Fulton County Ohio Media

The 2023-2024 academic school year has begun at Swanton Middle School (SMS) and it comes, as always, with a lot of noticeable changes.  A quarter of the student body has turned over as last year’s eight-grade class has begun their new journey at Swanton High School and this year’s fifth-grade class is fresh out of Swanton Elementary School, ready to start a new and exciting chapter in their academic careers.

There are also some new faces in the ranks of the faculty and administration, but the most significant change has a very familiar face in a new position.  Mrs. Leigh Pancoast, the SMS Assistant Principal for the past six years, has stepped up into the role of SMS Principal, replacing Mr. Matt Smith, who accepted the position of principal at Fallen Timbers Middle School in the Anthony Wayne Local School District.  Replacing Mr. Smith, who affected so much positive academic and cultural change with his Swanton 7 Initiative program, will be no easy task, but when considering Ms. Pancoast’s impressive credentials, it would be almost impossible to find a more suitable or qualified candidate.

Leigh (Remer) Pancoast grew up in Swanton Ohio, graduated as a Swanton Bulldog and headed off to the University of Toledo where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a Master’s Degree in Administration.  Eventually, she added her principals license from the University of Findlay.  Ms. Pancoast has been an educator at Swanton schools for 18 years, teaching math and social studies in the middle school before becoming the dean of students and eventually the SMS assistant principal. 

Mr. Chris Lake, Swanton School Superintendent, who brought Ms. Pancoast’s promotion to the Swanton Board of Education, had this to say.  “I am very confident that Mrs. Pancoast will continue the tradition of success that SMS has enjoyed over the last six years. She has been one of the creative minds behind the incredible transformation of Swanton Middle School since the Swanton 7 initiative was dreamt up back in 2017. You would be hard pressed to find someone who is better prepared to step into a head principal role than Mrs. Pancoast.” 

What is also important to understand with respect to this transition and the future of the Swanton 7 Initiative is that Ms. Pancoast worked side by side with Mr. Smith and the SMS staff from day one in creating, developing and shaping the program to where it is today.

As she explains, “About six years ago we started a distinguished house system.  We have four houses with all grade levels dispersed equally among the houses therefore creating a culture where all students feel welcome and like a family. With that we set forth seven essential principles that drive our Swanton 7 Initiative. The seven principles all relate back to what the business leaders in our area told us they need from our students, better communication and motivation to be the best, essentially.  This lead us to adopt many intriguing activities such as the Amazing Shake, which includes improving students communication/business skills at a young age being judged by over 60 of our local businesses, the Swanton 7 Manners Luncheon, which allows our students to experience a fine dining meal during school and network with local businesses, we started a career academy within the school day for all 7th and 8th graders, this is where our students learn all about the 4 E’s and develop a start to their resumes and learn from people in all fields and walks of life, and we have fun, our kids work hard and with that they have a lot of fun to look forward too, these are middle schoolers after all. We have won many awards including Ohio Middle Level Team of the Year 2020 and Excellence in Industry from the Fulton County Economic Development Cooperation in 2022. We were the first school to ever be awarded this honor.”

Ms. Pancoast lives in Swanton with her husband and three boys.  She is anxious and ready for this and it seems she has been working for this her entire adult life.  “As a new principal, I can’t wait to lead the students and staff as I already know how amazing they are and how much farther we can grow together.  This is an awesome opportunity that I am thankful to have received, she exclaimed.  “GO BULLDOGS!”

Photo: Leigh Pancoast explaining the Amazing Shake competition to Toledo 13abc.