The Lafourche Parish School Board has begun the process of replacing School Superintendent Jo Ann Matthews who plans to retire in March 2019 when her contract expires.
Board President Al Archer told the board on Thursday that its the finance committee will begin looking at compensation for superintendents around the region. He urged board members to be supportive of the process and put aside their differences.
“We always have challenges. We don’t know what we’re going to be facing tomorrow, but that doesn’t matter. This district has to survive. We have those kids,” he said.
The board must decide if it wants to hire the next superintendent or let the next board make the selection. The current board’s term ends on Dec. 31.
Resident Al Carter suggested the board begin the search but leave the final decision to the new board to be elected this fall. He also said the public should have input on the decision.
“It lets the public know the board is more concerned with the future, concerned about our kids than the political aspect of it,” Carter said.
Matthew’s salary has grown 55 percent from $140,623.25 in 2005, her first year as superintendent. Her pay was frozen, at her request, at $219,937.10 per year in 2015.
Hiring the next superintendent before the board’s term ends could potentially lead to the district having two superintendents under contract until Matthews’ contract expires. One suggested possibility is to have Matthews serve as an adviser to the next superintendent during that time.
-- Staff Writer Holly Duchmann can be reached at 857-2205 or holly.duchmann@houmatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @holly_evamarie.