The St Tammany School Board decided yesterday that Northshore High School Principal Frank Jabbia, who has spent his entire professional career in the school system, will become its newest superintendent.
Jabbia was emotional as he thanked the board that chose him by a 10-vote majority. Jabbia said he promised not to let down the school system and would do everything in his power to get them back to the top of the state rankings.
The vote came after more than an hour of debate over how to proceed, with much of the discussion centered on whether to re-advertise the position in hopes of drawing some out-of-state candidates, as three members urged. Concerns had been voiced that none candidates for the job were from outside the school system. Jabbia takes over the job from his father, long-time administrator Peter Jabbia, who has been interim superintendent since Trey Folse left the system in June to go work for Superintendent Cade Brumley.
