Mark Bennett, Keene Central School’s new superintendent (Provided photo by Naj Wikoff)

With the signing of a contract on Tuesday, Nov. 18, Keene Central School officially has a new superintendent, Mark Bennett, who will take up his duties in January.

Bennett succeeds Dan Mayberry, who, after 13 years of leading the school, accepted a new position as Guilderland’s superintendent of schools.

Bennett will step down as assistant superintendent for curriculum at the Potsdam Central School District and bring 23 years of experience in education to Keene Central. His experience includes serving as a middle school and high school principal and a fifth-grade teacher. Bennett has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education and teaching from SUNY Potsdam, and a certificate of advanced study in education leadership from SUNY Plattsburgh.

“While between Cynthia and Dan we are losing 30 years of experience, we are gaining a superintendent who comes from a different system who will bring new ideas,” said Keene Central Principal Bob Woughter. “It’s an exciting time for us, and to see what Mark will notice and learn his priorities as we try to keep Keene as relevant as it can be and attract more folks here. That’s our path. A benefit is that he knows the North Country and desires a small school where he can be in a classroom and connect with the community. He’s a small-town guy. I am pleased that we got someone who leans in to small-town rural education.”

KCS search committee sought and received advice on what was desired in a new superintendent from a wide range of community and school stakeholders, including students and teachers.

Emily Reynolds Berg, president of the Keene Central School school board and Cynthia Ford-Johnston, interim superintendent (Provided photo by Naj Wikoff)

“We took all that into account as we conducted several interviews,” said Emily Reynolds Berg, president of the school board. “I learned through this process that the community cares about the budget, and the teachers care about somebody who is innovative and approachable. The students had a list of changes they’d like to see, and desired somebody who would implement change.”

Reynolds Berg said the guidance Cynthia Ford-Johnston and their search consultant provided was invaluable. They had 13 applicants. First, they vetted the resumes and their references, and, benefiting from the survey, they reduced the field initially to six, then three, who were interviewed. The feedback was very detailed, and they identified various percentages of opinions and desires.

“I learned that there’s no easy decision when it comes to making a leadership decision on behalf of many people who have many different ideas on what’s best,” said Reynolds Berg. “We selected a person who met the criteria of everybody to some degree. The process entailed a lot of time and listening.”

After meeting Bennett, people are very excited and pleased to be going forward with him, and he is with Keene Central, its faculty, students, and their families and the community at large.

“What I loved about being a principal of a school is that I knew every family, every child; as an assistant superintendent, I didn’t expect that disconnect,” said Bennett. “I didn’t belong to a building anymore. I was there to support the teachers, but I didn’t have much connection with the kids, which is why I became a fifth-grade teacher. When the opening at Keene was posted, I was incredibly interested in getting back to working in that small environment, where I’d know the families and the students. I also wanted to come back to Essex County, to my roots. I have been away for 30 years.”

“Keene’s sense of community is so interwoven,” said Bennett. “I think the heartbeat of the school is that the community and the school are so intertwined. The community’s support for the school is amazing. Another is the mentoring of the younger kids by the older students, that’s very special.”

As a consequence, once here in January, Bennett wants to meet as many business and nonprofit leaders, store owners, local government leaders, and as many people who call Keene home as possible. A fun fact about Bennett is that he loves to cook and will be bringing two smokers with him, along with his wife and family.

“A challenge for education is that both on the federal and state levels, there is reduced funding,” said Bennett. “It makes it harder because we then become more reliant on local tax revenue, and, at the same time, with the economy the way it is, it’s hard to ask people to give more when people are worried about filling their fuel tanks. If I’m asking for something in the budget, I need to let the community know that it has an educational impact; there’s a need, and that we’ve exhausted every other avenue.”

Bennett intends to work hard to find grant funding, explore shared services with BOCES and nearby schools to reduce costs, and find other levels to pull from. Bennett understands that the community can’t provide all the funds desired or needed; therefore, he sees attracting new outside funding and establishing strategic partnerships as one of his major priorities.

“You want your students to leave the nest, leave the school with an understanding of the world in which they live, that they have critical thinking skills, they can make judgments based on evidence, and they can use a variety of tools to meet their needs,” said Bennett. “You want them to leave with a metacognitive understanding — understand how to think, how to adapt — I think that’s the student who will be successful. Along with that is a work ethic and an understanding of community connection, no matter where you live. It’s not just me. I’m part of a larger global community, and understanding that I can have a positive impact locally, nationally, and internationally.”

Bennett wants Keene graduates to have the fundamental skills that will enable them to thrive in a changing world. To date, no college or program of higher learning has been out of reach for a Keene Central grad; Bennett wants to help future graduates build on that tradition.

As for Cynthia Ford-Johnston, she has decided to step away from serving as an interim superintendent for schools in transition; indeed, she made that decision several years ago, but when Keene Central needed one, she couldn’t refuse.

“The most special aspect of Keene Central is the idea that all the students can be all of whatever they want to be, and that they have the opportunity to be involved in everything,” said Ford-Johnston.

(Naj Wikoff lives in Keene Valley and has been writing his column for the Lake Placid News since 2005.)