JASONVILLE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— Classes are already underway for the Metropolitan School District of Shakamak, and there is a new face serving a major role for the district, and it is making history for the district.
Dr. Jacinda Smith is the new superintendent for the MSD of Shakamak, and she is also the first female to hold the position ever for the district.
“It is an honor to be the first female superintendent at Shakamak, but more importantly, I think than being the first is making sure that every student that comes through our doors has the opportunity to succeed,” Dr. Smith said.
Dr. Smith has three goals in mind while she serves as the superintendent for the Shakamak Schools.
“Making sure that we are improving student learning outcomes,” Dr. Smith said. “The second, expanding opportunities, and we know the state has rolled out new diploma seals. We want to make sure that we are the first to adapt and make sure those opportunities are available for our students. The third is centered around pride and excellence, and we want to ensure that we are telling our own story. We want to make sure that there’s not anyone in a fifty-mile radius that doesn’t know about all of the good things that Shakamak does.”
Dr. Smith has previously worked at Crawfordsville Community Schools, Southeast Fountain School District, and South Montgomery Community School Corporation, and is no stranger to working for rural school districts and corporations, and enjoys working with and for them. This is one reason why she chose Shakamak Schools for her next job, and she was also inspired by a previous coworker when it came to why she wanted to be a superintendent.
“I had the wonderful opportunity of having a female in a superintendent’s position, so I got to see representation,” Dr. Smith said. “I got to see that it is possible to be seated in this role as a female.
Current Shakamak Elementary School Principal Travis Turpen has been working for the district for nearly five years in his role and noticed how well the transition has gone from the previous superintendent to the next one.
“The school board has worked well with our administration and, in turn, the administration has worked well with our teachers,” Turpen said. “There’s been a lot of communication going on, from everybody in the corporation, to make it a pretty good transition.”
Something Dr. Smith already enjoys seeing is how involved the community wants to be with the schools in Shakamak.
“I have felt a tremendous amount of support,” Dr. Smith said. “I understand that this is the hub of the community. It is the heartbeat of the community. And that’s the first place that I feel it is in the amount of support. I feel that there’s a sense of understanding that we are all in this together as I shared with staff at the beginning of the year, an analogy of being on a Rowing team, it truly feels like everyone is ready to pick up the ore and help us start rowing and that is in the way I’m supported.”
Dr. Smith plans to release her 100-day entry plan with the schools and the community soon, but it will involve a lot of learning, listening, and building strong relationships with everyone in the school district, as well as everyone in the community. She also mentioned that she is really excited to experience her first-ever homecoming weekend at Shakamak later in the year.
To learn more about Dr. Smith and the MSD of Shakamak, simply visit their website.
