The Natchitoches Parish School Board met on Tuesday to discuss various updates, including the district’s use of digital payments and the Smart Steps program. Superintendent Grant Eloi updated the board on the district’s digital payment options, which will continue to be used for day-to-day school activities and athletic events. Principals and secretaries have been informed that a cash option should always be available to avoid convenience fees.
Smart Steps Program
The board also received an update on the Smart Steps program, designed for kindergarten through second-grade students with behavioral needs. The program is a Tier 3 intervention focused on helping students develop social, coping, and self-regulation skills. Students can be referred by principals to the district’s student services team, which will review intervention data to determine eligibility.
The program is expected to last a minimum of 45 days, with individual goals established for students. Students will transition back to their regular classrooms gradually, rather than returning immediately after completing the program. District officials emphasized that Smart Steps is not intended to be a punitive alternative school, but rather a program to address behavior in developmentally appropriate ways and change the trajectory of students’ educational careers.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
