CENTERVILLE — When students in the St. Mary Parish school system return to school from Christmas break in January, they will be able to register for classes in which they can earn college credit.

Through a partnership with Nicholls State University, the district will offer students math classes that can be used for grades in high school and college.

According to St. Mary Parish schools officials, a recent meeting between district math teachers and university professors confirmed that with some detailed planning students can profit from this arrangement.

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“Parents of high school students enrolled in advanced math courses this spring should be looking for paperwork which will offer this opportunity to their son or daughter,” Superintendent Donald Aguillard said. “Tuition and fees for students will be funded through a Board of Regents High School Redesign grant. Last year, pilot programs were initiated in several districts and the experiences learned in the pilot programs paved the way for St. Mary Parish students to now acquire college credit benefits.”

Buffy Fegenbush, principal at Berwick High School, and Kevin Chauvin, a math teacher at Morgan City High School, agreed with Aguillard through a press release.

“Through this program students will get to take that first step toward college in an environment which they already feel comfortable and with people that they know,” Fegenbush said.

“Once that first step is taken, the next ones will be much easier.”

Chauvin said he is thrilled students will be given college credits for their hard work in the classroom.

“In the past, students had to go out of their way to take placement tests in hopes of receiving credit for the course at the university level,” he said.

“This new program will definitely give our students a jump on their college careers.”