Board sets retirement for schools chief
ABBEVILLE – The Vermilion Parish Police Jury unanimously approved a timeline for the retirement of Superintendent Randy Schexnayder on Thursday without discussion.
The board plans to conduct interviews at a special board meeting March 17 in executive session and appoint a new superintendent-elect March 22 at a regular board meeting.
Over the next year, Schexnayder and the board agreed to slowly transition to the new superintendent and the situation was further complicated by the pending retirements of both assistant superintendents, Ellen Arceneaux and Charlotte Waguespack.
Schexnayder will help with their duties until permanent replacements are found. He is not expected to officially retire from the Vermilion Parish School District until Aug. 1, 2013, after both assistant superintendents also are replaced.
After the meeting, Schexnayder said he will have served as superintendent for more than six years by the time he retires.
He said his main goal in retirement is to play a more active role in the life of his daughter, Lauren, as she enters her senior year at North Vermilion High School.
“My daughter will be a senior, and I want to be able to make every event,” he said. “I have been in education for 36 years, and I want to enjoy her senior year with her. With my two older sons, I was not able to make every activity because of meetings and other obligations.”
When asked about the long transition to the new superintendent, Schexnayder said it was necessary partly because both assistant superintendents were retiring and not interested in filling his position.
He said there was also precedent with the board doing this with prior superintendents, including the man he replaced, Joe Hebert.
“We want to give the board enough time to find qualified replacements (for the two assistant superintendent positions) and allow them to settle in,” Schexnayder said.
The superintendent said that after he retires as superintendent, he also wants to return to the classroom.
“I’m young enough to find another job,” he said. “I want to do something I love — teach math. I taught math 11 years, but if I can’t do that, I’ll definitely do something. I’m not someone to just stay at home.”