A Message from the Superintendent

Welcome to the Monroe City School District and our website. It is an honor and privilege to serve as superintendent of the Monroe City School District. In the Monroe community, we take pride in our diversity, our excellent quality of life, and the success of our local schools. Our district is committed to bringing out the best in each and every child and recognizes that strong schools are the foundation of a strong community.

We believe in the extraordinary potential of all of our more than 8500 students and are committed to meeting their individual needs. Our work together requires teamwork, dedication and collaboration. That collaboration extends beyond our school district staff and students to the entire community. This school year the district will embark on a very thorough strategic planning process. Louisiana has a tougher and new rating system that will force lower ratings for schools. With that said we plan to engage our community, staff and students in creating a shared vision that will guide us on our journey. We are very proud of the accomplishments of our students and staff, and with the help and support of our community look forward to creating new levels of greatness.

I look forward to working with all members of our school and community family as we continue to make strides in the education of our young people!

I invite you to join our journey toward excellence. If you have any questions, or if we can be of assistance, please feel free to call us at 318-325-0601.

Dr. Brent Vidrine

Dr. Brent Vidrine took the position as superintendent of Monroe City Schools in June 2013. Dr. Vidrine has more than 30 years of professional experience in the educational realm, including 10 years in the state of Texas. In Texas, Mr. Vidrine served as a middle school reading and English teacher. At 30 years of age, he became an assistant principal at Woodrow Wilson High School.

In 1998, Dr. Vidrine moved to Monroe, Louisiana to serve as principal of Neville High School. During his 15 year tenure at Neville High School, he has been the voice for nearly 15,000 students and mentor for approximately 450 staff members. It was an appointment he did not take lightly, and the success of Neville High School has been and continues to be recognized throughout the state of Louisiana for its excellence in academic achievement and sportsmanship. His charge remains the same which is to see our community transformed by the important work going on in the Monroe City School District. Dr. Vidrine says giving kids a solid foundation of hope is what being an educator all is about, which is what initially led him to a career in the field of education.

Growing up in Eunice, Louisiana, Dr. Vidrine's parents instilled in him the importance of hard work and education. Also, he was influenced by his grandfather’s hard work ethic and the characteristics of his grandmother’s loving and uncanny wisdom.

Dr. Vidrine graduated from Northeast Louisiana University, which is now known as The University of Louisiana at Monroe. He came to the university and was a member of the baseball team. Dr. Vidrine believes his involvement in sports and having coaches and teachers who genuinely cared for him both athletically and academically helped lead him to his professional success. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he moved to Texas where he graduated with a Master’s Degree from Texas A@M Commerce. While in Texas, he and his former wife had two children. His son and daughter are products of the Monroe City School System. His son Austin is a graduate of both Neville High School and Louisiana Tech University. His daughter Laura is also a graduate of Neville High School and Louisiana Tech University.

Dr. Vidrine has served as a member and committee chairmen for the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA). During 2012-2013, Dr. Vidrine served as the President of LHSAA. What makes him happiest is seeing the success of others; he is eager to lead the way, not by walking in front of others, but by walking beside them and giving them support.

One of his favorite quotes comes from the great Chinese philosopher Lao-tsu who said, "When the best leader's work is done, the people will say, 'We did it ourselves.'" When this happens, he knows he will have achieved success.