The newly-formed Lycée Français de la Nouvelle Orléans governance and CEO-search committees will hold their first meetings Thursday evening, school officials announced, a day after prosecutors dropped criminal trespassing charges against a former employee and the state Superintendent of Education personally appealed to the school’s French teachers to remain for another year.
On Wednesday, charges of criminal trespassing and disturbing the peace against former special-education coordinator Darleen Mipro were dismissed by prosecutors, municipal court officials confirmed Thursday morning. The charges stemmed from circumstances surrounding her firing in late November, and Mipro has filed a suit against the school and two board members, Jean Montes and Paige Saleun, alleging that they were attempting to damage her reputation as an educator.
Also on Wednesday, state Superintendent John White visited the school to address teachers, many of whom have said they will not return next year. The leader of the school’s authorizing entity, White admitted that “we have stumbled” and promised that the school will have both a new leader and composition of its governing board soon, according to a report by The Lens. Teachers replied that only five have agreed to return, still well short of the 10 that their recruiting organization wants to see by the end of next week in order to proceed with filling vacancies.
Those issues — the new CEO and the new board — will be discussed Thursday night by the new committees formed to handle them, according to announcements from the school. The CEO-search committee will meet at 5 p.m., and the governance committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria.
The search-committee meeting will consist solely of a review of the timeline for the search process. The governance committee will first review the school’s bylaws, then form a new nominating committee, and finally outline a process and timeline for its work.
While the governance committee’s only voting member is board member Catherine MacPhaille following the abrupt resignation of Joel Vilmenay last week, the CEO-search committee will be made of three people coming from outside the school, Nicole Boudreaux, Kelly McClure and Carol Asher. Consultant Jeremy Hunnewell described them as an “impressive list” in a recent email to school leaders, quoted below:
Nicole S. Boudreaux, Ed.D.
Nicole Boudreaux was born and raised in France where she earned her certification in elementary education. However, for the past 30 years she has pursued her education career in Louisiana. She has taught various contents in French or English, in private and public schools, from kindergarten to university level. Since 1998, she is responsible for the Lafayette Parish School System’s World Language Immersion Pathways (French, Spanish, and Chinese). She holds a Master in Curriculum and Instruction, a Plus 30 in Supervision of Instruction, and an Ed. D in Educational Leadership from the University of Louisiana Lafayette. She is involved in immersion research nationally and internationally, especially in regard to immersion pedagogy and immersion program administration. She is a member of the Board of CODOFIL and a past president of the Louisiana Consortium of Immersion Schools.
Kelly McClure, Ed.D.
Kelly McClure is the National Director of Sessions and Coaching for Leading Educators, an organization that partners with schools and districts to maximize the leadership development of highly effective teachers. Kelly is charged with developing and refining the content of Leading Educators professional development and coaching sessions. She joined Leading Educators from KIPP New Orleans, where she served as the regional Director of Academics. Prior to this, she was on the founding team of a 6-12 service-learning charter school in Salem, Massachusetts, taught undergraduate and graduate courses in two Schools of Education, and was Co-Founder and Director of Boston University’s America Reads Challenge. On the international front, Kelly served as the Training Director of a USAID rural development project and as a teacher-trainer with the Peace Corps in Rabat, Morocco. Kelly holds a B.A. in English Literature from Loyola University, New Orleans. She also received an Ed.M. in International Education Development and an Ed.D. in Educational Administration, Training and Policy Studies from Boston University. Kelly is a French speaker with two children of her own in charter schools.
Carol Asher
Carol Asher has an extensive background in professional marketing and development for non-profit organizations. She is a highly respected national fundraiser and is most well known for her proven record of accomplishment and specialty of converting non-profit charities into productive and accountable business operations. Her career as a Non-profit Consultant includes raising millions of dollars for organizations that improve the quality of life and economic climate for communities. She currently consults on fund development for the Youth Empowerment Project on annual campaign strategy and board development. Her direction and leadership just completed a $550,000 Capital Campaign for the new YEP Youth Center. Additional organizations Carol has supported include the New Orleans Police Foundation and N.O.P.D., 504ward and 504connect, Jefferson Parish Performing Arts Center, GNO, Inc., Tipitina’s Foundation, Legacy Donor Foundation, Tour de Lis, Dress for Success, United Way and City Bark, among others.
Carol served as Vice President of Marketing and Development for the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and Super Bowl XXXI Host Committee, and more recently served on the Super Bowl XLVII Host Committee as Chair of Volunteer Services. Her 22-member committee was charged with recruiting and training 8,000 volunteers for 11,000 shifts for 2013 Super Bowl 47. She served for three years as Founding President of the Board for RENEW Charter Schools managing five of the lowest performing schools in New Orleans. Prior to that, she served for three years on Lafayette Charter School Board as Chair of Development. Carol was involved in the successful search for a school leader at Lafayette Academy.
Awards received by Carol Asher include twice being recognized as a City Business Women of the Year. She has been honored by the Jewish Federation and was a YLC Role Model and in 2012 was named one of “Ten Outstanding People” by Family Service of Greater New Orleans. She is most proud of her family. They include husband of 36 years, Harold and children Allison and Jeffrey. Daughter Allison, recently returned to New Orleans after 13 years and Jeff and future wife Allison will move back to New Orleans this summer after 10 years away. Carol Asher is a 1977 graduate of Tulane University.
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