Roger Henry
September 26, 2018
Then & NOW
September 27, 2018
The Lafourche Pariah School System is getting closer to naming its next superintendent.
The school board announced at a special meeting this week that it’s narrowed its search to replace Dr. Jo Ann Matthews down to three applicants – a trim from the five candidates who have applied for the job.
At the meeting, it was announced that Aubrey “Bubba” Orgeron Louis Voiron and Clyde Washington would all be interviewed for the position in the coming weeks.
Matthews will retire after a lengthy tenure as super-intendent next spring.
The Times reported a few weeks ago Niles Riche and C. Michael Rotdnson Jr. also applied, though it appears they will not he under consideration at this time.
Two of the candidates in the search have deep Lafourche Parish ties.
Orgeron is the current Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Terrebonne, but he cornea from a decorated background in Lafourche, including a stint as the principal at South Iafourche High School
Voiron, too. was a principal in Lafourche, having served as a coach and teacher at East Thibodaux Junior High before becoming an assistant principal, then principal. In the put several years, Voiron has worked tor the school board.
He’s the board’s current Director of Human Resources.
Washington’s current work is outside of the area, but he has experience in educational administration and also in the Bayou Region.
He was a principal at several schools in Terrebonne Parish and he’s currently the Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Rapides Pariah.
Whoever ultimately wins the job will be taking over at a difficult time. Lafourche’s school budgets have been in crisis over the past several years and several non-teaching positions have been eliminated to offset the gaps.
Matthews said that more cuts could be expected if the economic climate locally didn’t drastically change in the coming years, especially after a proposed tax increase for teacher pay failed.
