MONROE — The Monroe School Board has chosen a new superintendent.
Fredrika Smith, chief academic officer for the Puyallup School District, was selected after touring schools and meeting people in Monroe on Thursday.
Smith, 48, was chosen because she has experience implementing inventive programs that work for different types of students, School Board member Nancy Truitt Pierce said.
Smith “has a clear track record of creating innovative pathways for children,” she said.
Truitt Pierce said she met Smith’s boss, Puyallup Superintendent Tim Yeomans, in Olympia last week.
“He said, ‘You’d be a fool not to hire her,’” Truitt Pierce said. Yeomans called Smith “one of the best educators in the state.”
Truitt Pierce credited Monroe Superintendent Ken Hoover for leaving the district in a condition to attract “cream-of-the-crop” candidates for the job. Hoover is retiring from his $211,692-a-year position on June 30.
Smith is expected to start July 1, but her contract has not been negotiated. Truitt Pierce said Smith’s and Hoover’s salaries would likely be similar because the district bases superintendent pay on that of six nearby districts of similar size. The contract is expected to be signed by the end of the month.
Smith earned a doctorate in education leadership and policy from the University of Washington in Seattle. Her graduate and undergraduate studies focused on teaching different types of students, including those in special education and gifted programs.
Smith said she chose to pursue the career to create pathways in education that genuinely meet the needs of each student.
“It’s important, particularly in public education, that everybody has a place,” she said.
Smith is a lecturer in a graduate program for educators at the University of Washington Bothell. She hopes to continue that work as long as it doesn’t conflict with her new job.
“The Monroe community is by far my first priority,” she said.
Maltby Elementary School Principal Bonnie McKerney was a student of Smith’s while working for an administrative credential in the UW Bothell program.
“She was willing to push our thinking and help us grow in a very positive way,” McKerney said. “She’s very knowledgeable, very supportive. She has a high regard for people and innovation.”
Smith previously worked as a school administrator, assistant superintendent, assistant principal, teacher and behavior specialist. She has been employed in several Washington school districts, including Mukilteo, Meridian, Stanwood-Camano and Marysville.
Truitt Pierce said she was impressed that Smith had started programs in the Meridian and Puyallup school districts that are similar to Sky Valley Education Center. That is Monroe’s K-12 school, in which parents have a direct role in educational programs.
Smith also led an effort in Marysville for teachers to meet parents in their neighborhoods instead of on campus, which helped improve the relationship between the Tulalip Tribes and the school district, Truitt Pierce said.
In Puyallup, Smith oversees one of the three regions of a school district of almost 22,000 students. About 32 percent of the students are on free or reduced-price lunches. Smith is in charge of one high school, two junior highs and five elementary schools. The district’s four-year graduation rate is about 83 percent.
In Monroe, Smith will look after about 7,200 students, with about 27 percent on free or reduced-price meals.
Monroe has one high school, two middle schools, five elementary schools and five alternative schools. The district’s four-year graduation rate is about 80 percent.
Smith said she is prepared to face challenges in Monroe, such as the need to update school buildings if voters approve a $110.9 million bond in April. She’ll also be responsible for implementing reforms in the growing district, such as a change in the way teachers and principals are evaluated, new standardized tests for students and Common Core standards.
Smith grew up in Lynnwood and lives in Stanwood with her husband, Ken, a retired salesman. They raised three daughters in the area. One of their daughters is becoming a teacher.
“My head and my heart are in Snohomish County,” Smith said. “I’m looking forward to being part of Monroe. They’re a creative and innovative group of educators.”
Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports.
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