Owensboro Public Schools has announced Brian Benjamin as the district’s first Full Service Community Schools Coordinator.
Benjamin will be tasked with management of the $47 million Community Schools Grant awarded by the Prichard Committee, as well as serving as a district point of contact for Family Resource/Youth Service Centers at all Owensboro Public Schools. OPS was one of eight schools in the initial cohort for this grant.
“This grant is an opportunity to change the way we serve students and families in our district,” Benjamin said. “I am excited to begin working as an advocate and resource for the amazing FRYSC Coordinators employed by OPS.”
Benjamin began his career in education as a business teacher at Daviess County High School in 2002. He transitioned to a position as the 9th grade dean of students at DCHS in 2005. In 2010 he was hired as an assistant principal at Wayland Alexander Elementary School in Hartford. He began his career with OPS in 2012 as an assistant principal at Owensboro High School.
Throughout the pandemic Benjamin served OPS as the director of the Virtual Learning Academy for grades K-12. The last 2 years, Benjamin has completed several projects for the district, most notably coordinating the OTIP program, a comprehensive induction and mentoring program for OPS teachers in their first and second year of the profession.
“We had several very qualified applicants, but Brian was a perfect fit for this position,” said Steve Bratcher, Chief Academic Officer of Owensboro Public Schools. “He brings a wide range of leadership experiences across all grades, and has served at the school and district levels. He has a proven track record of supporting staff and building capacity in them to set our students up for success. We see him working with our FRYSC coordinators in much the same way to remove barriers for our families.”
Benjamin will officially assume the new role effective July 1.
