[Editor’s note: This story originally published with the wrong location for the forum. L’OBSERVATEUR regrets the error.]

LAPLACE — St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools is looking for four new principals in 2018-19, and education officials want YOU to ask the candidates whatever is on your mind.

The top two candidates for principal at East St. John High School, John L. Ory Magnet, Fifth Ward Elementary and LaPlace Elementary are the focus of a town hall open to the community at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lake Pontchartrain Elementary in LaPlace.

Superintendent Kevin George said the forum is an opportunity for the public to meet the candidates and ask questions.

“I want to see these candidates answer (administration’s) questions, but also see if they can answer questions from teachers. Can they answer questions from the public?” George said. “How do they fit in? How do they react to the crowd and community? By seeing and observing that, it will give us a better idea of who the next principal should be at these particular schools.”

Tuesday’s forum follows tours each finalist will take at the schools, giving students and teachers an opportunity to interact with the candidates on campus.

George said final decisions on principal hires should be made by Thursday.

“In speaking with the community and with our pastor meetings, the community wants to be more involved in the process,” George said. “I think this is a prime opportunity, because principal is a very important job.”

According to George, the openings were created because the current principals at East St. John High and John L. Ory Magnet are moving away, LaPlace Elementary needs to fill the leadership role currently held by an interim principal and it’s time to provide another person the opportunity to move Fifth Ward Elementary forward.