School Board Honors Benny with Book Donation

The protagonist of Gary Schmidt’s young adult novel Okay For Now is the seemingly unflappable Doug Swieteck, an eighth grader who maintains an optimistic bent despite a host of hardships.

In a short tribute last week to Superintendent Ken Benny, after six years in Mill Valley and nearly 40 in public education, the school board implicitly connected Benny to Sweiteck.

Continuing a tradition the board established several years ago, the board donated copies of Okay for Now to each of the district’s schools in honor of Benny, who has helmed the district at a time of and an .

“In the eye of the storm, you’re a pretty calm captain,” Trustee Steve Sell said of Benny. “You left us with a sense of optimism that we can do anything as long as we do it together.”

“I have always appreciated the calm and the broad perspective on everything and the attention to detail,” added Trustee Robin Moses.

Benny, who started his career as a fourth grade teacher in the Seattle area in 1973, said he was thrilled to be on the receiving end of the board book donation tradition.

“Just as I don’t take the Golden Gate Bridge for granted when I’ve driven across it for the past six years, I know I’m not going to take for granted the uniqueness of this community and how people here pull together,” Benny said. “I am taking so much away in terms of being a student, about living life and friendships and about how when people work together, they can reach greatness.”

Benny’s successor, , starts July 1. The school board is expected to pass a 2011-2012 budget on Wednesday.

The board also paid tribute at its meeting last week to retiring speech therapist Kathynn Capdeville for her 34-year career in public education. Capdeville joined the district in 1992 and has divided her time between and schools, serving children with speech therapy needs.