In this issue
Fall/Winter 2025-2026 
Louisiana Assistant Principal of the Year
Congratulations Michelle Lato!
2025-2026 Assistant Principal of the Year
Michelle Lato is the Assistant Principal of Instruction at Central High School, where she has served in this role for four years and has spent 13 years in the field of education. She has dedicated 12 of those years to Central Community Schools, reflecting her deep commitment to the district and its mission. Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and her master’s degree in educational leadership from Louisiana State University–Shreveport.
Throughout her career, Michelle has been actively involved in developing educators at both the school and state levels. She has collaborated with assistant principals across Louisiana as a participant in the Aspiring Principals Fellowship, contributed to statewide professional learning as a presenter at the Teacher Leader Summit, and served as a mentor teacher during her classroom tenure. Additionally, she has supported aspiring educators through her participation on LSU’s Professional Experiences Principal Panel and partnered with NIET as a model for instructional best practices.
As Assistant Principal of Instruction, Michelle leads the Instructional Leadership Team and professional learning communities, guiding educators in the use of best practices and student achievement data to inform instructional decisions. She values working alongside inspired educators and believes in leading with passion, purpose, and clarity, while continually seeking opportunities for growth and learning.
President's Message
Hennessy Melancon
Happy New Year,
We began the year with the theme Bringing in the Ship, a reminder that leadership requires steady hands even when the waters are rough. As I evaluated my leadership in 2025, I encountered many moments where balancing work and home was a challenge. While I cannot say I found a magic trick to perfectly balance both, I can say that having a network of school leaders united by our passion for teaching, leading, and literacy through LAP helped ease the work. Our work is never done, but having like-minded leaders with a shared mission and vision—such as those within the Louisiana Association of Principals—helps us bring the ship safely to dock, even in the roughest seas.
As your President I will do my best to keep our profession elevated, advocate for our students, teachers, and families, and strive to grow our association's membership while offering high quality professional development to members. Join me in navigating through the good times and challenging times as a school-based leader.
Hennessy Melancon,
Principal of Golden Meadow Middle School
LAP Legislative Advocate
LAP President
From The Desk of The Executive Director
Karen Miller Triche
Happy New Year Educational Leaders,
This past year of 2025 was a game-changer. Social unrest, political changes coupled with accountability changes, LER & LLR struggles, budget cuts, and vacancies have all weighed heavily. But not the ultimate goal, to grow students by equipping and empowering teachers. You are the heart of this profession, and your commitment is the spark that will ignite lasting transformation for our schools and students.
LAP’s trajectory is also shifting. Our goal in 2026 and beyond will be to broaden our offerings, become more diverse in our professional development topics, and to continuously and collaboratively work with school leaders, National Associations, and other proven shift makers as we make available timely and impactful information. LAP has been your state’s professional organization for school leaders since 1947 and more than ever it is our goal to make sure your voice matters, your leadership is amplified, and together, we set the pace for educational excellence in Louisiana.
Rather, communicating through Zoom meetings with our New Leaders cohort, yearly conferences, networking opportunities or impromptu brainstorming sessions, we will work to move members towards solutions. Now is the perfect time to get involved—whether you’re a seasoned member or new to LAP, your participation is invaluable to our shared mission, to lead, strengthen, empower and advocate for school leaders.
To move forward, we need each of you to share your superpower. The strategies you used that improved teaching and learning, which may include but isn’t limited to increasing student and/or teacher attendance, parental involvement, student engagement, those things that drag down school performance scores and other innovations that improve the way we do business. We need all leaders who have been able to make shifts and grow in areas to share with their colleagues. Your success stories are the inspiration and blueprint other colleagues need—let’s lift each other up and grow together!
I know we, many times, tackle this arduous fight alone, working tenaciously behind closed doors, burning the midnight candle and carrying loads that no singular person should carry. In 2026, we change things. We share our wins and work through our struggles collaboratively. Please reach out so we can share your success stories via podcast, presentations, Zoom meetings, or our website to support teaching and learning. This is a call to action: if you are not yet a member of LAP, now is the time to join us and if you are let’s make membership a verb. Together, we are stronger, bolder, and better equipped to shape the future of education in Louisiana.
Let’s make 2026 a year of unity, bold leadership, and unprecedented collaboration. I look forward to seeing all that we will accomplish together. Let’s rise, inspire, and lead—LAP is the place, and yes, the old cliché is fitting, together we can!!!!
Happy New Year,
Karen
Karen M. Triche
Executive Director, LAP
CELL: 504.234.1249
FAX: 318.648.2990
LAP Phone: 318.648.2999
[email protected]
Announcements
Louisiana Association of Principals 75th Annual Conference
Save the Date
The Louisiana Association of Principals is proud to announce its 75th Annual Conference. Mark your calendars for this special event, which will take place on September 27–28 at the L’auberge Casino and Resort in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
About the Conference
This year’s conference will highlight the importance of collaboration, empowerment, and networking among principals and other presenters. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in breakout sessions scheduled for both the morning and afternoon.
Get Involved
To ensure the conference meets your professional needs, please be prepared to share your interests and areas where you would like support. You are encouraged to communicate these with me or any member of the board.
- Lead With Us — Join Now
- Strengthen Your Voice — Join Today
- Connect. Learn. Lead. Join Today
Assistant Principals Conference
Don't Forget to Register
A YEAR IN REVIEW!
The Louisiana Association of Principals’ 74th Annual Administrators’ Conference was held in Baton Rouge at the L’Auberge Casino Resort and Event Center on Sunday and Monday, September 28–29, 2025. This year’s conference theme, “Bringing in the Ship,” focused on navigating today’s leadership challenges with purpose and direction.
Keynote speaker Merlyna Valentine, an award-winning speaker, author, and former school principal with over 30 years of experience in education, opened this year’s conference with a powerful and inspirational address.
Merlyna Valentine
The conference featured four breakout sessions addressing timely and critical administrative topics, including advocacy, school safety training, using data to empower teacher support, aligning teacher and leader learning, and equitable services for non-public and private schools.
This year’s presenters represented a diverse group of experienced professionals in their respective fields, including Paul Toups (LSP–LA SAFE), Kelly LaBauve (LSBA), Christina Hulin (NIET), Theresa Hamilton (NIET), and Daphne Flentroy (Louisiana State Ombudsman).
The 2025-2026 Louisiana Principals of the Year were honored at the luncheon and presented a Best Practices Panel.
2026 Principals of the Year and Sponsors
Karen Triche, LAP Executive Director; Brandon Singleton, Elementary School Principal of the Year; Jennifer Burris, Middle School Principal of the Year, 2026 Overall Louisiana Principal of the Year; Justin Wax, High School Principal of the Year; Anna Faye Caminita, High School Principal of the Year, and Kids First sponsors Katy Boyd and Carl Michael Day.
A special "Thanks" to all of our sponsors! LAP could not do it without you!
LAP Board of Directors
The Louisiana Association of Principals met on Sunday, September 28, 2025, in conjunction with the 74th Annual Conference. A special "Thanks!" to Niki Gibson, the Lexia Learning Representative, who sponsored the Board Meeting luncheon.
2025-2026 Board Swearing In
New Principals' Workshop
Staying on theme from “Bring in the Ship” to “Anchoring New Principals,” this year’s New Principals Workshop was held in Lafayette and, for the first time, offered a full day dedicated to collaboration and hands-on learning.
Steering the ship at this conference was 2025 Principal of the Year Dr. Amanda Austin, along with the 2026 Principals of the Year Panel: Justin Wax, Overall Principal of the Year; Anna Fayette Caminita, High School Principal of the Year; and Jennifer Burris, Middle School Principal of the Year.
Participants sailed through engaging workshop sessions that included Anchoring Practices, Problem Solving at Sea, and Steering Toward Success, culminating with Dr. Austin’s closing session, “Bring in the Ship Together.”
Whether you are a new principal or have been standing at the helm for years, don’t miss the 2026 New Principals’ Workshop, to be held in December 2026.
Clerical Conference
The Louisiana Association of Principals’ 31st Annual Clerical Conference, held annually in Lafayette at the DoubleTree by Hilton, officially kicked off on Sunday evening, December 7, 2025, with keynote speaker Holly Hoffman—award-winning author, motivational speaker, and CBS Survivor finalist.
Hoffman delivered powerful insight into how the skills she developed on Survivor can be applied to every aspect of life. She equipped attendees with practical strategies to navigate the challenges of serving as front-line staff in busy school offices, emphasizing improved productivity, multitasking, and customer service.
Learning was both engaging and enjoyable, as participants took part in a series of upbeat, collaborative activities that were informative, motivating, and inspiring for all in attendance.
During the Annual Clerical Conference, we said “see you later,” not “goodbye,” to Jeannie Ford, who has been the anchor of the LAP ship for the past twenty years. Jeannie has been the familiar voice on the phone and the tireless force working behind the scenes to keep our organization moving forward.
Thank you, Jeannie, for your unwavering dedication, hard work, and commitment to the mission of the Louisiana Association of Principals. We look forward to seeing you next year—and every year after!
Congratulation on Your Retirement!
Members
We’re excited to have you join a powerful network of school leaders dedicated to collaboration, growth, and excellence. Your leadership strengthens our voice and our impact across schools and communities.
NOT A MEMBER YET?
Join a community that connects, supports, and advocates for principals. Gain access to professional learning, statewide networking, and leadership resources that matter.
✨ Stronger Together. Leading Forward. ✨
Horace Mann
GET CREATIVITY WITH CARAYOLA & HORACE MANN
Our partner, Horace Mann, is a proud sponsor of Crayola Creativity Week (Jan. 26 – Feb. 1) — a free, fun-filled celebration that brings imagination and learning to life with daily activities, videos and creative classroom resources.
Plus, when you sign up for Creativity Week, you can enter for a chance to win:
- A four-day getaway to southern California to refresh and recharge your creativity
- $500 in Crayola art supplies to inspire your students all year long
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S./D.C., age 21+ and are an employee with a valid school-issued ID of a public, private or charter school that serves students between ages 5 and 17 (or a subset within those ages). Void outside the 50 U.S./D.C. and where prohibited. Sweepstakes starts at 12:00:01 AM ET on 11/17/25; ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on 01/19/26. Total ARV of all prizes: $82,625. Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received. Click here for full Official Rules. Sponsor: Crayola LLC, 1100 Church Lane, Easton, Pennsylvania, 18040.
Horace Mann Service Corporation and certain of its affiliates (Horace Mann) enter into agreements with educational associations where Horace Mann pays the association to provide services aimed at familiarizing association members with the Horace Mann brand, products or services. For more information, email your inquiry to [email protected].
#horacemanninsurance #crayola #crayolacreativityweek #teachers #education
Sponsors Appreciation
On Behalf of LAP and all its members, thank you for supporting our mission, to support and empower our school leaders across the state of Louisiana.
Mission Statement:
Mission Statement: To provide quality School-based Administrative Leadership for Louisiana schools through Professional Development, Legislation and Member Services.
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11822 Justice Ave, Ste B5
Baton Rouge, - LA 70816
Phone: (225) 279-9314
Website: https://laprincipals.org
[email protected]
[email protected]
