“I viewed being principal as a vocation, not just a job. I thoroughly enjoyed my tenure at St. Peter’s because I knew that I played an important role in making sure that students received the best education possible. I was blessed to be surrounded by faculty and staff who worked hard to help establish St. Peter’s as a school of excellence in the greater Mansfield community,” stated Jim Smith, retired elementary principal at St. Peter’s.
Smith served St. Peter’s School for the past 26 years, most recently as the elementary principal for 17 years and prior to that as the assistant principal and junior high math teacher.
During his service, he helped introduce an art program by hiring the school’s first art specialist. Also, during his tenure, he began a foreign language program for students in grades one through six (just concluded the sixth year of the program).
Other accomplishments of his include the addition of the Gifted and Talented Program, entitled Project Think, expansion of the Montessori preschool/kindergarten program, addition of the Kindergarten Enrichment program, which allows kindergarten families the option of full-day kindergarten, and achievement of the Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.
Rev. Gregory R. Hite, pastor and superintendent of St. Peter’s School, stated, “Jim has been an innovative educational leader, a careful manager and steward of our school properties, and above all, a Christian educator of our students. He always made decisions that were in the best interest of the kids.”
Smith hopes to continue working in education, possibly at the university level in student services or some other related educational career.
In reference to all of his years of service at St. Peter’s School, he commented, “I appreciated the ability to pray with the faculty and students and to help the students learn about the Catholic faith. The teachers were student-centered and dedicated to St. Peter’s School and its mission. I was lucky to have parents who were supportive of me and the school and who would volunteer on a regular basis. Most of all, the students were eager to learn, cooperative, respectful, and fun to be around.”