Middle School Principal

Director of Special Education

504 Coordinator

 

Hello! My name is Alex Byland, and I am thrilled to introduce myself as the new Principal of Benzie Central Middle School. I will also be serving as the Director of Special Education and 504 Coordinator for the district. I am incredibly excited to join such a dedicated and talented team and to continue their fantastic work in supporting our students and community.

Let me share a bit about my background so you can get to know the new guy in town. Over the past sixteen years, I have taught special education at every grade level up the K-12 ladder and in nearly every academic subject. My career began at Marley Middle, an at-risk middle school outside of Baltimore, where I served as the special education department chair and completed my administrative internship. During this time, I implemented a series of proactive behavioral and academic interventions that not only transformed the school climate and improved student outcomes but also significantly reduced fights, suspensions, and referrals. I was honored to be recognized as Educator of the Month for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, a district with over 5,000 educators. It was a humbling experience and a testament to the incredible team I worked with and the hard work of our students.

After earning my administrative certification and master’s degree in educational leadership from Notre Dame of Maryland University, I chose to teach at the elementary and high school levels to gain a comprehensive understanding of student needs from kindergarten through graduation. For ten years in Maryland, I served as the sole administrator for Anne Arundel County’s Extended School Year program, where I supported a staff of 35+, serving 300+ students from 126 schools across an area of 415 square miles by aligning training, facilities, curriculum implementation, and transportation.

In 2018, I accepted a position at Traverse City Central High School, which allowed my family to move back to our Michigan roots and to be closer to my wife’s family, who live in Midland, Mason, Grand Traverse, and Antrim Counties. I served as the special education department chair at Traverse City Central for the last six years. In this role, I co-taught math, ELA and science classes, mentored new staff, substituted for building administrators, served on the Leadership Team, and was our school’s Career Tech Center Teacher Academy Mentor Teacher. During this time, I also earned my Director of Special Education certification. Perhaps my most proud career accomplishment was being presented the Central High School Award for “Most likely to mow their neighbor’s lawn this summer, just for kindness”.

I live in Traverse City with my wife, Tina, our two boys, Max (9) and Cole (7), and our daughter, Parker (4). When we’re not at work and school, you can often find us out on our bikes, playing lawn games in the backyard, or listening to live music with friends and family.

 

We have some shifting of staff and responsibilities due to the separation of the middle and high schools. As principal, I will work closely with administrative assistant Becca Meachum and counselor Jeri Ruble in the middle school office. As the new high school principal, Cheryl Smith will work with administrative assistant Misty Tennant and counselor Jeanett Pritchett in the main office, which will become the high school office.

 

I am eager to roll up my sleeves and work alongside our amazing staff to grow our students and strengthen our connection with the community. I am committed to fostering a collaborative environment where we can share ideas, support one another, and continue providing our students with the best possible education. Together, we can achieve great things!

I look forward to meeting you all and hearing your thoughts and ideas. Please feel free to reach out to me anytime. I am best reached via email at bylanda@benzieschools.net. Here’s to a fantastic school year ahead!