By Dani Tietz
Becoming an educator has always been on the radar for Erin Smith.
Growing up in a household with a father who was a teacher put the front and center. Knowing what the day-to-day looked like in the classroom and on the field piqued her curiosity. And from the time she was in seventh grade, she had concluded she wanted to teach math.
Earning a degree from Ball State University, Smith’s first job brought her an hour south and west to Indianapolis. In 2005, she returned to East Central Illinois, teaching at Next Generation Middle School, Parkland College, and then at the University of Illinois before pursuing an administrator certificate.
“I felt that I loved the impact I had on students, but I could have a greater impact on teachers and, therefore, a greater impact on students,” Smith said.
After 44 years as an educator, Smith watched her dad’s career be impacted by administrators, whether the leader made decisions that were good or bad. With a background of teaching in middle school and at the college level, Smith felt she might be able to work with educators in high school to help generate ideas on how to help students.
That dream came true in 2020 when she took a position as principal at Iroquois West High School.
Even though the educational atmosphere was a little more than she had trained for — day-to-day uncertainty and unprecedented learning environments with COVID-19 mitigations — Smith enjoyed the work in front of her.
While some parents looked for refuge for their children with at-home learning during those unparalleled times, others were anxious to return to the normalcy of in-person school and extracurricular activities. Smith certainly felt the heat but said she learned there was something more besides the frustration.
“As a principal, I was wearing the medical hat, the angry parent responder, and the angry student responder hat,” she said.
“But what I learned is, when you’re talking to parents, there’s nothing more personal than your child.”
“And when you’re talking with a teacher, there’s there’s nothing more personal than what’s happening in their class or with their profession.”
Smith said she learned to listen without needing to respond or to try to fix things for others. She just wanted to be a safe place where parents, students, and staff could come to share what was on their mind — a place where everyone knew that she’d try to help with the resources and tools available.
This is the mindset Smith has brought into the role of principal at Oakwood High School. The St. Joseph resident wanted to be closer to home, where she is raising her own children.
According to Smith, the Oakwood School District made the transition from Iroquois West to Oakwood easy. She’s not only felt support from Superintendent Larry Maynard, but she’s also had members of the board of education reach out to her. The district invited Smith to learn more about the school and even participate in hiring decisions since October, knowing that John Odle would retire at the end of the 2022-23 school year.
In the first few weeks at the helm, Smith has had several one-on-one meetings with staff, whose main concern is what she expects from them.
“All I need from you is to do your best; if you have a problem with something, then let’s talk about it,” Smith said.
“I want people to be excited to come to work, and part of the job of the administrator is to make it like that.”
As of then end of this week, Smith is headed off on a fishing trip with her family, but when she returns, she ready to build that inviting atmosphere at Oakwood High School. They will have a staff cookout in early August as anticipation for the 2023-24 school year heats up.
For Smith, school has always been like Disneyland, she said. Of course, there are things that people don’t like, the long lines and maybe the heat, but overall, the rides and atmosphere are good.
Alongside academics and athletic opportunities, Smith will focus on meeting students with empathy.
“This might be the safest place they have,” she said.
“With changes in jobs or family structures, you never know exactly what’s happening in that moment for a kid…It’s part of culture and climate to just really kind of meet people where they are, whether they’re adults or students.”
While she may be one of the new faces at Oakwood High School next year, Smith is excited to work once again with newly hired athletic director and assistant principal Zach Steele.
“I was an assistant coach for him a couple of years for track,” Smith said. “He’s going to be great. I’m excited about our staff, some ideas that we have to help elevate some of the things that Oakwood does and really celebrate the things that they’ve already been doing so well.”
Smith will continue to learn more about leadership in the months ahead. She’s already on the road to getting her superintendent’s endorsement and writing a book about what she’s learned as she’s navigated through different facets of the education system.
