OPSB Votes in New Board President & Vice President

(New Orleans – January 18, 2022) — During its regular monthly board meeting, the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) unanimously voted to install Olin G. Parker as its President and Dr. Jancarlos (J.C) Wagner Romero as its Vice President.

"I'd like to thank my fellow board members for your belief in me. I think we have a very experienced, very collegial, very hard-working board, and it's an honor to serve with you," said OPSB President Olin G. Parker. "I think there's a lot of work to do to continue to move the fall forward on returning to normalcy, moving academic achievement forward, finding a new superintendent, continuing to focus on things like racial equity, special education, and mental health innovation. There's a lot of work to do, and I am excited to see what we can accomplish together."

Mr. Parker also thanked former OPSB Board President Ethan Ashley for his service to the board.

"It's not lost on me or anybody on this board how much time and effort you have put into your service as board president, serving almost the entirety of your term in the global pandemic, leading in ways that you never thought you would have to lead."

"Thanks to my colleagues for a unanimous vote for your belief in me. Vice President Marshall, I have some big shoes to fill, but I'm looking forward to working with you in partnering to make this district even better," said OPSB Vice -President Wagner Romero.

"On behalf of our Central Office administration, let me also congratulate you, President Parker, and Vice President Dr. Wagner Romero, on your new appointments this evening, and we look forward to working with the both of you," said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr.

OPSB President Olin G. Parker represents District 3, which includes parts of Gentilly, Lakeview, the Lake Area, Mid-City, and Bayou St. John. He has dedicated his entire career to education, most recently as the Executive Director overseeing all charter and nonpublic school accountability at the Louisiana Department of Education. In this role, Mr. Parker helped expand access to high quality schools for Louisiana families, designed and implemented support and accountability frameworks impacting hundreds of schools, and managed statewide programs and federal grants with a combined budget of over $50 million that impacted tens of thousands of students annually.

In addition to his leadership at the state level, Mr. Parker has helped to design and implement data systems for schools and districts, assisted educators in rapid response to natural and manmade disasters, and served as a mentor to new teachers. He is also a former high school math teacher at both charter and traditional district schools in Louisiana.

Mr. Parker has been involved with numerous community organizations as a board member and volunteer. Currently he serves as the Senior Warden at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, as a board member of St. Andrew's Episcopal School, and as a youth sports coach of the 18th Ward Sports Club, an organization he co-founded with other educators. Prior to his election to the school board, Mr. Parker served two terms as the chairperson of the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization.

Mr. Parker is the husband of a lifelong educator and current school administrator, and the proud parent of three children, all of whom attend public schools.

OPSB Vice President Jancarlos "J.C." Wagner Romero is a native New Orleanian who has dedicated his entire adult career to the field of education. He was elected to serve the people of District 4 (covering parts of Algiers, the French Quarter, Marigny and Bywater) on December 5, 2020. A former high school dropout, raised by a single immigrant mother from Nicaragua, Dr. Romero understands the positive impact that a strong education can have on the life trajectory of a young person. He is deeply committed to working to ensure that education is the gateway for cultivating sustainable and socially just communities in the City of New Orleans.

Dr. Wagner Romero is a former schoolteacher who is passionate about providing students with the opportunities they need to succeed in school and beyond. He began his Orleans Parish teaching career in District 4 at Paul Habans Elementary School in Algiers. During his tenure as a teacher, Dr. Romero was honored as Teacher of the Year in 2015.

Dr. Wagner Romero is a former local and international school and network leader dedicated to cultivating the skills and capacity of educators. He has been recognized as a successful international school turnaround principal and continues to engage in critical educational issues as an adjunct professor of education and CEO and principal consultant of Romero Educational Strategies, LLC. He received his GED and A.A. degree in English Literature from Delgado Community College, B.A. in sociology from Northwestern State University, M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction from Northeastern University, and doctorate in educational practice from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Dr. Wagner Romero remains heavily engaged in the New Orleans community, serving on a variety of boards, including that of the Center for Racial Justice at Dillard University. He lives in Algiers with his husband, Alex Wagner-Romero, and their four dogs—Titi, Patches, Frankie Rue, and Jack.

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About NOLA Public Schools: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish. It includes the district's administration and elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 76 public schools and is led by Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr.

For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.