The Director of Special Education for the Red River Parish School Board is Michelle Deville. She reported recently to the board on the status of programs offered for special education students and for gifted and talented students.

Deville said they offer educational opportunities specially designed for students with identified learning disabilities from mild to severe. Deville said “out of 1,500 students in public schools 176 are in special education or about 12 percent of our students.”

“The gifted and talented programs” said Deville “are offered to students who demonstrate abilities like high academic performance and intellectual aptitude.” She said there would be a two-week camp this summer featuring music, theatre, and academics. One session would be for grades 1 through 5 and another for students in grades 6 through 11. Deville said “the purpose of the camp is to build up skills for the coming school year.”