LAPLACE — The search for the next St. John the Baptist Parish superintendent has been narrowed down to three finalists, with a final decision expected to be announced by Nov. 21. However, the search for the next Garyville/Mt. Airy Magnet principal may take a little longer.

During special sessions held Tuesday and Wednesday evening in LaPlace, the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board interviewed 12 superintendent finalists. Each candidate was questioned on a series of pre- determined topics that included leadership, curriculum, public/community relations, finance/budget and student performance.

Quentina Timoll, Patricia A. Triche and Curt R. Green received the most votes from School Board members to advance to the final round of interviews.

There will be community meet and greets with the three superintendent finalists on Nov. 19 on the east and west banks of St. John Parish. The West Bank meet and greet will begin at 5 p.m., and the East Bank meet and greet will be held at 7 p.m. Locations are to be determined. Please stay tuned to the St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools Facebook page or call the St. John School Board at 985-536-1106 for more details.

Quentina Timoll has served as a teacher, state administrator and assistant superintendent for St. John Parish Public Schools. In 2017, she left the district to fill a district leader position in a large East Baton Rouge public school system.

Patricia Triche is also familiar with St. John Parish Schools through working as a principal and executive director of curriculum and instruction. She has served on the board of directors for St. John United Way.

Curt R. Green is an experienced leadership coach in school settings who promotes vision, culture and instruction. He has served as principal for East Feliciana High School.

The next round of superintendent interviews will start at 4 p.m. on Nov. 20. School Board member Gerald Keller said the Board anticipates making a final decision on Nov. 21.

During Wednesday’s special meeting, the St. John Parish School Board also opted to put a hiring freeze on the Garyville Magnet principal position, allowing the incoming superintendent to make the designation.

Garyville/Mt. Airy Magnet Principal Helane Chevis resigned Oct. 15, according to School Board officials. Interim Superintendent Heidi Trosclair said she and members of the Central Office have been at the school on a daily basis to ensure teaching and learning continue without interruption.

Three finalists were identified before Wednesday’s special meeting, and a meet and greet was held with Garyville Magnet teachers that evening. However, a motion passed during the School Board meeting changed the timeline to instate a new principal.

School Board member Ali Burl made a motion for district implementation of an immediate hiring freeze specific to the Garyville Magnet principal position.

“There has been no determination if the person who is going to be the replacement is going to be permanent or interim,” Burl said. “I request we do a hiring freeze because I think that the new superintendent that’s coming needs to put a permanent person in place.”

He added that Garyville Magnet has recently dropped a letter grade in school performance scoring. In past meetings, Burl has noted ongoing concerns over teacher shortages in the magnet school.

“I think that the process needs to take more time and be more thorough to get the best candidate,” Burl said. He stated he would be comfortable with an interim principal appointed in the meantime.

School Board President Patrick Sanders agreed with Burl’s interim suggestion, stating there were some “inadequacies” he was not comfortable with based on the candidates that had been selected as principal finalists.

Trosclair did not recommend approval of the motion based on the fact that published advertisements identified the Garyville Magnet principal role as a standard two-year contract.

“We put out for a permanent position,” Trosclair said. “All of the applicants have been screened as happens with any type of permanent position. They have all met the criteria.”

Board member Debbie Schum questioned whether the three finalists would still be eligible as applicants after the new superintendent is in place. Sanders said they would remain eligible unless the new superintendent has a valid reason to exclude them.

The motion was amended to include the appointment of an interim principal. It passed 9-2, with the only dissenting votes coming from Schum and Clarence Triche.

Trosclair said the interim appointment would likely come from within the school district until a permanent replacement is made.

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