Jeff Collum most recently headed up a secondary education program across the state line in Texas, but this fall he’ll take over the Benton School District as the new superintendent. As the new big man on campus, Collum will be responsible for the educations of over 4,600 children. Yet, at home with his wife of seven years, Cara, and their two children, Caleb, 6, and Elijah, 4, he’s just a husband and dad. Collum shares a few insights about his family and his plans for Benton schools:

Who do you admire most?

My dad and my wife. My dad died four years ago. He was a school administrator, and a role model for me. I looked up to him as a child, a young adult and a man. Also, I could not do what I do without my wife by my side.

What is an interesting fact about you?

When I was young my family traveled the United States singing gospel music, and I sang in a southern gospel quartet. I also was a professional trainer for a year with the Washington Redskins.

What have you learned from the children you have taught?

Kids teach us as much as we teach them. They come to us every day just as they are. They come from various backgrounds, and with various problems. They can also have solutions. Kids are our future and our most precious commodity and resource.

What is your main goal for your first year?

Communication, both internally and externally. I want to be able to relate with the staff, teachers, school board and others to evaluate all the programs, academics and extra-curricular activities. I am impressed with what I see, but we can always improve.

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New Year, New Schools

As students in the Bryant School District head back to school this month, they’ll notice many changes to their old stomping grounds: New school buildings and other renovation projects were provided by funds from a millage increase passed in 2009.

Step onto the Bryant High School campus and you’ll find a new $30 million, 129,000 square foot building. The new area contains 40 classrooms and a library/media center to support more than 2,500 high school students.

Salem Elementary School unveils six new renovated classrooms in the fall, plus a complete new student dining facility to its faculty and students. Children at Springhill Elementary School will also enjoy a new dining facility, as well as five new classrooms and two renovated and re-purposed spaces.

Additionally, elementary students will be buzzing around the brand-new Hill Farm Elementary, a $19 million, 88,000 square foot facility located near the Saline County Airport. Over 624 children in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade will learn in 32 classrooms.

For Hill Farm Elementary's inaugural year, half of the students and teachers at Bryant Elementary School will move into the new building. When they arrive at school this month, they’ll find more than just new amenities. In June, first graders who will remain at Bryant Elementary in the fall planted trees on the Hill Farm property as a way to say good-bye and good luck to their friends and teachers.

The project was part of a grant from the National Wildlife Federation to help beautify and rebuild the ecosystem at Hill Farm. “They felt especially proud that they had taken part in helping the new school look better, while helping the surrounding wildlife have homes again,” says teacher Lisa Smith. “Future students 50 years from now will be reaping the benefits from the trees that were planted by the students of today.”