Encouraging students to navigate toward excellence is just one of the roles of Maritime Academy of Toledo superintendent Aaron Lusk.

While many in his position might sit behind a desk much of the day, the former special education teacher known for his hands-on leadership style can be seen interacting with students on any given day.

“He's basically our school dad,” said Sandraya Turner, a senior who enrolled at the academy after her family moved to Ohio from Canada. With plans to enter college next year, the 17-year old said Mr. Lusk is helping her to get all her credits to graduate.

Even though he offers all students assistance, his special-ed background gives him a particular passion for helping those who need specialized attention.

“No matter who the kid is, where they come from, or what language they speak, we're going to do everything possible to give them the freedom to succeed,” Mr. Lusk said.

With a continuous heart for teaching children with special needs, Mr. Lusk chose to transition from teaching to an administrative role “to change the dynamics and systemic nature of schools” — a switch he concedes has been challenging.

“Schools, in general in this country, expect kids to fit into their system, not their system to fit kids,” he said. “I have been able to change the school, every aspect of it, to fit the individual needs of kids.”

The school at 803 Water St. boasts a stunning riverfront view that aligns with its maritime theme. Even though nautical and maritime is the school’s concept, its well-rounded academics encourage students to explore other career paths as well.

With a small but diverse student population of 234 in sixth through 12th grades, the school’s coveted smaller class sizes and individualized attention have resulted in a waiting list for enrollment.

With four years in the Marine Corps — the latter including two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom — and 15 years in education, Mr. Lusk has drawn from his experiences to influence the school’s culture.

“Being over in a combat zone, you see how people can build mindsets and biases about certain people and why somebody is doing something,” Mr. Lusk said. “I felt like that was special-needs kids, because kids with autism, specifically, do a lot of things that people don't understand.

“I felt like the kids that literally did not have a voice needed a voice from someone,” he said, “and that's why I became a special education teacher.”

Since Mr. Lusk took the superintendent’s helm in 2020, the school has experienced a decrease in out-of-school suspensions.

“It’s really discipline with inclusiveness — a very positive type of discipline,” he said.

The concept of positive discipline works to set clear expectations as it involves communication of what behaviors are acceptable and which ones aren’t. Students know up-front the rewards for good behavior as well as inappropriate behavior’s consequences.

“He teaches us how to be respectful, accountable and disciplined.” said Chloe Banks, 13, an eighth grader. “He makes sure that everybody's on time and that they're doing the work.”

Mr. Lusk encourages students who need mental breaks or just don’t feel well to go to quiet spaces to regroup, Chloe said.

“He'll let us go there, take a minute and relax,” she said. “He’s just really nice. And some people take his niceness for granted but others don't.”

While his corrective discipline can be stern, the superintendent said most students fall in line because of the school’s culture of positive discipline, knowing it comes from a place of caring. 

“And they take it with a smile 99 percent of the time and think I'm being nice but — I was a Marine, after all,” he said.

Mr. Lusk has been known for changing the school’s schedule to accommodate students, aligning with his passion for meeting individual needs.

“We had a student come in last year from the south of Los Angeles and she only spoke Spanish,” Mr. Lusk said. “We have a very tiny school, we don't have tons of resources, and we had no programs in place.”

While he and his staff initially “had no clue what we were doing,” in a two-day time frame, they worked to accommodate the student by adjusting her schedule, acquiring a translator, and bringing on an English as a Second Language teacher.

“We get a lot of heat sometimes, but we were willing to take a student that is now excelling, is at school every day, and helps us out with some other students from Mexico that only speak Spanish,” he said. “Before, she was about to quit school because she felt she wasn't supported.”

His most notable personal contribution to the school is his passion for children with special needs, working under the philosophy that Maritime is going to provide their needs, therefore parents never have to worry.

“I’m looking at kids for who they are — not an autistic kid, or a learning disabled kid, but a kid that may have autism,” he said. “They are a child first.”

If teachers only look at behaviors that are often a result of trauma, they will miss the whole picture as behavior is something children do for communication, Mr. Lusk explained. Consequently, the staff at Maritime is set to undergo professional development to help understand more about children with trauma.

“He is just completely always about the kids,” said Emily Rice, special education director. “It's a huge push that Mr. Lusk has to help them understand.”

The personalized educational style also receives a stamp of approval from school board member James Hartung, who believes the approach aids in unlocking children’s potential.

“One of the things that defines Aaron is that he views everybody as an individual, and everybody therefore requires a different approach in how to extract the best of them,” Mr. Hartung said. “He's created a wonderful format because most schools don't have the time or inclination to deal with students on an individual basis.”

Mr. Hartung believes the superintendent is driven by caring, and his training in special education has been extremely instrumental in treating people based on their individual circumstances.

“Everybody has individual emotions and levels of skill, and he tries to tailor the school in dealing with individuals as opposed to a group,” he said. “His belief translates into a hands-on leadership style that focuses on individual needs and prompts.”

Upon graduation, Maritime students are able to choose careers in the fields of maritime navigation and engineering, culinary and hospitality, and marine environmental science. However, the school’s leader wants students to know that the world is their oyster.

“I could care less if they're the next president, I want them to be happy and successful at whatever job they choose because everybody has their place in this world,” Mr. Lusk said.

First Published December 16, 2023, 7:31 p.m.