Six apply for Avoyelles school superintendency

Six candidates -- two from Avoyelles Parish and four from outside the parish -- applied for the position of superintendent of Avoyelles public schools. The deadline for applying was Dec. 19.
The two local applicants are Debbie Bain of Bunkie and Blaine Dauzat of Cottonport.
Bain is the district’s Child Welfare & Attendance supervisor and, immediate past principal of LaSAS and assistant principal of Bunkie High before that.
Dauzat is the current principal of LaSAS and was a finalist for the Caldwell Parish superintendency a few years ago.
The other applicants, in alphabetical order, are:
-- Alison Andrews of LaPlace, who has been her district’s Magnet Program supervisor since 2010.
-- Dr. Spurgeon A. Banyard is principal of Carencro Middle School in Lafayette Parish but lists a Clinton, Miss., home address. He was principal of Parker High School in Birmingham, Ala., and Moss Point (Miss.) High prior to coming to Carencro in 2012.
-- Dr. Bianca W. Brown of Zachary, notes that she has been part of that school’s District Leadership Team since 2006.
-- Dr. Charles S. Michel of Metairie, who has been that school district’s Special Education director since 2007.
The applications were submitted to School Board President Darrell Wiley. Asst. Supt. Thelma Prater will verify the applicants’ certification for the job. The full board will begin interviews on Tuesday.
The adopted process called for the board to conduct up to five interviews per night. With six applicants, the board would have two nights of interviews under those guidelines.
After the interviews are completed, board members will select three finalists. The nine board members will then vote for one of the three candidates.
The School Board expects that final vote to be held at the Feb. 3 meeting and the new superintendent to be appointed at that time.
The length of the contracted term and the salary to be paid will be negotiated with the chosen candidate after the appointment is approved.