Academic Games Results

We had a great turn-out this year at the Academy of Our Lady Academic Games on Saturday. Belle Chasse Academy took third place overall. Sarah and Chase took third in anatomy and physiology. Bryson and Emma took third in U.S. Government. Marque and Andrea took third in ancient history. Caleb and Amanda took second in Early America. Justine, Sarah, and Evelyn took second in science lab. And our first place winners were Alex and Liam in grammar patrol, Amanda and Andrea in mythology, Kennedy and Kaya in geography, and Alex and Hope in literary devices.

Academic games update

Due to a mix-up with the instructions regarding the academic games, I have to disband one pentathlon team; we could only have an A or a B team, not both.

Students had to participate in a minimum of two events, so if a student had pentathlon as a third event, I had to remove him or her.

The names of the new pentathlon team, competing from 10:45 to 11:45, was emailed to parents.

Those students only had one other event, and needed the pentathlon to meet the two-event requirement.

I hope this is easier next year!

See you all Saturday morning, 7:45, at Academy of Our Lady.

For those who signed up for the academic games

The games have finally arrived. Students will be spending some time in gifted class this week preparing, and they received their schedule and map the week before Thanksgiving. We have a team participating in every event this year, with a total of nineteen students.

Please meet at Academy of Our Lady, 537 Avenue D in Marrero, on Saturday, December 6, at 7:45. The first round of competition starts at 8:00, and it is expected the awards will start at twelve. Refreshments will be sold if you want to send money with the students. Also, students should have something to do while waiting for results or the next competition. Reading a good book is suggested.

Dress code is modest casual, and a school T-shirt, sweatshirt, or jacket is encouraged to show solidarity.

I’m definitely looking forward to my first academic games. I hope you are too.

Announcement for fifth through eighth grade academically gifted students

After consultation with the director of special populations and the principal for fifth through eighth grade students, we have decided to discontinue report card grades for the academically gifted class. Rest assured, students will still receive quarterly, narrative progress reports based on their IEPs. We made this decision for several reasons. First, students in grades kindergarten through fourth do not receive grades, and we wish to remain consistent across the program. Second, we hope to foster intrinsic, rather than extrinsic, motivation, and taking away grades will encourage students to take more risks and pursue research and study important to them. In addition, students are creating a wide range of different products on different timetables, and requiring students to bring study to a close based on a grade deadline could be detrimental to their work. Finally, in grades sixth through eighth, which only meet once a week, grades were more punitive than informative for students with other obligations, such as band and athletics. We wish to create well-rounded, life-long learners, and that means creating a classroom environment in which students feel safe and happy. Removing grades will help to foster that environment.