Ronnie Devall Retires from Central School System

By Beth Fussell

It was announced this week that Mr. Ronnie Devall, a longtime educator and administrator in Central, has retired from his position as Assistant Superintendent to the Central Community School System.  Mr. Devall has been working in the education field for over 39 years.  He received his BA in Health and P.E. with a Minor in Social Studies from Southeastern University, and he returned to school at LSU soon after to earn his Masters in Administrative Education.  He has followed that path and worked within his strengths ever since, teaching, coaching, and leading at schools both inside and outside of the Central Community School System.

Mr. Devall’s journey as an educator began in January of 1971.  In what he calls a “very pleasurable ride,” he took positions as teacher and basketball coach at Broadmoor High and Central High, took an assistant coaching position at Southeastern University, and finally, in 1995, found himself back at Central High School as principal.  He would keep that position for over 14 years until being hired in 2009 as the CCSS Assistant Superintendent.

Of his career, Mr. Devall says that returning to Central High School as Principal was a “dream come true,” and he had similar sentiments in regards to his job as Assistant Superintendent.  He said that never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would be the Central High School Principal, or that he would finish his career as Assistant Superintendent for the school system.

When asked about Central’s transition to becoming its own school system, Mr. Devall said that it was a very important factor in helping Central schools become better.  It has been a major achievement to control our own destiny as a school system so that we can accomplish important academic goals that would have been much more difficult to reach under East Baton Rouge Parish.  He says it has been “like daylight and dark,” as we now receive more funds for our schools and have even greater community support than before. 

If anyone can see the difference, it is Mr. Ronnie Devall, who has come full circle from student to educator, and finally to administrator at Central High and in the new Central Community School System.  Mr. Devall has given a lot to our schools and our community, and we wish him the best in his retirement.