Candidate emphasizes school-level collaboration, communication in Tangipahoa superintendent interview

A candidate interviewed on Aug. 12 for superintendent of the Tangipahoa Parish School System said the superintendent’s role is to run day-to-day operations while ensuring the board’s policies are implemented consistently across schools. The candidate told District A that principals should run their schools while the superintendent coordinates with the board and maintains an open line of communication so that individual board members receive the same information as the full board.

The candidate outlined first-100-days priorities that focus on listening and assessment: “I would see as a must getting to know people, building relationships, figuring out all the strengths, really looking at the current processes,” the candidate said. They also distinguished quick operational fixes from larger cultural or structural changes, saying second-order reforms that affect many stakeholders should be delayed until there is broad input. On partnerships, the candidate described programs ranging from in-school dental services to co-ops that pooled occupational and therapy services to reduce special-education costs. The candidate further described crisis-response experience, citing work after a student suicide that involved tribal mental-health partners, counselors, and following a crisis plan to connect families with supports.