Following the transfer of Catherine Bricelj to Prairie Elementary, the Lafayette Parish School System is pleased to announce the appointment of Lisa Thomas as the next leader of Myrtle Place Elementary School, the district’s fully French Immersion Magnet Academy.
“Mrs. Thomas brings a wealth of knowledge surrounding immersion programs. She has 18 years of experience as a principal in Lafayette Parish, with a strong focus on students,” states Superintendent Francis Touchet.
Lisa Thomas has served as Westside Elementary School’s principal for 18 years. During her tenure, Westside was a French Immersion school, a valuable experience she will bring to her new role as the principal of Myrtle Place Elementary. Under her leadership, Westside earned the designation of Louisiana Top Gains School four times in the past 8 years. The school also received accolades for Exemplary Growth, Most SPS Growth, and Recognized Growth. In addition to her achievements at Westside, she serves as the treasurer of the Lafayette Principals Association. She is also a member of the Louisiana Association of Principals, the Louisiana Association of School Executives, and the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
With almost two decades of leadership experience, she has had extensive training in various areas of curriculum, instruction, and leadership. She completed the executive development program of the National Institute for School Leadership in 2017. She was named Lafayette Parish School System’s Elementary Principal of the Year in 2019. She began her educational career as a Whole Language teacher at Glen Oaks Middle School in East Baton Rouge Parish. Upon relocating to the Lafayette area, she was hired as an English teacher at Northwest High School in St. Landry Parish where she was named Teacher of the Year in 2001. Additionally, as a leader, she served as the assistant principal at Plantation Elementary School (now Corporal Michael Middlebrook Elementary) for 3 years, curriculum facilitator at Church Point Elementary School, and instructional assistant at South Rayne Elementary in Acadia Parish.
Mrs. Thomas is committed to making a difference in the lives of children. Her favorite quote by Rita Pierson states “Every child deserves a champion–an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” Thomas strives to be a “champion” for as many of her students as possible. She believes that excellence in education is everyone’s responsibility but it begins with school leadership. Additionally, Mrs.Thomas looks forward to serving the entire school community of Myrtle Place Elementary School. With 29 years of educational experience, including French Immersion and ELL, she embraces the opportunity to work with and support this multicultural environment of language learners.
Mrs. Lisa Thomas graduated from the University of Southwest Louisiana with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education and obtained her Masters degree in Education Administration from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.