Staffing underway for new Arlene Meraux Elementary School

Natalie Albers named principal of the new Arlene Meraux Elementary School.

Lacoste Elementary Assistant Principal Natalie Albers was appointed the new principal of Arlene Meraux Elementary School at a recent St. Bernard Parish School Board meeting.

Albers has been in the school system for 15 years. She has taught at Smith Elementary, Andrew Jackson Elementary, and Lacoste Elementary. Albers also served as the master teacher at Smith Elementary before being named assistant principal at Lacoste Elementary in 2012.

Superintendent Doris Voitier announced the appointment by saying, “Albers’s incredible leadership, her experience opening a new school, and the fact that she will be very familiar with in excess of 300 students transferring from the Lacoste Elementary campus makes us confident in her abilities to lead what we are sure will be another high performing school in our district.”

Now that the district lines have been approved and the principal named, administrators will begin the process of staffing the teachers for the new school.

The number of teachers at any given school is determined by the student population. Because of the new district zones, the student populations at each of the schools will be smaller. Thus, schools will need fewer teachers.

Teachers from each of the four elementary schools- Arabi, Chalmette, Lacoste, and Davies Elementary – will be given the option to transfer to the new school. These decisions will be made over the next several months.

Furthermore, all student services provided at the four elementary schools will also be offered at the new school.

Superintendent Doris Voitier does not believe that the district will need to undergo any major new hiring efforts.

“Some new hires will need to be made; however, we are primarily shifting students and thus shifting resources among the five schools.  The new school will be comprised of veteran teachers who previously taught at our other elementary schools and new teachers,” Voitier explained.

For more information regarding the new Arlene Meraux Elementary School, parents and families can contact either their student’s principal or the district’s central office at 504-301-2000.

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