New Mishawaka superintendent sets sights on community-building ahead of spring referendum

People keep welcoming Theodore Stevens home.

The Logansport native isn't originally from Michiana. But, as he returns to the district where he spent five years as a principal and administrator, Mishawaka's teachers and staff say they're excited and relieved to see the familiar face return after school board members this summer announced a quick and unexpected change in leadership.

"That was my first text to him ... when I heard the news," Mishawaka Education Association President Amy Foley said. "Welcome home!"

Stevens is taking over as superintendent of Mishawaka schools this summer after Wayne Barker announced his resignation just before the end of the school year. And, Mishawaka school board members say they didn't have to look far to find their next leader.

Most recently superintendent of the South Central school district in rural LaPorte County, Stevens has inched his way further north throughout his career. The long-time educator thought he might want to study engineering as a student at Purdue, but pivoted to follow his parents' lead into educationwhen he discovered that engineering-level math was "a little bit more than I was ready for."

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He worked grounds and maintenance for his hometown Logansport schools in the summers during college before accepting his first teaching job in Rochester. He started thinking about administration only after a mentor pushed him to consider whether he might like to be a principal — a move that brought him to Mishawaka in 2013.

After earning his master's degree, Stevens was named principal of Mishawaka's LaSalle Elementary, where he worked for two years before moving into administrative roles in central office.

Sherry Keyser, who was a teacher at LaSalle while Stevens was principal, said he brought structure, patience and respect to the school during a time of rebuilding. Now, as Stevens returns to central office after four years away from the district, Keyser says it's exciting to have him back.

"To hear Dr. Stevens is back, it's a big relief," Keyser said. "We're getting back someone we're familiar with and comfortable with."

Tapping into experience

Stevens is taking over less than two months after Barker announced plans to take another superintendent's position at Northwest Allen County Schools. The move puts Barker, who just finished out his third year with the district, closer to family in Fort Wayne and sent shockwaves through the Mishawaka schools community.

Staring down a likely referendum attempt in less than a year, school board president Holly Parks said she knew she had to act quickly to maintain the community's trust and a sense of stability. A day after publicly announcing Barker's anticipated resignation, the Mishawaka school board named Stevens its leading candidate to replace him.

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"I want the Mishawaka community to understand that we're all in and we're going to go the distance and that they don't need to be worried or feel insecure that the school system doesn't have control," Parks said.

As a former Mishawaka administrator, Stevens played a prominent role in campaigning for the district's last referendum — a capital and operating referendum that was expected to bring in $25.6 million for investments in facilities upgrades, employee raises and school programs.

While the details of a potential May 2023 referendum are still being decided, Parks said Stevens' experience with the district's last effort in 2016 made him a stand-out candidate for the district's top job.

"He was part of the feet on the ground," Parks said. "He has incredible rapport with teachers and staff, as well as students."

It's that rapport colleagues who knew Stevens' during his first stint with the district say has brought comfort during a quick transition.

Foley, the teachers union president, got to know Stevens well during his time in central office, where he worked as an assistant superintendent and director of assessment, high ability programs and technology. He was also a member of the district's bargaining team, which negotiated salaries and benefits with teachers.

"He's always good humored," Foley said, recalling one year when central office staff threw Stevens a surprise birthday party during a tense period of negotiations before the district's 2016 referendum. "Money was tight ... and he was mortified because he knew we were all upset."

Despite the unexpected candles and cake, Foley said the teams ended bargaining on a good note that year.

"I haven't let him forget that one," she said, with a chuckle. "I know I can sit down with him and be really candid and honest ... I had that with Wayne Barker, too, so it's a relief to know Mr. Barker's replacement was someone I could trust completely."

Setting priorities in new role

Stevens left Mishawaka for South Central in 2018, he said, to "prove that I was capable of the superintendency in my own skin."

He had a full school year with South Central under his belt before the coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020. That experience, Stevens said, taught him the importance of building strong relationships with school board members and the community.

"Whenever you have a community that's willing to come to you and engage you, you have to take that at face value, you have to be a partner with those folks," Stevens said. "That's something that's going to be essential for us during the referendum. If we don't value what folks are saying to us, ... that's when you get into trouble."

Though he's no stranger to Mishawaka, Stevens said coming back as superintendent will be a change from his hands-on role in a smaller school environment. The South Central district, in southwest LaPorte County, has just one school campus and under 1,000 total students. That's compared to more than 1,500 students at Mishawaka High School alone.

"I was the superintendent, the assistant superintendent, I had like 20 different hats," said Stevens, who keeps an active bus driver's license and stepped in as track coach two years ago when South Central needed one. "That's going to be a transition for me."

A hierarchy of department directors and central office staff help with day-to-day operations in Mishawaka schools. And, two groups — a high priority facility needs work group and community collaborating committee — have formed to assist in referendum planning.

Stevens said he's not planning any "big splashes" in his first few weeks, but instead intends to spent time listening to employees about what works well in the district.

He's stepping into his role at a time when school safety and curriculum have become hot-button issues politically and among parents. Opining on the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Stevens said he feels proper training is key when it comes to school safety, and that he welcomes a police presence, "not to handcuff people," but to serve as a deterrent to would-be threats.

"It's a fine line because you want your school to be inviting," Stevens said. "We want people to come here, but we want our kids to be safe."

As Stevens settles into his role, staff say, they would like to see him continue some of the positive characteristics Barker brought to the superintendent role — things like being visible in schools and bridging the divide between school staff and central office.

Lisa Thompson, who worked in the LaSalle Elementary cafeteria for a year while Stevens was principal,said Stevens is up to the task. During the time they worked together at LaSalle, Thompson said Stevens often invited food services staff to school meetings and could occasionally be spotted taking time to wash down tables in the café.

"From day one, he made me and my kitchen staff feel a part of the team," Thompson said. "There's more of a connection between the schools and administration building and I have total confidence that will continue with Dr. Stevens at the helm."

Email South Bend Tribune education reporter Carley Lanich at clanich@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @carleylanich.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Mishawaka's new superintendent sets sights on community-building