St. Mary schools get new administrators

Several St. Mary Parish public schools will have new administrators when the school year begins Aug. 8, according to Superintendent Teresa Bagwell.
Among the recent appointments:
—Natasha Jackson will be principal at Franklin High School due to the retirement of longtime Principal Tybus Burdett. Jackson previously held the assistant principal role at Patterson High School that will be filled with the transfer of Tara Fabre from Patterson Junior High School.
—The retirement of Alternative Program Supervisor Harry Williams has led to the appointment of Rachael Sanders, whose science program manager position will be assumed by former Berwick Junior High School teacher Rose Hale.
—Following the appointment of Joseph Stadalis as assistant superintendent, the newly installed principal at Morgan City Junior High School is Carmen Lagarde. Before her appointment, Lagarde served as principal of Bayou Vista Elementary.
—Kiante Gunner will replace Lagarde as principal at Bayou Vista Elementary. She previously served as a principal at Lagrange Elementary and as an instructional specialist in Title I.
— Also, a requested medical leave by Berwick Junior High School’s principal, Tim Hymel, led to the transfer of Berwick High School Assistant Principal Kristen Percle to serve as acting principal of Berwick Junior High.
The school will also have a change in the assistant principal role as former Patterson High School teacher and coach Ryan Taylor will succeed Noelle Lowrimore in an acting status while Lowrimore will transfer to Berwick High School as acting assistant principal for 2019-2020.
—Patterson Junior High will add two new administrators. Lauren Rentrop will assume the duties of principal while former Morgan City Junior High School teacher Mike Giroir will serve as assistant principal. Formerly serving as an assistant principal at both Patterson Junior High and Hattie Watts Elementary, Rentrop will return to the school in this leadership role.
—In her place, Tonya Hills will transfer from assistant principal at Raintree Elementary to the same position at Hattie Watts Elementary.
“Candidates receiving administrative appointments were informed of their promotions (last) week to facilitate a smooth transition and offer opportunities for attendance at state and district trainings according to their administrative assignment,” Bagwell said in a press release.
“The advanced notice will also provide time for administrators to participate in school-based collaborations and certify in the state’s teacher evaluation system.
"Appointments will become official based on the district’s administrative calendar for the position and may be adjusted due to unique circumstances of any given school.”