Eleanor McMain Secondary School

Eleanor Laura McMain Secondary School^[2] is a charter secondary school in Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana.^[3][4] It is operated by the Inspire Charter Network.

Eleanor McMain Secondary School
Location
5712 South Claiborne Avenue New Orleans , (Orleans Parish) , Louisiana 70125 United States
Coordinates	29.9422°N 90.1117°W / 29.9422; -90.1117
Information
Type	Public high school
Established	1932
School district	Orleans Parish School Board
Principal	Melanie Moore
Staff	49.00 (FTE)[1]
Grades	8-12
Enrollment	863[1] (2021-22)
Student to teacher ratio	17.61[1]
Color(s)	Black and Yellow established in 1974 when it became a Magnet School.
Mascot	Mustangs
Website	School website

McMain side entrance on Nashville Ave.

History

The school was named in honor of New Orleans social activist Eleanor McMain. It opened in 1932 originally as an all-girls school.^[4][5] It became a coeducational junior high school in 1952, and a coeducational secondary with a magnet program in 1974. It later became an all-magnet school.^[6]

Students and Alumni refer to the schools appearance as "The Birthday Cake" because of its square shape and candle-like pillars. The school is five blocks away from the former Alcee Fortier High School, now the Lusher Charter School secondary campus.

As Hurricane Katrina was about to hit, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) designated McMain as a place where people could receive transportation to the Louisiana Superdome, a shelter of last resort.^[7]

After Hurricane Katrina, McMain remained under the Orleans Parish School Board and later the Recovery School District.

In 2017, it was announced that McMain was going to become a charter school and retain the same name under the Inspire Charter Network starting with the 2018 school year.^[8]

Athletics

McMain Secondary School athletics competes in the LHSAA.

Notable alumni

• Hong Chau, Vietnamese American actress.^[9] Attended McMain in the 1990s
• Matthew Dorsett, NFL defensive back. Class of 1991
• Lil Wayne (Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.), rapper, singer, songwriter. Attended McMain in the 1990s for two years before transferring to Marion Abramson High School^[10]
• Darrion Weems, NFL offensive tackle. Attended but did not graduate from McMain. (displaced by Hurricane Katrina)^[11]