Oxford Area Community Schools is pleased to welcome two new administrators – high school assistant principal Ken Weaver and middle school assistant principal Jeffery Beane.
Weaver, 37, grew up in Hale, near West Branch, and graduated from Hale High School. He received his bachelors of science in history, with economics and political science minors, from Central Michigan University. After college, the new administrator took off to Utah and taught history and physical education for three years at Carbon High School.
He took a break from teaching for three years to get an English endorsement from the University of Utah.
“I had to take the time off because they only offered the classes I needed during the day,” explained Weaver. “I got about one class away from a second bachelors, but became tired of studying and wanted to work again.”
He went back into teaching and taught English and history at Copperhills High School in Utah. After three years there he entered Brigham Young University’s masters of education program and spent an entire year interning as an administrator.
“It’s a very unique program in the nation,” said Weaver. “It requires you to take the whole year off and just experience administration at all levels.”
After receiving his masters in education, Weaver and his family moved back to Michigan where he became the assistant principal at Sturgis Middle School in Sturgis.
Weaver said he is looking forward to his new position, and is especially excited to once again be working with high school students.
“Working on the middle school level is a whole different world,” he explained. “I’m looking forward to treating the students as adults and helping them to look forward into their futures.”
The new high school administrator said he has heard lots of good things about the community, and he is spending most of his time getting to know the area, the people and, most of all, the students.
“We’re in the people business,” he said. “Developing relationships is the most important part of what I do.”
“One thing I want to tell the parents is that I care about their students and the education of their students – This is the best opportunity those students have to get an education.”
Mr. Weaver wanted to emphasize that anyone an contact him at the high school (248-628-1800) at any time.
Oxford Middle School’s newest principal may be working on his first year as an administrator, but he’s now stranger to Oxford Schools.
Jeffrey Beane, 29, grew up in Oxford and graduated from Oxford High School in 1992. He received his bachelors in math, with a natural science minor, from Alma College, and his masters in education from Saginaw Valley State University.
Beane’s first position was teaching in Pinconning. After two years, he came back to Oxford to teach middle school and high school math at Crossroads for Youth for one semester and then math at the high school level.
“I became an administrator because I wanted to be more a part of the whole building and work more with the teachers,” he explained. “And I wanted to feel like I was doing something to help out with all of the kids instead of just effecting a small group.”
Beane said he is really looking forward to working with the staff and helping them guide the school in a solid direction.
“I like to focus towards that one thing and make that one thing great,” he said.
The new administrator said he’s not nervous about much, just working hard to get the little points of the job down like working the phones and the intercom system.
“I may have changed positions, but I chose to stay in education because I love working with the students,” he concluded.
The Oxford Leader would like to wish lots of luck tothe district’s two newest administrators. Enjoy the start of school and have a great year gentlemen!