Administrators at Dalton have new roles, same goals. Here's what they have to say

DALTON — There will be new leadership in the Dalton School District, but even with all the administrative changes the goal of striving for excellence in education remains the same.

Scott Beatty returns to Dalton as superintendent, while Steve Watkins moves from being principal at Dalton Middle School to the high school. Zach McFarren will be the new assistant principal and athletic director. Paul Jackson will be the new middle school principal.

"We've had quite a bit of leadership change this past summer," Watkins said. "It's been great so far because we have a positive mindset. We're here for the students and their learning."

Beatty has worked in education for 34 years, having served previously as principal for a year and then superintendent for nine years at Dalton before moving over at Perry Local Schools. He earned his undergraduate degree at Ohio State and his graduate work at Ashland University.

Lots of changes in education - familiar faces smooth the transition

"So much has changed in education over the last couple of years, much less the last 10 years," Beatty said. "Every district is unique in the way they handle change. Depending on the size of the district, different people have different responsibilities. There's a bit of a learning curve, but there are good people already in place here.

"With Mr. Watkins, Mr. McFarren and Mr. Jackson, they have all been here for an extended amount of time. They know the kids, they know community," he continued. "That makes the transition smoother, because they are familiar with the area."

The superintendent said he hopes to maintain the positive flow and not make any big changes. He plans to help the new administrative team in any capacity he can to help them be successful and move forward.

"There is always room to improve. You can't rest on your laurels," Beatty said. "We should always be trying to get better, whether it's in the classroom, or on the field, or on the stage. We should always try to get better or be the best, and I think the right people are in place to do that."

Beatty added that he had five children and all five of them graduated from Dalton. He has a lot of pride in the district, and he sees this return as an opportunity to give something back to the community.

High School principal moves up from middle school

Watkins looks forward to building on the foundation he began as middle school principal. He is grateful for the opportunity to take the next step as high school principal and is looking forward to fostering the relationships and sharing in the continued successes the students he oversaw in middle school enjoy in high school.

"One of the nice things having been here at the middle school for five years, I've already got a relationship with the students and their families," Watkins said. "That's been tremendous. I have built relationships with most of the staff at the high school and they've been very welcoming.

"Dalton is known for having high academic standards, as well as extra curricular activities. We are very proud of our students and all they do, and I look forward to continuing the success and maintaining those high traditions at Dalton," he continued. "I appreciate the support and confidence that our superintendent Mr. Beatty and the school board have in me with the move from the middle school to the high school."

Watkins served the past five years as principal at Dalton Middle School. He attended Norwayne High School and studied at the University of Akron. He taught algebra and science to begin his career in the Norton City Schools for six years before getting his first administrative job at Chippewa as middle school principal . He worked there for five years before moving over to Dalton.

He and his wife Melissa, a guidance counselor in the Perry Local Schools, have one daughter who attends Dalton.

Sustain the programs in place

Jackson looks forward to supporting and sustaining the programs at the middle school that his predecessor put in place.

"I have big shoes to fill, but I believe you grow into the shoes you're given. Mr. Watkins did a fabulous job with the initiatives that he and the staff put forward together over the years," Jackson said. "My goal is to support and sustain those efforts, especially in this year of transition."

The Mount Vernon Nazarene graduate began his teaching career in Mount Vernon before coming to Dalton in 2015. He taught Spanish at the high school and English as a second language throughout the district. He also did his graduate work at Ashland University, and is working on furthering his education at Concordia University in Chicago.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Dalton school district administration changes at superintendent, HS MS