Dr. Clarence Robinson Jr. presents superintendent plan to Terrebonne Parish School Board; board reconvened by voice vote

Dr. Clarence Robinson Jr. told the Terrebonne Parish School Board on Jan. 15 that he views the superintendent role as "a calling," not a resume builder, and outlined a 100-day plan that prioritizes school safety, staff and student well-being, teaching and learning, leadership capacity and district operations.

Robinson, who said he was born and raised near Thibodaux and has worked in districts ranging from about 5,000 students to Prince George's County (which he said had about 131,000 scholars and 215 schools), described his career as spanning classroom teacher to chief academic officer and superintendent consultant. He cited an Akron STEM high school his team operated that was ranked first in Ohio and said he led efforts to pass a local levy after 12 years without one.

Why it matters: The board is vetting finalists for superintendent amid ongoing recovery from Hurricane Ida and building renovations in the district; Robinson framed his experience implementing turnarounds and community engagement as relevant to those needs.

Board members asked specific questions during the presentation. District 1 board member Mike Lagarde asked how Robinson would shorten the learning curve; Robinson said he would begin with a transition report that interviews parents, staff and community stakeholders to identify priorities and then build an internal team to act on the "big rocks."

On special education, board member Mister Ford asked how Robinson would make special-needs students a priority as enrollment shifts. Robinson said he would listen to parents and staff through advisory groups and direct outreach, and described past recruitment work in Akron that increased special-education enrollment to the point of capacity in some schools. He said, "You have to be hands on ... you have to be a foot soldier in the work."

When Missus Benoit raised a past situation in Akron and noted an attorney had written a letter, Robinson said he was "sort of limited on what I can and can say" but offered to discuss details privately, adding that media coverage had "greatly misled" and that the picture painted did not reflect who he is. He repeatedly emphasized collaboration and said successes there were collective: "This is not me. This is our...we did."

Other board members pressed Robinson to define his terms and methods. Mister Carrabas asked what he meant by a "change agent" and "progressive." Robinson described a change agent as someone who assesses district operations, builds internal teams and sets priorities; he said progressive work draws on research and examples from other districts and must be tailored locally.

Doctor Bluejay and others asked about community outreach and communications. Robinson described weekly short videos, church visits, "fireside chats," door-to-door recruitment and brief, frequent messaging as tactics he used previously to increase visibility and family engagement.

Doctor Trujillo asked why Robinson would seek the job given Ida-related damage and displaced campuses. Robinson answered, "Why not?" and pointed to the district's academic performance, the manageable midsize district scale and his willingness to stay engaged on facilities and construction work.

Procedural note: The meeting was reconvened at the start of the session after a motion "to convene back into our special school board meeting" was moved by Miss Doctor Traha and seconded by Mister Crowder. The president asked for objections, heard none, and declared the motion passed by voice.

What’s next: Robinson closed by reiterating his availability, accountability and desire to work with the board and community. The board did not take a vote on hiring during the session; next procedural steps, if any, were not specified on the record.

Quotes used in this report are taken verbatim from the public presentation and Q&A on the record.