By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – While St. John the Baptist Parish Superintendent Courtney Millet was out of town last week, the School Board rejected the proposed Central Office reorganization plan she had recently crafted.

They instead adopted the same plan Millet proposed at the beginning of the 2009-10 year.

In addition to the positions eliminated at the beginning of the last school year, which saved the district $350,000, the new plan would have shrunk the size of the administration by four more positions, saving the district an additional $366,000.

Last year, Millet set about streamlining the operations of the Central Office, changing it from a hierarchically structured body to one that centers on the schools. According to Millet’s introduction of the new reorganization plan, this structural change was meant to “help to establish a climate of cooperation and support, create a high visible presence in the schools, and initiate cost savings at the central office.”

The new plan was similar to the original in that it retained this basic structure; however, the positions of Title I coordinator of parental involvement, coordinator of maintenance, supervisor of child welfare and attendance and coordinator of executive programs of finance had been eliminated from the new plan. Millet said two of these positions were eliminated through reorganization, one through retirement and one through resignation.

She said even though the board has rejected the new plan, she still plans to operate as though the administrative hiring freeze, proposed in the 2010-11 budget but not yet approved by the board, was in place. She has no immediate plans to fill those positions eliminated through resignation or retirement.

“We’re going to see which job duties are natural extensions of positions already in place,” said the superintendent.