The National Title I School of the Year award was presented to Abita Springs Elementary in honor of the school’s efforts to improve citizenship by being a hospitable hub of the community, said Superintendent Gayle Sloan at the St. Tammany Parish School Board meeting Thursday night.

Principal Rebecca Stogner is credited with creating the school’s welcoming atmosphere and involvement of parents in the educational process. She recently received the District PTA Teacher of the Year Award commending her efforts.

Other award winners recognized at the meeting included: • Students of the year- Benjamin Stogner of Madisonville Junior High, Elementary School Division; Milton J. Hernandez, IV of Monteleone Junior High School, Middle/Junior High School Division; and Trigg W. Burrage of Northshore High School, High School Division. Hernandez had been named Student of the Year as an elementary student in 2005 as well.

• Outstanding School Support Employees - Victoria Keys, Title I paraprofessional at Covington Elementary School, who is also retiring after 29 years of service; Kathy Impastato, paraprofessional at Carolyn Park Middle School; Joan Wallace, school secretary at Mandeville High School; and Lyn Monteleone, school food service secretary at C. J. Schoen Administrative Complex, who is also retiring after almost 25 years of service.

• Substitute of the Year - Gaye W. Wertz.

A resolution honoring Robert C. Brooks Jr. and the recommendation to rename the Robert C. Brooks Jr. Curriculum Center the Robert C. Brooks Jr. Educational Complex were both unanimously approved by the board. Brooks was also recognized in the moment of silence at the beginning of the meeting for his outstanding service. Brooks recently passed away at the age of 104.

The board also approved several retirement resolutions for certificated personnel that will result in the loss of over 1,200 years of experience to the school system. Retirement resolutions for non-certificated personnel were also approved, resulting in a loss of over 400 years of experience in those positions.

Approval of appointment for eight assistant principals and two principals were made and accepted as well as the approval of certified personnel, administrators, non-certified personnel and substitutes for the 2008-2009 school year.

Resignations of certified personnel effective at the close of the 2007-2008 school year were also accepted.

The board also:

• The name of the Early Childhood Center in Pearl River will be Little Pearl Elementary School, with April Whitfield named principal.

• Amended changes to the District Handbook for Students and Parents.

• Named Danny Milton and Fred Vanderbrook as Screening and Evaluation Committee members as per the board’s policy on selection of professional services.

• Accepted the low bid meeting plans and specifications in the amount of $96,000 submitted by Barrier Construction for Slidell High School Drainage, STPSB Project No. 0731.

• Accepted the low bid meeting plans and specifications in the amount of $150,000 for Pine View Parking Lot, STPSB Project No. 0727.

• Approved the superintendent’s revised budgets for Fiscal Year 2007-2008

• Approved the NCLB/IDEA combined application for 2008-2009.

• Approved the Guidelines for Personnel Evaluation process.