Middle School

2024 Red Stick Mom Teacher of the Year :: Nominate YOUR Favorite Teacher TODAY! There are not enough ways to say THANK YOU for all that our beloved teachers have done for us and our children, especially over the last few years. Thank you for your flexibility, thank you for you putting in extra hours, thank you for coming up with creative lesson plans to keep your students engaged, thank you for spending your hard-earned money on classroom supplies. Thank you for your unending devotion to our children and our families. One small way we thought we could extend our appreciation is to honor one very deserving teacher with our 2024 Red Stick Mom Teacher of the Year title! Whether s/he...

Banned Books I Encourage My Teen To Read By definition, book banning is the act of removing materials from a school or library as a result of objections from groups or individuals who say they need to protect others from the difficult information or ideas contained in the books. These controversial topics include everything from sexuality and religious views to information on racial and social injustices. I am a strong believer that for the most part, reading should not be censored. Growing up, I gained a wealth of knowledge and empathy through books. Learning about different views, experiences, and life paths from books has shaped me into a woman and mom who is able to spread my empathy to others around...

Disclosure :: This post is sponsored by BASIS Baton Rouge. Behind the Desk: Unveiling BASIS Mid-City’s New Visionary Leader Forget boring introductions! We snagged some quality time with Marissa Carroll, the new Head of School at BASIS Baton Rouge Mid City, to crack the code on what makes this school tick for EBR students. With over two decades of teacher and administrator credit under her belt (including a stint as the SPED Coordinator at BASIS Baton Rouge Materra), Marissa brings a passion for learning and a contagious enthusiasm that's impossible to ignore. What inspired you to become an educator, and how did you end up in a leadership role as a principal? The spark that ignited my educator flame? Witnessing those "aha!" moments...

Disclosure :: This post is sponsored by Take Note.  The Journey to Impact "We need a school that looks like Disneyland but operates like Harvard," said Chakesha Scott as she began dreaming of ways to change the education landscape in Baker, Louisiana. In 2014, Scott turned her aspirations into reality by establishing Impact Charter School, Baker's inaugural and only locally-based charter school. However, the journey to fulfill her dream was filled with adversity and challenges. As the founder and CEO, Scott describes the process of opening a charter school in Louisiana as "one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life." Through it all, Scott would lean on her "why,” the students. “The children I witnessed suffering in Baker's...

My husband was on his way home with both our girls. I had just arrived home from work, and I began my daily routine of feeding pets and changing into my workout clothes. I sat on the sofa and put on my socks and shoes. I wonder if my bonus-daughter’s phone is in her room, randomly popped into my head. I have never snooped at her phone before, so this thought was new and definitely random for me. But my brain could not let go. Starting to stretch for my evening run, I kept marinating on the idea. So, I said a little prayer, asking God for His wisdom, and I felt an even stronger urge to put my secret...