Baton Rouge Magnet High School

The Face of Magnet Education
Nanette McCann, Principal

Nanette McCann, principal of Baton Rouge Magnet High School, has dedicated her career to raising the bar in education and equipping the next generation for lifelong success. With over 40 years of experience in public education—including more than 20 years as a principal—she is an award-winning visionary and proven expert in educational leadership, operational management, and academic program development.

Before becoming the Principal at Baton Rouge Magnet High School, McCann began her career as an English teacher at Capitol High School, then moved into administration as an intern at Baker High School and as an assistant principal at Tara High School.

After her first 10 years at BRMHS, McCann held a Dual Principalship, serving at both Liberty High School and Baton Rouge Magnet High School for FOUR years. During this time, she helped reopen the school as a dedicated magnet high school with a dual enrollment program and a STEM-based facility.

Under her leadership, she has led top-tier magnet schools to achieve national recognition, earning designations such as National Blue Ribbon School, National Top Magnet School of Excellence, and consistent “Best in High School” rankings by U.S. News & World Report. McCann herself was named the 2010 Magnet Schools of America National Principal of the Year, the 2013 Louisiana State Principal of the Year, and was recently named the 2026 Magnet Schools of America Region V Principal of the Year.  In April 2026, she will compete for the 2026 National Principal of the Year for the second time in her career.

She was also named one of the Influential Women in Business by the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report in 2015. She is also active in the community, having participated in events like “Dancing For Big Buddy” to support local youth programs.  

Baton Rouge Magnet High School
Widely recognized as the flagship of East Baton Rouge Parish schools, Baton Rouge Magnet High School (BRMHS) consistently produces the highest number of National Merit Scholars in the state of Louisiana, public and private.

Through her commitment to academic excellence, McCann has demonstrated a powerful ability to scale academic programs strategically, expanding the Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum to more than 30 courses and 20 Honors classes, as well as college-level coursework across all subjects. She also spearheaded the vertical alignment of the AP pipeline in 2012, resulting in 2290 Advanced Placement Exams taken and earning a grade of three or higher in 2025.  McCann also successfully implemented the STAR/Accelerated Reading literacy program in 2003, resulting in measurable gains in student ACT performance, which in 2025 was a composite of 26.3. In addition, BRMHS is frequently recognized nationally and statewide, with accolades including multiple Blue Ribbon School and Green Ribbon School designations.

Beyond Traditional Academics
As a certified magnet school, BRMHS features comprehensive music programs including orchestra, band, choral studies, drama, dance, ballet, and visual arts. The school is distinguished as the only high school in the nation with a student-operated AM/FM broadcast radio.  In 2027, the “Castle on Government Street” will be celebrating 100 years.  The advanced media arts department will be creating a presentation to document the first 100 years and celebrate the rich history of Baton Rouge throughout the 2026-2027 school year.

At BRMHS, students can choose from 90 clubs, including National Honor Society, Key Club, Beta Club, Quiz Bowl, Science Olympiad, Science Bowl, DECA, Junior Classical League, Mu Alpha Theta, Robotics, and many other specialized interest groups. While BRMHS chooses not to have a football or basketball team, its athletics program has won several state championships in interscholastic sports. It offers volleyball, soccer, cross country, track, wrestling, powerlifting, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, and golf.

Supporting the Next Generation
Establishing a lasting legacy, McCann has worked extensively on building sustainable partnerships and a strong support network for BRMHS. She engineered the transformation of the Alumni Association into the Baton Rouge High Foundation to ensure sustainable fundraising and long-term stakeholder engagement, linking alumni and community resources directly to the school’s mission. She has forged community partnerships with 90 school organizations and major corporations like EXXON, and revitalized the Baton Rouge Magnet Parent Faculty Association to actively engage parents and build a cohesive support network. McCann also regularly presents at educational forums, civic groups, and media outlets, sharing insights on educational leadership.

Under McCann’s visionary leadership, BRMHS continues to set the standard for academic excellence and serves as a cornerstone of educational achievement in the state.