East Feliciana School System Cuts Positions

CLINTON, La. (AP) — East Feliciana Parish's new school superintendent said he believes divine intervention may have helped the school district cut 20 school-level positions last month without sending anyone home with a pink slip.

Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. noticed in September that the district's Oct. 1 enrollment was likely to be down by 100 students, compared with the Feb. 1 enrollment, resulting in an eventual loss of more than $618,000 in state funds.

The Advocate reports Lewis and financial adviser Tommy LeJeune decided the board needed to cut 20 positions in order to offset the loss in state funding, and the School Board agreed.

Lewis says a combination of unexpected retirements, resignations, shifting some employees from general-fund positions to federally funded programs and restructuring within the schools accomplished the board's goal.

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