By STACEY PLAISANCE / L’Observateur / February 27, 1999

CONVENT – The St. James Parish School Board is looking statewide for itsnext superintendent of schools despite discussion to keep the search within the parish.

Board member George Nassar said advertising statewide could send the wrong message to parish employees. During Tuesday’s meeting atRomeville Elementary, he said priority should be granted to parish residents above other applicants, especially if someone from the parish is a finalist for the position.

Interim Superintendent Walter Landry said he will apply for the position, although he feels he should have been priority to the board before advertising and should have been considered for a contract renewal. Noaction was taken by the board to prioritize the hiring process in any manner or renew Landry’s contract.

If someone from outside the parish is hired on as chief of schools, board member Willis Octave said the new superintendent should establish residency within parish limits. Board President Kenneth Foret said livingin the parish is not a requirement of anyone employed with the school system and should not be a requirement in this case either. No furtheraction was taken.

Foret said he will initiate advertising the position throughout Louisiana, and a search committee will screen applicants. Committee members willbe hand picked by Foret and must be approved by the board. Foret said hewill be fair in selecting committee members and plans to include area business and industry representatives. He asked the board to submit namesof committee candidates and said he is open to suggestions.

In other action, heated discussion regarding student identification tags was sent to committee for evaluation. The ID cards were instituted at allgrade levels this year to heighten security, but board member Kathleen Becnel said the tags are an unnecessary inconvenience, especially to parents of small children.

She said the tags are often left at home, lost or damaged, and replacing the tags can be costly to parents.

Landry said some school employees are just unwilling to accept change and, with time, teachers, parents and students will become more familiar with and used to wearing the ID cards.

“When you do something for the first time, there will be problems,” Landry said. “This is a good concept, and time will make the situation better.”The ID cards are a step in the right direction in the way of security and technological advancements, Landry explained. Next year, the parish willhave a scan tron cafeteria system, and the library will soon be computerized, he said.

“Our school system is on a whole new computerized infrastructure, and this is the way of the future,” Landry said. “We need to get over thesesmall changes and move on to making big changes in education.”Octave said that with the school year more than half way complete, the ID tags should remain in place for the rest of the year. Foret said the matterwill be taken to committee for formal evaluation.

In other business, the board:

Recognized winners of the Louisiana School Boards Association Artwork Contest, Josh Bourgeois, Blake Fauchaux and Nathan Folse.

Heard vocal performance by Romeville Elementary’s Echoing Eagles Show Choir.

Approved a time release from Sixth Ward Elementary School for two teachers, one aide and 45 students to travel to Disney World in Orlando, Fla., for an educational tour dealing with math and science. The trip isscheduled for May 8-11, 1999.

Approved the 1999-2000 school calendar and the updated personnel list.

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