Tonight, the Iberia School Board will discuss contract terms for incoming Superintendent Carey Laviolette. Her new contract is expected to be for two years and more than $150,000, but Laviolette will not be getting any pay raises during her term.
"In these tough budgetary times, it’s definitely to our advantage to look for ways that we can be more economical in the way we spend our money," says Laviolette.
Since 2013, the Iberia School District lost nearly 900 students. That is forcing Superintendent Carey Laviolette to tighten the district’s budget.
"We have been losing students for the last few years, so when you lose students, it’s inevitable that you will have some teacher cuts; however, no teacher is losing their job. We are looking at those who are retiring and those who are leaving, so nobody is losing a job," says the soon-to-be superintendent.
The district is cutting positions by attrition, and by consolidating classes, Laviolette is doing her part, promising not to ask for a raise during her time in office.
"Employees have not received a raise in over ten years, and I don’t think that that would be appropriate for me to do as long as the employees are not able to have a raise for themselves," says Laviolette.
Despite these cuts, Laviolette expects to realign the district’s mission statement with the state’s goals.
"Student achievement is the reason we have schools, and that always has to be first and foremost in the minds of everyone in education, so that is always our primary goal. The budget is secondary, and we’re going to do what we can with the budget to not interfere with student learning at all," she says.
