School will cease to exist after 35 years of operation
When A.A. Songy Kindergarten Center opens its doors for the first day of school on Aug. 12, teachers will be welcoming the school’s last class.
The kindergarten center will be absorbed into Mimosa Park Elementary after 35 years of existence.
Although A.A. Songy started off in 1978 as an elementary school, in 1986 it changed into a kindergarten center serving pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes. It has been the only school in the parish to focus on only the youngest student population.
Under the state’s recently developed common core standards, the school district has been in the process of realigning the district to serve grade groups. The grade realignment began last year when most schools in the parish changed the student populations to serve kindergarten through second grade, third grade through fifth grade, sixth grade through eighth grade and ninth grade through 12th grade.
A.A. Songy is the last piece of the alignment puzzle, but was delayed due to ongoing construction at Mimosa Elementary.
“We needed a new wing at Mimosa to accommodate another grade level,” Stevie Crovetto, public information officer for St. Charles Parish Public Schools, said.
The transition has already begun by combining the administration of the two schools. Michele deBruler, the principal at Mimosa Elementary, was named this year as the principal of A.A. Songy. Meanwhile A.A. Songy’s former principal, Claire Brauninger, has taken over leadership of New Sarpy Elementary.
“With the transition the way A.A. Songy and Mimosa is set up now, it will be smooth,” Crovetto said.
The school was named after Aubin A. Songy, who was a former principal at Destrehan High School and later went on to be supervisor of education and assistant superintendent before retiring from the school district in 1968.
Songy has been attributed the quote, “No amount of money or brains can make a teacher. You have to be born a teacher.”After Songy passed away in 1975 the school, which had not yet been built, was named after him.
In addition to the school name being retired, the blue and white school colors will disappear after this year. Mascot Buddy the Bulldog, who was chosen by students in the school’s first year inexistence, will also cease to exist. The building currently housing A.A. Songy will become part of the Lakewood Elementary campus next year.
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