Louisiana Special School District

Education Without Limits

Ernest E. Garrett III
Superintendent

Ernest E. Garrett III is the former executive director and chief executive officer of the Deaf Empowerment Awareness Foundation, Inc., located in Webster Groves, Mo. He is also the founder and owner of Garrett LCSW & Consulting, a deaf-owned and operated limited liability company headquartered in Jefferson City, Mo., licensed by the City of Jefferson and accredited by the Better Business Bureau (A+)... [Read More...]

 Katherine Granier
Deputy  Superintendent of Financial & Administrative Services

Katherine Rasy Granier is a veteran of the Louisiana state government with over 18 years of experience in the development and implementation of finance, budget and statistical analysis, public policy, strategies, processes and controls. Her expertise encompasses establishing budgeting functions, systems and best practices, cost-reduction, and building business relationships to ensure goal-surpassing fiscal performance... [Read More...]

Leslie Hill
Director of Government and Community Engagement

Leslie Hill is an experienced government relations professional with over fifteen years in government, policy, and legislative affairs. Hill has spent the last nine years with the Louisiana Department of Education working with the Louisiana Legislature to pass and implement legislation to improve educational opportunities across the State. Hill has developed and maintained strong relationships by providing timely, relevant assistance to Legislators and staff, constituents, state executive branch leadership and other important stakeholders... [Read More...]

 Dr. Heather Laine
Director-Principal of LSD

Dr. Heather Laine began her education career as a paraeducator with Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) in the late spring of 1999 then became a teacher of the self-contained special education classroom for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students from preschool to high school from August 1999 to July 2006. After LACOE, she moved to Mesa, Arizona to work at Sequoia Deaf school for 14 years where she was employed as a teacher, elementary assistant principal, and then a K-12 principal... [Read More...]

Dr. Shirley B. Lewis
Director-Principal SSP

Shirley B. Lewis, Ed.D, is a product of the East Baton Rouge School System of which she is proud to proclaim. Lewis, a graduate of Louisiana Tech University, Louisiana State University, and Nova Southeastern University, has numerous credit hours in educational leadership obtained from Southern University, Baton Rouge. She holds a variety of certifications in education, which she believes has prepared her for serving in the many capacities within the Special School District...  [Read More...]

Dr. Marie Smith
Deputy Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Services

Marie A. Smith, Ph.D., NCC, LPC, possesses multiple certifications and licenses in regular and special education administration, school and mental health counseling, curriculum and instruction, and teaching. Smith’s knowledge spans essential disciplines to include administration, counseling, student behavior, evaluation/assessment, professional development, and program research... [Read More...]

 Kathleen Carr
Director Non-Academic Services

Kathleen Carr, M.Ed., oversees a team of professionals whose responsibilities include providing diagnostic testing and results to young scholars enrolled in the SSD’s educational and residential programs.  Connecting with SSD’s “customers,” the young scholars and their families, starts with a conversation that helps instructors provide the specialized educational programs and support services to fit scholars enrolled in or seeking enrollment in the system... [Read More...]

Melanie Hall Director-Principal of LSVI
Melanie Hall currently serves as the Principal for the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, and is in her seventh year at the school. Mrs. Hall holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Master of Arts in Teaching from Louisiana State University.  Throughout her 11 years in education, she has taught social studies, ELA, reading intervention, and served as a mentor teacher. As the principal, she uses her training as an educational leader, experience as a teacher, and knowledge as a certified teacher of the visually impaired to support high quality instruction in the core and expanded core areas throughout the school.