Rotarian of the Day Bob Holeman introduced Dr. Troy Bell, Winn Parish School Board’s new superintendent, as Winnfield Rotary Club’s guest speaker at their Sept. 24 meeting.

Bell spent many of his formative years in Alexandria before his family moved to West Monroe, La., when he was 14. He said he was always interested in sports, playing baseball at Louisiana Tech and golf at Northeast Louisiana University.

His first career was in business management with Entergy. Several years in, he realized it was not fulfilling and felt called to coaching and education. At age 38, Bell returned to college to pursue a degree in education.

After completing that degree, Bell taught and coached in middle school and then in high school. He moved from teaching to assistant principal and then principal, later serving as assistant superintendent, a progression that led to his role as superintendent of Winn Parish Schools.

Bell taught and worked in Ouachita, Caldwell and Franklin parishes, which he said is an advantage in Winn Parish because the size and demographics of those parishes are similar. He said he is meant to be in Winn Parish at this stage of his career.

Bell said he is grateful for the orientation he is receiving from the current superintendent and staff. He has visited cafeterias in each parish school and is meeting as many staff and teachers as he can. He rode a school bus route to familiarize himself with transportation in the parish and has spent much of his time asking questions and meeting people.

Bell’s three primary goals are to increase student enrollment, keep and recruit the best teachers and improve communications between the School Board, schools and the community, keeping residents informed about what is happening in the schools.

Bell and his wife will continue to live in Kelly, La., in Caldwell Parish, which is near Columbia, La., where his wife works, and not far from Urania, La.