TCS superintendent hired at Mt. Vernon

TIFFIN — Tiffin City Schools Superintendent Ben Richards was approved by the Mount Vernon City Schools Board of Education to serve as assistant principal at Mount Vernon High School. The item was approved at a regular meeting Monday evening. "It wasn't an easy decision to make (for Richards)," said William Seder Jr., superintendent of the Mount Vernon Local School District, adding that "he (Richards) spoke very highly of the TCS community as well as his time employed with them." Richards was initially hired as TCS' superintendent in May 2022. Dustin Williams, president of the TCS Board, confirmed they received his letter of resignation Tuesday morning and that it is effective July 31. Williams said Richards's resignation is not official until the Board approves it. It is currently listed on the draft agenda for the April 22 Board meeting. According to Williams, Richards' current contract with TCS goes through July 31, 2025. In order to transition, the Board and the superintendent will enter into a separation agreement that will change the end date of his current contract. At the same time, the board will discuss the path forward regarding an interim superintendent. He also shared that the Board is aware of the reasons behind Richards leaving, but said they will leave it for him to share that information. According to Richards's resignation letter, "It is with sadness and excitement that I inform you that I plan to resign on July 31, 2024. As many of you may know, my heart has been pulling me back toward being in a building with students and away from the superintendency. Additionally, as my own kids are getting toward the end of the high school journey, it is the desire of our family to be closer to our extended family. I have found a position that allows me to do that." Per the Mount Vernon board meeting, Richards is set to start Aug. 1 under a two-year contract. However, the position comes with a significant pay cut. Previously, Richards was making $145,000 as the superintendent of TCS and will now make roughly $98,000 under MVLSD, according to Seder. According to Seder, Richards expressed a desire to return to a student setting, adding that, often, that connection can be construed or lost in an administrative position such as superintendent. He said, "He seemed passionate about having that daily connection with the kids." In his letter, Richards said that he was "aware that stability and a presence in the community were strongly desired upon taking the job." "As such, we moved our entire family into a home in Tiffin," Richards' letter continued. "We have loved the community and the people we have encountered. I am proud of many of the accomplishments in our district in a short period of time." According to the letter, Richards said the district has "hired some outstanding talent in key positions to the district that have helped move (the) district forward," and has developed "A comprehensive facility master plan and creat(ed) a collective visioning document to guide (their) focus and direction as a district were significant areas of need that are being addressed. Both processes involved stakeholder input and feedback to ensure that the needs of (their) community and students were being met." Seder went on to express how excited the district was to have him back, as Mount Vernon is where Richards began his career in education; "We're excited to have him return to the district. Knowing that he has roots in the area combined with his experience, as well as a passion for working with both colleagues and students, makes him the perfect fit for the position." "While my stay here is more brief than originally planned, my heart is at peace in doing what will bring me and my family fulfillment," Richards stated in his letter. "While I will not be here, I will still cheer you on and have nothing but love in my heart for this wonderful opportunity to serve TCS. I will do everything in my power to make this transition smooth for all parties involved." Richards will be the fifth superintendent to stay within the district for under five years since Donald Coletta, who served from January 2005 to January 2014. The previous superintendents include: Donald Coletta, January 2005 to January 2014 Vicki Wheatly, January 2014 to July 2017 Gary Barber, March 2017 to July 2020 Van McWreath, April 2021 to June 2021 Michael Zalar, August 2021 to July 2022 Benjamin Richards, May 2022 to June 2024 When asked about the high turnover rate of superintendents, Williams said: "It's always a challenge moving on from a superintendent, but it also brings up some new opportunities. It's true; our current and previous superintendents have been here for less than the average time of 3.75 years. I can't say what we may do differently going forward, other than as the Board moves through this process, we'll evaluate each step in the context of previous superintendent selections."