Lebanon — A three-ring binder sits within Zac Stevenson’s easy reach in his Lebanon High School office. It’s something his predecessor, Kelley Carey, left for him when he took over as the school’s athletic and co-curricular activities director 2½ years ago, and he now has the rest of the month to update it for his successor.

Stevenson on Friday confirmed the news he officially delivered to the school midweek, that he would be leaving effective June 30 to return home to Michigan. He and his wife, Theresa, are natives of the state, and Stevenson admitted making return trips “for family events at least 17 times since we got here,” he said.

Ultimately, the decision came down to following the same advice they provide students in similar situations.

“We tell our programs and our kids all the time: It’s family first, school second and the team third,” Stevenson said. “It’s one of those moments when we live what we preach.”

Stevenson indicated he’s been hired as an AD at a Detroit-area school, but declined to name it, saying he wanted that district to release the news. The 40-year-old joined LHS in January 2014 about five months after the Lebanon School Board had deadlocked on another nomination over procedural issues.

First-year Lebanon High principal Ian Smith said on Friday that losing Stevenson came as a surprise. He noted that Stevenson had kept him informed on his new Michigan opportunity throughout the hiring process.

“I sent out an email to staff today, saying that we’ll certainly miss Zac, but the beat goes on,” said Smith, who’s already begun the process of searching for Stevenson’s replacement. “We need to hire someone to take the position starting July 1. We’re already obviously late in the game.”

Given his prior experience as AD at Woodhaven (Mich.) High, Stevenson said it wasn’t difficult assuming his Lebanon High job midway through the 2014 school year. The family’s plan all along had been for a longer stay, but the frequency of return trips to Michigan left open the notion of a professional move back.

“That’s one of the hardest things about leaving,” Stevenson said. “We’re both really happy about what we’re doing here.”

During his tenure, Stevenson oversaw a rehabilitation of Lang Metcalf Gym, which included the addition of new bleachers on one side of the facility. Other accomplishments included new stands at Henry Emerton Memorial Field, an improved online presence for Lebanon’s athletic teams and the completion of a strength training room with new equipment and a curriculum applicable to all students.

Smith said the AD search committee will include a to-be-determined Lebanon School Board member — a sore point from the failed 2013 search process — along with a parent and two students who can provide “an athletic perspective,” the principal said.

The committee, to be 10 or 11 strong, will also include someone with a theater background: Stevenson’s responsibilities included overseeing music and theatre activities at LHS.

“We wanted to be appropriately proactive,” Smith said.

As for Stevenson, he has one project to complete.

Carey’s binder — labeled WELCOME TO LEBANON HIGH SCHOOL in bold letters — included everything Stevenson needed to know when to came to two 2½ years ago, items interim AD Linda Preston and longtime assistant Pam Spaulding kept current after Carey left. Stevenson intends to have it ready for the next person, and he may still be around the area in time to meet with Lebanon’s new hire.

“We’re sad to leave a place we really like,” Stevenson said. “At the end of the day, we’ll leave here, but we won’t truly leave here. We’ll always be Raiders.”

Greg Fennell can be reached at gfennell@vnews.com or 603-727-3226.