A longtime Oregon-Davis principal has been named the school corporation’s next superintendent. Elementary School Principal Bill Bennett was given the superintendent’s job during a special school board meeting Monday.
He told board members that he’s looking forward to the challenge. “I’m very excited but I also know we have a lot of work to do, and I think we can get to where we need to get in the future,” he said. “So thank you again for this opportunity, and I look forward to working with all of you, a lot of you in the room, either as parents or staff members.”
The school board chose Bennett from a pool of 14 applicants, according to School Board President Annette Ferch. She said that what set him apart is that they feel he’s determined to continue his career at Oregon-Davis, rather than moving on to a larger school corporation. Ferch said that Bennett is extremely knowledgeable, has an excellent student learning philosophy and communication skills, and has done a good job leading the elementary school staff. Bennett has taken all of the coursework for his superintendent’s license and is working on his dissertation at Indiana State University.
As part of a three-year contract, Bennett will get an annual base salary of $95,000, plus benefits. He replaces Dr. Don Harman, who left Oregon-Davis after nearly four years to take over as executive director of the Northern Indiana Educational Services Center.
In other business Monday, the school board approved a $500 service award stipend for incoming High School Principal B.J. Awald. Education Consultant Jim Dermody noted that she’s been serving as acting principal throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, even though her principal’s contract doesn’t technically begin until July 1.
“Mrs. Awald has worked tirelessly to fulfill the various duties of the principal since I’ve been here, from April through June 30 – because she’s still got through June 30, 2020 coming – in an extremely challenging environment – I can’t imagine a more, in a lot of ways, challenging environment – all the while under the guidelines of a guidance counselor contract,” Dermody said.
Awald thanked Dermody and the board members for the stipend.
