Livingston schools get 3 applicants for top spot

• By DAVID J. MITCHELL
• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: May 6, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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DENHAM SPRINGS — Two top Livingston Parish public school administrators and a Dillard University program director have applied to be the next superintendent of Livingston Parish schools, records show.

Livingston Parish School Board members tentatively plan to make the selection later this month.

The Livingston school system is one of the Baton Rouge area’s largest and best-rated public school systems, with 23,500 students, more than 3,000 employees and a budget of $245.7 million.

Two Livingston Parish officials serving directly under outgoing Superintendent Randy Pope have applied: Assistant Superintendents John Watson and Bill Spear.

The third applicant is Camacia Smith-Ross, a former Orleans Parish schools Title I instructional coordinator who is now director of Dillard University’s Upward Bound program.

The deadline to apply was Thursday, but school officials are watching for mailed applications postmarked by Thursday. No more arrived by Monday afternoon, said School Board attorney Carey Tom Jones.

The board plans to announce candidates at a meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday and schedule interviews.

Pope, who has held the job since early 2005, is stepping down July 1 to take sick leave until retirement in early 2009.

Under a board plan adopted March 20, public interviews are planned between May 12 and May 20 with a committee of the entire board.

School Board President Keith Martin said he didn’t see any reason why the board could not vote May 22, as proposed, but that will be up to the board’s schedule.

The new superintendent will represent an opportunity for a fresh start. The relationship between Pope and some board members has been difficult since he was selected for the position on a 5-4 vote in January 2005.

The conflicts emerged into public view during contentious board meetings over a variety of issues, but revolved primarily around where administration authority ends and board oversight begins.

Martin said it is time for all in the school system to let “bygones be bygones.”