Board begins superintendent search; public and members press for wider outreach and public input

The Terrebonne Parish School Board voted to begin the superintendent search process and approved an amended advertising and interview timeline, while public speakers and some board members urged broader outreach and more opportunities for public input.

The board approved starting the advertising process pursuant to Policy C‑3.1 and C‑3.3, with advertisements scheduled for Oct. 27–Nov. 2 and Nov. 10–16, 2025; a postmark deadline for applications of Dec. 9, 2025, and a closing date of Dec. 15; application opening on Dec. 16; announcement of candidates for interview on Jan. 6, 2026; applicant interviews at a special board meeting on Jan. 13; and a board vote and announcement of a superintendent elect on Feb. 3, 2026, followed by contract negotiation and a target start date in March with a formal contract start in May.

Board President Mister Boisand described the materials as a draft that had been reviewed by the board attorney and the human resources director and said the process would follow previous practice. The motion as amended designated Human Resources Director Deborah Yarbrough to oversee the process and named a search committee “to be utilized as needed” consisting of the board attorney, board president and several board members plus HR and the board executive assistant for administrative tasks.

Public commenters flagged two recurring concerns. Richard Watkins, who identified himself as a resident, said the application packet arrived too late to allow meaningful public review: “It was only available when I walked in the door tonight.” Watkins and others urged national advertising and suggested using a national search firm and including broader community input on candidate selection. Another commenter recommended adding outside stakeholders to the search committee — for example, a teacher, an administrator from higher education or community representatives — to increase perspective and legitimacy.

Board members discussed outreach and vetting. Board member Matthew Ford said standard K‑12 recruiting channels (including national job boards and LinkedIn) will likely surface qualified candidates and asked that applicants provide documentation of Louisiana certification or a written confirmation from the Louisiana Department of Education if the candidate is from out of state. Ford proposed adding a prompt on the application for “outside experience” and extracurricular or community engagement, and the board agreed to add fields for additional relevant information and optional video submissions.

Several members emphasized that the final superintendent selection will be made by the full nine‑member board, even if a smaller group processes and screens applications: as one board member put it, screening committees reduce the candidate pool but “all of us are gonna have a voice in this” when it comes to final selection. The timeline allows individual board members additional time (Jan. 19–30) to follow up with interviewees for clarifications.

The amended motion to begin advertising, approve the timeline and designate HR to oversee the process passed without recorded objection. Board members said staff will secure a dedicated P.O. box for applications; packets will be opened in public with specified staff present; and the board will solicit input from school site representatives (ERC) and other stakeholders to inform priorities for the superintendent role.

The board did not adopt a formal process for public comment on specific applicants after interviews; the timeline provides public comment before application collection and an opportunity for board members to contact candidates after interviews. Board members and public speakers urged the administration to maximize transparent outreach and to share application materials and timelines promptly once final wording and the P.O. box are in place.