Board of Trustees Fill Superintendent’s Bookshelf in Celebration of His One-Year Anniversary
Dr. Matt Smith celebrated his one-year anniversary as superintendent in the Big Red Community this week. To mark the occasion, Board of Trustee members assigned the former English teacher some reading.
At Wednesday’s Board meeting, each trustee presented Smith with a book to add to his bookshelf that had a personal meaning.
“We thought this would be a fun and memorable way to show our appreciation to Dr. Smith for the way he has led the district this past year, which is easily one of the most difficult years education has seen in our lifetime,” said Elizabeth Cox, executive director of communications and community engagement. “And as the saying goes, ‘leaders are readers.’”
Board members took a few minutes at the beginning of the meeting to reflect on the year and why they chose the book they did.
“You love this community as if you were born and raised here,” Suzanne M. McDonald, Board president, told Smith before giving him a copy of “When Kids Lead” by Todd Nesloney and Adam Dovico.
Area 4 representative Chris Flor gave Smith a book showcasing national parks through pictures by photographer Ansel Adams.
“I’ve been so appreciative of how you’ve come into the district and honored what we have and listened to what we have and are committed to moving forward and improving and building on what we have,” Flor said. “The manner of which you’ve done that, with transparency and communication and honesty, has meant a lot.”
At-Large representative Ty Taggart took the opportunity to help educate Smith, a New York native who’s also lived in Oregon, Virginia and Arizona, on Texas high school football. One of his book selections was “Big and Bright: Deep in the heart of Texas High School Football” by Gray Levy.
All joking aside, Taggart said Smith has already made a mark on Belton ISD in just one year.
“For people to be listened to and people to know you are taking their words to heart, it has really changed the fabric of our leadership,” he said.
Erin Bass, the newly-appointed representative for Area 2, picked a picture book called “Journey” by Aaron Becker, which she says was one of the most popular books in her middle school classes when she was a teacher.
“When I look through this book, this little girl who goes through this journey, you can see her going through the competencies that we’ve identified with our own Journey of a Graduate process,” Bass said.
Smith, who’s handle leading through a pandemic, the opening of the district’s second high school and most recently a historic winter storm, says it’s been one of the best years of his professional life because of the people in Belton ISD.
“I can promise you the passion that I have is matched by the people I work with, and I am so thankful for that,” Smith said. “There’s been great work done, and there’s great work left to do.”
Here is the complete list of Smith’s latest bookshelf additions:
- When Kids Lead by Todd Nesloney and Adam Dovico (Suzanne M. McDonald)
- Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson, M.D. (Jeff Norwodd)
- 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson (Janet Leigh)
- Wins, Losses, and Lessons by Lou Holtz (Ty Taggart)
- Big and Bright: Deep in the Heart of Texas High School Football by Gray Levy (Ty Taggart)
- Our National Parks by Ansel Adams (Chris Flor)
- Strong Men in Tough Times by Ed Cole (Manuel Alcozer)
- Journey by Aaron Becker (Erin Bass)