VIDALIA — After approximately four years of hiatus, interviews for the Concordia Parish School District’s Leadership Development Academy are expected to begin soon.

The academy was approved during last month’s school board meeting.

“We’re trying to identify and prepare future school administrators for the district,” CPSD Superintendent Paul Nelson said.

Interviews are scheduled to take place at the end of November and early December to try and get the academy ready for the spring semester.

“We hope to have sort of our first meeting in December and then we’ll meet roughly once a month for the rest of the school year,” Nelson said.

The academy was put on hiatus because of a lack of participation, Nelson said. Over the summer, Nelson said board members talked about the possibility of restarting the academy.

“And now we’re in the process of rebooting the program,” Nelson said.

Teachers who participate in the program will have to attend 80 percent of all meetings and activities. Participants are also expected to complete all assigned reading and related assignments.

Other expectations include taking a minimum of six credit hours per year in a Louisiana Department of Education-approved administrator preparation program and performing some administrative duties.

“We’re hoping that our program will sort of run parallel to a university program they’re involved in,” Nelson said.

Academy members enter at the lowest level of “Administrative Trainee,” unless they have already been completely certified and are performing some administrative duties.

“The goal is to try and educate people and give them a better understanding of the processes and procedures we follow here in Louisiana and here in our school system,” Nelson said.

It’s expected the academy will cost approximately $20,000. The money will go to supplements for participants, who will be doing extra duties at their schools, and as payment for extra days worked.

The plan is for the program to run four years for an applicant, with their participation being renewed yearly.

Nelson expects the academy to accept 10 to 15 applicants.

As part of the application packet, teachers need a letter of recommendation from their principal and to write a series of short essays.

While Nelson would have to approve the applicants under ACT I, which gives the superintendent authority over hiring and firing personnel, he said decisions will be made by a committee involving the District Leadership Team.

“It will be sort of a group decision,” Nelson said.

The application deadline is 4 p.m. Friday. The application, and information packet, can be found on the main page of the Concordia Parish School Board website under “Latest News” and “Administrator Development Program.”