Judge William Tully swore in Dr. Benjamin Henry as superintendent, who was joined by his wife and daughters.
The Harrisburg School District has officially sworn in its new superintendent.
At a school board meeting on Tuesday, Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas Judge William Tully administered the oath of office to Dr. Benjamin Henry, the new superintendent, who said he “can’t wait to get to work.”
Henry was approved as superintendent by receiver Dr. Lori Suski in August and will officially begin in his role on Nov. 1.
“One of the things that drew me to this school district is, when you look at all the potential of this place, when you really look at the data and where we’re moving as a district, it’s amazing,” he said. “I’m ready to get to work on Nov. 1, getting to the schools, meeting parents, meeting some of our students.”
Henry fills the position previously held by Dr. Eric Turman, who resigned in May and by Dr. Marcia Stokes, who has assumed the position in an interim role.
Henry is slated to serve for a four-year term with a salary of $199,500.
According to the district, Henry has over two decades of experience in public schools. Most recently, he served as the regional assistant superintendent of Polk County schools in Florida. He has also previously held jobs as a special education teacher, a middle school math teacher and a principal.
Once Henry officially starts, his 100-day plan for the district will be posted publicly.
“This community is asking for something different, and I feel like I’m the leader that could really move the school district in the right direction, but I’m going to need everyone’s help,” he said.
Also on Tuesday, Suski approved the resignation of Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus Principal Laquan Magruder, effective Dec. 31. Magruder was hired in August 2023.
At the meeting, several district teachers spoke out in concern over the high turnover rates of principals at the high school.
“Students at our campus crave stability and consistency, yet, these two things, which are true at the majority of the high schools in our area, including our own Sci-Tech campus, are hard to achieve at John Harris due to the constant change of head principals,” said one teacher.
The teacher said that she believed there had been 13 principals in the position since 2009.
“We hear what you are saying,” Suski said, addressing the teachers at the meeting. “It is our goal, my goal as the receiver, the goal of this board […] and the voices of all of you, that we are going to find the best possible leader to lead John Harris.”
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