By Leonard Gray / L’Observateur / June 1, 1998

LUTCHER – The St. James Parish School Board postponed action to approvean employment contract for interim superintendent Walter Landry Sr. atits May 26 meeting.

Meanwhile, John Boughton, the current superintendent, remains at his post until his retirement becomes official July 1 and Landry takes over the job.

Landry, 53, has been operations and maintenance area supervisor for the past five of his total 18 years with the school system.

Plans call for a one-year contract, expiring June 30, 1999, with a $74,000 salary. However, when the hour-long executive session taken by the boardto discuss the matter ended, board president John Schexnayder said only the board “made adjustments to the contract” and would consider taking action on it at the next meeting, set June 9.

Carol Weber, president of the Nicholls Reading Council, was on hand at Tuesday’s meeting to honor Paulina Elementary first-grader Clyde Gravois, 7, for his winning Young Authors short-story contest entry, “Sophie and Jack.”Gravois is the son of Clyde and Tania Gravois of Paulina.

The board took under advisement selection of a property insurance carrier.

Two bids were opened and read at the meeting, including Englade- Boudreaux Insurance, Gramercy, and Alexander and Alexander, Alexandria.

The latter firm also offered an optional bid as well.

Approval of allowing marching bands to attend the Marching Bands Drill Design Retreat at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Wiggins, Miss., was dropped from the agenda, as the activity was postponed due to alack of interested participants.

Bids will be opened July 6 for bread, milk, food, supplies, fresh produce, small equipment and garbage service for the 1998-1999 school breakfast and lunch programs. Bids will be opened June 18 for janitorial services.A resolution of congratulations was approved for the St. James HighSchool track team, who performed well at the state track meet finals.

Personnel items approved included the retirements of St. James Highguidance counselor Floyd Marshal and Gramercy Elementary bus driver Freddie Johnson; retirements of Lutcher Junior High teacher Elizabeth Campbell, Lutcher Elementary teacher Harriet Duronslet, Gramercy Elementary teacher Mary McKinnon and Paulina Elementary speech therapist Amy Braud.

Board member Willis Octave noted the separation notices approved for four non-certified teachers at Romeville Elementary and urged the personnel office to “make an effort to replace them with certified teachers.”In notes to the board members, Boughton reported the 10th annual St.

James Parish Schools “Student Hall of Fame” recognition program is set June 11 at 6 p.m. in the Lutcher High School auditorium.Boughton also reported there were four St. James High seniors notgraduating this year due to a lack of sufficient Carnegie units, one senior not graduating due to not passing one or more components of the Graduation Exit Exam and one senior not graduating to the lack of sufficient Carnegie units and failure to pass one or more components of the GEE.

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