Three finalists for Bogalusa superintendent

Lionel Jackson

Lionel Jackson of Tangipahoa Parish, Dr. Daniel Slack of El Dorado Springs, Mo. and Louise Smith of Poplarville, Miss. are the three finalists chosen for the vacant Bogalusa City Schools superintendent position.

A total of 15 applicants were screened by McPherson & Jacobson, to submit to the Bogalusa City School board for the position, which became available when Ruth Horne resigned March 11.

Dr. Daniel Slack

Each candidate will spend one day in the community and will be interviewed by principals, parents, students and members of the public in addition to the board. The new superintendent will be chosen on Thursday, June 28.

Jackson currently serves as assistant superintendent for child welfare and attendance in the Tangipahoa Parish Schools. He has been a teacher in both the Orleans and Tangipahoa Parish Districts before being named as an assistant superintendent in Tangipahoa in 2005. He has more than 15 years' classroom experience.

Jackson was named director of child welfare in 2007, then served as a principal in 2008 and 2009, when he was promoted to his current position. The Tangipahoa district has almost 20,000 students and 37 schools.

This is at least the fourth time for Jackson to make a district's short list — in 2008 and again this spring in St. Helena Parish and last year for the Monroe City Schools.

Jackson earned both his bachelor's and Ph.D. from Southern University and his master's from Xavier.

Slack has served as superintendent for the East Carter R-II School District since May, 2008 and is the second time he has been a finalist for another position since arriving in Elsinore, Mo. In April, he was one of five finalists in Mansfield, Ark.

Prior to being named superintendent of the 772-student, three campus East Carter district, Slack served as a superintendent at two other Missouri school districts — Cainsville R-1 and Climax Springs R-IV. He has nine years' experience as a superintendent and 26 years in education, having spent his first 10 years in the classroom as a math and science teacher.

He received his BSE in from Central Michigan University, is masters from Missouri State, a doctorate from Missouri State and a second doctorate from NOVA Southeastern University.

Smith is a Bogalusa finalist for the second time, the first when Horne was hired two years ago. A 1980 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, Smith also earned her master's from Southern. She has spent her entire career in Poplarville, beginning as a teacher in 1982. In addition, she served as principal from 1991-1995. She was then named support staff specialist and has been successful in obtaining a number of grants for the district.

Poplarville has four campuses and a high school enrollment of 588.