BCS: A recap of the candidates' morning forums

The interviews are over.

Dr. Daniel Slack
(Photo by John H. Walker)

With the completion of Dr. Daniel Slack’s day long session of campus visits and interviews, another step in the selection of the next superintendent of the Bogalusa City Schools has been taken.

Now, in short fashion, evaluation forms will be tallied and compared and prepared for the board to review in preparation for next Tuesday’s meeting, when members are expected to make their selection public.

In addition to Slack, of the East Carter R-II School District in El Dorado Springs, Mo., board members will also consider Louise Smith, staff support specialist for the Poplarville (Miss.) School District and Lionel Jackson, one of two assistant superintendents in Tangipahoa Parish.

During the forums, which took place at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., each candidate was asked a series of question from a group of external stakeholders, parents and residents.

All were asked about their current districts and the roles they play in those districts. Other questions pertained to discipline, campus control, student discipline and a professional dress code for teachers.

On Monday, Smith sat back in her chair as she fielded questions in a conversational manner. She was quick to point out areas that were not under the superintendent’s control, but rather at the direction of the board.

Smith laughed as she told former Central High and Bogalusa High Coach Gary Magee he had asked an illegal question regarding her age, quickly adding, “I’m 64.”

She told the morning group she got a late start in the educational business, “but I’ve been working 28 years in education.”

She told Police Chief Joe Culpepper she saw the two of them becoming very good friends … and that she agreed with him that it is not up to the police to manage campus discipline, but the principal.

Smith also said she would relocate to Bogalusa as soon as possible.

“If I take your dollars, I would live here,” she said.

When asked if her husband would relocate, she laughed again, stating, “He’s my secret weapon. Yes.”

She then related a story about she and her husband and grown children going to a school function and getting together for a group picture.

Smith came across strongly when asked about holding people accountable.

“I’ve always been independent and I don’t like cliques … that’s one reason I don’t go into the teacher’s lounge,” she said. “We must hold people accountable. There is a due process that must be followed, but if we’ve done everything we can and they aren’t doing the job, we need to move on.”

Smith’s morning session took the entire hour and she continued to field questions as the group broke up.

On Tuesday, an almost charismatic Jackson took a different approach than Smith in that he stood and squatted during his session, frequently using hand gestures in his responses.

Jackson told the morning group that “we must maintain consistency. If you lapse on Day 1, you’ll lapse at the end of school.”

The 53-year-old said he didn’t have a timeline to offer in regards to bringing up Bogalusa’s dismal educational results. “It doesn’t happen overnioght, but I assure you they’ll come up the first year.”

Jackson was taken aback when one participant told him, “I don’t think you’re tough enough. Our results aren’t that good, but Tangipahoa (schools) are not that great, either. Four of your high schools are not meeting goals.”

“I’m not the leader,” Jackson responded.

He told the group he would be visible and on campuses and in classrooms “every day.”

“I lead by example,” he explained. “You lead people to do things … you sit down and collaborate, rather than beat someone over the head.”

He agreed with Smith in regards to it not being the job of the police to maintain discipline of the campus and that principals should be held accountable.

“Leadership is the strongest indicator,” he said. “If a principal cannot control  their school, they cannot lead.”

And like Smith, Jackson said he would relocate his family to Bogalusa.

As Jackson’s morning session came to a close, he offered to continue into his lunch if participants desired and fielded a couple of more questions, spending about the same amount as time as Smith.

Slack seemed to have the most difficulty in connecting with, or understanding what the group wanted as several questions had to be repeated or rephrased in an effort to get an answer.

One example was a question regarding what needs to be done to turn the district’s results around. After being asked once, Slack asked that it be repeated and after being told he did not answer the question, the moderator rephrased it.

“I think we give those kids (who haven’t learned) extra time to learn,” he said. “One thing is a tutoring center during the day with a certified staff member and student peers.” He then added, “You have to have some smart kids in the district.”

Slack’s emphasis was on the elementary schools, to the consternation of some of the forum participants. He said elementary was be his first priority, followed by middle school and then high school.

He said he would concentrate on K-through-3 students, pushing them to learn to read by the end of the first 30 days.

“Those first 30 days they are learning to read … after that, they are reading to learn. If kids can read, then math comes in …”

Unlike Smith, a grant writing specialist, or Jackson, Slack finally admitted grant writing was “not a forte’ of mine.”

He also came up short on his answer of what he knew about Bogalusa — offering enrollment, assessed value for taxes and the millage.

When Slack discussed his background, at districts with 110, 250 and 800 students, he got another negative reaction with at least one forum participant shaking their head from side-to-side in a “no” fashion.

Slack said he felt the key to motivating staff was, “They have to trust the new superintendent. First is to build relationships, second is model behaviors and third is that every job is important.”

When asked, “Do you have a target time for changing the academic environment?”, Slack again seemed to stumble through his answer.

“You begin Day 1, but realistically, change like that will take time. We have to concentrate on getting kids to read.”

When pressed, he responded, “My improvement scores will incline … incline the first year.”

Unlike Smith and Jackson, Slack’s session ended about five minutes short. And unlike Smith and Jackson, who seemed comfortable and at-ease, Slack seemed tense and on edge as he clasped his hands time and again.