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LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — The Lafayette Parish School System has hired its first school improvement administrator.
Irma Trosclair told the school board Wednesday that she's committed to ensuring all children succeed — regardless of their backgrounds or obstacles, multiple media outlets reported.
"I know without a doubt because I've seen it happen in two schools — I know that it is the adults in a school setting that make a difference," said Trosclair, who will start her job in Lafayette on Dec. 14. "Adults, not children, are responsible for academic student growth and success."
Trosclair will work with three elementary schools, according to Superintendent Donald Aguillard, who proposed the position approved by the board last month. He said he wanted to hire an experienced principal to advise principals at low-performing elementary schools in the district.
Trosclair has spent the past three years as principal of South Crowley Elementary School, which was recently named a National Blue Ribbon School for bringing up performance scores and progress in closing the achievement gap among student subgroups.
Trosclair also was principal at Eunice Elementary for 10 years and was its leader in 2010 when the school was named a National Blue Ribbon School for five consecutive years of high achievement.
Trosclair told board members Wednesday that the accolades she's received have been due to the hard work of teachers and students at those schools.
"There is no difference in the value of children regardless of appearance, and once we recognize that we just have to work a little harder," she said. "We have to be creative and dedicate a little more time, the end result can be the same.
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