Wendy Sanford Leads High Road School of Marion County With Compassion and Purpose

A Voice for Students Who Need One

MARION – Wendy Sanford is someone’s voice when they don’t have one.

“As a kid, I didn’t know a stranger,” Sanford said. “I was the student who didn’t technically misbehave, but was moved all the time because I talked too much in class. I was also the person who didn’t want anyone to be singled out or made fun of because they didn’t fit the expected mold.”

Today, Sanford is the program director of High Road School of Marion County.

“I run the program,” she said. “Honestly, I knew I would be in a position to help people, but I wasn’t sure what capacity that would be. I grew up in the social work field, with people in leadership roles and positive examples of work ethics. My mom (Judy Mount) worked in prevention and support for domestic violence for years. I learned how to be empathetic but direct when needed. My dad (Don Mount), by example, set a very high standard for work ethics.”

Education and Career Path

Sanford grew up in Marion, graduated from Ridgedale in 1994, Ohio State with a BS in elementary education, a master’s through the University of Phoenix with a concentration in curriculum and instruction, and then completed the master’s plus program from Ashland University.

“I always had jobs that centered around social work or education,” she said, “from working through my college years as an evening receptionist at the Marion Area Counseling Center and a tutor for the Juvenile Detention Center. Once I graduated, I began a career in social work and then entered the education field. I’m very thankful for my job experiences and what they taught me. There have been several life lessons. Some were hard to learn, but contributed to who I am today.”

Sanford started with High Road School of Marion County in January 2021.

Supporting Students Across Marion County

Shelly Dason is the director of student services for Pleasant Local Schools.

“Wendy Sanford’s leadership ensures that each student experiences a seamless transition into services and receives the targeted support necessary to make meaningful progress,” Dason said.

“I was so impressed with the quality of the program and Ms. Sanford’s leadership that offering High Roads space in one of our unused school buildings was an easy decision. This collaboration allows High Roads to continue serving Pleasant students as well as students from across Marion County and the surrounding region, while a permanent Marion County location is secured. We are grateful for Wendy Sanford’s commitment to students, and for the positive impact High Roads of Marion continues to make in our community.”

Leading With Purpose in Specialized Education

“Why do I do it?” Sanford said. “I get asked this question all the time, followed up with ‘I could never do what you do.’ I always reply that you have to have a certain personality, and working in specialized education services is not for the weak.

Someone needs to be a voice for the generation that is experiencing so many challenges, and I’ve taken on that role. And I train my staff to be those people.

These kids need an adult to believe they can do something right and stand up for themselves. I will be that person, and so will my team. Every day I walk through the doors of the school, and I never know what the day will bring, but I try my best to be prepared and be ready to serve these students the best way I know how. I’m their voice when they don’t have one.”

The Reward of Helping Students Succeed

“This is a career that takes my entire heart, brain, and body at times,” she said.

“From frustrated students who physically act out, to being a mother figure for a student who needs one, to figuring out how to communicate with a non-verbal student, I adapt to what’s needed. The best feeling in the world is to hand a student a diploma, knowing you had a part in their path of accomplishment. I helped make it happen, my team helped make it happen. That is why I do what I do.”

About the Aces of Trades Series

Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs – whether they’re unusual jobs, fun jobs, or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at news@marionstar.com.

View The Marion Star original story HERE