Marthaville Elementary & Junior High School has been selected as a finalist for the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) Founder’s Award, earning a $10,000 prize and national recognition for its work to strengthen teaching and improve student outcomes.
The school is one of only five schools nationwide chosen as finalists for the prestigious award and is now in contention for the $50,000 grand prize, which will be announced at the NIET National Conference on April 1 in New Orleans.
The Founder’s Award, created by NIET Founder Lowell Milken, recognizes one school each year for exceptional implementation of NIET’s principles to build educator excellence and advance student success.
At Marthaville Elementary & Junior High, Principal Andrew Newman and the school’s Instructional Leadership Team have created a collaborative culture focused on analyzing student work, refining instructional strategies, and supporting teachers through ongoing professional learning.
These efforts have led to measurable gains for students. From 2023 to 2025, the school increased its student mastery rate by eight points, including a 19-point increase in social studies. During the same time period, the statewide mastery rate increased by only one point. The school also improved to an “A” letter grade in 2024 and maintained that rating in 2025.
Marthaville Elementary & Junior High serves approximately 200 pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade students in rural Natchitoches Parish. Through its partnership with NIET, the school has implemented several structures to strengthen instruction, including an Instructional Leadership Team that guides professional learning and helps teachers analyze student data to improve classroom practices.
Teachers participate in weekly professional learning sessions where they review student work, identify areas for improvement, and collaborate on strategies to better support students. This approach has helped create a culture where both educators and students actively track progress and set goals for growth.
According to district leaders, the impact is visible across classrooms as students take greater ownership of their learning and teachers continuously refine their instruction.
Marthaville Elementary & Junior High joins four other finalists from across the country competing for the Founder’s Award grand prize. The winner will be announced at NIET’s national conference in New Orleans on April 1.