The Louisiana Board of Regents gathered Wednesday for their first meeting of the school year to address a variety of business, notably to recognize Louisiana’s most outstanding educators, set an emphasis on childcare. To designate “hunger-free campuses.”
The session opened jointly with the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to receive and honor multiple educators across Louisiana for their efforts in education. The honorees are as follows:
State Teacher of the Year Finalists:
Janet G. McCrevan
Kody J. Chase
Jessica Parker
Michelle Lee Shirley
Richard Martin
2024 Teacher of the Year:
Elementary School Teacher of the Year: Sandra Saye-Foucquetueau
Middle School Teacher of the Year: Cory Joy Craig
High School teacher of the Year: Dennis “DJ” Pevey
Teacher of the Year: Kylie Altier
2024 Principal of the Year:
Elementary School Principal of the Year: Dr. Monya Thomas-Criddle
Middle School Principal of the Year: Barry Carter
High School Principal of the Year: Marvin M. Evans
Principal of the Year: Tia Mechelle Trahan
Milken Educators:
Elise Frederic
Corrie Campbell
Dereka Duncan
2024 New Teacher of the Year:
Phoenix Morel Leblanc
2024 Teacher and Leader of the Year:
Phedra Jackson
Arielle Hughes
Presidential Award for Mathematics Teaching Finalists:
Amy Douglas
Lainey Hodge
Lucie Mesuch
Jaimie Mosley
Presidential Award for Science Teaching Finalists:
Amy Douglas
Angela Lacy Hoosier
Dr. Katherine Schilling
Louisiana Public Interest Fellows:
Justin Templet
Stephanie Robertson
Shortly after the honorees were received the Board considered various agenda items such as an internal audit and a presentation on endowments before discussing a new initiative: “Cradle to Career.”
“Cradle to Career” will be a new push by the Board of Regents to prioritize early childcare in Louisiana’s school systems as a response to the fact that 1 in 5 college students are parents.
The issue of early childcare is especially crucial to Louisiana as childcare issues result in a more than $1.1 billion loss to Louisiana’s economy according to presenter Dr. Michelle DeMeulenaere.
A focal point of the initiative will be to support Louisiana universities’ early learning centers, such as LSU’s Laboratory School.
Next the Board approved the “Hunger Free Campus” designation for 35 public and private institutions across Louisiana, including the LSU system.
The designation recognizes campuses that have:
- Established a hunger task force
- Informed eligible students of SNAP benefits
- Held, or participated in at least one anti-hunger awareness event
- Explore/maintain the use of an on-campus pantry.
After the designations, the Board adjourned and will meet again on Sept. 20.
