News release Public Information Office   SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Summer  2005 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 10/10/05   Click on image for publication quality photo  SIGNING ON FOR PROJECT TEACH -- Southeastern Louisiana University and representatives of the four parish school districts participating in the university’s Project TEACH sign agreements to participate in a fourth year of the federally-funded program, which trains teachers to work with students who speak limited English. From left, are, seated, Lafayette ESL Coordinator Beth Thomas, East Baton Rouge ESL Coordinator Gladys White, East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent Charlotte Placide; Livingston Parish ESL Coordinator Dawn Pope, Livingston Superintendent Randy Pope, and Office of Sponsored Research Director Emily Bond; back, Lafayette Superintendent James Easton, English Department Head Jeanne Dubino, Lafayette Assistant Superintendent Burnell Lemoine, Tangipahoa ESL Coordinator Deborah Forshag, College of Education and Human Development Dean Diane Allen, English professor Robin Norris, Department of Teaching and Learning Interim Department Head Shirley Jacob, Continuing Education Dean Gerald Guidroz, Project TEACH Administrative Assistant Bernadette LeJeune, Project TEACH Director Rossana Boyd, and Project TEACH Coordinator David Jumonville. SOUTHEASTERN AND PARTNERS SIGN FOURTH PROJECT TEACH AGREEMENT TO IMPROVE ESL INSTRUCTION        HAMMOND – Representatives of four parish school districts have signed agreements to participate in a fourth year of Southeastern Louisiana University’s Project TEACH, a five-year program to improve and increase the number of teachers qualified to work with students who speak limited English.        Project TEACH, administered by Southeastern’s Department of Teaching and Learning in the College of Education and Human Development, was funded in 2002 through a $1.2 million Title III professional development grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition.         Director Rossana Boyd said the grant represents a unique partnership between Southeastern and the Lafayette, East Baton Rouge, Livingston, and Tangipahoa school districts to address the growing need of educational services for LEP students.           "Project TEACH allows the College of Education and Human Development a unique opportunity to support our partner school districts and their teachers,” said Diane Allen, dean of the College of Education and Human Development. “This is just one more way that Southeastern contributes to improving educational opportunities for the children of Louisiana."        At the Sept. 29 signing luncheon at Southeastern, project staff and ESL coordinators from the four parishes provided an overview of Project TEACH achievements. Boyd said by the end of the year, 30 teachers will have completed the requirements for the ESL add-on certification. She also said that 55 classroom teachers have participated in Project TEACH workshops.        Representing the school districts were, from Lafayette Parish, Superintendent James Easton, Assistant Superintendent Burnell Lemoine, ESL Coordinator Beth Thomas; from East Baton Rouge Parish, Superintendent Charlotte Placide, ESLU Coordinator Gladys White; from Livingston Parish, Superintendent Randy Pope, ESL Coordinator Dawn Pope; and, from Tangipahoa Parish, Superintendent Louis Joseph, and ESL Coordinator Deborah Forshag.          Southeastern was represented by Boyd; Allen; Project TEACH Coordinator David Jumonville; Project TEACH Administrative Assistant Bernadette LeJeune; Gerald Guidroz, dean of Continuing Education; Emily Bond, director of the Office of Sponsored Research and Grants; Shirley Jacob, interim head of the Department of Teaching and Learning; Jeanne Dubino, head of the English Department; and English professor Robin Norris.        Southeastern is the only Louisiana university, and one of only a handful nationwide, that offers add-on ESL certification entirely on the Internet.         For additional information about Project TEACH and Southeastern ESL add-on certification, contact Boyd, 985-549-5736, or Project TEACH Coordinator David Jumonville, 985-549-3115. Information is also available online at www.selu.edu/Academics/Education/TEC/esl/project_teach.htm.