Carla Powell-Lewis, a seasoned Social Studies Teacher with 20 years of experience, currently serves as the President of the East Baton Rouge Parish (EBR) School Board, representing EBR District 31. Her journey to this leadership role involved a complex process.
Initially, the board decided not to renew Superintendent Sito Narcisse’s contract. As a result, they needed to select an interim superintendent. Mr. Smith was chosen for this role, with the understanding that he would not be eligible to apply for the permanent superintendent position. However, community members advocated for Mr. Smith’s candidacy, leading to a reconsideration. The board then engaged in a thorough process to gather input from various community stakeholders, including regional conversations, meetings with community leaders, and virtual discussions. They identified community priorities and used them as a foundation for the superintendent selection process.
The board collaborated with a local consulting organization, SSA, to guide the selection process. After an initial screening interview, they narrowed down the applicants to semifinalists. These semifinalists created vision videos, demonstrating how they would address community priorities. Eventually, three finalists emerged. These finalists participated in interviews with parent panels, community leaders, teachers, and principals. However, the voting process took an unexpected turn. While four board members supported Mr. Smith, the remaining five split their votes among the three finalists, resulting in a challenging situation2.
Despite the complexities, Carla Powell-Lewis assumed her role as board president, acknowledging the intensity of the process. Her commitment to positive change and community impact remains steadfast.