LAFAYETTE, La. (The Daily Advertiser) – The Lafayette Parish School System has announced several administrative changes that will take effect when classes resume on January 4.

Stacy Danos will retire as the principal of Live Oak Elementary.

Danos will be replaced by Patricia Thompson, who has been the principal at Myrtle Place Elementary for the past two years.

Danos has worked for the district for 19 years and has been the Live Oak principal for the past seven years. Thompson previously worked at Live Oak as a counselor and itinerant assistant principal.

At Myrtle Place Elementary, Allison El-Koubi will replace Thompson as principal.

El-Koubi currently is the principal of Lafayette Middle.

“As a bilingual Canadian, Mrs. El-Koubi’s professional skill set and background uniquely qualifies her to lead Myrtle Place and complement the French Immersion program,” district officials said in a news release.

Tia Trahan will become the principal of Lafayette Middle.

Trahan was most recently an assistant principal at David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy. Prior to that, she was the principal of Milton Elementary/Middle for four years.

In addition, Jody Duhon will be the principal of the new Edward J. Sam Accelerated School of Lafayette, a non-traditional campus that will open in July.

Duhon has been the principal of N.P. Moss Prep since 2012. She was the principal of Lafayette’s Charter High School from 2007 to 2012.

Meanwhile, Alysia Messa has been named principal of Carencro Heights Elementary. She replaces Nicholas Thomas, who has been named federal programs manager for the school system.

Messa was an itinerant principal at Truman Early Childhood Center from 2012 to 2016, and most recently an assistant principal at J.W. Faulk Elementary.

The district is now advertising for a principal at N.P. Moss Prep, and assistant principals at David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy and J.W. Faulk. Those appointments will be made in January.

“While it is somewhat unusual to make administrative changes during the school year, the openings, which occurred as a result of the retirement of Stacy Danos and the promotion of other administrators, provided the opportunity to make strategic placements that will strengthen the administrative teams of schools in order to best meet the needs of students,” officials said in a statement.