East Baton Rouge School Board Reschedules Superintendent Decision to July 11 for Thorough Review
BATON ROUGE, La. — The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board has delayed the selection of a new superintendent until July 11, extending the decision-making process by ten days to allow for a more comprehensive review of the candidates and increased public engagement.
Originally set for July 1, the selection date was pushed back due to the July Fourth holidays and the need for a deeper evaluation of the applicants. "It makes it difficult to have the full level of public involvement we would like," said Vice President Patrick Martin V.
The extension gives the board three more weeks to assess the five semifinalists chosen from an initial pool of 16 applicants. The semifinalists are:
- Kevin George, director of the LSU Lab School in Baton Rouge
- Patrick Jenkins, chief operations officer for the Jefferson Parish school system
- Krish Mohip, chief education officer for the Illinois State Board of Education
- Adam Smith, interim superintendent of the East Baton Rouge Parish school system
- Andrea Zayas, former chief academic officer of Boston Public Schools
SSA Consultants provided a detailed seven-page revised schedule, which the board approved with minor adjustments. The key dates in the new timeline include:
- June 25: Public release of video interviews and written responses from the semifinalists
- June 28: Special board meeting to select up to three finalists
- July 8: Full day of interviews with finalists conducted by panels of parents, teachers, business leaders, and community members, followed by a public meet-and-greet session
- July 9: Board interviews with each finalist and tours of local schools
- July 11: Final selection of the new superintendent
"We worked diligently to flesh out as much information and detail as possible," said Christel Slaughter, CEO of SSA Consultants. She also highlighted the demanding nature of the final selection days, humorously advising, "You have until July 8th to get in shape because this will be a marathon."
During the final days, candidates will participate in breakfast and dinner meetings, and the public will have the opportunity to provide feedback through an online survey.
The superintendent search became necessary after Sito Narcisse departed earlier this year following a board decision not to renew his contract. Adam Smith, who has been with the school system since 1996, stepped in as interim superintendent but is legally limited to this role until July 23.
As the new school year approaches, with staff returning on August 5 and students on August 8, the East Baton Rouge Parish school system—Louisiana's second-largest traditional district—prepares to welcome its new leader. The district serves over 40,000 students and employs nearly 6,000 staff members.
