Baton Rouge, LA –The East Baton Rouge Parish School System formally entered into agreements with two external partners to establish a network of autonomous schools in the school district.  On Monday, April, 2, 2007, Superintendent Charlotte Placide signed the work agreements between the school system, AmericaCAN! and East Baton Rouge Laboratory Academy. The goal of this alternative education design is to reduce the number of high school drop outs and create opportunities for a successful post-secondary education experience for students.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Laboratory Academy will begin with a total of 100 ninth-graders attending class in specific classrooms that will be housed at Istrouma High School.  The main campus of the CAN! Academy of Baton Rouge is expected to enroll 400 students and will be housed on Cadillac Street where the current Baton Rouge Preparatory Academy currently exists.  Two satellite campuses at Prescott Middle School and Glen Oaks Middle School will also house an additional 100 students each.

David Zielinski was recently appointed as Principal of the East Baton Rouge Parish Laboratory Academy.  He will be joined by Molly Williams, the school’s Assistant Principal. 

The CAN! Academies of Baton Rouge will be led by Anthony Suttice, the Executive Principal of the school.  He will work with Ron Johnson, the Assistant Principal of Community Development.

The CAN! Academies of Baton Rouge and the East Baton Rouge Laboratory Academy will open in August 2007.