By PATRICK COURREGES
Advocate Acadiana bureau
Published: Oct 3, 2007 - Page: 1BA

CARENCRO — Carencro High School’s information technology academy — already having gained national recognition this year — hosted a team from the National Academy Foundation in town to evaluate the school for participation in a model school research project.

Rebecca Privett, central regional manager for the foundation, said Tuesday that the two day visit by officials with the group was to size up the academy for inclusion in a multiyear study on such academies and how best to make use of their practices to prepare students for careers.

Privett said a key part of the foundation’s model is making use of an advisory board made up of members of the business community to help guide the academies in teaching students the skills companies will need.

She said that of the 520-plus academies the New York-headquartered foundation works with across the country, Carencro High was one of 24 to make the short list prior, with a final cut down to 20 schools for the study yet to come.

Privett said the main purpose of the trip to Lafayette Parish was to have a good look at the students, teachers and methods the school uses in following the foundation’s academy model in preparation for possible recommendation for the research project.

She said Carencro High has already proven itself noteworthy, having won the foundation’s Aldo Papone Leadership Award for high performance.

“They are definitely doing a good job,” Privett said.

She said the support for the academy’s mission is evident from the district level to the administrators of the school.

“They definitely have the staff in place and have the vision and are headed in the right direction to be a model academy,” Privett said.

Kit Becnel, director of Carencro High’s information technology academy, said Tuesday that the foundation’s consideration will add to the national name recognition the school has already received from its performance award.

She said the information the academy receives from the current process will help make a strong program even stronger.

“We will take it now to the next level,” Becnel said.