JUSTIN WAX NAMED LOUISIANA PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR

Denham Springs Junior High Principal Justin Wax has been named the 2026 Louisiana Principal of the Year by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE).

He received the award during the 19th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards Gala, hosted by LDOE and Dream Teachers in July at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

Wax thanked his colleagues for nominating him for the award, which began by being named the Middle School Principal of the Year for Livingston Parish.

“I was very honored to be selected from my peers here in Livingston Parish,” Wax said. “They selected me, probably not because I am the best at everything, but truly because I think there’s an opportunity to represent the collective of what great things are happening here in Livingston Parish.”

Wax is in his fourth year as principal of Denham Springs Junior High. Under his leadership, the school has earned state and national recognition, including designation as a 2024 Top Gains Honoree and inclusion in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Middle Schools lists for both 2024 and 2025.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a minor in leadership development from Louisiana State University. He earned a Master of Education in educational leadership from Southeastern Louisiana University after entering the field through an alternative certification pathway.

SHAIDAEE NAMED A FINALIST FOR 2026 NIET FELLOWSHIP

The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching recently unveiled the finalists for the 2026 NIET Fellows cohort, launching a dynamic one-year program to help selected educators deepen their knowledge of NIET’s systems of improvement to more effectively support the work taking place in their school and district. Among the distinguished fellows is Candace Shaidaee from Southside Elementary of Livingston Parish Public Schools in Denham Springs, Louisiana.

“I’m excited to invite Candace Shaidaee into our second cohort of the NIET Fellows Program,” said NIET CEO Dr. Joshua Barnett. “For 25 years, we have seen the work of effective educators, like those joining us in this fellows program, be the driver of success within schools, districts, and communities. We look forward to learning alongside Candace and this cohort by providing opportunities to elevate instructional practices and apply them within and beyond their classrooms.”

Shaidaee was one of just 11 selected out of a competitive pool of applicants from across the country. Over the years, she has taught High School French, speech, and drama, as well as third and fourth grades. She spent six years serving as an instructional coach at Southside Elementary. In 2025, Shaidaee accepted a position as Literacy Mentor and will now be supporting teachers in 12 Livingston Parish Schools with high and growing ELL and special education populations.

“I’m thrilled to join the second cohort of the NIET Fellows Program and deepen my learning as an educator,” Shaidaee said.

 

LIVINGSTON SCHOOL SYSTEM RECEIVES OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS

Livingston Parish Schools has received $220,000 in opioid settlement funds from the Livingston Parish Council and Parish President Randy Delatte to expand existing programs across the district.

The funding will be used to extend an agreement with a telehealth provider that offers some counseling services for students, as well as having vape detectors installed at two campuses to complete the district’s goal of having detectors at all middle and high schools. These detectors are placed in the bathrooms, and an alarm goes off when they detect someone vaping.

“Since piloting our telehealth program in 2024, more than 200 students have received therapy with a 94% improved response. These dollars will allow us to extend the service to middle school students,” Superintendent Jody Purvis said.

“As for vaping, it is not an isolated behavior, but rather strongly tied to other substance use that can harm adolescents,” Purvis said. “Despite ongoing educational efforts, we continue to observe incidents of vaping on school property, particularly in unsupervised areas. If we can detect vape use in our schools, be can better identify those students and support them toward cessation.”

Opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers are paying tens of billions of dollars in restitution to settle lawsuits about their role in the overdose epidemic. The funding is going to state and local governments.

 

DOYLE HIGH BAND MEMBERS PERFORM WITH NORTHLAKE COMMUNITY BAND

Doyle High School Band Director Jon Mannino and some of his top band students performed with the Northlake Community Band during a show at the Columbia Theater in Hammond on August 5.

Those students included Blaine Goff, Bradyn Devall, Madilyn Canales, and Charleigh Ryle.

The band performed some of legendary film composer John Williams’ greatest hits, including memorable scores for Star Wars, Harry Potter, Superman, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler’s List and many more.

 

ASSESS THE NEED WRAPS UP 25^TH YEAR OF PROVIDING SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Teachers, principals, staff members and community volunteers from across the parish collected donations and helped organize and pick up school supplies to be given to students needing assistance during the upcoming school year.

Supplies for nearly 3,000 students were purchased by the Assess the Need School Supply Campaign and delivered to every campus in the parish.  Those supplies, in turn, have been distributed by school officials to students on their campuses.

“This is the 25^th year of our program, of having our community come together to give students the tools they need to be successful in the classroom. I want to thank the many people who gave of their resources and their time to make sure our students are equipped to learn,” Livingston Parish Assessor Jeff Taylor said.