Superintendent on medical leave; Sanders will serve for now

CENTERVILLE — At a special meeting Monday, the St. Mary Parish School Board approved an indefinite medical leave for Superintendent Dr. Buffy Fegenbush. Dr. Rachael Sanders, the assistant superintendent, will serve in Fegenbush’s place in the interim.
There was no public disclosure of the reason for Fegenbush’s request for leave.
The board discussed the request by Fegenbush, who wasn’t present at Monday’s meeting, during a 29-minute closed door session. Returning to open session, board members approved the request for leave on a voice vote without objection.
A similar vote approved the selection of Sanders as interim superintendent. The board awarded her a stipend of $4,000 a month while she fills in for Fegenbush, plus a $1,000 vehicle allowance.
Sanders has been employed by St. Mary public schools for 27 years, 20 as an administrator.
She has served as a teacher at Patterson High, an assistant principal at Morgan City High and as principal at Patterson High. She has also directed the district’s alternative program.
“I appreciate the vote of confidence from the board,” Sanders said after the meeting.
“Dr. Fegenbush has set us up with systems and protocols in place. And she also put together a strong team of district administrators.”
Fegenbush was named superintendent in April 2023, succeeding Dr. Theresa Bagwell.
She had served as Berwick High principal 2005-17 before serving in the administration of Lafayette Parish public schools.
The School Board voted to renew Fegenbush’s contract in March 2025.
In addition to overseeing the education of St. Mary public school students, the superintendent also has board authority over personnel matters for the parish’s biggest employer. After the education reforms of the Jindal administration, school boards are limited to setting personnel policies while superintendents make the day-to-day personnel decisions.