NEW ORLEANS — The St. Augustine High School board of directors has appointed Aulston Taylor to the permanent position of president and CEO, lifting the interim label from his previous title. Taylor and the board agreed to a three-year term that will run through 2025.
“As God has ordered my steps, I’m thankful that he has provided me with the ability to lead my alma mater at this time,” said Taylor in a press release. “I was recently told by a dear friend and supporter of St. Augustine that I am running one of the most important leadership institutions in the city of New Orleans; I couldn’t agree more and I do not take this appointment lightly.”
“One year ago we were very pleased to announce Aulston Taylor as the interim president and CEO of St. Augustine High School. A year later we are even more excited to formally install him as the seventh president of our school,” said Darren Diamond, the school’s chairman of the board of directors. “Mr. Taylor’s interim year has been marked by increasing enrollment, an increasing focus on our academic program, and an impressive renewal of our academic facilities. In addition, we have seen advancements in global partnerships for the school and enhancements in the school’s imaging in New Orleans and beyond. We look forward to continuing and expanding this progress over the next three years.”
St. Augustine said it experienced enrollment growth of 9% under Taylor’s leadership during his interim phase. The school formed alliances with the University of Notre Dame, Southeastern University, LSU, Stillman College, Houghton College, Austin College, Canisius College and Texas Southern University. Taylor and his team launched partnerships with fortune 500 companies. These include a deal with LG Electronics to support the school’s efforts to rebuild its damaged athletic facility, and an agreement with The Walt Disney Company to create pipeline development and internship opportunities with graduates of St. Augustine who are currently enrolled in college.
Taylor will continue to lead a staff of 80 faculty members and administrators. A major priority for Taylor as he begins his three-year term as CEO will be the restoration and enhancement of the school’s damaged athletic facility, which sustained significant damage from a Thanksgiving Day fire in 2021. Also, Taylor said he will emphasize faculty and staff development, from leadership development to investing more into salaries and overall compensation across the entire workforce.
“I look forward to investing deeper into our staff and especially our talented teachers,” he said. “They are the frontline difference makers that shape and mold our young men into the leaders of tomorrow. As the investment is made, expectations of higher results will naturally be expected.”
Taylor serves on the executive board of Preservation Resource Center (PRC) of New Orleans and the New Orleans African American Museum (NOAAM) as its Vice Chairman. He is a 1998 graduate of St. Augustine. He earned a BA in business from Texas Southern University and an MS in integrated marketing with a concentration in brand management from New York University.
