Congratulations to Mr. Duplechain!!!
Administrator of the Year

            One Louisiana Principal has been selected for Administrator of the Year recognition. This is the second year that such a recognition will be made. LMEA (Louisiana Music Educators' Association) will annually accept nominations based on the criteria published in February Issue of The Louisiana Musician. The award ceremony will take place at The Radisson Hotel in Baton Rouge on Sunday, November 22 at 3:OO p.m. The ceremony will precede the annual concert of the Louisiana All-State Orchestra. The public is invited to attend, along with friends and families of the administrator.
             Raymond Duplechain is principal at North Central High School in Lebeau, Louisiana. Mr. Duplechain's accomplishments as an administrator exemplifies his belief that music education is a vital part of a school. When Mr. Duplechain became the principal at North Central High School, the band program was virtually non- existent. There was a band room with about twelve music stands and less than a dozen instruments. He found an instrumental music teacher (Thaddeus Johnson) with the interest and fortitude to work the program up from the bootstraps. Mr. Duplechain took a leadership role in establishing moral and financial support for the program. He provided for music instruction at feeder schools through his own high school teacher allotment and made certain that scheduling for both students and staff was conducive to the progress desired in the program. This past school year reflected the enormous leap forward that has taken place in the past three years of Mr. Duplechain's tenure. Numerous North Central music students earned All District and Louisiana All-Star honors while the Band earned superior ratings in performance at both the District and State LMEA Music Festivals.
             In a day and time where many school systems around the country are eliminating the arts in curriculum, Mr. Duplechain took a financial and professional risk to initiate music in a community where the talents of the children had never been explored or refined. Mr. Duplechain has served as teacher, coach, counselor, assistant principal and principal during his 30 plus years in the educational system. He chose to go to North Central High School and immediately made an impact in this small rural school. The vocational departments (Art, Voc. Ag., Business) have all become exceptional programs with national, state, and local awards. Innovative workshops have improved student test scores and achievement, teacher accountability, and parental involvement. The athletic programs are also on the rise. Overall, Mr. Duplechain has proven what strong management and leadership can do. His skill as an educator, administrator, and leader have earned for him the respect of his community and LMEA.