Liza Jacobs will use Marine values as principal of Bunkie Elementary

Everyone agrees that discipline is important to having a successful elementary school. Most will agree a school shouldn’t be run like a “boot camp.” After all, they’re only children.

However, Liza Jacobs may have the necessary skill set to do either -- or both -- should it be necessary. You see, Bunkie Elementary Learning Academy’s new principal is not only a veteran elementary educator, she is also a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Oorah!

BELA students and staff will not be in a boot camp, but there will be discipline, structure and consistency in the daily operation of the school. Those are a few of the things Jacobs learned as a Marine and plans to incorporate at BELA.

After graduating from Marksville High in 1991, Jacobs entered the Marines and trained at Parris Island, S.C. She served for four years as an accountant, but was still every bit a Marine.

She was deployed to the war-torn, lawless land of Somalia for one tour of duty. She was responsible for ensuring that all Marine Corps vehicles that left base were accounted for and returned.

“If I can handle Somalia, I can handle BELA,” Jacobs said.

After leaving the Marines, she worked in accounting until 2000 when she started substituting teaching. She decided to go back to school and earn her teaching degree to become a certified teacher.

Jacobs was named the new principal of BELA in mid-May and hit the ground running June 1 in her new position.

She believes BELA can turn around. It was an “F” school at the beginning of last school year and will probably be an “F” school when the final school performance ratings for this past school year are released.

Her short term goal is to raise the school’s rating to a “D” during this school year, which will be a challenge. The long-term goal, to achieve within three to four years, would have the school with a “C” or “B” rating.

“BELA is our school and we don’t need the stigma of being an ‘F’ school,” Jacobs told the Bunkie Rotary Club at its July 12 meeting. “Everyone I’ve asked so far says that BELA should be no less than a ‘C’ school. I will always do what is best for students. I believe it takes a village to raise and educate a child.”

Since coming to Bunkie, Jacobs said she sees the community support for the school and knows it will be there throughout the school year. Community support is one of the tools needed to have a successful school.

Jacobs was an instructional coach for the past 4.5 years and was a classroom teacher before that. As an instructional coach at one school its test scores rose 20 points. As instructional coach at Marksville Elementary last year, the scores rose 10 points.

“I have never had a school slide backwards with school performance scores (SPS),” Jacobs noted. “I believe we can do the same with BELA.”

She said the core values for BELA will be respect, responsibility, integrity, perseverance, positivity and motivation.

While all six areas are important, she sees “perseverance” as the keystone trait for success.

Perhaps that’s the old Devil Dog attitude of “Never Retreat, Never Surrender” showing through.

Jacobs said that a student with perseverance can learn how to succeed in school and beyond.

“The vision of BELA is to cultivate motivated, responsible and respectful lifelong learners in a positive environment fostered by a cooperative effort among all staff, students, parents and community,” Jacobs said. “BELA, in partnership with its students, families and community will strive daily to promote self-discipline, raise student achievement, inspire excellence, develop character and expand minds in all students who attend our school.”

Jacobs said she will work to create a culture of predictability and consistency throughout the school.

If discipline is handled one way in a classroom, she expects it to be handled the same in the next classroom. She feels all students -- especially a struggling student -- needs a structured and consistent school environment every day.

Every problem has a solution, she said. If a child cannot read, then the first solution is to address that problem to help the child.

Jacobs also believes in the value of team work in finding solutions.

“I want to create a culture of excellence,” Jacobs continued. “We need a high level of support. Whatever is required, I will support the students and teachers.”

Although parental involvement in the schools has been lacking in some cases, Jacobs said she is not blaming anyone for that. Instead, she will work to build relationships with parents while maintaining her policy of having structure and consistency in the school.

Jacobs is married to Simmesport Police Chief Damion Jacobs. They have four children and live in Marksville.