Southwood High administration forces football, basketball coaches to reapply for positions
In a major shakeup at Southwood High School, interim principal Betty Jordan is requiring most of the coaching staff to reapply for their positions.
Most of the current coaches were hired by former principal Dr. Kim Pendleton, who retired unexpectedly in early November. Jordan, a veteran of the Caddo Public School system, was named to fill in through the remainder of the school year but her tenure could carry over to next fall.
Football coach Jesse Esters, along with basketball coaches Cindee Wright-Clark and Brandon Gultery, were told Tuesday that they must go through the hiring process again to keep their jobs.
Esters said the coaches were told the administration wants to conduct a reconstitution of the embattled school.
“They said they are vacating all coaches’ positions,” Esters said. “I have some personal feelings about it, but I don’t want to speak on them right now.”
Esters said he and his wife were in discussions about whether he should reapply.
Jordan could not be reached for comment at her office, on her cell phone or by email, but Caddo Schools athletic director Anthony Tisdale said Jordan was exercising her right to repost those three positions.
"They will be given an opportunity to interview for the positions and she will also interview people from the outside,” Tisdale said. “I wasn’t able to communicate with her on why she wants to do it.”
High school coaching in Caddo Parish is a non-tenured position and coaches work at the will of the principal.
Southwood has been in turmoil for several years with fights between student gangs erupting at various times. That resulted in the formation of an organization called “Dads on Duty,” a group of volunteer fathers who spend time at the school to help stem the violence.
Jordan became interim principal Nov. 4 after stints at Woodlawn, BTW, Bethune and Broadmoor.
Jimmy Watson covers Shreveport-Bossier area sports. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Southwood shakeup: Football, basketball coaches must reapply for jobs
