Fairfax Resident Julie Benay Accepts Mallets Bay Position

[Henry]

Swanton Elementary School Principal Julie Benay has decided to accept a position at the Mallets Bay School in Colchester.

    The decision comes after the Swanton board of trustees chose to offer Benay a contract for the next school year on Monday.

    According to reports in the Messenger’s sister publication, The Colchester Sun, the Colchester School Board interviewed Benay on Tuesday, then announced she was the top finalist for the position of principal at the Mallets Bay School. The school has 500 students in grades three through five.

    Benay informed her staff of her decision to take the position in Colchester in a memo to her staff yesterday. The Messenger obtained a copy of the memo.  It is available in toto in the accompanying box.

More on this in The St. Albans Messenger Article Link Below:

http://www.samessenger.com/NewsView.asp?ID=5923

[Dick Brown]

Henry     It has been years since I have talked to either Jeff or Julie Benay, so I have no background info on this situation. However, from past experiences, the two of them used to represent all that was good about education in Vermont , and I would speculate that they both still do. Julie was, and most likely still is, an administrator who inspires both staff and students to excel as a team and as individuals , and as one can infer from her letter, considers the school's population as her family.
Given the scenario that she has described, I'm not at all surprised that she chose to leave , rather then risk another situation, nor am I surprised that she chose the Colchester School District as her next employer. Swanton's loss certainly will be the school in Mallet Bay's gain. 
Certainly, there are two sides to each story , and the Swanton School System itself has an excellent reputation in education circles, which will be a factor in attracting a new principal. However, any new administrator worth their salt will be cognizant of Julie's situation  and will use this factor in judging  this as a viable opportunity or fit.
Years ago, both Dick Stewart and I interviewed for a position at Missiquoi ( on the same night no less ) but later both asked ( at separate times unbeknownst to the other ) that our names be withdrawn from the list of applicants because neither of us felt it was a good fit. Hopefully the new principal selected for Swanton Elementary gains the support and trust from the Board  that Julie feels was not there for her continued administration at that school. Until that time, one has to wonder if the Board " shot itself in the foot "  when scrutinizing their Principal.
   

[Mummy]

Julie is not alone here. 

Anyone else noticing after several years in the same job, all of a sudden you are not a good fit? 
It is not like it use to be ... take care of your job and your job (employer) will take care of you.   Pensions are going to become a thing of the past.

I recall a 4th of July function here in Fairfax that Julie was involved in and I have never seen another one like it!  She did an EXCELLENT job!

[David Shea]

In most large businesses a rotation of management is an accepted practice.  I wish Julie the best of luck in her new position at Colchester Schools.  Fresh ideas and outlooks will benefit the citizens of Swanton and Colchester.