Acadian Elementary head vies for Principal of the Year

Terrebonne Parish School System’s Principal of the Year is among seven elementary principals waiting to hear who will be awarded the state title today.

If chosen, 36-year-old Arthur Joffrion, the principal at Acadian Elementary School in Houma, could make history for the parish school system becoming the first local nominee to hold the state title.

Before Joffrion, principals Stacy Selot and Denise Bourgeios, both of Terrebonne Parish, came close to earning the state title.

Joffrion always knew he wanted to be in the field of education. He said completing educational volunteer work in high school initiated his desire to become a schoolteacher. All the way back to high school, the elementary principal said he knew he wanted to lead a school.

“I had a class where me and this girl had to play a married couple. We had to manage our budget and everything just like a real marriage. We also had to choose a career, and I chose to be a teacher,” he explained. “I always listed the hopes of one day being a school administrator as my future goals.”

That experience not only prompted Joffrion to become a schoolteacher, it spawned his lifelong dream to become a principal.

As the head of Acadian Elementary School, Joiffron views his role in the education process as an instructional leader for the teachers at the school.

“I model what quality instruction is supposed to be,” he said. “My role also extends to the parents and students because I like to be there when they need me.”

Joffrion’s love for his position, the students and education makes him successful in the education process.

He said he holds a very high value on education. “I feel like to I can bring a positive outlook to the school system and the community. I feel like I am a representative of the Terrebonne school system at all times,” he said.

Joffrion said he most admires retired Southdown Elementary School principal Betty Peltier because she was everything that is good and quality about being an educational professional. He said she was a constant role model displaying professional values and putting children first.

“I take her undying love for children into my job every day,” he said.

Those under Joffrion’s lead see those same qualities in the Acadian principal.

Dr. Ellen Lucos, assistant principal at Acadian Elementary, said Joffrion is a role model in every sense of the word for the school and for other assistant principals at Acadian. “Everyone cannot be a principal because you have to assume the leadership role and not many people can be leaders,” she said.

Lucos said she has learned quite a bit from Joffrion over the past three years they have worked together. Like others at the school, she believes her mentor has a real shot at winning state Principal of the Year.

The assistant principal said Joffrion defines what it means to be a “top principal” because he puts the needs of the students first and leads by example for his faculty and staff.

Last week, the contenders for the Principal of the Year title traveled to Baton Rouge for the final stage of the competition.

Before a principal is selected as Principal of the Year, the person has to fulfill a few requirements. Qualifying principals must be certified for more than five years and currently hold principal positions. If honored as Principal of the Year, the person must stay in that position during his or her reign.

Initially, Joffrion was named the Terrebonne Parish Principal of the Year. In September he competed at the regional level, and was later recognized as the District 3 representative for the state competition.

To qualify for the state competition, Joffrion had to prepare a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation and participate in a 10-minute interview. The panel of judges selected by the Louisiana Department of Education reviewed each candidate’s presentation and interview, and a decision will be made this week.

Only days before the state competition, Joffrion was very confident about his presentation, practicing it several times with more than 30 of his faculty and staff posing as the panel of judges.

Joffrion’s presentation centered on three things: collaborative and instructional leadership and personalization. He said it is an extension of his regional competition platform in which he prepared an extensive binder filled with professional information.

The administrator incorporated Acadian’s Positive Behavior Support System program into his presentation, or what is called the CLAWS program n Cultivate respect, Learn everyday, Accept responsibility, Work together and Safety matters.

He closed his presentation by speaking on other schoolwide instructional programs such as Parental Involvement, Accelerated Reader and Every Day Counts Calendar Math.

“In my PowerPoint, I compared being a principal to a super hero. As an administrator, I am responsible for more than 750 students and 100 faculty members. I have to be there whenever they need me just like a super hero,” the principal said jokingly.

Joffrion’s super hero character goes along with the Every Day Counts Calendar Math program where “Zero the Hero” comes to visit Acadian Elementary every year on the 100th day of school to show the kids how important zeros are to mathematics and everyday counting.

The Donaldsonville native has been in the administration position for seven years now. He has been the principal at Acadian for the past four years. Before his transition to Terrebonne Parish, Joffrion was a teacher in the St. Mary Parish school system. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Nicholls State University in 1992, and then in 1995 completed his master’s in administration and supervision.

The Houma resident likes spending time with his wife of 12 years, Cindy, and 10-year-old daughter Caroline outside of school. Joffrion’s other areas of involvement include church activities and numerous professional organizations such as Louisiana Association of Principal, Louisiana Association of School Executive and President-elect for Terrebonne Principal Association.

“The Terrebonne Parish schools system has been so supportive through this whole ordeal, I just hope I represent them well,” he said.

Sophia Ruffin can be reached at (985) 876-3008 or sophia@tri-parishtimes.com

Staff photo by Sophia Ruffin • Tri-Parish Times/ Acadian Principal Arthur Joffrion and fourth grader Nina Lindsey, 9, of Houma, sort through bags. The 36-year-old and seven other state principals are vying for Louisiana’s Principal of the Year title.