School Board renews Lafon’s contract, gives $3,000 bonus

The St. Charles Parish School Board voted unanimously to extend the contract of Superintendent Rodney Lafon by 18 months, the maximum allowed.

Lafon’s contract was up for renewal in June 2011, but he will now remain superintendent until December 2012.

Board president Dennis Naquin said the members wanted to extend Lafon’s contract now because it would be unfair to ask the two new School Board members to evaluate the superintendent’s performance after only working with him for six months.

The superintendent’s contract did not come with a raise but it did give him a $3,000 one-time payment, which is double what the board gave to all regular full-time employees in October. Lafon has been the superintendent for 16 years and currently makes $167,766 a year.

“I commend the superintendent on the work he has done over the last several years,” said board member John Smith. “Children of St. Charles Parish have been first and foremost on his agenda.”

Member Sonny Savoie also praised Lafon’s performance, saying that his career is “a testament to his diligence in making sure children graduate.” Savoie said that the graduation rate in the parish is at about 87 percent, but would be about 97 percent if students completing GED tests were counted.

“We look forward to another year with him,” Savoie said.