Knightly News

Each year, Episcopal celebrates faculty excellence with the Newton Distinguished Faculty Award. Patty and Carl Newton established the award because they believe that excellent teachers make a difference in students’ lives, and they are grateful for the positive impact that Episcopal teachers had on their children. Three Newton Distinguished Faculty recipients are recognized annually and awarded a stipend to support their continued professional development.

Congratulations to this year’s award recipients.

Heather Cutrer
Lower School 4th Grade Teacher

“Heather inspires students to realize their full potential as students and human beings,” Lower School Division Head Beth Gardner wrote in Cutrer’s nomination. “Ask Heather about any of her current or past students, and her stories are filled with love and special memories. She knows them. She cares about them. And they know it.”

With 29 years in the classroom, Cutrer is a veteran educator. She has spent 26 years at Episcopal teaching first grade and, most recently, fourth grade. In addition to teaching, Cutrer also serves as the Grade Level Chair. “Heather is highly respected and admired for her devotion to excellence,” Gardner writes. “Her colleagues seek her out for advice and pick her brain for instructional approaches to support students.”

Gardner says Cutrer strives to fully understand and implement best practices in instruction. “Throughout the process of adopting and implementing a new math curriculum, refining the process of assessing math, and integrating engaging mathematical thinking classrooms, Heather stands out as a leader and believer in the work that goes with matching the needs of our students with the support teachers need to apply creative, just-right, and innovative instructional techniques.”

Isabella Runge
Middle School French Teacher

“Madame Runge creates a warm and welcoming environment for her students and peers,” writes Middle School Division Head Anne Dalton in Runge’s nomination. “Her profound passion for her subject area is evident in her teaching methods.”

Runge is well known for providing engaging French lessons in the QUEST Center in Foster Hall Chemistry Kitchen. She uses French cooking to help students learn a new language in an enjoyable and less intimidating way. “While language instruction can often be mechanical and rudimentary, she employs an engaging approach that fosters critical thinking skills among her students,” says Dalton. “She utilizes a variety of instructional strategies and creative methods, allowing students to express themselves in unique and meaningful ways.”

In addition to tasty cooking lessons, Runge helps students tap into their creativity while learning French. In November, students learn the symbolism of the poppy flower and design 2D and 3D poppy flowers. Students also study Paris and create postcards inspired by the city. Runge’s French classes feature games and French holiday celebrations for Mardi Gras, Candlemas, National French Week and more.

Giselle Clouatre
Upper School Spanish Teacher

“I can say with the greatest degree of certainty that Giselle Clouatre is 100% student centered,” Tom Forti wrote in Giselle’s nomination. “Observing her classes and her commitment to her students is truly inspiring.”

Clouatre is a veteran Spanish teacher with more than 20 years in the classroom. Episcopal students are fortunate that the bulk of that time has been spent here. Forti describes Clouatre as a leader in the World Language Department and someone with boundless energy and infectious enthusiasm. “She’s collaborative and collegial and has been a terrific mentor to new staff,” he says.

Forti also praised Clouatre for genuinely caring for others. He pointed out that she has provided comfort for students experiencing loss, including his daughter. “When tragedy struck our community in the fall of 2022, everyone was impacted and my daughter was particularly devastated,” says Forti. “One night, I came home late and imagine my surprise to see Giselle and my girl, sitting at the kitchen table, textbook open eating Canes that she brought over. That goes beyond empathy and dedication, or anything else. It was an act of kindness and compassion and selflessness that as a colleague and a father I couldn’t be more grateful for.” 

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2025-2026 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.