During a special meeting Thursday, the Bogalusa City Schools Board of Education approved a two-year contract for incoming superintendent Lisa Tanner. The initial contract will begin on Thursday, June 1, and end on Saturday, June 1, 2019, and board president Curtis Creel said it could be extended.

The vote was unanimous, with only Adam Kemp absent.

Tanner enthusiastically said she was “ready to get to work.”

Current superintendent Willie “Toni” Breaux previously announced that her resignation would be effective June 30, but on Thursday the 70-year-old said she is “ready to go home.”

“They are going to work out some kind of agreement with me,” Breaux said. “I have sick days and vacation days left.”

She got choked up when she announced that this was “probably” her last board meeting. Then she congratulated Tanner.

“I think she knows about the system,” Breaux said. “I told her to contact me any time, and I will leave a list of the things that are required.”

Next, she thanked the board.

“I appreciate your support,” Breaux said. “It’s been hard. I hope you can do better than me. I ask forgiveness for anything that I have done wrong.

“It has been a dream, but the dream did not come true. It was kind of a nightmare. But I want nothing but the best for Bogalusa City Schools. It’s all about educating our children.”

The board members each thanked her in return.

“I appreciate the effort you put into it,” Creel said. “It is a monumental task, with the number of employees and students. We’ve got a long row to hoe. We’ll do the best we can.”

Tanner, a former Teacher of the Year for the Bogalusa City School System, is currently the principal of Franklinton High School. She has said she wants to focus on the success stories throughout the BCS system and on student achievement, while working to improve school pride.

Tanner also said she would like to form a district steering committee to gather public feedback, in order to develop a strategic plan for the future of the BCS system.