It was by chance that Randy Banks began working for South-Western City School District (SWCSD). He heard about an open position from a friend, and after getting the job stayed with the district for the next 13 years.
Now, roughly 26 years later, he has returned to the district to take on a new role as superintendent.
While Banks knows he has big shoes to fill, he is looking forward to working with the staff and students as the district continues to grow and change in the coming years.
Ray LaVoie
Passion for education
Banks grew up in Jefferson, Ohio, finding his love of teaching at a young age. He chose to pursue his passion in college, studying to become a teacher during his undergraduate years at Mount Vernon University.
“I was influenced by good teachers, good coaches, good mentors as a student myself so that certainly played a role,” Banks says.
Throughout his career, Banks has worked at various schools across the country, including a unique program that took him to Wichita, Kansas. Over a summer during college, Banks worked in a gang prevention program where he tutored kids and helped them grow.
Years later, his first full-time position was as an 8th-grade social studies teacher at Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools.
Journey to SWCSD
Banks first joined the district in 1998 as an assistant principal at Norton Middle School. He stayed in the district for several years, going on to work as a principal at Brookpark and Finland middle schools before moving up to an administrative role as a certified personnel director.
Over the years, Banks says he was able to watch the district grow, celebrating wins, such as the 2009 levy passage, right along with his team.
Ray LaVoie
In 2011, Banks chose to move closer to home and took a job at Worthington City Schools as an assistant superintendent. Roughly nine years later he returned to SWCSD and stepped into the role of superintendent at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.
“I was here and was able to see the intermediate schools be built. Central Crossing was built, the Career Academy was built. Then I left and so much more was replaced,” Banks says. “That’s kind of a unique part of this, is that I got to see it at the beginning, and now I’m coming back, and hopefully will be a part of completing the cycle.”
Future steps and growth
As Banks returns to these familiar halls, he is enjoying taking in all the changes that have happened over the years and he is thrilled to join the ongoing process.
“To me, honoring the commitment of the leaders who came before me with the building projects is big,” Banks says. “Completing those two high schools would be a great capstone on their progress and on this community’s commitment to education to make sure that students have appropriate learning spaces.”
The buildings aren’t the only things changing. The career center has introduced new programs, including pre-nursing and HVAC programs, as well as continuing education opportunities for staff at the district.
“We have the Western Governors University where we’re trying to encourage some of our own employees who live locally to pursue advanced degrees and maybe even certifications within education to assist us, but really to help promote them on their own career paths,” Banks says. “And then we’re currently working on a partnership with The Ohio State University on a Grow Your Own administrative pathway, which basically would be a cohort of our current teachers that want to pursue administrative positions and really building the next generation of leaders to serve the district.”
Ray LaVoie
Similar to any new job, there are challenges Banks will have to work through; however, he is happy to be back with a district that means so much to him.
“There’s the perspective that you have as an outsider coming back in on what you think it is going to be like, and then, now that I’ve been here for six plus months, I just would say that it’s been confirming.” Banks says. “It’s exactly what I thought it was, and probably even better… to see a lot of the new faces that weren’t here 13 years ago, and how they’re contributing to make South-Western City Schools a better place.”
Man behind the desk
Randy Banks
Banks and his wife, Michelle, are both educators. She began her career at Columbus City Schools and now serves as the director of elementary education at Upper Arlington City Schools.
They have three children; two daughters and a son, all of whom work in the medical field.
When Banks isn’t working, he enjoys watching football, especially the Buckeyes, and taking trips with his family. They have traveled to places such as Maine, and their favorite places to visit are National Parks.
“We usually try to get away from the crowds and try to stay active,” Banks says. “That’s just how we unplug from work.”
In total, his family has visited nine parks, including a trip taken last year with their first grandson.
Rachel Karas is the lead editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenemediagroup.com.
