New BCS superintendent to be hired before nightfall

Lionel Jackson

Jackson. Louise Smith.

Louise Smith. Lionel Jackson.

Familiarize yourself with the names, because if you live in Bogalusa or have a child who attends school in Bogalusa, one of those two will be chosen as the district's next superintendent before nightfall today.

Board members will gather at 5 p.m. at the district office to meet and formalize their decision, hiring one of what was originally a field of 15 applicants. The position is expected to pay around $100,000 — including incentives.

The board had initially planned to announce its decision on Tuesday, but postponed that when it could not reach a consensus decision. At that time, in a move veteran observers called "a total surprise," the board announced it would eliminate one of the candidates and bring the remaining two in for interviews on Wednesday.

Louise Smith

The board eliminated Dr. Daniel Slack of the East Carter R-II School District in Elsinore, Mo. and re-interviewed Jackson, one of two assistant superintendents in the Tangipahoa Parish School District, and Smith, staff support specialist with the Poplarville (Miss.) School District.

When the schedule for interviews was first released, the board indicated it would prefer to have the new superintendent on the job today.

Both Jackson and Smith have sought top leadership positions in the past.


Three years ago, Smith was a finalist when board members selected Ruth Horne to lead the district. Now, Smith competes for the position left vacant when Horne abruptly resigned in mid-March.

When asked why she would leave her current position, she was brief and to the point: "I want to be a superintendent."

Smith has spent her entire career in Poplarville and has held a variety of positions, including principal, grant writer, classroom teacher and athletic director in the district that most closely mirrors Bogalusa in several statistical categories, including campuses and student census.

Jackson was one of three finalists for the superintendent's position in the Monroe City Schools earlier this month and was also a finalist this spring for the superintendent's job in St. Helena Parish. He currently serves as one of two assistant superintendents in the 30,000 student, 37 campus Tangipahoa district and has been a classroom teacher, principal and administrator in both Orleans and Tangipahoa parishes.