Cameron Parish School System

08/19/2026

New Transportation Resources for Our Schools

We are excited to share another positive addition for Cameron Parish Schools! Each of our school campuses will now have access to a school-issued SUV to help safely transport our students, faculty, and staff.

These vehicles will provide our schools with greater flexibility for everyday transportation needs. Faculty and staff will be able to use them when attending professional development, trainings, and meetings, while sponsors and coaches will have another option for transporting smaller groups of students to activities such as cross-country meets, Beta Club events, agriculture trips, academic competitions, and other school-related activities.

In the past, many of these smaller trips required the use of a school bus—even when only a handful of students were traveling. These SUVs will allow an approved faculty or staff member to safely transport smaller groups without requiring a CDL driver and a full-size bus. This will help us use our transportation resources more efficiently while providing our students and employees with a safe, reliable, and convenient mode of transportation.

Most importantly, we would like to extend a sincere thank you to Cameron LNG for their support in helping make this possible. Their continued investment in our schools and our students is greatly appreciated.

We are thankful for community partners who continue to believe in Cameron Parish Schools and help us provide our students and employees with the resources they need.

Thank you, Cameron LNG, for helping make this vision a reality for our schools!

08/06/2026

07/30/2026

As we continue our Back-to-School Countdown, today’s update focuses on transportation and the important role it plays in ensuring a safe and successful start to the new school year.

Getting our students safely to and from school each day is one of the most important responsibilities entrusted to Cameron Parish Schools. From our dedicated bus drivers and transportation staff to our school administrators and campus personnel, everyone plays an important role in making sure each school day begins and ends safely.

As students return, we ask for everyone’s patience during the first couple of weeks of school. As routes are finalized and students become familiar with their schedules, bus arrival and departure times may vary slightly. We encourage students to arrive at their designated bus stop a few minutes early each morning, and we remind parents that minor adjustments during the first week are common as we work to provide the safest and most efficient transportation possible.

Parents who transport their children to school are also asked to follow each campus’s designated traffic patterns during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. A little extra patience during the first few days will help ensure a safe and orderly experience for everyone. We also remind all motorists to slow down in school zones, remain alert for children crossing roadways, and always stop for school buses when required by law.

One exciting enhancement for this school year is the implementation of the BusRight transportation app. We anticipate having the system fully implemented within the first couple of weeks of school and look forward to providing families with another valuable communication and safety tool.

Once fully implemented, BusRight will allow parents and guardians to:
• Track their child’s school bus in real time.
• View estimated bus arrival times.
• Receive notifications regarding bus arrivals, route activity, delays, and transportation updates.
• Know when their child’s bus is approaching its designated stop.
• Improve communication between families and our Transportation Department.
• Provide parents with greater peace of mind by keeping them informed throughout their child’s daily transportation experience.

We believe BusRight will be a tremendous benefit to our families and another important step forward in enhancing communication, efficiency, and student safety throughout our district.

Finally, we encourage parents to take a few moments to review bus safety with their children. Students should remain seated while the bus is in motion, follow the directions of the bus driver, stay a safe distance away from the roadway while waiting for the bus, and use caution when crossing the street after exiting. By working together, we can help ensure every student has a safe transportation experience each day.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our Transportation Department and dedicated bus drivers for the outstanding job they do each day. They are often the first Cameron Parish Schools employee to greet your child each morning and the last to wish them a great afternoon. Their professionalism, patience, and commitment to the safety of our students are truly appreciated and play a vital role in the success of our school system.

Thank you to our parents, students, employees, and community for partnering with us as we prepare for another outstanding school year. Together, we can ensure that every student arrives safely, learns successfully, and returns home safely each day. We look forward to welcoming everyone back very soon!

Kindest regards,

Charley Lemons
Superintendent
Cameron Parish Schools
Office:337.775.5784 Ext. 1001

07/29/2026

As we continue our Back-to-School Countdown, today’s update focuses on a topic that is at the heart of everything we do at Cameron Parish Schools—student safety and security.

Providing a safe, secure, and welcoming learning environment for every student and employee remains our highest priority. As we prepare to welcome students back to our campuses, we want to share several of the steps that have been taken throughout the summer to further strengthen the safety and security of our schools.

As previously shared, secure safety and security window film has been installed at the entrance vestibules on each of our campuses, providing another layer of protection at our main entry points. In addition, each school administrator conducted a comprehensive inspection of every classroom door and exterior door on their campus to verify that each door locked properly and functioned as intended. Any deficiencies that were identified were promptly addressed by our maintenance department, and those doors are now locking and functioning appropriately. These inspections are an important part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining safe and secure learning environments for our students and employees.

We have also reviewed our emergency procedures, continued our close partnership with the Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office and local first responders, and ensured that our campuses are prepared for the opening of the new school year.

For the upcoming school year, each Cameron Parish school campus will be equipped with a portable walk-through metal detector. This investment is being made for one reason—your child’s safety. These units provide another layer of security and will allow us to screen students entering our buildings as part of our overall school safety plan.

During the first week of school, students will be introduced to the walk-through metal detectors during their PE classes. This time will be used to familiarize students with the screening process, demonstrate how to properly walk through the units, discuss common items that may activate the detectors, and answer any questions they may have. Our goal is to ensure students understand the process, become comfortable with it, and recognize that these measures are being implemented solely to help protect them.

These portable walk-through metal detectors will also be utilized during school events and activities that are open to the public, including Veterans Day programs, Grandparents Day, athletic contests, performances, and other campus events where visitors are present. By incorporating these measures into both the school day and community events, we are creating a consistent approach to campus safety while helping ensure that everyone who enters our schools can do so with greater peace of mind.

We recognize that no single safety measure can prevent every situation. However, we firmly believe that school safety is built through multiple layers of protection working together. Secure and properly functioning classroom and exterior doors, controlled entrances, School Resource Officers, trained faculty and staff, established emergency procedures, safety and security window film, and portable walk-through metal detectors all serve as important layers in our comprehensive safety plan. Each layer strengthens the next, creating a safer environment for our students, employees, and visitors.

Every decision we make begins with the safety of our students. Each morning, parents entrust us with what is most precious to them, and we take that responsibility very seriously. Our number one goal is simple—to provide a safe learning environment where students can learn and grow, and to return every child home safely to their family at the end of each school day.

Thank you for your continued trust, support, and partnership as we prepare to welcome our students back for another outstanding school year.

07/28/2026

Good morning, Cameron Parish!

As we continue our Back-to-School Countdown, here’s an important reminder for all parents and guardians.

If you haven’t already, please take time to complete your student’s beginning-of-year digital paperwork before the first day of school. Completing these forms early helps our schools prepare for your child’s arrival and makes the first day much smoother for everyone.

We also encourage you to follow your child’s school page closely over the next several days. Each campus will be sharing important information, including Open House details, school supply information, schedules, bus information, and other reminders specific to their school.

Students return to school on Thursday, August 6, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for another great year in Cameron Parish Schools!

Preparing the future of Cameron Parish, one student at a time.

Kindest regards,

Charley Lemons
Superintendent
Cameron Parish Schools
Office:337.775.5784 Ext. 1001

07/27/2026

Summer Campus Updates – Cameron Parish Schools

As we prepare to welcome our students and staff back for another school year, our maintenance crews, administrators, and staff have been busy throughout the summer making improvements across Cameron Parish Schools.

From safety and security upgrades to renovations, repairs, and general campus improvements, a lot of work has taken place over the summer. While there are still a few projects we are working to complete before students return, we wanted to share some of what has been happening across our campuses.

Here’s a look around the district:

🟦 South Cameron High School

• New Gymnasium: Construction on the new gymnasium continues to progress nicely despite the challenges presented by a rainy summer.

• Main Corridor Flooring: Repairs have been made to address moisture-related issues in the main corridor.

• Safety Improvements: Safety/security tint has been installed in the vestibule leading into the main office.

• Football Stadium & Track: Renovations and repairs have been made at the football stadium and track area as we work toward bringing track meets back to the South Cameron campus this coming spring.

• Stadium Lighting: Repairs are also being made to the field lighting to ensure the facility can accommodate track meets that extend into the evening.

🟨 Grand Lake Elementary

• Safety Improvements: Safety/security tint has been installed in the vestibule leading into the main office.

• Fresh Paint: The main corridors throughout the elementary side have received a complete repainting.

• New Mural: A new mural has been added to help freshen up the campus for the new school year.

• Air Conditioning: Several air-conditioning repairs have been completed, including work to address some lingering issues.

🟨 Grand Lake High School

• Safety Improvements: Safety/security tint has been installed in all vestibules leading into the main office.

• Air Conditioning Upgrades: Major air-conditioning upgrades and repairs have been completed, particularly in the gymnasium. We do still have a few additional air-conditioning upgrades and issues that we hope to have resolved before the start of school, and our crews are continuing to work toward getting those completed.

🟩 Hackberry High School

• Safety Improvements: Safety/security tint has been installed in the vestibule leading into the main office.

• Old Gymnasium Renovations: Renovations are underway in the old gymnasium to convert an area into updated batting cages for both our baseball and softball programs.

• Gymnasium Lighting: The existing gymnasium lights have been replaced with new LED lighting, providing a much brighter and improved environment.

• Air Conditioning: We are also wrapping up work to address a few remaining air-conditioning issues across the campus as we prepare for the start of school.

🟥 Johnson Bayou High School

• Safety Improvements: Safety/security tint has been installed in the vestibule leading into the main office.

• Track & Field Improvements: Renovations have been made to the track and field area to better accommodate our student-athletes. The existing mound was removed and a new gravel throwing arc was installed for our discus throwers.

• Air Conditioning: We are currently working to resolve a few remaining air-conditioning issues on campus and hope to have those addressed before the start of school.

A special thank you goes out to our maintenance personnel, school administrators, custodial staff, and everyone else who has worked throughout the summer to prepare our schools for the return of our students and staff.

We’re getting closer! We look forward to opening our doors, welcoming everyone back, and kicking off another great school year in Cameron Parish Schools!

07/23/2026

WELCOME BACK!!

It’s hard to believe, but we’re only two weeks away from the start of another school year! I hope everyone has enjoyed a safe, relaxing, and fun summer. We are excited to welcome our students and staff back for what I know will be another outstanding year for Cameron Parish Schools.

As we count down to the first day, I encourage all parents and guardians to keep a close eye on your child’s school page. Over the next couple of weeks, our schools will be sharing important information regarding open houses, schedules, dates, times, beginning-of-the-year procedures, reminders, and other helpful back-to-school information.

I’m also excited to share that our beginning-of-the-year paperwork is now digital! Parents will be able to complete the required forms online before school begins, making the process much easier and more convenient for everyone. A special thank you goes to Mrs. Courtney Verzwyvelt for the tremendous amount of work she put into making this happen for our district and our families.

Beginning next week, we’ll also be highlighting many of the projects and improvements completed throughout the summer in preparation for our students’ return. From safety enhancements and campus painting and renovations to numerous other improvements across our schools, our maintenance, custodial, technology, transportation, and administrative teams have worked tirelessly to ensure our campuses are ready to welcome students back.

We look forward to seeing everyone at our Open Houses and officially welcoming our students back to school on Thursday, August 6. Thank you for your continued support of Cameron Parish Schools. We can’t wait to see everyone soon and kick off another incredible school year!

Here’s to a great year ahead!

07/20/2026

We are incredibly proud to share the Cameron Parish School Board’s 2026 LEAP Assessment results!

These accomplishments are a reflection of the dedication, passion, and teamwork that exist throughout our district. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our outstanding teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, support staff, bus drivers, cafeteria employees, custodians, and every employee who plays a role in the success of our students each and every day. Your commitment to providing a high-quality education and supporting our children does not go unnoticed.

I also want to thank our parents, families, School Board members, community partners, and stakeholders for your continued support of our schools. The partnership between our schools and our community is essential to the success of our students, and we are grateful for your trust and encouragement.

Most importantly, congratulations to our students! Your hard work, perseverance, and determination are what these results represent.

While we are proud of these accomplishments, we remain committed to continuous improvement and ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed. Thank you to everyone who helps make Cameron Parish Schools a place where excellence is expected and achieved.

Together, we are building a brighter future for the children of Cameron Parish.

07/14/2026

Please help us in welcoming our new HHS Mustangs Assistant Principal, Mrs. Baleigh Cooper!

My name is Baleigh Cooper, and I am excited to be joining Hackberry High School as the new Assistant Principal. I am a 2011 graduate of Starks High School, earned my bachelor's degree from McNeese State University in 2016, and later completed my master's degree in educational administration from Lamar University.

I have 10 years of experience in education serving students in Calcasieu Parish, including the past three years as an Assistant Principal at W.W. Lewis Middle School. I began my career as a high school coach at Iowa High School before teaching and coaching at Vinton Middle School for several years. I also have experience teaching elementary physical education, which has given me the opportunity to work with students across all grade levels.

Throughout my career, I have been passionate about building positive relationships with students and families, supporting teachers, and creating a positive school culture where all students feel valued, challenged, and empowered to succeed.

Outside of school, my greatest joy is spending time with my husband, Derek, and our three boys, Jett, Kipp, and Tripp. Whether we're cheering them on at their sporting events or enjoying the outdoors, hunting and fishing, we love making memories together as a family.

I am grateful for the opportunity to join the Hackberry family and look forward to getting to know the students, staff, families, and community.