Faculty Award Winners

     At North Central High, the message on the northern end of the parish is that where you are has nothing to do with where you are going, that the sky is the limit, and all at the school can do what R Kelly is known for singing, Believe You Can Fly.
The faculty at North Central believes that you teach by example, for if students are expected to succeed, then those serving as their instructors must do the same. Therefore, they, as teachers and leaders aspire to demonstrate the meaning of excellence.
     This year has been good to the school that is considered one of the smallest in St. Landry Parish. While the majority of the student inhabitants are from small and rural communities, the school measures up to those two and three times its size, and much of this is due to the dedication of its staff, dedication that has earned special recognition for key members of the faculty.
     Leading the school is Raymond Duplechain, a veteran principal who took the reins more than four years ago. Upon arrival at the school, Duplechain pledged to bring the school in line with schools all over the state. The first plan for accomplishing this was to work on motivating students and enhancing self-esteem, which in turn was a means of improving academic performance.
     Just a few year after being at the helm, Duplechain has gained numerous honors, two prominent ones being named Principal of the Year by the LA Music Association, and most recently earning the honor of being the St. Landry Parish High School Principal of the Year. Both honors are ones carrying much prestige and honors. Duplechain is not alone in being considered the best. There are several others on his faculty who have been the focus of merit for accolades.
     One is band director, Thaddeus Johnson, a young man who has been with the band program for just a few years. Still, he has put the band and the school on the map. Johnson has taken students from the communities of Melville, Morrow, Palmetto, and Washington and has merged students in grades 5th-l2th into one of the finest marching and concert bands in the area.
     Johnson had 30 students qualify for the parish honor band, one was a member of the All-State Orchestra, more than a dozen in the district honor band, several in the All-State Marching and Concert band, and ones earning superior ratings in state competitions. Because of the work of Johnson, he recently was selected as St. Landry Parish’s High School Teacher of the Year, a title that he earned for the second time in his short career.


				The story does not stop here, for Clarence “Butch" Fontenot has and still is making history as he directs the basketball program at North Central. He was chosen this year as District Coach of the Year for the tenth time in his career. This veteran of 26 years is the only parish coach to make seven Top 28 appearances, done for four consecutive years. There Is no other parish coach to be voted Coach of the Year three times on the state level ( ‘83, ‘84, ‘90 )and St. Landry Parish Coach of the year three years. He is also the only coach in the parish to win a state championship in girls' basketball and state runner-up in boys’ basketball. In his tenure as a coach, Fontenot has won more than 500 games, done in 15 years, a feat no other coach has done. Much of Fontenot’s antics on the court have been the attention of fans as he coaches with enthusiasm and zest. Players are the first to share their respect for the man who is also a father figure they respect and love. Then there is Vanessa Belson Taylor, a radiant figure who looks more like the cheerleaders' sponsor than the basketball coach. Even more startling is the fact that Taylor was for many years a member of the Lafayette Police Department. Before becoming a coach in the parish, Taylor was active in the Lafayette Police DARE program, a patrol officer, and an investigator of traffic fatalities The latter position is one where she is certified in traffic fatality reconstruction. It seems that wherever Taylor hangs her whistle, she gets recognition. This season she was named St. Landry Parish Girls’ Coach of the Year. While an officer, she was Officer of the Year by the Knights of Columbus, CENLA-NABCJ, and the Kiwanis. Although she has only been coaching and teaching for two years, she has earned the reputation of achieving success in any venture she undertakes, much due to her organization and positive attitude. It is no wonder that great things are happening at North Central High. The parish says "Hats Off!" to these four educators who expect excellence from their students; therefore, they demonstrate excellence in all that they do. Stella Thomas is a columnist for the Daily World Paper
	Principal Raymond Duplechain, LMEA and St. Landry Parish Principal of the Year; Thaddeus Johnson, Parish Teacher of the Year; Clarence"Butch Fontenot, District Coach of the Year; and Vanessa Taylor, District Coach of the Year
	North Central faculty receive awards by Stella Thomas Opelousas Daily World-April 11, 1999 At North Central High, the message on the northern end of the parish is that where you are has nothing to do with where you are going, that the sky is the limit, and all at the school can do what R Kelly is known for singing, Believe You Can Fly. The faculty at North Central believes that you teach by example, for if students are expected to succeed, then those serving as their instructors must do the same. Therefore, they, as teachers and leaders aspire to demonstrate the meaning of excellence. This year has been good to the school that is considered one of the smallest in St. Landry Parish. While the majority of the student inhabitants are from small and rural communities, the school measures up to those two and three times its size, and much of this is due to the dedication of its staff, dedication that has earned special recognition for key members of the faculty. Leading the school is Raymond Duplechain, a veteran principal who took the reins more than four years ago. Upon arrival at the school, Duplechain pledged to bring the school in line with schools all over the state. The first plan for accomplishing this was to work on motivating students and enhancing self-esteem, which in turn was a means of improving academic performance. Just a few year after being at the helm, Duplechain has gained numerous honors, two prominent ones being named Principal of the Year by the LA Music Association, and most recently earning the honor of being the St. Landry Parish High School Principal of the Year. Both honors are ones carrying much prestige and honors. Duplechain is not alone in being considered the best. There are several others on his faculty who have been the focus of merit for accolades. One is band director, Thaddeus Johnson, a young man who has been with the band program for just a few years. Still, he has put the band and the school on the map. Johnson has taken students from the communities of Melville, Morrow, Palmetto, and Washington and has merged students in grades 5th-l2th into one of the finest marching and concert bands in the area. Johnson had 30 students qualify for the parish honor band, one was a member of the All-State Orchestra, more than a dozen in the district honor band, several in the All-State Marching and Concert band, and ones earning superior ratings in state competitions. Because of the work of Johnson, he recently was selected as St. Landry Parish’s High School Teacher of the Year, a title that he earned for the second time in his short career.

North Central faculty receive awards