Larry Contri, Former Interim School Superintendent, Vies for a Board Seat

Sherrel Stewart | July 5, 2017

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Veteran Birmingham educator Larry Contri, who was interim school superintendent, is running for a seat on the Birmingham Board of Education. Contri wasn’t considered for the superintendent slot.

Contri qualified on Friday to run in District 3. Mary Drennen Boehm, the former executive director of A+ College Ready Alabama, has also qualified for that race.

Contri says his decision to run for office has no correlation with the Birmingham school board’s decision to hire Superintendent Lisa Herring.

“I had started several initiatives, not just in District 3, but across the district. I believe with Dr. Herring and the newly elected school board, these things can be accomplished,” Contri says.

Community leaders and some educators questioned why he and other applicants from Alabama were not among the finalists earlier this year for superintendent. Contri sued to block the hiring process but was not successful

He retired on July 1 after working for Birmingham City Schools 51 years. He was educated in Birmingham schools and is a graduate of Woodlawn High School.

“I’ve always had a desire to serve on the school board. As long as you are an employee, you can not run for a seat on the board,” he says. “But with retirement, the time was right.”