Jenkins signs contract for top school job

At the end of Thursday’s St. Landry Parish School Board, Patrick Jenkins signed a contract with the board to serve two and half years as superintendent.
But before that happened board members exposed a split in their ranks even though the contract was approved on a unanimous vote.
Jenkins is to be paid $135,000 a year and receive a $1,000 monthly travel allowance.
The split came as the board wrangled over the length of the contract. Jenkins expressed a desire for a three-year contract.
The board tied at 6-6 on a contract with a three-year term.
Voting for a three-year term were Anthony Standberry, Charles Ross, Milton Ambres, Candace Gerace, Hazel Sias and Raymond Cassimere.
Voting against the three-year contract were Donnie Perron, Huey Wyble, Kyle Boss, Randy Wagley, Roger Young and Mary Ellen Donatto.
Board member Albert Hayes Jr., of Eunice, was absent.
Sais said, “If we don’t come together as a board and do what we need to support this superintendent and support our 14,000 kids in this district we are wasting our time.”
Ambres said about those opposed to the three-year contract, “You are not in this for the kids and you are not doing what you are supposed to do for the kids.”
Mary Ellen Donatto, a Eunice board member countered, “We are simply asking to give him an opportunity to prove himself.”
Donatto said she is looking for academic growth.
“If you want to do something for St. Landry Parish’s children let’s do something about the 10 failing schools that we have and maybe a couple of others headed down the same path,” she said.
“All we are doing is trying not to do the same thing that happened earlier where we end up dismissing somebody before their contract is up and paying two people.
“So, all the rhetoric about what is best for children that we hear, we hear that so much on every board it is unbelievable. So, all I’m saying is no one is blocking Mr. Jenkins. All we are doing is asking for him to prove to us that he is going to do what we need for students and we can add a year or two years until he gets how ever many terms are allowed. It is just that simple,” Donatto said.
After Jenkins said he would accept a two-and-half year contract and board attorney Courtney Joiner said the board had voted in October for the two-and-half year contract, the board voted unanimous for the contract.
The board has until December 2017 to establish performance objectives for Jenkins’ contract.
Jenkins, who had been employed as principal of Copper Middle Elementary School in the Zachary Independent School District, was selected from 10 candidates on Oct. 5. Jenkins is a retired Army officer.
Jenkins was hired an a 7-6 vote.
Voting for Jenkins were Gerace, Ross, Sias, Ambres, Cassimere, Hayes and Standberry.
Francis Touchet Jr., the other final candidate, received votes from Young, Perron, Wyble, Wagley, Boss and Donatto.
The job came open in May when the board rejected renewing former superintendent Edward Brown’s contract, which expires Dec. 31. He was first appointed in May 2013.
Brown continues on the payroll in an advisory capacity.
Brown’s base salary is $128,000 a year.
In other business, the board voted to give a Christmas stipend of $750 to full-time employees and $200 to part-time employees who have been working since August and will receive a paycheck in December.
Last year to the board provided a $1,000 Christmas bonus to full-time employees and $250 to part-timers.