District appoints new principal, vice principal to Blaine

By Tara Nelson

The Blaine School district has appointed a new principal and vice principal to Blaine Middle School.

Darren Benson, of Ferndale, and Aaron Smith, of Bellingham, will fill the roles of principal and vice principal, respectively, at Blaine Middle School this coming school year.

Benson has five years of experience as an assistant principal – most recently at Vista Middle School in Ferndale where he also worked as activities director.

Smith, who is originally from Conway, taught music in the Conway school district as well as at Fairhaven Middle School in Bellingham and in Athens, Greece. He also completed a principal internship in Conway.
Blaine superintendent Mary Lynne Derrington said the district made the selection with the help of a 32-member group that included parents and students who interviewed candidates.

They also visited the finalists’ school districts to talk to people in their present schools where they worked.

Derrington said both Benson and Smith were excellent matches for the school district.

“Both of these administrators are known to us through educational work they have done in the region,” she said. “They are good people who have a heart for kids and who want to be here.”