By MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / April 28, 1999

LULING – The executive staff of the St. Charles Parish School System willhave a new look in the 1999-2000 school year.

With expectations and requirements higher for school districts under Louisiana’s new accountability program, and with the anticipated retirement of some staff members, Superintendent Rodney Lafon felt it was time to reorganize the Central Office’s executive staff. Lafonpresented the changes to the School Board at its meeting Wednesday night.

The school district had enacted changes last year to its Central Office staff, but those were mostly confined to the Curriculum and Instructional staff. The newest changes will affect the executive staff with atransitional phase in effect from July 1, 1999 through January 2000. Theadministration anticipates a decrease in cost at this phase of reorganization.

One of the reasons for the reorganization is that Associate Superintendent Carolyn Woods is going on sabbatical. Two new positions are being createdin place of the associate superintendent. The Assistant Superintendent forSecondary Schools and Administration will oversee the high schools and middle schools. The Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Schools andCurriculum, Instruction and Assessment will oversee the elementary schools.

Three other positions have also been created – Executive Director for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Executive Director for Human Resources and Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent. TheDirector of Health and Social Services, the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance, the Internal Public Information Officer, the Drug Free Schools Coordinator and classified staff members will now report to the Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent.

The individuals to fill these new positions were recommended by the administration and approved by the board Wednesday night. John Walkerwas selected to be the Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools and Administration while Felicia Gomez was selected and approved as the Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Schools and Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment.

Rachel Allemand was approved for the position of Executive Director for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. Sandra Royal was named to theposition of Executive Director for Human Resources and Juanita Haydel was named the Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent.

The reorganization also required the renaming of two positions and the reassignment of their respective duties under the Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. The Assistant Principal onSpecial Assignment for Technology is being renamed the Administrator for Instructional Technology. The Teacher on Special Assignment for SpecialEducation is being renamed the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Liaison and reports to the Director of Special Education.

The administration anticipates these moves will save approximately $2,500 in the general fund.

In other business, the board accepted the renovations to Hahnville High School as being substantially completed and rejected all bids for the new administrative addition at New Sarpy Kindergarten Center, deciding to rebid.

The board also approved a resolution requesting the governor and Legislature to fully fund the Minimum Foundation Program and to continue to support and fund the K-3 Reading and Mathematics, Accountability and Technology Initiatives as provided in the executive budget.

In his superintendent’s report, Lafon gave a report from the site committee established by the board consisting of parents, business and industry representatives, administrators from both the schools and the Central Office, school board members and teachers. The committee iscurrently looking at five possible sites to see the feasibility of building a new school.

Lafon also announced that J.B. Martin Middle School is holding a communityforum Tuesday at 7 p.m. to give an update on its school improvement plan.Representatives from Hahnville High School will also be there to talk to parents about how students are placed at the school.

Return To News Stories