Two interviews down, one remaining as interviews for BCS super's job nears end

And then there was one.

Lionel Jackson
(Photo by John H. Walker)
And then there was one.

Lionel Jackson, 53, one of two assistant superintendents for the Tangipahoa Parish School District, became the second of two candidates for the vacant Bogalusa City Schools superintendent’s position to interview for the post. Louise Smith, 64, of Poplarville, was the first candidate on Monday.

On Wednesday, Dr. Daniel Slack of the East Carter R-II School District in El Dorado Spring, Mo. will be final candidate to interview for the post, which is expected to pay close to $100,000 annually, including base and performance bonuses.

Smith and Jackson have already gone through what Slack, in a telephone conversation last Thursday night, described to wpnewsblog as “an aggressive schedule.”

The process begins at 8 a.m. with a tour of the district and schools and will conclude at 7:30 p.m. when Slack has dinner with the board.

The board will announce its choice on Tuesday, June 28 and hopes the new superintendent will be in the position on July 1.

Wpnewsblog submitted questionnaires to each of the candidates and will publish their answers following the conclusion of the interviews and prior to the board’s Monday night committee session.

The schedule:

8 a.m. Tour of District/Schools

9 a.m. Principals & Supervisors Group

10 a.m. Teachers

11:30 a.m. Open Forum in Board Room with External Stakeholders invited (Moderator in charge)

12:30 p.m. Lunch

1 p.m. Student Council

2 p.m. Classified Staff

3 p.m. Union Representatives

4 p.m. Open Forum in Board Room with PTA and Parents invited (Moderator in charge)

5 p.m. Break

5:30 – 7 p.m. Formal Interview with Board of Education

7:30 - 9 p.m. Dinner with the Board

Council clerk's sharp eye saves thou$ands

FRANKLINTON — Sherry Lyons, who serves as clerk for the Washington Parish Council, has a sharp eye for detail. It was developed after years of service in Tangipahoa Parish before changing jobs.

But Lyons developed more than a sharp eye for detail during her career — she learned the ins-and-outs of state government to such a degree that she's converted that knowledge into money savings.

At Monday's parish council meeting, members adopted a pair of resolutions approving the holding of elections in Fire District No. 5 (Angie) and Fire District No. 7 (south and southwest of Bogalusa) on Saturday, Oct. 22. Their action followed Lyons' recommendation.

While council members would have had to approve the resolution at some point, doing so this early allows the two elections to be held in conjunction with the state's gubernatorial primary. That means Lyon's sharp eye and willingness to speak up saved taxpayers several thousand dollars, because by holding the fire district elections on an "official" date, the state — and not the parish — foots the bill.

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogger.com)