With the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and the chaos that ensued all over the world, schools in Louisiana almost universally took a hit when it came to LEAP test score declines locally and statewide.

However, one school in Iberia Parish was able to buck that trend. North Lewis Elementary School not only managed to not see the percentage of students who scored Mastery or above in this year’s tests fall below the previous group’s Mastery or above levels, it actually managed to rise five points.

The school scored 38 percent in 2019 and 43 percent in 2021, gaining five points.

The achievement is especially extraordinary given the new mandates that were given last year such as virtual learning options and social distancing protocols that had major effects on how curriculums were administered.

Principal Tim Rosamond said North Lewis’ staff reflected on their scores, which were distributed last week, and said the school’s commitment to academics was one of the major contributing factors to its success.

“I think last year when the whole country was going through what we were going through, we tried to keep a focus on academics,” Rosamond said. “We had a focus on trying to stay normal and consistent for the kids and their well-being, as well as the staff and their well-being.”

Although the year was filled with distractions and changes, Rosamond said trying to keep North Lewis’ learning environment as normal as possible was a key component to the school’s strategy.

“We have also been putting some things in place pre-COVID,” Rosamond said. “The way we meet teachers, the way we look at the standards, it was inevitable that we started to tick up.”

Although every other school in Iberia Parish fell below the 2019 LEAP score, Rosamond added that all schools worked hard for the tests and some even managed to maintain high scores despite having a lesser score than the previous year.

Superintendent of Schools Carey Laviolette praised North Lewis’ 2021 score, noting it as an academic achievement during an extremely hard school year.

“Last year was a tremendous challenge, and North Lewis rose to that challenge,” Laviolette said.

Rosamond added that the score was ultimately a testament to the staff, students and parents of North Lewis. With a new administrative team at the school this year, the principal said he is looking forward to getting an even better score this year.

“It’s a tribute to our teachers’, parents’ and students’ work that we made it bounce up during an extraordinary year,” Rosamond said. “Especially with the shortened year before that.”