NMS Assistant Principal Ben Potter rocks – sometimes

Nevada Middle School Assistant Principal Ben Potter wears many hats – husband to Ashley, father to a rambunctious 13 month-old daughter, lead guitar player for a nineties cover band and first year assistant principal. He is a graduate of Missouri State University and received his master’s degree from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar.

Potter taught seventh-grade math in Buffalo, Mo. for seven years, coached track and football, and spent two summers as administrative staff during summer school session there before taking on more responsibility as Nevada’s assistant principal. “I have some family in the general area here,” Potter said, “and I really wanted to branch out and start playing a larger role within a district.”

Personable and quick to smile, Potter hopes to have a positive influence on students. He wants them to look forward to going to school and to be successful while they are there. His responsibilities as assistant principal include safety, emergency planning, teacher observation, discipline and alternating sports supervision. “I’m still learning the lay of the land and getting to know the students, but so far the year has started out great. The staff here has been amazing and I love that the district stresses putting family first.”

Potter’s wife, Ashley, is currently a stay at home mom after working as a middle school language arts teacher for several years. The couple has a 13 month old daughter who has “changed our lives so much. We were married for six years before we had a child. We did that on purpose because we just really love each other’s company and had so much we wanted to enjoy before having children. This has been a big change, but an awesome one,” he beamed.

When he isn’t helping with renovations to their new home, playing with his daughter, working or supervising sports, Potter likes to spend some of his free time rocking the lead guitar or keyboards in a Springfield area nineties cover band. “Jessie and the Rips is the name of the band. We got the name from the Full House band named Jessie and the Rippers. It’s a lot of fun.”

“Nevada has been awesome so far,” Potter said. “We are really feeling at home. This place has that small-town feel we love and everyone has been so warm and welcoming and we have been so grateful for that.”