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BREAUX BRIDGE, La. (AP) — The site of Breaux Bridge Elementary could become St. Martin Parish's new College and Career Readiness Center next school year.
The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/1FQ0m0l ) the elementary school will relocate to the Breaux Bridge Primary campus in the 2015-16 school year as part of a board-approved plan to balance student enrollment, making the site available for a new purpose.
St. Martin Parish Schools Superintendent Lottie Beebe's recommendation to use the elementary campus for a center where high school students from across the parish could receive technical training will be considered by the School Board during a special meeting on Wednesday.
Each of the parish's three high schools — Cecilia, Breaux Bridge and St. Martinville — will continue to offer select technical training programs to students, if the center is approved by the board, Beebe said.
She said there's still a need for a centralized college and career readiness center to enable the parish to consolidate its resources and serve more students.
The center would help the parish align its efforts with the statewide Jump Start initiative, Beebe said. Jump Start is a revamp of the career diploma to better prepare high school students for success after graduation with certifications and skills to continue their education or find a job.
Beebe said the center would house programs such as culinary arts, electrical, oil and gas, cosmetology and a certified nurse assistant program.
"We'd start off small with the realization that as we move forward with the Jump Start initiative and we see more students on the tech track, we will expand the programs," she said.
Through business and community partnerships, Beebe said, the center could be able to expand its program offering based on regional workforce demands.
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Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com
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