Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) is excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Pugh Family Foundation and other community philanthropic partners to implement the Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) model at two elementary schools in Lafayette Parish.
The ACE model, an innovative educational framework designed to enhance academic performance and overall campus excellence, operates on five fundamental pillars. These pillars serve as the foundation for an expanded and comprehensive approach to education, fostering a supportive and enriching environment for students, educators, and families.
The five pillars of the ACE model are:
Highly Effective Principals And Teachers
- Quantitative and qualitative measures will be used to identify outstanding talent, and three-year stipends will be offered to incentivize these educators to apply to work on ACE campuses.
Instructional Excellence
- ACE campuses will center on a culture of high expectations for all students and educators, and targeted and differentiated professional development along with continual observations, feedback, and coaching support will be used to integrate strong data-driven daily instructional practices.
Extended School Day
- 30 minutes of additional learning time focused on math and ELA will be part of each school day along with 90 minutes of optional daily after-school enrichment programming. A third daily hot meal and transportation home will also be provided to students participating in after-school activities.
Mental Health And Social Resilience
- Additional programs and resources supporting social and emotional health and emphasizing the importance of positive relationships between students and adults will be provided to students, educators, and families on ACE campuses.
Parent And Community Partnerships
- Principals and teachers will work to include and welcome parents as partners in their child's educational journey through increased communication, community-centered events and meetings, and new partnerships.
“Strategic staffing, instructional excellence, social-emotional support, extended learning, and collaborative partnerships – these pillars define the ACE model and represent our commitment to fostering a well-rounded educational experience for every student,” stated Superintendent Francis Touchet, Jr.
LPSS and its community philanthropic partners, led by the Pugh Family Foundation, are dedicated to providing the additional resources and support necessary to implement the ACE model effectively and with fidelity. The collaboration aims to create a transformative educational experience for students, setting the stage for long-term academic achievement and personal growth.
“All our students and teachers deserve the best and most effective supports, and Accelerating Campus Excellence is a proven model that continues to produces astonishing results on dozens of campus across Texas as well as just north of us in Evangeline Parish,” says Nick Pugh, founder and chair of the nationally recognized Pugh Family Foundation.
The ACE model will be implemented at J.W. Faulk Elementary School and Raphael A. Baranco Elementary School, historically lower performing schools within Lafayette Parish, in a carefully targeted effort to positively impact student and educator outcomes.
"The Evangeline Parish School District is excited for the Lafayette Parish School System as they embark on revolutionizing the educational journey for some of their most vulnerable students!" said Darwan Lazard, Evangeline Parish Superintendent of Schools. "Seeing the execution of this groundbreaking school design, which is deeply entrenched in the ACE model, Evangeline Reimagine Academy has surpassed all expectations!"
This initiative signifies a significant leap forward in the pursuit of educational excellence within Lafayette Parish, showcasing LPSS's dedication to fostering an environment where students thrive academically and personally.