The Catahoula Parish School Board voted Tuesday night, Aug. 11, to name Cari Ann Nicholson as the parish’s next school superintendent, following nearly three hours of interviews with three finalists during a special called meeting in Harrisonburg that drew a packed room of residents and school personnel.
Nicholson, currently principal, special education director and 504 and PBIS coordinator at Delta Charter School in Ferriday, will succeed current Superintendent Johnnie Adams, who is set to retire at the end of the year.
The board interviewed three candidates for the position: Dr. Barbara Moseley, the current Catahoula Parish Special Education Supervisor; Charles Anderson, current principal at the Concordia Parish Education Center in Ferriday; and Nicholson. Each candidate was interviewed in open session, with the board spending close to an hour per candidate asking questions and hearing their vision for the school system if chosen.
Following the interviews, the board moved into executive session for about 20 minutes before returning to cast ballots in open session. Each of the board’s nine members voted individually for their preferred candidate.
Nicholson received six votes, a majority, securing her the position. Casting votes for Nicholson included District 1 member Candy Edmonds, District 3 member John Allbritton, District 4 member Dewey Stockman, District 5 member Cynthia Brown, District 6 member Laine Neal and District 9 member Tonya Pardue. District 2 member J.M. Blaney voted for Anderson, while District 7 member Toshiro Fisher and District 8 member Peggy Beard voted for Moseley.
Nicholson, a resident of Manifest in Catahoula Parish, brings more than 20 years of experience as a teacher and administrator. She has been described as dedicated to advancing student achievement through visionary leadership, collaborative problem solving and a commitment to excellence, with a proven ability to develop and communicate a clear educational vision that inspires educators, students and stakeholders. She has also been recognized for cultivating positive school cultures built on trust, respect and high expectations, and for fostering safe, inclusive learning environments.
She has been characterized as an exceptional communicator with strong relationship building skills, with experience partnering with teachers, families, community organizations, district leaders, superintendents and state education officials to achieve shared goals. She has also been described as a servant leader who leads by example, empowers others and advocates for high quality teaching and learning, with skills in strategic planning, organizational leadership, team development, fiscal stewardship and community engagement.
Nicholson earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies with concentrations in English, history and psychology from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. She holds teacher certification from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. She also holds certifications in educational leadership (EDL 2 and EDL 3), family and consumer science, English and language arts, and social studies. She has previously been named a school Teacher of the Year and the LACUE Region Six Middle School Teacher of the Year.
Following the vote, Nicholson thanked the board and pledged to keep students at the center of every decision as she takes over the district.
“I would just like to say thank you to the board and your confidence in me and to lead Catahoula Parish School Board into a bright future,” Nicholson said. “I want to make a promise to everyone that’s here, every decision that I make will be made for the betterment of our students. That is my number one goal, to make sure that our students are prepared for a bright future.”
Nicholson also committed to transparency and collaboration as she begins the transition into the role.
“I promise to be transparent, to let you know what’s going on and to work with everyone that’s on board with Catahoula Parish, because I know that everyone is here because they love our parish and they love our kids,” Nicholson said. “I look forward to working with you all. Thank you very much.”
