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Board approves addendum appointing Keith Sanders as interim superintendent
Summary
Benton Harbor Area Schools trustees voted to approve an employment contract addendum appointing Benton Harbor High School principal Keith Sanders as interim superintendent; trustees debated whether one person should hold both principal and interim superintendent roles temporarily.
The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education voted to approve an addendum to appoint Keith Sanders as interim superintendent, authorizing the board president and secretary to execute the agreement.
Board members discussed Sanders' qualifications and the temporary nature of the dual assignment. Vice President Barnes moved the resolution and Trustee Bradley supported it. Barnes said she was "ecstatic" the district was moving forward and said Sanders had an "impressive resume." Several trustees praised Sanders' local ties and experience leading turnaround work in other states, while others expressed concern about assigning two full-time roles to one person. Treasurer Gavin said he could not support holding two full-time positions and noted the practical risks of one person doing "two jobs for one person".
Secretary Triplett recused from the vote on this item. The recorded roll call included President Robinson and Vice President Bowen voting yes, Treasurer Gavin voting no, and other trustees voting yes; the board announced the motion as carried. The resolution text read into the record noted Sanders would begin serving in the role on 07/25/2026 and authorized district leaders to implement the terms of the addendum.
The board read a prepared statement describing Sanders' background, noting he is an alumnus of the district and has more than 30 years of education experience. The statement said Sanders "looks forward to working collaboratively with our staff, families, students, and community members to strengthen educational opportunities." The board indicated the interim, double placement is temporary and that Sanders will make decisions about appointing or promoting an interim principal while serving as interim superintendent.
The meeting record shows the board plans to follow up during upcoming work sessions and at the August board retreat to set priorities and to review interim assignments and any staffing changes.
