Captain Shreve principal Ginger Gustavson talks to football player Tramel Roberson during a class. (Photo: Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times)

When it comes to athletic backgrounds and how that has the potential to move a high school forward athletically, few can match the resume of Captain Shreve’s Ginger Gustavson.

On the job at East Kings Highway for just over a month, the former Ginger Colvin was a standout basketball player at Benton High School, playing for both her father, Valcar Colvin, and Myles Holladay. She earned All-State honors in 1987, precisely 20 years after dad captured the same honor.

“That’s something that not many people know, but that has always meant a lot to me,” Gustavson told The Times in an exclusive interview. Continue reading →

Katie McClenahan works on editing a video in her broadcast journalism class at Captain Shreve High School Thursday afternoon.
(Photo: Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times)

Northwest Louisiana high school students are showing improvement in their academic abilities along with the rest of the state, according to Louisiana School Performance Scores released Thursday.

Locally, Captain Shreve High School stands out for earning a B, rising from a C letter grade year-over-year, an increase of 15 percentage points. It was the largest increase in the Caddo district.

via Shreveport Times
Continue reading →

One mathematician is preparing to hand over the leadership of Captain Shreve High School to another.

Dr. Lamar Goree on Thursday named Ginger Gustavson as the successor to Dr. Sandra McCalla. McCalla leaves behind a legacy of 55 years in education, including 49 years in Caddo Schools and six years at Northwestern State University. She announced her intentions to retire in June, but agreed to stay at the helm of the campus while the district worked with the community to name the next principal.

“I am extremely honored and grateful for the opportunity to continue Dr. McCalla’s legacy of excellence,” Gustavson said. “She has built a tradition of high expectations and put powerful practices into place which we will use as we push forward for continued success.” Continue reading →

Friday morning our morning crew went to the swamp to award Captain Shreve with the 2015 NBC 6 Chevyland Spirit Stick.

Each week the award is given to the school who has the most spirit. Where will we be next week?!?

(l to r) Captain Shreve’s Angel Bush and Caddo Magnet’s Sadie McGuire and Megan Arbuckle attended Louisiana Girls Leadership Academy recently.

Young leaders from Captain Shreve High School and Caddo Parish Magnet School participated in the Louisiana Girls Leadership Academy recently.  “Light the Torch and Lead” was the theme of the program where 50 young high achievers increased their effectiveness over four days of intensive training.  The Louisiana Center for Women in Government and Business sponsored the program which includes training in communication, interpersonal cooperation, creativity, healthy competition, campaign competence, and non-partisan public policy education.

The academy participants represented 15 parishes from Caddo to Orleans.  The girls honed leadership skills, learned cultural differences, and built respect for each other as they participated in activities on Nicholls State University campus and the Baton Rouge Capitol with interactive speakers and leaders ranging from author to entrepreneurs to legislators to Los Angeles improv actors.

By Mary Ann Van Osdell
via The Forum

Three classmates from the Class of 1975 (Greg Barro, Keith Hightower, and Dr. David Thoma) walk the halls of Captain Shreve High School reminiscing about their teenage years.

There were 406 in the Captain Shreve High School Class of 1975, and July 25 and 26 we celebrated our 40th reunion.

Dr. Sandra McCalla, principal of Captain Shreve High School retiring this year, taught us advanced math in 1975. McCalla said the quality of the Class of 1975 is evident, given that so many sought and achieved their career goals.

“As I browsed the 1975 yearbook, I remembered the class as intelligent and fun loving,” she said. “The level of high values for community service was evident.” Continue reading →

via Shreveport Times

Captain Shreve High School English and Social Studies teacher Nicole Vasquez is the 2016 Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year.

Vasquez accepted the honor Saturday during the 9th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Symposium and Celebration at the Crowne Plaza Executive Center in Baton Rouge. Vasquez was among nine finalists for the annual award which celebrates and honors the state’s most exceptional teachers. The award was presented by the Louisiana Department of Education in association with Dream Teachers and Louisiana Principals Association.

“I have such immense gratitude and love for my school and my district and I am honored to even stand in a room of such accomplished and amazing educators,” Vasquez said. “This whole experience has been surreal, but I am thrilled that it has given our school the opportunity to showcase all of the hard-working and dedicated teachers at Captain Shreve. I don’t feel like this award is about me, but rather the work of all of us to get to this point. It is our teamwork that makes Captain Shreve such a great place to teach and learn with a staff that supports and truly encourages each other.” Continue reading →

by Jimmy Watson, Shreveport Times

Captain Shreve principal Sandra McCalla will leave a huge hole in the Caddo Parish school system when she steps down from her position on July 29, according to English teacher Maureen Barclay.

Barclay was recruited out of Centenary College by McCalla and spent most of Tuesday evening consoling staff upset with McCalla’s decision to step away from the public school arena after 55 years.

“Dr. McCalla nurtured me as a teacher and the best thing she ever did for me was say ‘yes.’ Whatever I needed, she said ‘yes.’ If we had an idea that was totally outlandish, she said ‘yes,'” Barclay said. “I made mistakes as a young teacher, but she was unfailing in her support and showed me how to be a leader as a teacher and as a woman.” Continue reading →

Parents, friends, relatives, and teachers of the Class of 2015 packed the Shreveport Convention Center on Friday, May 15 to enjoy to commencement of 260 graduates.  Click to see the Shreveport Times slideshow.

For its exemplary record of leadership, service, and activities that serve to improve the school and community, Captain Shreve High School student Council has been awarded a 2015 National God Council of Excellence Award by the National Association of Student Councils (NASC).

“Receiving an NASC National Gold Council of Excellence Award reflects the highest dedication on the part of the school to providing a strong, well-rounded student council program,” said Ann Postlewaite, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) student programs director.  “NASC applauds the work of the National Gold Councils of Excellence and challenges them to continue their leadership and service to their schools and communities.” Continue reading →