DECATUR — Almost two years to the day after the Decatur School District began its journey through fiscal distress and state control, the school will make an important step towards independence.

On July 1, state-appointed superintendent LeRoy Ortman will hand over the reins to Dr. Larry Ben.

Ben said his first goal is to get to know the community and become a part of it.

“I’m excited; I’m anxious to get started. I want to go ahead and start meeting people,” Ben said.

Ben already has a history in the western part of Benton County. He worked at the Gravette High School as a football coach in the early 1990s, and still has a Gravette address although Ben and his wife Dana actually live in the Bentonville School District.

Ben was raised in Oklahoma and graduated from the Tahlequah High School and then Northeastern State University. He went on to teach in the Tahlequah School District and then came to Gravette to coach football.

In 1993 Ben moved to the Rogers School District where he served as assistant principal of the Lingle Middle School and then the assistant principal of Rogers High School before becoming the principal of the Rogers High School sophomore campus.

In the seven years Ben served as the principal of the sophomore campus, heoversaw the education of more than 1,000 students. He finished his doctorate in educational leadership in 2000, and he gained plenty of experience working with teachers and staff and assisting with curriculum.

Ben’s time at the sophomorecampus ended when the district built a bigger high school to accommodate the growth in northwest Arkansas. Ben said he chose to work as a biology teacher and football coach for the past two years so he could spend more time with his two sons while they were in high school.

While in Rogers, Ben took the middle school teachers on a retreat to develop a single focus for the school. After spending the weekend boiling all the principles of education down to the most important thing, the teachers chose relevancy.

“Kids remember things they think they need to know for as long as they think they need to know them. If they think they need to know them for the quiz they will remember them until the quiz. If they think they need to know them for life they will always remember them ... As adults wepast, the district now faces the challenge of declining enrollment. According to the statistics Ortman presented at the last town hall meeting, 22 students have left the school in the last two months alone, bringing the total enrollment down to 466.

Ben said he has already been going over the budget with Ortman and reviewing the enrollment and financial challenges. His plan to increase enrollment includes strengthening the district academically to the point that people in other districts will want to transfer their children to Decatur so they can get I better education.

“I want to lead the community and the school in terms of education. I want to develop a sense of pride and a place we can be proud of ... My biggest goal is to make this a place where people will want to go to school,” Ben said.

When asked if he thought a stronger sports program would improve Decatur’s enrollment, Ben replied, “I think we need a strong program in everything.” He explained that kids need an opportunity to do things they excel at whether it be blowing a horn, playing football, fishing, riding ause the same kind of process; we couldn’t possibly remember everything we’ve learned. It wouldn’t be efficient,” Ben said.

While relevancy may not be the best focus for the Decatur schools, Ben plans to use the same methods to help teachers come up with a mission.

Ben also worked to develop an outdoor education class that is now used in Rogers, Bentonville and Springdale. The class integrates activities like fly fishing, bow hunting and camping with science. High school students earn physical education and science credits at the same time. While fly fishing, students also learn about stream ecology and how water temperature and chemistry affect the fish. Once again, the key is relevancy.

Ben said he hasn’t had time to consider adding an outdoor education program in Decatur, but it could be a something he will look into.

While the Decatur School District’s financial troubles are a thing of thehorse, or whatever else may interest them.

“It’s an important part of education,” he said.

Although Ben doesn’t have much free time, he enjoys fishing and playing the guitar and is currently in a band that plays bluegrass music. He also enjoys watching his two sons play sports.

Ben will be introduced to parents and community members at a meetthe-superintendent night planned for 6 p.m., June 3, at the Northside Elementary School cafeteria. Ortman will also be honored for his service at the event. The school will be serving a chili supper and students will be performing.

News, Pages 1 on 05/19/2010