By STACEY PLAISANCE / L’Observateur / Febuary 1, 1999

VACHERIE – The St. James Parish School Board has refused to evaluate thejob performance of acting superintendent Walter Landry before going forward with a search for his replacement.

The board voted 4-3 Tuesday to advertise the superintendent’s position and form a search committee to begin screening applicants. The board,which met at Vacherie Primary School, voted along the same 4-3 line against a substitute motion that would have delayed the action until Landry’s performance had been evaluated.

Landry was promoted to the position of superintendent on a temporary basis last year when superintendent John Boughton retired. His contractexpires June 30.

Board members Carol Lambert, Lloyd LeBlanc and Kathleen Becnel and board president Kenneth Foret voted for moving ahead with the search for a superintendent.

Board members Charles Nailor, Willis Octave and George Nassar said the search committee should be put off to a later date and Landry’s performance should be evaluated prior to advertising his job position.

“I don’t want this to be a black and white issue,” said Nailor, vice president of the board. “I feel we are moving with the job searchprematurely, and there are other issues we should devote our attention to.”Octave said an evaluation of Landry’s performance is both justifiable and fair prior to beginning the search for a new superintendent. He made asubstitute motion to form the search committee after Landry has been properly evaluated, but his motion failed.

LeBlanc said he wants to initiate the formation of the search committee as soon as possible in order to allow enough time to screen applicants for the superintendent position.

Foret said he did not have time to evaluate Landry, while Lambert, LeBlanc and Becnel did not comment on evaluating the superintendent. None of thefour could be reached for further comment Thursday.

“I was hoping tonight to give Mr. Landry a fair evaluation and let him knowwhere he stands before we look for someone else,” Octave said. “He has adestination for everyone, and that’s not even being considered.”Nassar said he has worked with Landry for several years and has seen no discrepancies in his job performance. Other education professionals andcommunity members have been satisfied with Landry’s status, he said.

“People I’ve spoken with have been very impressed with this board and the superintendent, and I just ask that Mr. Landry is treated in a professionalmanner,” Nassar said.

In another matter, the board was receptive to the hospitality and entertainment provided by Vacherie Primary School. The school providedgumbo, potato salad, desserts and beverages for the board, and the Vacherie Primary Singing Blue Jays performed on stage.

In other business, the board: Recognized 16 participants in the Academy for Aspiring Leaders, the Outstanding School Support Employees and Tammy Lasserre, who was named an Outstanding Student Teacher by Nicholls State University.

Approved A/B Block Schedule system for St. James Parish. Approved the Certificate of Payment in the amount of $52,986.25 for theparish’s Pupil Appraisal Center. Al Lowery, a representative with RPMEngineering, Inc., said approximately three months of work remain on theproject.

Approved a contract for Insurance Consultant Services from Jan. 30,1999 through Jan. 30, 2000. Granted release time to Rick Gaille to attend the Frank Glazier Football Coaches Clinic in Florida Feb. 4-7, 1999. Assigned Beaullieu and Associates to submit plans for the development of a softball field at St. James High School and approved the constructionof a Greenhouse at St. James High School by the same company. Rescinded a decision to lend Lutcher High School $200,000 for construction of weight room/dressing room and moved to advertise for the facilities.

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