JEANERETTE — Iberia Parish’s school teachers reported to school Monday for their first day back of the new year. 

Teachers across the parish met to go over curriculum details and objectives before opening their class doors to the 2018-2019 group of students.

“Teachers have been preparing all summer with extensive professional development and preparing their classrooms as a welcoming environment for learning.” Superintendent of Iberia Parish School Carey Laviolette said.

“We are ready for a productive school year.”

Newly assigned principal of St. Charles Elementary in Jeanerette, Lenette Hawk-Hill. saw the occasion as an opportunity to bring community leaders and clergy together to inspire this year’s group of teachers to “Keep it Real” in the classroom, her new motto as incoming administrator for the school. 

“As promised my motivation for today was ‘keeping it real,’ focusing on relationships that elevate achievement through learning,” Hawk-Hill said.  

“We can’t move forward until we have everyone on board, starting with community leaders because they are taxpayers and they are here to support us,” she said.  

“This will help the parents, the students, and the teachers, knowing that we have people that are supporting us.”

Community leaders in attendance included Jeanerette Mayor Aprill Foulcard, Jeanerette Alderman Clarence Clark, City Judge Cameron Simmons, chairperson of Iberia Parish Foundation Elizabeth Little, local business woman Trenia Joseph, Iberia Parish School Board members the Rev. Arthur Alexander and Kathleen Rosamond, and other retired teachers and clergy.

Teachers and guests were served a continental breakfast. They were able to meet and chat with leaders before Alexander led the group in a prayer that called for positive attitudes among teachers and a desire to learn and obey in students.

“This was a very welcoming event,” sixth-grade math teacher Jennifer Guidry said.  

“It was an encouragement and a motivation to meet the call of having third- through sixth-grade students this year and to share the vision of having true leadership and true fellowship, it was awesome,” Guidry said.

In sidebar conversations, retired Iberia Parish teacher and the Rev. Lillie Lockett could be heard encouraging the teachers of St. Charles to exercise their faith in the classroom.

“Starting the new school year, I think every teacher should pray,” Lockett said.  

“Pray before you leave home, on your way to school, in the classroom and for your students. What I did was every morning, I greeted my students with a hug and every afternoon. I told them to go home to their parents and tell them they loved them. Prayer is the key,” Lockett said.

New St. Charles Elementary sixth-grade ELA teacher Famee Jeansonne joins Iberia Parish after working in Baker. She called the Monday morning welcome inspiring.

“This is just a great way of solidifying one mission for the city of Jeanerette,” Jeansonne said. 

“It’s exciting and makes everything come alive. It does take a village to raise a child,” she said.

Iberia Parish students begin their 2018-2019 school year on Wednesday.