Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Leadership Succession topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
St. Bernard Parish superintendent announces retirement; board votes to advertise vacancy
Summary
Superintendent Miss Voci told the School Board she intends to retire at the end of the fiscal year; the board voted 11‑0 to begin advertising the vacancy under La. Rev. Stat. 17:54, with applications due May 28 and a PO box process to preserve applicant confidentiality.
Superintendent Miss Voci announced at the April meeting of the St. Bernard Parish School Board that she intends to retire at the end of the current fiscal year, and the board voted unanimously to begin advertising for her replacement.
“Prior to tonight's meeting, I notified both, Miss Dysart and Doctor Lemoine, that it's my intention to retire from the school system, at the end of this fiscal year,” the superintendent said, asking the board to begin the statutory process. She recounted a 55‑year career that began in 1971, described her progression from classroom teacher to assistant superintendent and then superintendent in 2004, and highlighted the district’s recovery after Hurricane Katrina.
The board moved immediately to start the search process in line with Louisiana Revised Statute 17:54, which requires publication in the official journal for two consecutive weeks and placement in a newspaper serving a larger population. The announced timeline calls for advertising in the Saint Bernard Voice on May 1 and May 8, placement in a New Orleans paper in between those dates, and a May 28 application deadline. Applications will be sent to a rented PO box; the board officers will open the box on May 29 so that applications can be reviewed without prior access to applicant identities. The board voted to begin the advertising process, 11‑0.
Why it matters: the district serves more than 7,000 students and the superintendent described responsibilities spanning curriculum, finance, maintenance and post‑Katrina recovery. The board said it will pursue succession planning and may ask the retiring superintendent to consult during an overlap period if needed to ensure a smooth transition.
Next steps: the district will publish the vacancy notice per statute, accept applications by May 28, and then schedule interviews. The board indicated it aims to complete the selection process in June so a new superintendent can be in place by July 1, if possible.
