By Carolyn Roy
Chrisella Metoyer spent her first day as interim director of the MLK Head Start Center Tuesday.
At the Parish Council meeting Monday, Parish President Rick Nowlin announced her appointment saying that Metoyer holds the required educational and professional qualifications and was approved by the La. Dept. of Education Licensing Board.
Metoyer is a native of Lake Charles where she graduated from Alfred M. Barbe High School. She holds a general studies degree from Northwestern State, teacher certification from Louisiana College and master’s degree from Walden University.
Metoyer taught in the Montessori system and in private schools in Alexandria. She worked in the Head Start program in Alexandria for six years and for the last three years has been an early childhood literacy coach for the Natchitoches Parish School Board.
She and her husband, Emile Metoyer, have six children together and five grandchildren.
Nowlin said Metoyer’s annual salary as interim director is $55,000, the amount budgeted for a Head Start director. However, as a temporary employee, she will not receive benefits.
Nowlin gave a timeline for hiring a permanent director. The job has been advertised regionally in the Natchitoches Times, Shreveport Times, Town Talk and online. The deadline to receive applications is Sept. 1.
After the Sept. 1 deadline, the applications will be reviewed with interviews taking place in September. He hopes to decide on a director by the end of September and offer employment in October.
Nowlin said Metoyer will be eligible to apply for the permanent position.
Nowlin also said that he plans to reconstitute the Head Start Policy Council in October at its annual meeting. “We will do it by the book,” he said.
The policy council should be represented by six parents, one from each site. Those parents elect four community representatives from a list provided by Parish Government. Nowlin said members on all boards and commissions are nominated by the parish president and are subject to approval by the Parish Council.
