Department and Dream Teachers to Crown Winners this Summer
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Education today announced the finalists for 2017 Teacher and Principal of the Year. The 18 finalists were chosen from a field of 48 semifinalists, and represent school districts from every corner of the state.
“Congratulations to these outstanding educators. Each reflects the best in our profession through their relentless efforts to improve their instructional practices so students can achieve success,” said State Superintendent John White. “Educators like these are the reason more of our children are graduating from high school and going on to college than ever before.”
| 2017 TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS | | 2017 PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR FINALISTS |
| Kathleen Abboud | Terrebonne Parish | | Carolyn Sue Barfield | Claiborne Parish |
| Amber Beach | Bossier Parish | | David Carpenter | Rapides Parish |
| Erin Harless | Calcasieu Parish | | Sedric Clark | DeSoto Parish |
| Kristin Hudson | Caddo Parish | | Elizabeth Cook | Monroe City Schools |
| Kalandra Loyd | Tensas Parish | | Rae Daigle | Jeff Davis Parish |
| Joni Smith | Livingston Parish | | Kenny Delcambre | Lafourche Parish |
| Anna Tarver | Franklin Parish | | Kay Dornier | St. James Parish |
| Natishia Thanni-Irvin | E. Baton Rouge Parish | | Joey LaRoche | KIPP New Orleans |
| Torrence Williams | West Feliciana Parish | | Jodi Romero | Iberia Parish |
The Department and Dream Teachers will crown this year’s State Teacher and Principal of the Year Friday, July 15, 2016, during an awards ceremony at the 10th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Symposium and Celebration at the Crowne Plaza Executive Center in Baton Rouge. The annual symposium is a day of professional development and recognition for Teacher and Principal of the Year semifinalists and finalists.
This year, more than 75 Local Education Agencies submitted nominations for Teacher and Principal of the Year. These educators are making exceptional gains with students, pushing them to achieve at the highest levels in the state. Their commitment to student success exemplifies Louisiana’s teaching profession.
To learn more about Teacher and Principal of the Year award programs, click here.
# # # # # #