Tressa Miller on Tuesday became acting finance director of the St. Landry Parish School Board. Long-time director Randy Manuel is retiring.

Miller, a CPA, will shepherd the board through upcoming budget adjustments necessary to accommodate drastic changes in expenses and revenues.

In other business at its April meeting, the board heard a lengthy presentation from representatives of the proposed J.S. Clark Leadership Academy charter school application.

The Opelousas school, if approved, would open in July 2011 with students in grades 5-7, eventually growing to a 5-12 facility.

Board of Secondary and Elementary Education rules of procedure required the application to be reviewed by an independent committee which forwards a recommendation to the parish superintendent, who in turns makes a recommendation to the full board, which can agree or disagree.

Supt. Michael Nassif said Tuesday that committee is already studying the current application.

The committee is comprised of one member each appointed by ULS and LSUE, one legislator-designated member and two central office members appointed by Nassif.

The board will received Nassif’s recommendation at its May meeting.

Previous charter applications have been rejected.

The board also heard from parents appealing for renewed and expanded emphasis on inclusion of students with disabilities in the classroom mainstream in the wake of the system being declared unitary by the federal courts.

That appeal, and an accompanying proposed policy of procedure, will next be heard in committee.

The board also formally recognized the system’s previously announced Teachers of the Year: Elementary - Octavia Jackson, Leonville; Middle - Amy Carrier, Park Vista; High School - Elizabeth Hebert, Eunice.