Head of the class: Two local principals are being considered for a State Principal of the Year award after taking regional honors. Shelly Colvin, principal of Woodlawn Middle School, has been named Region 2 Middle School Principal of the Year, while Nanette McCann of the Baton Rouge Magnet High School is the Region 2 High School Principal of the Year. There is one regional winner at each level across each of the eight regions statewide. Interviews for statewide awards will be conducted March 7, and will be announced on July 20.
Paying it forward: ExxonMobil Baton Rouge is giving a $125,000 grant to Teach For America-South Louisiana to assist with recruiting and training new teachers for local public schools. The grant is part of a $500,000 donation from the ExxonMobil Foundation to strengthen math and science education for more than 25,000 students in low-income communities in Dallas, Houston, south Louisiana and Washington, D.C.
In the spirit: The Jefferson Davis Parish Police Jury has agreed to endorse the use of state incentives to support infrastructure projects for a rum distillery under construction in Lacassine. Louisiana Spirits is seeking a $305,000 Economic Development Assistance Program grant from the state to help fund infrastructure systems at the facility’s 23-acre site, including water, sewer and a street extension. Police Jury President Donald Woods says police jurors wanted to support the project as a way of helping get the company started. Louisiana Spirits began the first phase of work on the 18,000-square-foot distillery in November. Check out the company’s website here for more info on the project.
Today’s poll question: Do you agree with the Metro Council’s decision not to provide $115,000 in funding for the Baton Rouge Center for World Affairs?
