School Board names Brent to interim post

Guienzy Brent of Franklin, who retired after working for the St. Mary school system for 39 years, has been named to the School Board seat left vacant by the death of Joseph Foulcard.
The School Board appointed Brent at Thursday’s meeting.
Brent worked in the district’s Office of Special Services until her retirement.
Brent will be sworn in next month and will serve at least a year. The board on Thursday passed a resolution calling for a Nov. 5, 2024, special election to choose Foulcard’s successor. If a runoff is necessary, it will be Dec. 7.
Foulcard died Dec. 9 at age 80. He represented the board’s District 1 for 28 years.
The public portion of Thursday’s meeting ended with a resolution of respect for Foulcard as “a former elementary physical education teacher and a fine citizen.”
A second resolution honored the late Audrey Alleman, “a retired elementary teacher and fine citizen.”
Brent’s appointment continues a transition in the School Board’s membership. Before the 2022 elections, the board was dominated by members of long standing, many with 20 years of service or more. Now, nine of the 11 members have been on the board for five years or less.
Only Ginger Griffin and Marilyn LaSalle, both of Patterson, have served more than five years.
The meeting ended with a closed-door session to discuss “security personnel, plans, or devices, and the assessment and implementation of any such plans or procedures,” according to the agenda.
Also Thursday, the paid tribute to administrators, teachers and students.
The honorees were:
—Principal of the Year Kiante Gunner of Bayou Vista Elementary, whose school has the top school performance score in the parish, a 92.7.
—High School Teacher of the Year Bobbye Jo Castaneda of Berwick High.
—Junior High Teacher of the Year Amy Gilliam of Franklin Junior High.
—Elementary Teacher of the Year Rebecca Nguyen of J.B. Maitland Elementary.
—New High School Teacher of the Year Tyra Newcomb, the Jobs for American Graduates teacher.
—New Elementary School Teacher of the Year Shelbi Fontenot of Berwick Elementary.
—The Students of the Month: J.S. Aucoin fifth-grader Dylan Bibian, LaGrange Elementary fifth-grader Kendal Hawkins and Franklin High senior Kayla Smith.
—The Employees of the Month: English language arts paraprofessional from J.S. Aucoin, second-grade English language arts teacher Shana Longman, and physical education teacher and Athletic Director Jacinta Verret of Franklin High.
—The winners in the districts Christmas card artwork contest: K-5 winner Timothy Truong II, a Centerville fifth-grader; 6-12 winner Ja’Layiah Smith, a Morgan City High junior; and grand prize winner Geraldine Nobles, a Morgan City High freshman.
In other action, the board accepted the low bid of $2.49 million for replacement of roofs at Morgan City High, Morgan City Junior High and J.S. Aucoin Elementary.
Morcore Roofing LLC of Roanoke made the low base bid of about $2.6 million, about $136,000 over the $2.4 million budgeted for the work. The board got the contract within the budget by omitting the reroofing on the front canopy and the fieldhouse at Morgan City High.