November 2009
Volume 75, Number 2

2009 Awardee

One Louisiana Superintendant has been selected for the receipt of the Outstanding Administrator Award in 2009.  This is the eleventh time in the past thirteen years that such recognitions have been made by the Louisiana Music Educators Association.

LMEA annually accepts nominations based on the criteria published in the February Issue of The Louisiana Musician.  The award ceremony takes place preceding an All-State performance at the annual State Music Conference.  The public is invited to attend along with friends and families of the administrator.

Jo Ann Matthews represents the best in Louisiana administrators.  She possesses a visionary philosophy that places a high priority on student engagement in music and the arts. Her philosophies have enabled Lafourche schools to achieve high academic standards while giving tremendous curriculum and financial support to the arts.

Jo Ann Matthews is the Superintendant of Lafourche Parish Public Schools.  She holds both a Bachelors of Science Degree and a Masters of Education degree from Nicholls State University 

Prior to her appointment as Superintendent of Lafourche Parish Schools she served in a variety of teaching and administrative positions including: Teacher/Special Education Department Head at Raceland Upper Elementary School, Assistant Principal of Raceland Upper Elementary School, Principal of West Thibodaux Junior High School, and Supervisor of Personnel for Lafourche Parish Schools.

In fulfilling her administrative role, Superintendant Matthews has been personally active in the development and expansion of school schedules in support of the arts.  She has aggressively added both instrumental and vocal music courses to the curriculum at elementary schools and high schools in an effort to make “access to music and art” available to all students K-12.  

Superintendant Matthews has more than a vision of expanding music curriculum.  She has developed long range plans and provided the necessary resources to implement the plan.  She has made excellence and public recognition of the arts a high priority.  In her work with the Lafourche Parish School Board she has proven herself to be more than just an advocate.  She gets results that directly benefit music and art education. She has also insured financial support in terms of equipment and staffing. 

All this has been accomplished while raising overall academic standards in her schools.  Key to her philosophy in raising academic standards is her belief that participation in the arts is fundamental to the process of improving student achievement. Both from her office and in the public eye, Superintendant Matthews has elevated the success of music/art, been a visible and enthusiastic supporter of the students, and implemented a strong vision of music and art programs.