For the first time in Ascension School Board history, term limits will reshape the governing body, making a significant shift in leadership for one of Louisiana’s largest school districts.
Five of the 11 board members cannot seek reelection this fall because they have reached the maximum three consecutive terms allowed under a measure approved by Ascension Parish more than a decade ago.
The departing members are Robyn Delaney, Julie Blouin, John Murphy, Taft Kleinpeter and Louis Lambert.
This election cycle will be the first time in the history of the Ascension Parish School Board that term limits will impact its members.
The term limits stem from a 2012 Louisiana law requiring each parish to decide whether to limit school board members to three consecutive four-year terms. Ascension voters approved the measure, with the term count beginning Jan. 1, 2014.
While all 11 seats will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot, the five term-limited members are prohibited from seeking reelection.
With a big board turnover, Board President Jared Bercegeay said the biggest change will be replacing years of institutional knowledge.
“It often takes several years for members to fully understand school finance, state accountability systems, capital projects, the bond process and the many responsibilities of the board,” he said.
Bercegeay said another concern is maintaining momentum on projects that span multiple years. Still, he said he believes the district is positioned to manage the transition because six members are still eligible to serve.
While knowledge can be lost due to limited terms, Bercegeay said term limits can bring fresh perspectives and new approaches to solving challenges, because new members often bring different professional backgrounds and experiences that can strengthen board discussions.
He said term limits have benefits because they encourage greater civic participation by creating regular opportunities for community members to seek public office.
Among the five members leaving the board is John Murphy, who has served for nearly 24 years, making him the longest-serving term-limited member.
“It’s like a gift,” he said. “Over 20,000 people in my district and they’ve shown me their support for 24 years. That’s a big deal to me.”
Murphy, a former teacher and coach, said he first sought office in 2002 because his children were in the school system.
During his tenure, Murphy has served six terms with five different superintendents. He said even with different leaders and board members, each has had the same goal of bettering Ascension Parish schools.
Murphy said that although term limits prevent him from seeking another term, he already knew that the past four years would be his last.
“I knew that I was not going to run, even with term limits, that this would be it. I’m 61 years old now, and I felt I’ve done my service,” he said. “I’ll be there for whatever they need, but it was just time.”
Two of the other board members who are term-limited declined to comment on the election or their tenure, and two others could not be reached for comment.
Qualifying for the upcoming election opens Aug. 5 and closes Aug. 7 at 4:30 p.m. Voters will elect all 11 Ascension Parish School Board members on Nov. 3.
All 11 members run in a district that is defined by approximately one-eleventh of the parish’s voting population. Eligible candidates must live within the boundary of the district where they qualify to run.