Photograph: Milton Batiste III, the new St. Landry Parish School Superintendent (Photograph by Freddie Herpin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
The pursuit of a new St. Landry Parish school superintendent concluded Wednesday night with jubilant applause from an overflow crowd and an ending that was anything but unexpected.
As they have throughout the selection process which began in March, school board members again demonstrated their overwhelming support of Milton Batiste III, who was chosen as superintendent following a 12-1 vote.
Batiste, who grew up and then worked in the St. Landry School District, will now resign from the East Baton Rouge Parish School District where he works as a supervisor for student leadership and prepare to negotiate a new contract with St. Landry school officials.
It was standing room only in the School Board meeting room prior to the vote, as Batiste and co-finalist Dr. Curt Green, a human resource specialist in St. John the Baptist Parish, each answered another set of interview questions asked by board members and provided opening and closing remarks.
Board members declined however to move into a closed session meeting prior to the final vote.
Instead the Board followed the next section of the meeting agenda and during a voice roll call selected Batiste in nearly unanimous agreement.
Green, who told the board during previous interviews that he has family relationships in St. Landry, cordially shook hands with Batiste and following a brief hug, left the meeting room as a spontaneous victory party erupted.
Batiste took numerous pictures with his family, while those who favored his selection, took cell phone images with Batiste as centered focus.
Board member Hazel Sias did not vote for Batiste.
During an interview following the meeting, Sias said she likes the administrative experience that Green possesses. Sias added that she is especially is impressed with the ability of Green to provide academic recoveries for failing schools.
In a subsequent interview on Thursday, Sias added that Green focused much of his interview comments on his concern for school children.
“We are in trouble right now and (Green) has experience in (school) turnarounds. His major focus throughout the interviews was a major focus on students,” Sias said.
Batiste reiterated in his interview on Wednesday night that he has also been responsible for improving academic achievement in several previously failing Baton Rouge elementary schools.
In his closing interview session remarks, Batiste reminded the board members that becoming superintendent in St. Landry would bring his school administrative career full circle.
The crowd exploded in cheers when Batiste added that he intends to spends decades as superintendent in St. Landry.
Board members twice voted unanimously to send Batiste into the initial five-applicant interview session and again as a finalist for the superintendent position.
After the vote on Wednesday night Batiste conceded that the Board support he experienced since the inception of the selected process ultimately worked in his favor.
“A lot of the relationships that I had (in the parish) helped and that probably did resonate with the Board, so maybe that’s why (board members) presented such a united front,” Batiste said.
Board member Anthony Standberry said that now the superintendent search is over, school officials need to display support for Batiste.
“We (board members) need to put our hands on the back of Mister Batiste and push him forward,” Standberry said.
