Pipes will be interim replacement for Wyandotte Principal Kelly

Celeste Pipes will serve as interim principal at Wyandotte Elementary after Principal Tammilee Kelly announced that she’ll be stepping down in December.

Kelly’s husband has taken a job in north Louisiana, Superintendent Dr. Teresa Bagwell said Monday.

Under Kelly’s leadership, the school demonstrated academic gains throughout the period of school interruptions as she worked to steadfastly focus on classroom instruction and addressing the learning needs of students, Bagwell said in a press release.

Pipes moves to Wyandotte from Hattie Watts Elementary, where she has served as assistant principal.

Pipes has served as a teacher in St. Mary Parish Schools for 18 years, working at both Maitland Elementary and Bayou Vista elementary schools. She has also hosted numerous student teachers through Nicholls State University, many of whom now teach in the school system.

In 2019, Pipes was honored as St. Mary Parish Elementary Teacher of the Year. She has additionally worked as a teacher representative in district projects regarding curriculum design and technology integration.

Pipe’s will be working with Kelly in the weeks ahead to fluidly transition and sustain the school’s progress, Bagwell said.

Replacing Pipes as acting assistant principal at Hattie Watts will be Courtney Folse, who currently serves as curriculum facilitator at the Patterson elementary school. Folse has also taught first grade at Berwick Elementary School and has a strong foundation in elementary curriculum and effective classroom instruction, Bagwell said.