Former Eunice educator Irma Trosclair was named by the Lafayette Parish School Board as its permanent leader Wednesday in a unanimous vote.
Trosclair has been serving as interim superintendent.
There were two applicants in the seven-week search. The other applicant was Curt R. Green of Atlanta.
Rather than interview both candidates, the Board named Trosclair.
Trosclair told the Advocate her passion for education has never waned and she’s excited for this continued challenge.
“I came here four and a half years ago on a leap of faith on so many levels. I didn’t have personal connections to Lafayette Parish, but I knew there were kids and schools in need,” Trosclair said.
Trosclair has led the district since former Superintendent Donald Aguillard retired in May. After four years leading the district, Aguillard now represents District 9 on the school board. Trosclair’s interim contract ends June 30 and a new contract will be negotiated with the school board, including salary and benefits.
The newly appointed superintendent joined the school system in 2015 as the district’s first school improvement administrator under Aguillard before moving into the role of assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. Before joining Lafayette Parish, she was principal at South Crowley Elementary in Acadia Parish and Eunice Elementary in St. Landry Parish.
Trosclair led both schools to National Blue Ribbon Schools status, each in a different category.
In 2015, Trosclair was one of seven Terrell H. Bell Award recipients and the only honoree from Louisiana. The Bell Award is a U.S. Department of Education award that recognizes school leaders who’ve led their schools to achieve excellence or outstanding growth under challenging circumstances.
She earned an elementary education degree from McNeese State University and her master’s from Louisiana State University. She taught for 18 years in first through 12th grade, mostly in English language arts and math, before becoming an administrator.
Trosclair is the first woman appointed to lead the district full-time. One other woman, Geraldine Caillier, has led the district, but only in an acting capacity to finish out the terms of superintendents Max Skidmore and Owen Bush in 1995 and 1997, respectively, according to the district’s website.
