SUPERINTENDENT EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
This contract made and entered into this ______ day of February, 2015 by and between
the Orleans Parish School Board (hereinafter called the “Board”), a political subdivision of the
State of Louisiana, represented herein by its President, Mr. Seth Bloom, duly authorized to act
herein by action of the Board found in the official minutes of the Board meeting of February
___, 2015, and Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. (hereinafter “Superintendent”), a major resident of the
State of Louisiana.
I.

APPOINTMENT AND ACCEPTANCE; TERM OF CONTRACT; CERTIFICATION

In consideration of the mutual covenants and benefits to each party contained herein, and,
in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Board does hereby appoint and
employ Superintendent, and he hereby accepts such appointment and employment as
Superintendent of Schools for the Orleans Parish School Board for a period commencing March
16, 2015 and terminating at midnight on March 15, 2019. The Superintendent shall hold and
maintain throughout the life of this contract valid and appropriate certification from the
Louisiana Department of Education indicating that he is qualified to act as Superintendent of
Schools in the State of Louisiana.
II.

GENERAL DUTIES OF SUPERINTENDENT

A.
The Superintendent shall perform all the duties of Superintendent, Chief
Executive Officer, Ex-Officio Secretary of the Board, and Parish School Treasurer as may now
or hereafter be prescribed by the Constitution and laws of the State of Louisiana, the policies,
rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and
Secondary Education and the State Department of Education, and the policies, rules, regulations,
and directives of the Orleans Parish School Board.
B.
Except as otherwise provided by law now or during the term of this contract, it
shall be the right and responsibility of the Superintendent to select and assign school personnel,
to transfer personnel in the best interest of the school system, and to make recommendations to
the Board on job descriptions and arrangement/re-arrangement of the administrative and
supervisory staff.
C.
The Board, individually and collectively, shall promptly refer to the
Superintendent for study and recommendation criticisms, complaints, and suggestions called to
its attention.
III.

SALARY OF SUPERINTENDENT

A.
Minimum Annual Salary - The Superintendent shall be paid a minimum annual
salary of $180,000.00. Any percentage or step increase granted during the term of this contract
by the Board or the State to other professional employees of the Board shall automatically be
applicable to and added to the minimum annual salary of the Superintendent. The minimum
annual salary of the Superintendent shall be paid in equal installments in accordance with the
rules of the Board governing payment of salary to other professional staff members in the
system. Any action by the Board to increase the Superintendent’s salary during the term of this
contract or any renewal thereof shall be considered as an amendment to and become a part of
this contract, but it shall not be deemed that the Board and the Superintendent have entered into
a new contract nor that the termination date of the existing contract has been extended.

 B.
Increases in Minimum Annual Salary - Beginning with the 2016-17 contract year
and continuing for each contract year thereafter, the Superintendent shall be entitled to a three
percent (3%) increase in his minimum annual salary for each year that he receives from the
Board an overall evaluation of satisfactory or higher. However, the Superintendent shall not be
allowed to receive any increase in any fiscal year in which salaries of other professional
employees are frozen by the Board.
IV.

REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES

A.
Automobile Expenses - During the term of this agreement, in lieu of providing
him with an automobile or gas card, the Board shall pay the Superintendent $1000.00 each
month. Such sum shall cover all in-parish travel by the Superintendent and shall cover gas,
maintenance, and upkeep of the vehicle used by the Superintendent in the performance of his
duties hereunder. The Superintendent shall also be responsible for providing his own
automobile insurance with minimum liability coverage of $100,000/$300,000 and naming the
Orleans Parish School Board as an additional insured on such policy. A copy of such policy
shall be provided to the Board for each year of this agreement or any extensions thereof.
B.
Other Vouchered Expenses - During the term of this agreement, the Board shall
also reimburse the Superintendent for all reasonable expenses incurred, including but not limited
to meals, lodging, and out-of-parish travel expenses. The Superintendent shall submit
documentation of miles driven, beginning and ending odometer readings, and receipts
evidencing all other expenses.
V.

INSURANCE: OTHER FRINGE BENEFITS

The Superintendent shall receive such life and health insurance coverage as may be
provided by the Board to other twelve (12) month certificated employees of the system. Any
improvements in fringe benefits that may be developed or provided on any other basis to
professional employees will automatically apply to the Superintendent.
VI.

ORGANIZATION DUES

A.
Professional Organizations - The Board expects the Superintendent to continue
his professional development and expects him to participate in relevant learning experiences
through attendance at local, state, and national professional meetings and through membership in
professional organizations. In this regard, the Board agrees to pay all professional and
membership dues incurred by the Superintendent for him to participate in the Louisiana School
Boards Association, the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, the American
Association of School Administrators, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, and other similar organizations approved by the Board.
The Superintendent shall attend such professional meetings at the local and state level as
he deems appropriate but must receive approval from the Board President prior to attending any
professional meeting outside the State of Louisiana. The expenses of attendance by the
Superintendent at such professional meetings (as evidenced by expense vouchers) shall be paid
by the Board.
B.
Civic Organizations - The Board also considers it important for the Board to be
represented and active in local civic organizations, including, but not limited to, the Rotary Club,
Lion’s Club, and Chamber of Commerce. For this reason, the Board agrees to pay all
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 membership dues or other expenses as are necessary for the Superintendent to participate in such
organizations, to the extent allowed by law.
VII.

VACATION; SICK LEAVE

The Superintendent shall receive the same vacation and sick leave benefits applicable to
other twelve (12) month certificated employees of the system. Unused vacation or annual leave
days may be carried forward or accumulated by the Superintendent only to the extent authorized
by Board policy for other professional administrative personnel. In the event that the
Superintendent should leave office by reason of termination of this contract for cause or death,
then he or his estate shall be entitled to payment for any unused vacation or annual leave not to
exceed the maximum number of days authorized by Board policy for accumulation of such
leave.
VIII.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

The Board shall have the right, at its expense, to require the Superintendent to undergo a
complete medical examination at any time during the duration of this agreement. The
Superintendent shall authorize the examining physician(s) to render a written report to the Board
regarding the fitness of the Superintendent to perform his duties. Such report shall be treated as
confidential to the extent allowed by law.
IX.

SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

A.
The Superintendent shall be expected to fulfill the specific performance
objectives and/or performance targets of his contract, and his evaluation shall reflect in large part
the Board’s view as to whether he is accomplishing (or has accomplished) those
objectives/targets during the term of this agreement. The specific performance objectives/targets
applicable to this agreement are contained in Attachment 1 to this contract, which is appended
hereto and made a part hereof. The specific performance objectives/targets outlined in
Attachment 1 hereto may be amended during the term of this agreement or any extension thereto
by mutual consent of the Board and the Superintendent.
B.
Prior to each year of this contract, the Board shall designate two (2) of the
performance objectives/targets listed in Attachment 1. For each year of this contract in which
the Superintendent meets or exceeds the specific performance objectives or targets designated
that year by the Board, he shall receive additional compensation in the amount of $5,000.00 for
each objective/target met up to a maximum of $10,000.00. Such sum shall not become part of
the Superintendent’s base salary, although it can be combined with the base salary and paid out
in the same fashion if that is the desire of the Superintendent. Alternatively, this additional
compensation can be paid out in one check after the Superintendent’s entitlement to it has been
determined.
X.

PERIODIC EVALUATIONS

The Board shall provide the Superintendent with periodic opportunities to discuss
Superintendent-Board relationships and shall inform him immediately of any inadequacies in his
performance perceived by the Board, collectively or individually. The Board shall also evaluate,
in writing, the performance of the Superintendent at least once each fiscal year no later than the
regularly scheduled January Board meeting. This evaluation shall be based on the position
description for the position of Superintendent, the goals and objectives of the school system for
the year in question, and the specific performance objectives outlined in Attachment 1 to this
contract.
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 A copy of all written evaluations shall be delivered to the Superintendent immediately
after the preparation of same. The Superintendent shall have the right to file a response to the
evaluation. This response shall become a permanent attachment to the evaluation and the
Superintendent’s personnel file. Within thirty (30) days of the delivery of the written evaluation
to the Superintendent, the Board shall meet with the Superintendent to discuss the evaluation.
XI.

DISCHARGE FOR CAUSE

Throughout the term of this contract, the Superintendent shall be subject to discharge for
good and just cause in accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana, including particularly
La. R.S. 17:54, at a regular meeting or a special meeting of the Board. Prior to such meeting, the
Superintendent shall be afforded written charges against him, 20 days notice of those charges,
and a fair hearing before the Board. If the Superintendent chooses to be accompanied by legal
counsel at this hearing, he will assume the cost of any legal expenses. It is understood and
agreed that the Superintendent may be suspended with pay by the Board during its investigation
of allegations made against him and that such suspension shall not constitute or be construed as a
removal from office of the Superintendent. Such suspension with pay shall not exceed forty-five
(45) calendar days without written consent of the Superintendent. It is further understood and
agreed that the Superintendent is a public official elected by the Board and is not a promotional
employee governed by the provisions of La. R.S. 17:444.
XII.

TERMINATION OF CONTRACT
This contract terminates at midnight on March 15, 2019.

The Board shall negotiate and offer the Superintendent a new contract at the expiration of
this contract unless a majority of the membership of the Board votes at least one hundred twenty
(120) days prior to the termination date against offering a new contract, unless the
Superintendent and Board mutually agree in writing to shorten this period of time.
Not less than one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the termination date of this contract,
the Superintendent shall notify each of the Board members in writing about the provisions of this
section of the Superintendent Employment Contract. The failure of the Superintendent to
provide such notice to the Board members shall be construed as failure on his part to fulfill the
terms of this contract and alone shall be grounds for non-renewal without such notice and/or
grounds for the termination of this agreement for cause.
The Superintendent may choose not to enter into a subsequent contract and may
terminate his employment at the conclusion of the term of this agreement.
XIII.

INDEMNIFICATION; DEFENSE

The Board shall defend, hold harmless, and indemnify the Superintendent from any and
all demands, charges, claims, suits, actions, judgment and legal proceedings brought against him
in his official capacity as agent, officer, and/or employee of the Board provided that the incident
giving rise to such claim occurred while the Superintendent was within the course and scope of
the performance of his duties as Superintendent, as defined by Board policy and state law. If, in
the good faith opinion of the Superintendent and legal counsel for the Board, a conflict exists as
regards the defense to such claim between the legal position of the Board and the legal position
of the Superintendent, the Superintendent may employ his own legal counsel. In this event, the
Board shall reimburse the Superintendent for his costs of legal defense, at rates not to exceed the
maximum hourly rates established by the Attorney General of the State of Louisiana, unless it is
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 the finding of the Court that the Superintendent acted outside the course and scope of his duties
as Superintendent, in which case the Superintendent shall be responsible for the payment of his
own legal fees and costs. The provisions of this paragraph shall in no way obligate the Board to
employ an attorney for the Superintendent or to reimburse the Superintendent for legal fees
incurred by the Superintendent relative to matters involving disputes between the parties to this
contract or the Superintendent’s employment or continued employment with the Board.
XIV. MODIFICATION OF DUTIES
During the six (6) month period prior to the expiration of this contract (September 15,
2018 through March 15, 2019), the Board, at its sole option and election, may modify the duties
and responsibilities of the Superintendent to accommodate the orientation of a successor
superintendent. During said period, some of the duties of Superintendent may be reassigned to
the superintendent-elect or others but, in no event, shall such modification result in a decrease in
the salary and fringe benefits paid to Superintendent for the full term of this contract. To the
extent requested by the Board, and, for the duration of the term of this contract, the
Superintendent shall consult with and assist the Board and his successor superintendent with the
transition to a new administration.
XV.

HEADINGS

The headings inserted at the beginning of each paragraph hereof are for convenience only
and do not add or subtract from the meaning of the contents of each paragraph.
XVI.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This contract embodies the entire contract of the parties hereto relating to the provisions
of the Superintendent’s employment during the term of same.
XVII. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE
If any term, provision, or item of this contract or the application thereof is held invalid or
found to be in violation of state and/or federal constitutional or statutory law or regulation, such
invalidity shall not affect other terms, provisions, items or applications of this contract which
shall be reformed and given effect without the invalid term, provisions, items or applications,
and to this end the provisions of this contract are hereby declared severable and/or reformable.
XVIII. INTERPRETATION
This contract shall be interpreted according to the Laws of the State of Louisiana. Venue
for resolution of contract disputes between the Board and the Superintendent shall be the civil
district court for the Parish of Orleans.

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 The parties hereto affirm that they have read and are familiar with the terms hereof and have
signed same before the undersigned competent witnesses and undersigned notary public on this
_______ day of February, 2015.
WITNESSES:
_________________________________

____________________________________
Seth Bloom, President
Orleans Parish School Board

________________________________

____________________________________
Henderson Lewis, Jr., Superintendent
Orleans Parish School Board

SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED before me this ______ day of February, 2015.

____________________________________________
NOTARY PUBLIC

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 SUPERINTENDENT EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
ATTACHMENT 1

SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
1.

During each year of this contract, the Superintendent shall increase the
percentage of students in grades K, 1, and 2 reading at or above grade
level as measured by state assessments.

2.

During each year of this contract, the Superintendent shall increase the
percentage of students in grades 3-8 deemed “proficient” as measured by
state assessments.

3.

During each year of this contract, the Superintendent shall increase the
percentage of students in grades 9-11 performing “good” or above on
EOC exams.

4.

During each year of this contract, the Superintendent shall increase the
percentage of students scoring 18 or above on the ACT exam.

5.

During each year of this contract, the Superintendent shall increase the
school performance scores of at least 80% of the schools operated directly
by the Board.

6.

During each year of this contract, the Superintendent shall decrease the
percentage of student suspensions and expulsions below that of the
previous year.

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