Meet the 3 semifinalists for NOLA Schools' top job
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
New Orleans public schools are getting a new superintendent, and the school board will begin interviewing its three semifinalists for the position Tuesday evening.
Why it matters: The new superintendent will inherit an ongoing financial crisis while managing the city's unique all-but-one charter school district.
Catch up quick: The board is looking for a new NOLA Public Schools superintendent after Avis Williams' sudden resignation last fall.
- Williams' departure after about two years on the job came amid the district's realization of a multimillion dollar budget gap.
State of play: The school board has narrowed down its field of candidates to three.
- After they undergo interviews in a special board meeting Tuesday, the board will select two finalists, according to a district spokesperson.
- Then, those two finalists will be available for public engagement events, the spokesperson says, including a town hall at Walter Cohen High School at 6pm April 1.
- Final round interviews are set for April 2, with the superintendent election to follow that day.
- The board is due to approve the superintendent's new contract on April 17. The board previously approved a salary between $275,000 and $310,000, plus benefits, The Times-Picayune reported.
Here's a quick look at the three semifinalists for the job, according to bios provided by NOLA PS:
Dr. Sharon Latten-Clark currently serves as the charter director at Sophie B. Wright High School and on the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
- She previously taught in Houston and at Frederick Douglass High School, and served as an assistant principal at a Phoenix, Arizona, school.
- Latten-Clark is a graduate of Xavier Prep, Xavier University and UNO.
Dr. Fateama Fulmore has served as the interim superintendent of NOLA PS since Williams' departure. She was deputy superintendent under Williams as well.
- Fulmore has more than 20 years of experience in PK-12 education, and has taught in or led school districts with direct-run and charter schools.
- She's a Brooklyn, New York, native and holds degrees from Appalachian State University, Grand Canyon University, Gardner-Webb University and Gwynedd Mercy University.
Dr. Dedrick Sims serves as the CEO of the Colorado-based Sims-Fayola Foundation, which aims to improve the lives of young men of color.
- Sims' career began as a substitute teacher, and he has since served as a teacher, school administrator and founder.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the three candidates are semifinalists (not finalists).