Broadmoor High principal cites academic gains, expanded programs and student supports

Broadmoor Senior High School Principal Robert Wills told the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on a school presentation night that the school’s staff and students registered measurable gains across subject areas and expanded programs and student supports.

Wills opened his presentation by describing Broadmoor as a diverse campus and said the school had improved its letter grade from an F to a D, reporting a school performance score of 54.9. He credited fuller staffing in math and English for sharp improvements in Algebra I and English I and described increases on state LEAP assessments and in ACT index qualifiers.

The presentation laid out why the changes matter: Broadmoor reported fewer students scoring “unsatisfactory” in geometry and algebra 1 after targeted summer planning, the addition of teachers in those subjects, and sustained remediation and tutoring. "We decreased the number of students going unsat by 13% in algebra 1," Wills said. He also said Broadmoor raised the number of students with qualifying ACT index scores from 41 to 106 seniors and that 244 students had registered for the December ACT as of the presentation.

Wills emphasized programmatic expansion and student supports: dual-enrollment credits ("over 200" earned historically), an Early College Academy in partnership with YES Academy for selected 9th and 10th graders, a newly introduced law studies pathway and a regional/national moot-court title through a Southern University partnership, and plans to restore and expand a welding program (he said the school currently has six bays and needs roughly six more).

He also described nonacademic supports: a campus pantry (called the "Buck Cove") and a hygiene partnership with UnitedHealthcare that provided $10,000 to start the initiative, an on-site clinic operated by Our Lady of the Lake, two counselors on campus, and partnerships with alumni and community groups that supplied small grants for PBIS activities and teacher support.

Board members praised the presentation and asked for follow-up. Board member Pamela Lewis asked whether the professional-development work and district support would be shared across the system; Superintendent Cole and others said district staff had been and would continue to support Broadmoor through instructional specialists and centralized content support. Board member Lanis asked for clarification on the welding bays Wills said the school still needs "six more bays," and Wills reiterated that need.

Wills closed by describing culture-building practices he credited with the gains—daily greetings in multiple languages, morning songs, and tighter student attendance and recovery efforts. "We're gonna be relentless in our pursuit of excellence at Broadmoor Senior High School," he said.

The presentation was informational; no board action was taken on the school report. Board members said the achievements will inform district discussions about priorities in upcoming capital planning and the tax plan process.

Ending: Board members signaled interest in sustaining district support and exploring whether upcoming capital money could address facility needs identified by Wills, such as additional welding bays and gym/track projects at several high schools.