Keota Elementary Principal Josh Smith; photo courtesy of HLV Schools
One week in August changed everything for new Keota Elementary Principal Josh Smith. On August 1st, he interviewed for the position, and by the morning of August 8th, he had started at his new job. Since then, Smith says he’s had a great start thanks in large part to the students, teachers, and parents at the school. He feels he’s done a good job of getting to know the students and parents, and learning about their interests so he can work with them more effectively.
He realizes he still has things to work on, in particular he finds that since his background has primarily been in secondary education, he needs to get more comfortable with the elementary curriculum. Additionally, he needs to get used to some of the state documentation, which is something he hasn’t had to deal with in previous positions. He says it’s been a learning curve for him, but he’s had lots of support to help make it more manageable. Overall, he feels it’s been a positive beginning, and he’s thankful to the school and community for embracing him and making the transition enjoyable.