Adrian Board of Education approves Adam Benschoter as Springbrook Middle School principal
ADRIAN — Adam Benschoter is now officially the full-time principal at Springbrook Middle School in Adrian.
The longtime educator and administrator was officially approved as Springbrook’s principal Monday by the Adrian Public Schools Board of Education, which approved Benschoter’s promotion unanimously. Since March 1, he has been serving as interim building principal after the promotion of former Springbrook Principal Nate Parker to superintendent.
Parker congratulated Benschoter on the promotion, saying “there is no one else” he would rather have take over the principal duties at the middle school. Parker had been Springbrook’s principal since 2010 before becoming Adrian's superintendent this spring. Parker said he and Benschoter worked together as Springbrook building administrators for six years.
Benschoter’s approval as principal went into effect Tuesday. He had been leading staff in the transition activities taking place for incoming sixth grade students, a news release from the district said.
“The whole administration team looks to you for your wisdom and guidance,” Parker said to Benschoter during Monday’s meeting. “Your approval (as principal) came highly recommended.”
Earlier report: Adrian Board of Education to consider Adam Benschoter as full-time Springbrook principal
Before joining the team of educators at Springbrook, Benschoter served in various administrative positions throughout the Adrian district for 11 years. He joined Springbrook in 2016 as the assistant principal “to help ensure a seamless transition when the sixth grade was added to the 7-8 building,” the release said.
Besides Adrian High School Principal Mike Perez, who is retiring at the end of the school year with 33 years in education administration, Benschoter is the longest tenured administrator at the district, Parker said. He accepted an administrative position with Adrian in 2005 and has served the district for the past 17 years.
Prior to joining the Adrian schools, Benschoter taught alternative education at Manchester Community Schools and Chelsea School District. His first administrative role was with Tecumseh Public Schools where he served as athletic director and dean of students.
Benschoter holds a master's degree in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University. He said he is looking forward to the challenges ahead as principal.
“The thing I love about this position is that I get to work alongside a great staff and a great community,” he said Monday. “I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of being a building principal.”
Benschoter’s approval as principal nearly takes care of all of Adrian’s principal openings. The interview process to find the next principal at Lincoln Elementary School began this week with the first round of interviews Tuesday and Wednesday, according to a report from board trustee Michael Ballard. The second round of interviews will be scheduled for next week. There is a total of seven candidates interviewing for the position, Ballard said.
Sam Skeels, who has been Lincoln’s principal for more than 10 years, will take over as high school principal July 1. Perez’s last day with the district is June 30.
In other business
The Adrian Board of Education at its meeting also:
Approved two new hires: Sarah Benard as a teacher at Springbrook, effective May 16, and Alyssa Asani, as a teacher at Adrian High School, effective for the 2022-23 school year.
Approved a three-year contract extension for lawn mowing services with Adams Property Services LLC. The extension is through June 2025 and was offered to the district at the same rates from 2016, with the exception of a fuel surcharge in the event that gasoline prices rise above $4.25 per gallon. At the approved rate, the district will be charged $43.65 per cut, covering all buildings. If at any point the district becomes dissatisfied with the services provided, there is a termination clause in the original agreement.
Approved a request to transfer $226,854 to the capital projects and technology fund and to make payments from that fund to pay for the remaining costs of the Michener athletic complex lighting project, which was approved April 25. The project, which will tear down lighting fixtures and replace them with newer lights at the athletic complex near Michener Elementary School and along Division Street, will be completed over both the 2021-22 and the 2022-23 schools years. Some of the funds used to pay for the project represent one-time payments the district received in the 2021-22 school year. The total cost of the project is $279,750 and will be completed by Brint Electric Inc.
Approved a recommendation to continue using Toft Dairy for the 2022-23 school year as the district’s milk vendor. The district spends an average of $115,000 per year on milk, assistant superintendent Kathy Westfall said.
Approved an amendment to the pupil transportation services contract with First Student. According to Westfall, the Adrian district is in a contract with First Student for privatized transportation ending in 2023-24. Due to a labor shortage of drivers, First Student has had to increase wages for drivers in order to stay competitive. This year, wages increased by 10% without an additional increase to the district. When the current agreement was signed, the district had 18 regular bus routes and one special education route. For 2022-23, bus routes will be set at 15 and routes to the Lenawee Intermediate School District Tech Center have been cut in half. Head Start has also reduced routes from three in 2019 to one for 2022-23. With the contractual reduction of routes, the cost of transportation services for the district will be $937,980, which ends up being a savings for the district from $1,060,711, which would have been the amount the district would be charged for 18 routes.
Approved setting the 2022 operating and debt service tax levies of 18 mills for operations, 3.5 mills for the 2017 debt service and 2.2 mills for the 2016 debt services and authorizing the board president and secretary, or the secretary pro-tem, to sign the required tax certification. The tax certification for collection of summer taxes must occur prior to the beginning of June 2022, Westfall said.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian Board of Education approves Benschoter as Springbrook principal
