ADMINISTRATIVE & OFFICE TEAM
Lindsay Smythe, School Leader and Principal
Mme Lindsay Smythe taught on the elementary, secondary, and university level for 17 years, but in her last four years of teaching, she worked tirelessly to ensure the successful 2021 opening of École Saint-Landry. She has a bachelor's degree and master's degree from Louisiana State University, and she attained her Educational Leadership certification from the University of Holy Cross (New Orleans). After six years of teaching, she moved to Nova Scotia, Canada to learn French, where she completed a year-long immersion program at Université Sainte-Anne. In the near future, she hopes to finish the doctoral degree she began before opening École Saint-Landry.
Professionally, Smythe’s major honors include: Étoile filante from the Université Sainte-Anne Alumni Association, 20 Under 40 Young Leader of Acadiana Award, Lafayette Parish High School Teacher of the Year, and two-time Louisiana state high school softball coach of the year.
Smythe was selected as a member of the Leadership St. Landry Class II and Leadership Institute of Acadiana Class XXXIII. She has presented on a variety of topics at educational conferences in both United States and Canada. She has also been selected as a scholarship participant in programs including the Parlement francophone des jeunes des Amériques in Quebec City, Canada and two Wallonie-Bruxelles programs: one at the Université de Liège, Belgium and the other at Université de Mons, Belgium.
Smythe is a member of the Leadership Institute of Acadiana, Louisiana Association of Principals, American Council for the Teachers of Foreign Languages, Louisiana Foreign Language Teachers’ Association, Grand Lake High Alumni, and Krewe de Canailles. She serves as chair of the Tommy Navarre Memorial Scholarship, sits on the board of St. Luc French Immersion Center and Cultural Campus, and is the coordinator for French presenters for Festivals Acadiens et Créoles.
Mme Smythe was born and raised in Big Lake, a small community in Cameron Parish. She is married to Adam Doucet, and they are pet parents to a grey tabby cat named Cléo.
Sarah Savoy, Administrative Manager and Parent Liaison
Sarah was born and raised in Eunice, Saint Landry Parish, Louisiana. Upon graduation from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a BA in English Liberal Arts, she moved to Russia for 5 years, working as the Marketing Director for American Medical Centers in Moscow and also teaching English in an English immersion private school. She then moved to Paris, France, where she lived for 12 years, playing Cajun music around Europe and working as Executive Chef of three different restaurants in the French capital. She is a published author, an accomplished musician, and is recognized, as are the other members of her family, as an international spokesperson for Cajun culture. Her father builds accordions and has been awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, her mother is an internationally-recognized author and musician, her brothers are well-known Cajun musicians, and her sister is a popular local artist and photographer. Sarah has two children, Louis and Anna, both born in France and collectively named after the best place in the world. She is fluent in English, Russian, and French, and is currently learning Greek.
At École Saint-Landry, Sarah manages the school administrative duties, takes care of students when they’re not feeling well, manages the Family Engagement Team events, oversees the school garden and teaches gardening classes, steps in for special music events, and works with the PTO for special events organization.
Jessica Thomas Declouet, Social Worker
Mrs. Jessica was born in Opelousas, and she graduated from Lafayette High School. Upon graduating from high school, she attended Grambling State University, majoring in Elementary Education. She then obtained her Masters in Social Work from GSU.
Jessica taught 3rd grade for several years, and went on to teach Pre-K for over five years before deciding to pursue work in the Social Work field. She has two children, Bricelon and Jolie'. Jolie' attends École Saint-Landry and enjoys learning the French language.
Jessica teaches weekly Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) classes, and also does sessions on different SEL themes with École students.
In her spare time, Jessica enjoys cooking new meals, crafting, and riding her horse, Price.