The committee in charge of finding the new interim CEO for Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orléans met in executive session for nearly two hours Saturday afternoon to discuss the character and competence of candidate Keith Bartlett.

Bartlett, one of the two remaining candidates in the search, is a former principal of John Dibert School who now mentors principals through Louisiana A+ Schools. Saturday marked the second time he had been interviewed by the committee.

Members asked him to come up with a 90-day plan outlining what he would do with his first few months at Lycee Francais, committee chair Erin Greenwald said.

“I am still very happy with how things are going,” Greenwald said after the session. “I know you guys are looking for any sort of read, and I just wanted to say it went fine.”

“I think we’re in a very fortunate place in terms of where it’s going and how it’s coming along.”

Greenwald added that Thursday morning the committee would vote on which candidate to recommend as the next interim CEO.

The other candidate, Joseph Daschbach, is an educational consultant. Daschbach has worked in several schools, including Lagniappe Academies and New Orleans Center for Science and Mathematics.

The committee met June 20 to discuss the character and competency of Daschbach. The Lens was unable to make that meeting.

After the committee votes on Thursday, Greenwald said that it’s her hope that a special board meeting will be held that night to vote on that candidate as a board.

While the school leaders were still in executive session, but after Bartlett was finished being interviewed, parents sat down with him informally to learn a little more about him.

The parents and Bartlett mostly talked about his past work in Lafayette.

When asked what the most important qualifications were for the next interim CEO, parent Niki Rachal said that she’s hoping for someone who isn’t afraid to take control.

“We need a strong leader,” said Rachal.

Della Hasselle

Della Hasselle, a freelance journalist and producer, reports environmental and criminal justice stories for The Lens. A graduate of Benjamin Franklin High School and the New Orleans Center for Creative...