After a yearslong search, the Orleans Parish School Board unanimously selected Henderson Lewis Jr. as its next superintendent tonight.
Reached tonight for comment, Lewis said he had not yet heard from the School Board, adding that he is honored to be selected.
“I’m very humbled that the board has placed this confidence in me,” Lewis said.
- Lewis
In its extensive search for a permanent district leader, the board brought several candidates through multiple rounds of interviews. But it could never muster the five votes required to select a superintendent.
On Tuesday night, a unanimous vote of the seven-member board propelled Lewis forward.
“I feel relieved that it’s over,” School Board President Seth Bloom said. “It’s been a long thorough search.”
Bloom said Lewis and brings experience both as a superintendent and a member of the St. Bernard Parish School board. Lewis also is now the superintendent of the East Feliciana Parish school system.
Stan Smith has held the interim superintendent spot for more than two and a half years.
“I’m happy to see that we’ve come to a unanimous agreement,” Bloom said. “I think he offers a lot and look forward to working with him.”
Candidates Debbra Lindo and Lewis each interviewed three times and were invited back last week to meet the public in a forum held at Alice M. Harte Charter School.
Today, the board again discussed the candidates behind closed doors, this time for about an hour.
The Orleans Parish School Board currently oversees 14 charter schools and six direct-run schools. The charter schools are largely autonomous, setting their own curriculum and calendar and hiring all personnel, under their own boards and administrations.
Lewis has said leading New Orleans’ public schools would be like coming home. The New Orleans native previously worked for the Algiers Charter School Association.
He said he is excited to begin working toward ensuring “all students receive a first class quality education” in Orleans Parish.
At this time he intends to continue serving on the St. Bernard School Board, he said.
The board and Lewis will begin negotiating a contract; a start date for the new superintendent has not been set.
Smith earns $160,000 per year and also has health and retirement benefits. The district does not provide him with a car.
