Feeling of home brought Blum to Maysville

NEWTON TOWNSHIP − The first visit to Maysville's campus left Brian Blum in awe.

It was among the reasons Blum pursued the superintendent opening before being hired by the board of education in April.

Blum officially started the job on Aug. 1, replacing the retired Ruth Zitnik.

"I was stunned by how beautiful the campus was," Blum said. "You could see the pictures online, but that first drive up Panther Drive and seeing this was picturesque. It had a college campus vibe with the newer facilities. The grounds are well-maintained. It was like wow, this is amazing."

The opportunity to work in Maysville also brings Blum closer to family and friends. He graduated from Pickerington High School before graduating with a bachelor's degree in special education from Wright State University. He also earned a master's degree in administration from Ashland University and a superintendent license from Miami University.

Blum, who is entering his 29th year in education, was superintendent for Van Buren Schools before accepting his current role. He said the match with Maysville felt natural and right.

"This was an opportunity to come back to an area close to where I grew up and raised my family. That was too much to turn down," Blum remarked. "I loved Van Buren. It was a beautiful place with great people. The community was fantastic, and they had great kids and staff.

"I felt like coming back here gives us a complete life again. We're closer to our families and friends, and it's right next to where I grew up," he added. "I've been out to a number of events here. I've been impressed with the massive community sense of pride, which has come through loud and clear. The people, in the community and where we live, have been absolutely fantastic. They've been friendly and welcoming so it's great to be a part of it."

The journey through education almost never started for Blum. He was attending OSU Newark and trying to find his career path. He considered being a highway patrolman or a park ranger before a counselor suggested he attend a special education unit at Northridge Primary School.

The experience sold Blum on his career path.

"It was purely a fluke. Immediately, I found my niche," Blum recalled. "I found that people saw special education students as underdogs and looked at them differently. It bothered me because they were kids, too. I fell in love with it when I walked into that room, and I was like let's get this going."

His first job was a special education teacher at the old Newton Elementary School in the North Fork (Utica) District. He spent two years there before taking the same role with Southwest Licking Schools for two years.

He then had the opportunity to pursue his administrative role, which led to him becoming an elementary principal for a year with London City Schools. He accepted the same role with Westerville Schools, which lasted four years. He was also an elementary principal for 10 years with Hilliard City Schools and four with Dublin before taking a job at the central office of Northridge Local.

Blum had several titles during his three-year stint with Northridge, including director of special education and curriculum director. He said he performed all the duties of an assistant superintendent without the title there before heading to Van Buren for the past two years.

Those experiences have shaped Blum, and he is ready to implement his plan to move Maysville forward.

"Ruth did a great job here, and the one thing that caught my attention was the portrait of the graduate. I want to continue on that path and improve on what's here," Blum said. "Career pathways will be front and center for our students in grades six through 12. That's happening now, and we are pushing that career pathway quickly.

"I want to make sure we have the right technology for our students, for things like Makerspace and STEM, and safety is also a high priority," he added. "We are making sure our safety precautions and procedures are up to date. There are areas of improvement that we are working on for the kids' safety. Everything that we've talked about doesn't matter if our kids aren't safe."

He has been married to his wife, Stacey, for 28 years and has two adult sons, Sam and Simon. He has enjoyed athletics his entire life from playing basketball and baseball as a youth and to watching football, mainly Ohio State. He also listens to rock 'n roll, especially heavy metal, and takes in concerts, too. Outside of spending time with his family, Blum also plays tennis and enjoys walking his dogs.

Being part of the Maysville community has Blum anticipating a bright future with the district. He has been impressed with all aspects of the district and looks forward to being Maysville's next leader.

"During my interview with the board, they were looking for someone to be visible," Blum said. "Sitting in the office is difficult for me. I like being out and about, going to the classrooms and moving around. It felt like a match with what they wanted and the facilities. I'm looking forward to being here for awhile because it feels like I have come home."

bhannahs@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com; @brandonhannahs

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Feeling of home brought Blum to Maysville