Helix Community Schools names Michelle McCalope as marketing and communications director

BATON ROUGE, La. (May 8, 2024) – Helix Community Schools recently named Michelle McCalope as its marketing and communications director.  

In this role, McCalope will oversee strategic communications, internal and external communications, media relations,  marketing, community outreach, and social media management for Helix’s network of schools in Baton Rouge and Opelousas, Louisiana.

McCalope brings a wealth of expertise to the position with more than 25 years of experience in marketing, media, and communications in markets across the country, including Chicago and Houston.  

She previously served as president and CEO of On Assignment Media. She is also a former award-winning print and television journalist, author, and entrepreneur. Her work has been featured in JET, O (Oprah) and People magazines.  

Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Southern University. 

Her work has been recognized by Southern University’s Department of Mass Communication and its College of Business, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the Baton Rouge Area Association of Black Journalists of which she is the founding president. 

“We’re excited to have Michelle as part of our team,” said Preston Castille, president and CEO of Helix Community Schools.  “Her knowledge and experience are a great asset to our organization as we continue to grow and expand our footprint in this community and beyond.”

ABOUT HELIX COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Helix Community Schools is a homegrown charter school network headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana which includes Helix Mentorship STEAM Academy, Helix Aviation Academy, and Helix Legal Academy.  Helix is set to open Helix Artificial Intelligence and Medical Academy in Opelousas, Louisiana in August 2025 and Helix Energy and Agriculture Academy in August 2026. At Helix, we are committed to exposing students to innovative college and career pathways in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math (STEAM) and the law. For more information, go to helixcommunityschools.org.