Dr. Jared Smith named new superintendent 

The South Tama Community School District is pleased to announce that Dr. Jared Smith has accepted the offer to serve as new district superintendent.  The candidate pool included 18 total applicants.  Seven candidates were from outside the state of Iowa, 8 candidates had superintendent experience, and five candidates had an Ed.D. or Ph.D. degree

Based on application materials, references, and feedback from the formal interview process it was clear that Dr. Smith was the right person to lead the district.  The desired qualifications for the position included:

                Builds school and community relations
                Visible in the school and community                                                                                                                            Strong Instructional Leader                                                                                                                                          Effectively manages district resources                                                                                                                          Is approachable and open minded                                                                                                                                Follows through on tasks and responsibilities

Dr. Smith is currently the HS principal at Muscatine.  He has administrative experience in Waterloo and Ft. Dodge Schools; he also was an elementary teacher in Chicago, Illinois, and a HS math teacher in Sarasota, Florida.   Dr. Smith is an Iowa native graduating from West High in Waterloo, Iowa.  He received his BA from the University of Northern Iowa; a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from National-Louis University, Tampa, Florida; a Certificate of Advanced Studies and a PhD in Educational Leadership from Iowa State University. 

Dr. Smith has been a “culture builder” everywhere he has worked.  His past successes have included improving student achievement scores, lowering dropout rates, and expanding STEM and Career and Technical Education initiatives.  Dr. Smith has been very effective in improving the quality of the PLC teams at Muscatine High School, and he has brought an organized system and process to the professional conversation concerning teaching and learning.

Dr. Smith was excited to accept the position saying, “I’d like to thank the South Tama County School Board and all those who took part in the process.  Lindsey and I are looking forward to becoming a part of your community and I’ll be working hard to make the South Tama County School District a premier school district in the state of Iowa.”  Jared is married to Lindsey Smith (Fisher) who grew up in Tama County.   Much of the couple’s family still resides in the area. 

Pending board approval and successful background check, Dr. Smith will be officially starting his duties with the district on July 1, 2018.  Grundmeyer Leader Search from Ankeny, Iowa, assisted the district with the search process.