and closes • If this is an emergency, please immediately call 911!

Due to the impending storm expected Wednesday and Thursday, LSDVI is CLOSED to students on Wednesday, September 11th, and Thursday, September 12th. We will remain open on Friday unless otherwise communicated. Stay safe and dry!

Digital Citizenship Guide for Parents from the LDOE Digital Citizenship is knowing how to navigate digital environments safely, responsibly, and respectfully. It is also the understanding that balancing time online and off has value. The LDOE has put out this guide for parents trying to teach their kids to be safe and good citizens online with a focus on safety, respect and accuracy of Information you see online. You can find Parent's Guide to Digital Citizenship at the following link: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/technology-footprint/digital-citizenship---parent-guide.pdf?sfvrsn=e39f6118_2

REMINDER: SSD Board of Directors Meeting Date: Tuesday, 08/13/2024 Time: 10:30 a.m. Location: Louisiana Special School District (Also available via Livestream) 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 Student Center Board Room If you are not able to join us in person, the meeting will be available via Livestream on the SSD YouTube page at this link: https://youtube.com/live/uoW2T5C6AiU?feature=share You can view the agenda on our website at the following link: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4654/LSS/4649403/SSD_Board_Meeting_Agenda_8.13.24.pdf

This week staff began returning to our Baton Rouge campus. On the first day back, Dr. Martin addressed the staff in the auditorium. He presented the leaders across our schools and programs with the "Superintendent's Leadership Award" which recognizes team members who take on additional roles beyond their normal duties and those who go above and beyond. The recipients were recognized by senior leadership as having demonstrated the qualities needed in a strong leader. Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 Superintendent's Leadership award.

NOTICE: SSD Board of Directors Meeting Date: August 13th, 2024 Time: 10:30 a.m. Location: Louisiana Special School District 2888 Brightside Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70820 Student Center Board Room To view the agenda for the meeting and other documents from Board Meetings visit our Documents page and then select "Board of Directors Meeting Documents".