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.
Connie Bowen, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Bowen is originally from Rapides Parish in Central Louisiana but came to Acadiana in 2004. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Northwestern State University and a MBA from University of Louisiana at Lafayette. After years of corporate work by day and volunteering by night - first as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and then with ATRO (Acadiana Therapeutic Riding Organization – an organization that provides equine therapy to people with special needs), she discovered her heart was with working with children full time. She obtained her Master of Arts degree in teaching from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches and has been teaching at the elementary level for the past six years. She is certified in early childhood, grades 1 – 5, grades 1-5 mild/moderate, middle school English Language Arts, and business subjects 6-12. She is married to Randy Bowen and between them, they have three sons and several grandchildren. She enjoys reading, fishing, camping, and spending time with family.
Lainey Pickett, Instructional Leader
Mme Lainey was born and raised in Arnaudville, LA. She has spent the past ten years living away from home, but she couldn't be happier to be back and teaching at a French immersion school in the area where she grew up. Mme Lainey has worked in education for five years and has taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In August 2022, she graduated with her master's in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in reading and literacy from Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Mme Lainey is passionate about preserving everything that makes our Louisiana culture special, especially our languages! She also enjoys cooking, traveling, camping, kayaking, hiking, gardening, and spending time with her family, friends, and husband.
Sarah Savoy, Administrative Director
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 admissions, fundraising, Family Engagement Team events, truancy meetings, and social media, takes care of students when they’re not feeling well, and works with the PTO for special events organization.
Brian Clary, Student Services and Donor Relations Manager
Brian Clary is a native of Virginia who by way of Montréal, Québec, has lived in Arnaudville, Louisiana since June 2018. Brian speaks, reads, writes, and teaches P.E. in French at École, which may make him Louisiana's only P.E. teacher en français. Brian is also an accomplished athlete, national champion (1999-2003), and member of #teamUSA in roller figure skating, a sport he trained at the highest levels and US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado (2001-2004), which he now coaches in Lafayette in all his languages: French, English, Spanish, German, and Italian. Prior to Brian joining École in September 2023, he worked in tech, specializing in internationalization and public diplomacy for governments, entities, and companies all over the world—talents being put to use in our upcoming school year!
Andrea LeDee
Mrs. Andrea LeDee is from Church Point, LA, where she lives with her husband and children. She has been an educator for 14 years, including 11 as a math/science teacher and three as a school counselor. She is passionate about supporting children and families through creative and compassionate counseling that nurtures emotional wellbeing, learning, and healthy relationships.
Mrs LeDee loves traveling and going on adventures with her family, especially her new grandbaby. She enjoys exploring cultures—both her own and others—as well as gardening, reading, paddleboarding, camping, and hiking.
Anzleigh David, Administrative Assistant, Lion Care Coordinator
Anzleigh is currently a senior in high school. She will be helping out in the offices and around campus in the afternoons when she gets off school, and she's looking forward to her job because she loves children and interacting with them.
Upon graduation, Anzleigh plans to go to college to become a nurse. Her other interests include playing volleyball and swimming.