Spruce Creek Fly-in Folks in the News
Friday, April 02, 2004
‘Intern’ finds lots to like in area schools
By LINDA TRIMBLE
The Daytona Beach News-Journal Education Writer
DELAND — Margaret Smith peeked into a box where baby chicks were hatching, listened to fourth-graders read aloud and chatted with teachers about their class projects.
News-Journal/NIGEL COOK
Margaret Smith, new superintendent of Volusia County schools, is congratulated Thursday by Bill Hall, outgoing superintendent.
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That recent visit to Woodward Avenue Elementary was part of what Volusia School Board member Earl McCrary likes to call the new superintendent’s “internship.”
Smith, who took over Thursday as Volusia’s superintendent, schedules school visits to keep in touch with the front lines of the education business she’s made her life’s work.
“I think it’s very important to be in the schools,” she told the School Board when she interviewed last fall for the Volusia job. “You have to see the teacher-student interaction. This reminds us what it’s all about.”
Smith rarely missed a day visiting schools in her seven years as deputy superintendent of Monroe County schools in the Florida Keys. She’s visited about half of Volusia’s 70 schools over the past three months and plans to take in the rest before the end of the school year.
Smith is pleased with what she's seen in Volusia so far -- from displays of student work, to classroom centers that allow children to learn in a variety of ways to teachers and principals who seem proud to be working in local schools.
"I've been impressed with principals in terms of how personable they are with students," Smith said. "They seem to really care about the kids. That really comes through."
On her March 18 visit to Woodward in DeLand, Smith complimented teachers on their hands-on approach to learning and the ways they approached teaching children with varying abilities.
"These are the kinds of activities that motivate children and get them interested in learning," she said of the cheeping chicks hatching before children's eyes in two classrooms.
"This is absolutely the way all children should be able to work together and learn together," Smith said of a fourth-grade classroom where a husband-wife team of teachers works with two classes that include children with disabilities and those in the regular program.
Principal JoAnne Rodkey said Woodward's teachers were impressed Smith took time to visit their school. Rodkey expects the school visits to lend credibility to Smith's decisions as superintendent because "she's actually been there and talked to people on the front lines."
Smith's observations also are rooted in a career that spans 40 years and has included classroom teaching, counseling, two superintendencies in her native Pennsylvania and two years as that state's chief school officer.
It was that breadth and depth of experience that led the School Board to select Smith to replace Superintendent Bill Hall, who retired Wednesday.
In what board members said was an unexpected plus, Smith had resigned from her Monroe County job last fall so she was available to spend a lot of time in Volusia before taking over as superintendent. The board agreed to pay her $16,800 in consultant fees for 42 days of work from December through last month. She will earn $155,000 annually as superintendent.
Smith and her husband, Bill, a retired pilot and part-time charter fishing boat captain, moved to New Smyrna Beach Jan. 1. She's been busy ever since getting to know the school district and its staff, the layout of the county and the community.
Smith's husband and three School Board members were at her side Thursday afternoon as Circuit Judge Julianne Piggotte administered the superintendent's oath of office at the Advanced Technology Center in Daytona Beach.
"I am so proud to be a member of Team Volusia," Smith said, referring to a slogan used for several years to symbolize a cooperative effort among the School Board, district employees and the community to improve local schools.
The last few months have reinforced Smith's initial impression that "there are lots of strengths" in Volusia schools, she said in an interview. "I want to build on those strengths."
Neither she nor School Board members expect any major changes as Smith begins her new job, but the new superintendent said her initial priorities will be:
· Increasing student achievement and closing the gap between those who are excelling and those who are struggling.
· Addressing the challenges associated with growth and new state class-size limits.
· Enhancing communication with staff, parents and community.
· Providing high quality teacher and staff training.
· Developing a stronger collaborative relationship between management and unions representing school employees.
· Encouraging innovative leadership among school administrators and teachers.
As the day approached for Smith to take over, Hall surfaced as one of her strongest supporters despite his initial preference to have Deputy Superintendent Tim Huth in the job. Hall's confidence in Smith has bolstered her support among staff and School Board members alike.
"She's very bright," said Hall, who worked closely with Smith for the last three months, in an interview shortly before he retired. "She knows what she's doing and she listens."
"The board has made a wise choice in Dr. Smith," Hall said. "She absolutely believes in children and she will do everything in her power and beyond to move (the school district) to the next plateau."