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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Dutchtown High School (Louisiana)

Dutchtown High School is a 5A school that was completed in 2003 in Geismar, an unincorporated area of Ascension Parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is within the Ascension Parish School Board. Dutchtown Middle and Bluff Middle Schools feed into Dutchtown High. The architecture is based on that of the old Dutchtown High, which was situated across the highway at the current Dutchtown Middle School.

According to the Louisiana School Performance Scores/Letter Grades released by the Louisiana Department of Education, Dutchtown High School is an "A" school and is the #1 high-performing open-enrollment public high school in the state of Louisiana.

In 2017, Dutchtown High School was named a 2017 World-Leading Learner and invited to join the Global Learning Network (GLN), a community of educators from schools that develop, practice, and share innovative approaches to education.

In the Fall of 2024, Prairieville High School opened to relieve a large portion of Dutchtown's enrollment.

Administration

Dutchtown High's administration is structured as follows:

Barry Whittington - Principal

Keragan McCready - Associate Principal (Freshman Academy)

Gina Rachal - Assistant Principal (Seniors)

TBD - Assistant Principal (Juniors)

Jennifer Bordelon - Assistant Principal (Sophomores)

Tara Trabeau - Assistant Principal (Freshmen)

Academics

Dutchtown High School is a comprehensive public senior high school. DTHS has an Honors program, an Advanced Placement program, and a Dual Enrollment.

AP Courses Offered

Dual Enrollment Courses Offered

  • English IV - SELU ENGL 101/102
  • Advanced Math (Pre-Calculus) & Trigonometry - SELU MATH 161/162
  • Business Calculus - LSU MATH 1431
  • African American History - LSU HIST 2061
  • Psychology - SELU PSYC 101
  • US History - LATECH HIST 201/202
  • Western Civilization - LATECH HIST 101/102
  • Intro to Engineering - LSU ENGR 1050
  • Pre-Educator Pathway - SELU EDUC 202
  • Introduction to Process Technology - RPCC PTEC 1010
  • Plant Safety - RPCC PTEC 2030
  • Political Science - SELU PS 201

Certifications Offered

IBC stands for Industry Board Certification

  • Membership to National FFA Organization (All Agriscience Courses)
  • Agritechnology IBC (Agriscience III)
  • EETC 4-Stroke Technician IBC (Ag Power Equipment)
  • Level 1 Carpentry IBC (Carpentry I)
  • HVAC Excellence Certification (HVAC Prereq)
  • Level 1 Electrician IBC (Electrical Level 1)
  • National CCMA Certification (Certified Medical Assistant) Additional Coursework Required
  • CPR Certification (Certified Patient Care Technician/Sports Medicine I)
  • Emergency Medical Responder License (Emergency Medical Responder)
  • EMT Licensure (Emergency Medical Technician)
  • National Customer Service Certification (Customer Service/Principles of Marketing)
  • Micro-Enterprise Credential (Entrepreneurship I/II)
  • Adobe InDesign (Intro to Business Computer Applications)
  • Microsoft Office (Intro to Business Computer Applications/Principles of Business)
  • AP Capstone Diploma (AP Seminar & AP Research)
  • Fashion Design for Costume in Film (Custom Sewing I/II)
  • ServSafe Food Handler (Food Science I/ProStart I)
  • ServSafe Food Manager (Food Science I/ProStart II)
  • Students Teaching and Reaching Certification (Pre-Educator Pathway)
  • CompTIA Security+ (Cybersecurity)
  • IT Fundamentals (Computer Electronics I)
  • CompTIA A+ (Computer Electronics II)
  • Fundamentals of Software Development Certification (Fundamentals of HTML, CSS, and Javascript)
  • Advanced Software Development Certification (Advanced Software Development)
  • 911 Dispatch Certification (Criminal Justice)
  • FAA Part 107 - Remote Pilot Certification (Remote Controlled Vehicle Technology)
  • AutoDesk AutoCAD (Basic Tech Drafting)
  • AutoDesk Investor Certified User (CMAD Drafting)

Freshman Academy

The Freshman Academy at Dutchtown High School is divided into four teams - black, white, silver, and purple - and students are placed on a team that consists of the same english, math, science, and social studies teachers. Each week, each team selects a Student of the Week.

On December 18, 2017, Dutchtown High opened a $12.8 million official Freshman Academy, which will serve over 600 freshmen.

Future Career Pathways

Trades

Associated Builders & Contractors, Pelican Chapter located on Highland Road offers trade training in:

  • Electrical
  • Millwright
  • Pipefitter
  • Welding

BRCC offers an Automotive Internship

HVAC/Remote Controlled Vehicle Technology-DRONES/PTEC classes are available through the career center.

Academies

Each of Ascension's east bank schools (Dutchtown, Prairieville, St. Amant, East Ascension) offer an "academy" program.

Dutchtown houses the ProStart Culinary program. Prairieville houses the Criminal Justice program. St. Amant houses the Health program, and East Ascension houses the Information Technology program.

Additionally, while Patient Care Technician, Clinical Medical Assistant, and CTE Medical Internship are taught at St. Amant, Emergency Medical Technician is taught at Dutchtown.

Other Internships
Pre-Educator Pathway

Public Information Officer Internship

Yearbook Club (Publications)

Allied Health

Letterman's Jacket and Graduation Cords
The Allied Health Center students who have been active and remained in good standing in the program for three (3) consecutive years may purchase an academic letterman's jacket. Patches and caduceus inserts will be provided for senior level students.
Students who have been active and remained in good standing in the program for three (3) consecutive years will be rewarded with a graduation cord to be worn during graduation ceremonies.

Clubs and organizations

Athletics

Dutchtown High athletics competes in the LHSAA.

Sports offered:

  • cross country
  • volleyball
  • football
  • swimming
  • wrestling
  • boys' basketball
  • girls' basketball
  • boys' soccer
  • girls' soccer
  • tennis
  • gymnastics
  • golf
  • track & field
  • softball
  • baseball
  • bowling

Instrumental music program “The Dutchtown Sound”

Dutchtown's marching and concert bands are directed by Ms. Sheily Bell, who has been teaching music for 37 years and has been awarded with Louisiana Bandmaster of the Year as well as the John Philip Sousa's Legion of Honor Award, presented to only 20 directors around the world. Ms. Bell is assisted by Mr. Daniel Modenbach and Mr. Connor McElwee. Dutchtown's marching band competes in a variety of competitions, including the Louisiana Showcase of Marching Bands. Dutchtown is the 2023 Grand Champions, the only Ascension Parish School Band to do so. Dutchtown also placed 4th in 2022, and 6th at Showcase in 2017 and 2019. Dutchtown also hosts their own competition every fall and features dozens of bands from all over the state of Louisiana. In concert season, Dutchtown places numerous students into LMEA's all state concert and also host an annual Christmas and springconcert.

Notable alumni