Faye Hammons Bailey asked that the following comments be posted. Her sister Linda will present these comments to the Caddo Parish School Board on 10/26/2006.
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Thank you for allowing me to speak on this important matter. My name is Linda Hammons Byrd, class of 72, and my siblings, my sister, Faye Hammons Bailey class of 61 and my late brother Lester Hammons class of 60; we are all PROUD graduates of Fair Park!
I have been actively involved in the Fair Park Reunion Committee’s since our first reunion in 1982 and during these reunion events, we asked Fair Park’s principals to open the doors of our school so that former graduates could take a step back in time to remember the good ole days. Good ole days meaning great football games, wonderful caring teachers, a great student body and above all “School Spirit.” I know that the current principal, Bruce Daigle is doing what is needed to get “school spirit” and the enthusiasm of students, teachers, faculty and parents back on track at Fair Park. Mr. Daigle is working with teachers and students to improve school grades improve on standardized tests and to retain students for graduation. In his short tenure as principal at Fair Park, many changes have taken place. Fair Park’s current enrollment is 815 students, an increase of almost 20% from previous years and since the inception of the “Jump Program” at the freshmen level, preliminary indications show that nearly 90% of the students enrolled have earned enough credits to become a sophomore, as opposed to 47% or less in previous years. Reading scores have also shown improvement from pre-test, mid-test and post-test data. Beginning in January of 2007, Mr. Daigle and the teachers of Fair Park are implementing the “Test Prep Class” that will help ALL students receive extra help in Math, Science, English, what-ever subject they need help in, so you can see he is doing a great job at Fair Park with new and exciting ideas.
The goals for each school in Caddo Parish is to be accountable to achieve the results that would make students want to come to school and stay in school. Results show that Mr. Daigle has made tremendous progress at Fair Park and closing this school and sending students to Booker T. Washington would be an injustice to Mr. Daigle and to the students at Fair Park. Mr. Daigle deserves the respect and time to carry on his dedicated work at Fair Park and to improve his school’s performance. Let’s give him and the students at Fair Park a fair chance to change.
Achievements on the athletic field have come a long way also at Fair Park. This school has a STRONG history of athletic abilities, and sports also give students a reason to come to school and stay in school. This past year Fair Park won the State Championship in basketball for the first time since 1963, and in today’s paper it listed that the football team is making great and fast strides in rebuilding its program to the glory days of past and for the first time in 20 years the football team could make the playoffs. The coaches are doing a great job in reviving these programs. Sports along with good test scores keep students focused and in school.
Fair Park’s 3-story level is not conducive for elementary children. The 3rd floor annex at Fair Park would pose a safety issue for younger children, there is only 1 set of stairs leading up to the annex and not to mention how far it is from the cafeteria, I remember we had to run from the annex to the cafeteria with the small amount of time we had to eat. What is the cost estimate to renovate Fair Park to become a K-8 school? I understand that recently air conditioning costs at Fair Park were done at a cost of 2.8 million dollars. How much more money do the TAXPAYERS have to pay to renovate the school to accommodate a new K-8 facility?
I am here today representing the Class of 72 and all the Fair Park Alumni and we are asking for your support and some time for Mr. Daigle to get Fair Park refocused and back on track like it was when I was an Indian.
ONCE AN INDIAN, ALWAYS AN INDIAN.
LINDA HAMMONS BYRD
FPHS Class of 1972
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