'It was a great crowd,' Caddo Parish Schools held a community meeting for the next superintendent

More than a dozen concerned citizens showed up to one of the six community meetings held by McPherson & Jacobson, LLC. on Tuesday, July 16, in part of the search for the next Caddo Parish School District superintendent.

The meeting was held at C.E. Byrd High School and Dr. Barry Carroll a consultant for McPherson & Jacobson, LLC., said, "it was a great crowd, very passionate, very concerned about the school system and gave a lot of great feedback."

According to Carroll this meeting was an open forum for citizens to ask questions and make comments that McPherson & Jacobson will use to help conduct questionnaire for potential superintendent candidates.

The main concern from the audience was that the next superintendent is aware of where the school district is at this moment. This past school year two schools closed their doors, and seven schools were failing.

More on school closures: What Caddo schools will be closing at the end of the school year?

This search comes after Dr. T. Lamar Goree-- long time Caddo Parish superintendent announced he would be leading the Duncanville Independent School District for the 2024-2025 school year on April 1.

On June 4, the Caddo Parish School Board decided to move forward with McPherson & Jacobson a nationally recognized firm to lead the search in finding the next Caddo Parish superintendent.

Carroll said, "we appreciate the Caddo Parish for selecting our firm as the search firm."

More: How can you get involved with choosing the next Caddo Parish superintendent?

The school board has made a goal to select the next superintendent by Oct. 1.

Check out where you can catch the next three meetings

Wednesday, July 17

3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Turner Elementary and Middle School.

• 5904 W. 70th Street, Shreveport, LA 71129

6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Keithville Elementary and Middle School.

• 12201 Mansfield Road, Keithville, LA 71047

Thursday, July 18

11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Caddo Parish School District Central Office Board Room.

• 1961 Midway, Shreveport, LA 71108

More: How can you get involved with choosing the next Caddo Parish superintendent?

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: 'It was a great crowd,' Caddo Parish Schools held a community meeting for the next superintendent