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RESERVE — The St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District is pleased to announce that David Lewis has been selected as the new principal of East St. John High School.

Lewis brings extensive experience in school administration to his new post, serving as either an assistant principal or principal for the past 16 years. Most recently, he served as assistant principal at LaPlace Elementary School.

Prior to his time in the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District, he served as principal at several New Orleans area high schools, including Edna Karr High School, L.W. Higgins High School and John Ehret High School. His experience as an assistant principal includes time at Edna Karr High School, McMain Magnet Secondary School and as an Academy Principal for ninth grade at Martyn Alternative School.

Lewis said he is excited to be back in a high school setting, where he hopes to fulfill a need for positive role models for the next generation of leaders while enhancing the growth of both his students and the community.

He said his plans include training teachers in how to better engage students over technology so that students will want to log on and participate and so that virtual students are as engaged as those in the classroom. He said he hopes to work with students to overcome obstacles they may face in using technology and to improve ACT scores among students.

“I want to keep the high school experience as close to normal as possible and keep the traditions of East St. John High going even in the time of a pandemic,” he said.

Virtual pep rallies, Throwback Thursdays, Christmas caroling via Microsoft TEAMS and ACT activities are a few of the events he has in store for students to help them feel like a part of the Wildcat family even if they are learning remotely.

Lewis graduated from Dillard University with a degree in political science before receiving his teaching certification from Tulane University in 1998. He went on to earn his master of arts in education administration and supervision from Xavier University.

“I’m very humbled and very excited to start,” Lewis said. “East St. John High has always been a great school and a pillar of St. John the Baptist Parish, so I’m very, very proud to be the instructional leader here.”