Show 1 post above 3 columns on home page using multi column/custom query template

Hi,

I'm a complete novice, but have been following the very helpful instructions in the following thread


http://forum.bytesforall.com/showthread.php?t=18385&highlight=posts+columns

attempting to set up my home page to have 4 columns, with one post at the top of the page spanning the three left hand columns.

Specifically, here is what I did:

I created a new page and named it Acceuil (this is French for “home”)
• Selected Juggledad’s … template
• Created custom fields:
o number_of_columns with value 3
o number_of_full_posts with value 1
o posts_above_the_column with value 1

On WP/Settings/Reading I selected
• A static page: Front page — Acceuil
• Blog pages show at most 1 post
• Syndication feeds show the most recent 1 item
• For each article … show Full text


However, the result is not what I wanted: The columns all start at the top of the page, and my post is squeezed in between the left inner and right inner columns instead of appearing at the top of the page above the left, left inner, and right inner columns. (See attached screen shot)

Must be some other settings I need to adjust. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!