Executive Director Tony Cain is enthusiastic about the ongoing developments at Downsville Community Charter School. This past year, both the baseball and softball teams celebrated their seasons on newly constructed fields, inaugurated with ribbon-cutting ceremonies. Additionally, a state-of-the-art agriculture building was completed during the last school year.
Phase 2, which will be announced soon, includes the construction of a new, much larger gymnasium. This facility will enable the school to host play-off basketball games and accommodate larger crowds for various events throughout the year, such as homecoming. The existing gymnasium will remain allowing DCCS to increase capacity to allow for peewee sports and additional varsity sports. Initially, there were plans to convert the old gymnasium into a new cafeteria; however, due to state mandates, DCCS was required to build a storm shelter. Therefoe, a brand-new 5,000 sq. ft. cafeteria shelter will be constructed and will double as a storm shelter. This structure will feature 12-inch-thick concrete walls, and doors and walls will be capable of withstanding projectiles traveling at 250 miles per hour. The new cafeteria will be built in place of the old auditorium, which will be demolished due to extensive repairs needed and its insufficient size for school programs.
Mr. Cain is also looking forward to curriculum enhancements for high school students. “We want our students to be ready for their futures. We incorporated the block system last year and have seen improvements in scores, especially in math. We had a student achieve a perfect score on the Algebra state test, with two more students missing by only one question.” The high school scores will be available after the 2024-25 school year begins, and Cain anticipates the high school performance will be among the highest in North Louisiana.
He also highlighted a recent trip to Washington D.C. for several members of the robotics team, led by Scott Wood and Mr. Kevin Nutt. The school plans to add a STEM program to include more competition teams in underwater robotics, flying drones, and computer coding.
The board values input from teachers, and a recent survey indicated that over two-thirds of the staff are satisfied with current conditions. Additionally, the Board of Directors of DCCS provided $4,000 in stipends for all staff, making DCCS staff salaries among the highest in Northeast Louisiana. Suggestions from the survey are being considered and adjustments are being made to further improve the teacher experience at DCCS. Cain stated, “We want our teachers to be happy and will continue to work with them every step of the way. Our teacher retention has been 85% to 92% for the past 4 years.
