Donna Harvin retired in 2015 with 35 years in education. Her educational career began in 1980, in Jefferson Parish, where she taught Special Education for five years prior to starting her family.
Donna Harvin
Donna’s career in St. Tammany Parish included teaching Special Ed at Abita Junior High, serving as RHT and Assistant Principal at Fontainebleau Junior High, and ended her career after ten years in the leadership arena as founding Principal of Monteleone Junior High.
She has chosen to lead a fulfilling second half of her life by fulfilling a lifetime goal of working with some of the greatest minds in education through the National Institute of School Leadership in Washington, D.C. While there she served on the Executive Committee and was State Coordinator for Principal and Supervisor Training here in Louisiana.
Donna participates as a board member of Baskets of Hope, a charitable organization serving hospitalized children across southeast Louisiana. She spends time with her live-in parents and enjoys a by-monthly prayer group with some of the most beautiful ladies she has ever met.
I asked Donna about a typical day in her life, and she said that there was no such day in her retirement life thus far, as she finds herself just as busy as she was in her work world.
Donna and her husband start each day with coffee on their patio and an hour at the gym or walking either at the lakefront or in their neighborhood. She enjoys her hobbies of sewing, quilting, crocheting, gardening, and reading. The couple also enjoys spending time at their condo in Florida.
Her family is her most beautiful and prized possession. In addition to two wonderful sons, Donna has three amazing step children and two step grandchildren. Her youngest son is extending their family by marrying the love of his life this summer, and her oldest son and his beautiful wife will have their first child two months later. As though not already blessed enough, she and her husband are parents to the sweetest four-year-old shi zu who doesn’t know that she is a canine!
When asked if she were the Governor what would she do Donna replied, “I would persuade our legislators to pass an irrevocable law to protect our teacher’s retirement system, while balancing the state’s budget without cutting any programs. We would capitalize on our unlimited natural resources, oil production, tourism and making Louisiana the new South Hollywood!”
This month we are spotlighting our incoming President for the 2018-19 year. We wish her the best as she takes the reins on July 1st.
