Self-titled “bonafide education nerd” Jason VanMetre is the Calcasieu Parish School Board’s new superintendent.

The decision was made at a special meeting on Tuesday with a vote of 8-7 after four rounds of voting. 

VanMatre will succeed Shannon LaFargue, who was selected as superintendent in 2022 and announced his retirement in early May.

He has been CPSB’s chief academic officer since 2022.

He was a teacher at Barbe High from 1998 to 2000 and 2020 to 2012, assistant principal at Sulphur High from 2012 to 2015, principal at Westlake High from 2015 to 2019 and director of management information systems from 2019 to 2022. 

He holds a Bachelor of Science in biology education and a Master of Education in educational administration from McNeese State University. He earned a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from Lamar University.