Ben LaGrone

LaGrone earned a B.S. in Agri-Business in 1984, a B.A. in Elementary Education in 1986, M.Ed. in Education Administration and Supervision in 1989 and completed 30+ graduate hours in Educational Administration and Supervision in 1994.  He is the director of the Department of Teaching and Learning for the Natchitoches Parish School Board.

LaGrone began his career as a teacher and coach at Montgomery Junior High and High School, providing instruction in math, science, social studies and P.E.  He was assistant principal at South Grant Elementary for three years, then was a site administrator at Grant Alternative School before he was named principal at Dry Prong Junior High where he served from 1997-2008. He also served as a mentor principal for the Louisiana Educational Leadership Induction Program.  LaGrone was Grant Parish Principal of the Year in 2002 and was a regional finalist for Louisiana Principal of the Year.

In 2008, LaGrone was appointed principal at NSU Middle Lab School, where he created a system to ensure a safe and orderly school environment and a “learning first” culture. He has also been director of the Louisiana Gear Up Summer Camp, for eighth graders who will become first generation college students. He was Natchitoches Parish Principal of the Year in 2010. In 2017, NSU Middle Lab was named a Blue Ribbon School and in 2018, LaGrone was again named Natchitoches Parish Principal of the Year. He has served the profession in many capacities, as a member of numerous academic committees and participating in many leadership training initiatives.