Gray, Armato on short list for superintendent

CENTERVILLE — A young administrator from Vermilion Parish and a veteran of 29 years with St. Mary public schools are the final two candidates to become this parish’s next superintendent.
The finalists are Leonard Armato, St. Mary’s director of special education, and James Gray, Vermilion Parish’s director of school leadership.
The St. Mary School Board winnowed a field of 10 applicants to five last week, then interviewed the five behind closed doors beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday.
On a suggestion by board President Ginger S. Griffin and a motion by member Wayne Deslatte, the board decided to narrow the field to two. Each board member voted for two candidates. Gray was the top vote-getter with nine votes. Armato drew seven.
Armato said his current post is good preparation for being superintendent.
“You deal with the lowest of the students to the highest of the students,” Armato said in an interview before he met the board. “We’ve done a tremendous job over the years.
“We’ve closed the gap between special ed kids and the regular ed kids. We’re closing the gap between black and white achievement.”
Gray said his major asset is “a skill set that helps me think critically. I have a lot of experience with at-risk school populations. I have a lot of experience dealing with high-performing schools.”
The candidates eliminated from consideration Saturday were Peter Boudreaux, the district’s director of secondary instruction; Aubrey “Bubba” Orgeron Jr., director of secondary education in Lafourche Parish; and Ricky Armelin, the St. Mary district’s human resources director for the last 11 years.
Boudreaux said his experience “as a high school teacher, elementary assistant principal, elementary principal, high school principal and supervisor of instruction has given me a broad range of skills and experience. …
“I believe my ability to work with people of all kinds is unmatched in this organization.”
Armelin said he brings “a passion for the community. I bring a vision to bring this community together as one parish. East end, west end, but we are all St. Mary Parish.”
The man chosen to be superintendent will succeed Donald Aguillard, who accepted the same position in Lafayette Parish this month. The earliest a vote can be taken to replace Aguillard is June 6, which is a Saturday. The board seems ready to call a special meeting for June 8 to make a final selection.

The story was written by Bill Decker of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at bdecker@daily-review.com.