Polston Takes Reins At Combined Community Services
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Combined Community Services Board of Directors announced the hiring of a new executive director, Randy Polston.
He comes to CCS with a 34-year career with Warsaw Community Schools and eight years at Grace College.
“I’m beyond excited to join that team and work with the quality of people already working there,” Polston said in a telephone interview about his new position.
Former Executive Director Stephen Possell resigned effective July 12. He had joined CCS in 2010. Polston’s first day at CCS is Sept. 3.
“We are very excited to welcome Randy to Combined Community Services. Not only will he bring years of experience in supervision, leadership and culture building but also his lifelong knowledge of Kosciusko County,” said Abbe Muta, president of the CCS Board of Directors. “Randy’s heart of servitude will be a blessing to CCS.”
During his time at WCS, Polston taught at the elementary school level for nine years and served as principal for 25 years, according to a news release from CCS. He also mentored principals through the Department of Education Principal Mentoring program. Since 2015, he has been mentoring principals in the state of Indiana through the Indiana Administrative Leadership Institute. Polston now serves as a WCS board member.
Polston received a Master of Science in Administration and Supervision from IU Fort Wayne and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Spring Arbor College. He has served the community through the National Society for Experiential Education, United Way, Joe’s Kids and the Morning Optimist Club. Other accomplishments include Administrator of the Year, DARE Educator of the Year, Indiana Leadership Academy graduate and Kosciusko Leadership Academy graduate, to name a few.
“I grew up in this community. I’ve lived here all my life except when I lived in Spring Arbor to get my bachelor’s degree. I’m a firm believer and I felt God leading me to teaching,” Polston said. After 34 years in education, he said he felt God led him to retire and then to Grace College.
In his director of applied learning role at Grace College, Polston created and implemented the new Applied Learning program and taught First Year Experience Freshman Foundation classes, the news release states.
The experience at Grace College came to an end after eight years, but Polston said he felt God wasn’t done with him just yet. He wanted to still impact the community and the lives in it. One thing led to another and Polston applied for the CCS executive director position. He said he was fortunate enough that the CCS Board of Directors offered him the position.
Polston said he’s not looking to go in and make changes at CCS right away. Though he already knows many of the people who work at CCS, Polston said the first thing he plans to do is get to know the entire team, CCS’s operations and the different programs it offers. Goals will be set and then CCS will move forward, he said.
Like many nonprofit organizations, federal and state funding has become tight. Polston said, “We have many in the community and I look at that as a great chance to collaborate and work together.”
He said he’s already had conversations with others on how community organizations can work together and focus in on the community’s greatest needs.
Randy is married to Rachael Moser Polston. They have two children, four grandchildren and one foster granddaughter. They attend Warsaw Community Church.
CCS is a 501c3 that provides comfort, hope and resources for neighbors in need. CCS works with people to stabilize their situation through its emergency assistance and continues the path toward independency by working with them to set and meet sustainable long-term goals through its economic self-sufficiency programs.
For more information, visit CCSGives.org or call 574-269-6019.
