Iberville School Board unanimously approves contract with new superintendent

It is official.  Arthur Joffrion is the new Iberville Parish School Board superintendent after the board unanimously approved his contract in their Monday, August 8 meeting.

According to his contract, Joffrion is set to earn a minimum base salary of $165,250 annually beginning Wednesday until August 8, 2019.  The school board also agreed to pay Joffrion an additional $1,100 a month instead of providing him with an automobile.

The board will also pay Joffrion another $100 each month to provide him with a laptop, cellphone and “other electronic devices”.

The board will also provide Joffrion with a one-time payment of $5,000 to assist him in relocating his family from Rapides Parish, where he served as executive assistant superintendent.  Joffrion was met with applause as he took his seat.

“It is my distinct honor and privilege to be seated here as your superintendent,” Joffrion said.  “I’m looking forward to an outstanding year.”

Before Joffrion took the helm as superintendent, he visited each school in Iberville Parish last Thursday, August 4 to address the faculty and staff of each institution.

He discussed with the faculty and administrators the frameworks for effective schools as well as “non-negotiables” that are expected in all classrooms and to wish the staff well for an outstanding school year.

Joffrion then addressed recent data released from the Louisiana Department of Education on schools in Iberville Parish that showed an improvement over time in student progression towards mastery in LEAP and ILEAP tests.

“In 2012, only sixteen percent of Iberville students scored at mastery level,” Joffrion said.  “As of the last testing cycle, we had thirty-eight percent of our students scoring at mastery.  I’d like to congratulate our former superintendent Dr. Cancienne, members of the board, the district staff and, most importantly, our students and our teachers that are in the classrooms every day working so diligently.”

Joffrion, 46, is a native of Donaldsonville, Louisiana and a Nicholls State University graduate.  He began is teaching career in Terrebonne Parish in 1992 where he served as its supervisor of special education.  In 2013, Joffrion then moved to Rapides Parish.  Joffrion was unanimously selected out of 14 qualified superintendent applicants in an interview process that began in June. 

According to a plan Joffrion submitted during his interview, he will spend his first three months meeting with faculty, staff, board members and community stakeholders.  He also plans to assess the district’s strengths and weaknesses in policy and finance.

Joffrion said he will then develop a strategic plan which could result in a redesign of district finances and its central office.