The Louisiana Department of Education has named semifinalists for Louisiana Teacher and Principal of the Year and finalists for Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year and New Teacher of the Year.
Finalists for Louisiana Teacher and Principal of the Year will be announced in May. Overall honorees will be announced for all teacher, principal, and leader awards in July at the 20th Annual Cecil. J. Picard Educator Excellence Gala.
Here are the names for Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year semifinalists:
Teacher of the Year Semifinalists
Kayla LeJeune, Kinder Middle School, Allen Parish
Melanie Leigh Machen, Benton High School, Bossier Parish
Monica Speyrer, C.E. Byrd High School, Caddo Parish
Brilee Little, South Cameron High School, Cameron Parish
Jennifer Woodard, Central Intermediate School, Central Community
Macy Garner, Haynesville Jr./Sr. High School, Claiborne Parish
Hillary Severin, North DeSoto Upper Elementary School, DeSoto Parish
Huijing Yuan, B. R. Foreign Language Acad. Immersion Magnet, East Baton Rouge Parish
Lauren Thibodeaux, Vidrine Elementary School, Evangeline Parish
Samantha Lemoine, Verda Elementary School, Grant Parish
Brittany Delcambre, Delcambre High School, Iberia Parish
Bridget Zeringue, Iberville Math, Science, and Arts (MSA) Academy East, Iberville Parish
Alysa LeBlanc, Milton Elementary School, Lafayette Parish
Diana Price, Jena Junior High School, LaSalle Parish
Jonathan Parish, Natchitoches Magnet School, Natchitoches Parish
Hannah Smith, Belle Chasse Elementary School, Plaquemines Parish
Kathy "Michelle" Blaney, Buckeye High School, Rapides Parish
Alisha Butler, Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, Special School District
Kenneth Brown, Chalmette High School, St. Bernard Parish
Sonya George, Union Parish Elementary School, Union Parish
Amanda King, Anacoco High School, Vernon Parish
Misleydis Almeida de la Cruz, Brusly Middle School, West Baton Rouge Parish
Corey Gilfoil, Bains Lower Elementary School, West Feliciana Parish
Haley Odom, Northwestern Middle School, Zachary Community
Principal of the Year Semifinalists
Shelley Strother, Galvez Middle School, Ascension Parish
Melanie Bellamy, Labadieville Elementary School, Assumption Parish
Chuck Normand, Bunkie Magnet High School, Avoyelles Parish
Douglas Salvaterra, Saline High School, Bienville Parish
Alyshia Coulson, Bellaire Elementary School, Bossier Parish
Shannon Wall, Northwood High School, Caddo Parish
Angela Guillory, Moss Bluff Middle School, Calcasieu Parish
Kalandra Loyd, Vidalia Lower Elementary School, Concordia Parish
Brian Anderson, Stanley High School, DeSoto Parish
Amy Gobert, Elton High School, Jefferson Davis Parish
Holly Boffy, Ed.D. and former BESE member, W. D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center, Lafayette Parish
Casey Cheramie, Raceland Lower Elementary School, Lafourche Parish
Lacey Holcomb, Simsboro High School, Lincoln Parish
Wesley Howard, Denham Springs High School, Livingston Parish
Doll Ann Johnson, Sterlington High School, Ouachita Parish
Christy Dugas, Paradise Elementary School, Rapides Parish
Lisa Perrin, Allemands Elementary School, St. Charles Parish
April Guidry, Grand Prairie Elementary School, St. Landry Parish
Lauren Rentrop, Patterson Junior High School, St. Mary Parish
Gina Brown, Mandeville Junior High School, St. Tammany Parish
Sharess Baptiste, Kentwood High Magnet School, Tangipahoa Parish
Terez LeBlanc, Houma Junior High School, Terrebonne Parish
Kandice Broussard, North Vermilion Middle School, Vermilion Parish
Jacquelyn Bristow, Bains Lower Elementary School, West Feliciana Parish
Louisiana Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year
These awards honor teachers and directors (leaders) in Type III Centers, CCAP Certified Family Child Care Sites, Head Start Centers, and Early Head Start Centers.
Here are the names:
Early Childhood Teacher of the Year Finalists
Tangi Ambeau Flowers, Little Learner's Preparatory Academy, Ascension Parish
Vanessa Baltazar, LSU Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool, East Baton Rouge Parish
Kristy Short, Thibodaux Head Start, Lafourche Parish
Jeannine Danos, South Plaquemines Children's Center, Plaquemines Parish
Jillian Graves, St. Louis Academy Head Start, St. James Parish
Early Childhood Leader of the Year Finalists
Jamalynn Lewis, New Horizon Learning Academy, Jefferson Parish
Sarah Corley, Louisiana State University at Alexandria Children's Center, Rapides Parish
Cheryl Morrison Champagne, Tender Years, St. Tammany Parish
Sarah Thibodeaux, Bright Beginnings Learning Center, Vermilion Parish
Niki Mills, St. Francisville United Methodist Early Learning Center, West Feliciana Parish
Louisiana New Teacher of the Year
The Louisiana New Teacher of the Year program highlights state-selected first-year classroom teachers. This award celebrates new educators who are already demonstrating outstanding instructional skills and a commitment to student achievement.
Here are the names:
New Teacher of the Year Finalists
Elementary
Morgan Vanicor, Welsh Elementary School, Jefferson Davis Parish
Jayla Anderson, Cypress Point University Elementary School, City of Monroe School District
Jade Carroll, Riverbend Elementary School, Ouachita Parish
Middle
Jared Smith, Gonzales Middle School, Ascension Parish
Brittany Goss, Quitman High School, Jackson Parish
Chloe Wilbanks, Simpson High School/Hicks High School, Vernon Parish
High
Kesha Eymard, South Lafourche High School, Lafourche Parish
Grace Reynerson, Live Oak High School, Livingston Parish
Katie Weber, Fontainebleau High School, St. Tammany Parish
