BANTA – Banta Unified School District board of trustees approved the hiring of Tabatha Ann Maxie as the new principal of Banta Elementary School during their regular board meeting on May 12.

Maxie told the board that she was, “super excited to be back at Banta.”

Board President Patricia Speer motioned in favor of the new principal, which was seconded by Trustee Karen Dell’Osso. Also voting in favor were Trustees Joshua Anderson and Doug Diestler. Trustee Gene Neely was absent from the meeting.

“I look forward to jumping in,” she told the board. “We’re going to start rolling as soon as I’m back.”

Maxie will be leaving her current position as the assistant principal of the STEAM Academy in River Islands to come back to Banta, where she previously worked as an eighth grade teacher from 2015 through 2018.

“I always said it was bittersweet to leave Banta to go to be an assistant principal at the STEAM Academy,” Maxie said. When she heard about the opportunity to go back to Banta, she said she took it.

“I’m coming home,” she said.

Speer called Maxie, “a really good fit” for Banta.

“She is really knowledgeable and familiar with the Banta School,” Speer said. “She knows the district and its traditions and those traditions are very important to her. She was really a standout (candidate).”

Maxie said she wants to reinstate traditional events at Banta, including Hay Day, Breakfast with Santa and the 4H program, many of which had to be suspended due to Covid restrictions.

“Bring back that family feeling,” she said.

Maxie is expected to take over the Banta principal’s seat on July 1.