After a career spanning 37 years in education, Superintendent Kent Reed announced Monday night he would be retiring on July 1.
He has been guiding the Allen Parish School Board for the last four years as superintendent and has made great strides in changing the face of education in the parish, both instructionally and physically.
“I have spoken with the board members and would like to announce that when my contract expires on June 30, of this year, I will not be seeking an extension and will be officially retiring on July 1,” Reed said. The board had entered executive session Monday evening to discuss the superintendent’s contract.
Carolyn Manuel, board member, said she was not expecting Reed to retire, but she understood. She knows it was a hard decision, but those four years have been hard for Reed as he guided the parish through Covid and hurricanes, rebuilding and dealing with technological shifting in order to have school.
“We were all surprised and sad,” Manuel said. She described Reed as a hard working and dedicated person calling him the ever-ready bunny. “There was nothing he wouldn’t do.”
Manuel didn’t think anyone knew he was going to make the announcement. She said whoever takes his place will have some big shoes to fill. “We will definitely miss him.”
The board was going to amend the agenda Monday night but decided to wait until March to begin the process of advertising for a new superintendent and then following with an interview and selection. Reed said he would “do whatever is needed to assure a smooth transition when a new superintendent is appointed.”
Reed noted it has been an honor to serve as superintendent and thanked the board for the opportunity to lead the district. “I also want you to know how much I appreciate the support, patience and guidance you showed me as we navigated some very difficult times the past few years. I have been very fortunate to work for such a great board, and I openly communicate that to people anytime I get the opportunity.”
Reed said his decision did not come easy, “but after 37 years of service as a high school English teacher, football, basketball and track coach for eight years, high school assistant principal for eight years, high school principal for 10 years and for the past 11 years, I have served in the various positions – CTE supervisor, CWA supervisor, transportation supervisor, personnel supervisor and school superintendent. I have truly enjoyed my career as an educator and look forward to the next phase of my life as I enter retirement.”
Reed also thanked his supervisors, school employees, central office, maintenance department, technology center, school leaders, counselors, teachers – everyone working in the district – for their support and the opportunity to work with them. “I just want all of them to know that I appreciate each and every one of them.”
Reed said he wanted to be remembered as a person who “was fair, honest, hard-working who cared about and made decisions for the good of ‘all students.’” He will be remembered for that and all of the district’s accomplishments during the last four years. Under his guidance, the district has completed maintenance upgrades, maintained a fiscally sound budget, aligned the district toward the critical goals of the state department and the parish and maintained a quality early childhood program making sure all students are kindergarten ready. He worked to establish a district literary coordinator to oversee the parish’s literacy program to meet a parish goal that all third graders are reading at a third grade level.
Under his leadership, the district also created an electronic benchmark assessment program to track students and make sure they are achieving and meeting goals set. The district has continued to grow the percentage of students scoring “proficient” on LEAP assessments and making sure high school students are graduating on-time and ready for college and career jobs, as well as being ‘TOPS’ eligible. And looking toward the future, Reed has guided the district to create an Ed-Rising program to grow future educators for the district. Reed also worked hard to make sure the district continued to recruit quality, certified teachers and is always working on ways to make adjustments to the district’s salary schedule when possible, as well as making sure quality health insurance is available to all employees at an affordable price.
Manuel said, “All of us – not just one of us – would have wanted him to stay. He’s leaving us in good shape.”
Reed said he and his wife sat down over the Christmas break and discussed his retirement. He knew it was time to renegotiate his contract, and he said they decided it was a good time for him to retire. He started in the education business at 22, and next month he will turn 60. He’s going to enjoy family, some travel and playing golf.
