Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts

**Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts**

LSMSA crest
City	Natchitoches, LA
Year Opened	1983
Founders	Robert Alost James Long
Chair, Board of Directors	Sharon Gahagan
Executive Director	Dr. Pat Widhalm, DMA
Director, Academic Affairs	Jim Findley, JD
Director, Fiscal Affairs	Dr. William Ebarb
Director, External Affairs	Dr. Sharon Williams
Director, Student Affairs	Emily Shumate
Typ	Public Residential
Grades	11 & 12
Enrollment	Around 450
Mascot	Eagles
Colors	Blue and Gold
Newspaper	Renaissance
Website	www.lsmsa.edu

The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) is a two-year, public residential high school located in Natchitoches, Louisiana on the campus of Northwestern State University. It is a member of the NCSSSMST.

LSMSA, the brainchild of State Representative Jimmy Long of Natchitoches and Robert A. Alost, president of the then-failing Northwestern State University. The school was thus conceived to offer a unique experience to the state's brightest students while supplying Natchitoches with a well-needed influx of commerce and attention. On the heels of a fleeting surplus of state funds from oil revenues following America's oil crises of the late seventies, one-term Republican Governor David Conner Treen approved the founding of the school, and as a result is largely credited for saving the fledgling community college.

Classes were originally held on the ground floor of Prudhomme Hall, an unused dormitory on the campus of Northwestern State while female students lived in the upper floor and male students originally lived in Bossier Hall, another dorm on the NSU campus. Rennovation of the "High School Building," (known by no other formal title, but formerly the campus of Natchitoches High School) was completed in 1984, and the ceremonial ribbon was cut by famously infamous Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards.

"The Lousiana School," as it is commonly called, was the second state-supported residential school of its kind - the only other being the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. The school was founded in the early 1980s with the first class enrolling as juniors in the Fall of 1983 and graduating in 1985.

Academically, the school is similar to the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Studies focus on mathematics, science, and the humanities. Unlike other math and science high schools, it has an arts program, with instruction in music, theater, visual art, and dance.

Student musicians perform in the Louisiana School Chamber Ensemble, under the direction of world-renowned composer/conductor Dr. Albert Benner. Benner is the founder and sustaining force behind the famed Louisiana Composers' Consortium, and his LSMSA Ensemble serves to perform native works in dramatic, poignant performances biennially. "Impulse," the school's dance company, travels across the state performing and also holds its own concert in the Spring of each year.

Admissions

As LSMSA recruits students from all of Louisiana, it can be described as a statewide magnet school. Prospective students apply during the spring of their sophomore year. Applicants submit application forms, grade transcripts, SAT or ACT results, and three letters of recommendation. Applicants to the arts curriculum also submit a portfolio of artwork or audition. Also, a small number of students in their junior year for may apply for admission for their senior year only.

Residential Life

Students who attend LSMSA live in dormitories away from their families, much like college students. The dormitories are single-sex; girls in Caddo Hall and boys in Prudhomme Hall. Intervisitation between dormitories is not allowed, except in the dormitory lobbies.

Academic Integrity

Students must agree to the following honor code pledge:

As a student of the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, I understand that I belong to an institution dedicated to the pursuit of learning. Thus, I promise to uphold the Honor Code that safeguards this pursuit. I accept my personal duty to promote an honorable attitude in my academic life by refraining from lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarizing, or vandalizing.

Notable alumni

Rod Dreher (1985) - The Dallas Morning News editorial writer, columnist, frequent contributor to National Review, The New York Post
Hai Bui (1985) - well-known retail clothier
Andre Dehon (1986) - Nanotechnology pioneer, assistant professor of computer science at Caltech
D. Stephen Voss (1986) - Federal Elections Project principal investigator, assistant professor of political science at University of Kentucky
Keith Nicewarmer (1986) - Robotics engineer at NASA Ames Research Center, supervisor of Personal Satellite Assistant robot designed for the International Space Station
Stephen Lazarus (1988) - Senior Policy Associate at the Center for Public Justice
Mary Ellen Slayter (1995) - Career advice columnist for the Washington Post

Notable Former Directors

Dr. Arthur Williams, PhD
Dr. Richard Brown, PhD
Dr. Robert Alost, PED

Trivia

The first class of LSMSA was given the option of voting for the school's mascot. However, the administration vetoed the student choice of "The LSMSA Platypi".
Alumni claim that many of the rules in the student handbook have particular people or situations attached to them, as much of the handbook was built as the school developed over the years. Various alumni can recount rules that resulted from their classes or classmates.

External links