Danville Public Schools’ Chief Academic Officer is leaving to take a job in North Carolina. Darn it, I’m going to miss her.
The Wayne County (NC) Public School System has announced that Yvette Smith will be their new Human Resources Director. Smith started her educational career in 1993 as a teacher in Wayne County. She then moved into an assistant principal job there before moving on to higher ranking positions including state and federal work.
Yvette Smith has been a strong part of Danville Public Schools’ administration team and she’s always been amazingly helpful to any requests that SouthsideCentral has made to her. SouthsideCentral wishes her the best in her new position, and like I said above… dammit, I’m going to miss her awesome personality and devotion to her job.
Danville just lost some major talent. Thanks to the continued failures of the school board. I really question the intent of most of the board most notably Osborne and Palhamous. It is not like there has been any strong leadership. Smith was strong and she knew how to take parents seriously without judging them. On another note I must say I have been highly critical of SC and Bruce. I must admit you guys out work everyone else and you report on blood raw topics that need attention. Thank you for that.
It would be interesting to know what the budget was for Smith department? It was probably slashed at epic proportions, further hindering her effectiveness. If she were to speak out then… well we know what happens then. Danville holds many distinctions unfortunately we are most known for all of the wrong ones. Many say its like this everywhere. It is not. We are the leaders in the Region, and losers in the state. CHECK THE CHILD POVERTY RATE!!
I can tell you that no department budgets have been seriously slashed at Danville Public Schools. Occam’s Razor says “The simplest solution is usually the correct answer.” and in this case, I see Smith taking a high-ranking job that’s very close to her roots.
Thanks for the kind words. I came up with the idea of making SouthsideCentral a fusion of news and opinion. It’s different from anything else that is out there, but I had a good feeling it would be successful. Traditional journalism turns up their noses and ventures like this, but traditional journalism is slowly dying off.
KMA,Pam comments includes a THREAT to me—he ought to get removed from this blog. do you want someone belonging to your blog who posts threats? especially when his comment and bashing on me is / was Unprovoked. I did not mention his name in any of my comments.
If not how do I get my named removed from SSC?
she defitinely is a professional. lucked up returning to homeland !
How long was Smith employed by the Danville School Board?
Two years
Good riddance! Didn’t know a thing. If she knew anything about being Chief Academic Officer, why are more than 50% of Danville’s schools still not fully accredited and she’s been here two years?
maybe that’s why her new job is out of the instructional / academics department.
Ms. Smith was a great asset to Danville Public Schools who was very knowledgeable and professional. From some of the above comments I sense that fingers are pointing at her for not helping Danville Public Schools to be 100% accredited. Well, if people would get out Danville and search around the state they will find that in high poverty areas such as Danville school accreditation isn’t common. The fingers should all be pointing to Richmond because they dictate what our students should be taught and how they should be tested. The only thing local school districts can do is to provide methods and strategies for our students to pass the rigorous test that are developed by the state. So, pointing fingers at Smith and stating she didn’t do anything and didn’t know anything about her position in Danville is ridiculous. Her resume tells her abilities and her experience from local school districts, to state level school positions, and to federal school levels. I wonder how many people in Danville Public Schools can state they have experience at all governmental levels? So, my advice is to appreciate anyone who is willing to come to Danville to contribute their time, effort, and knowledge in helping develop well educated citizens in the Danville area. Ms. Smith will be missed in the Danville Public Schools whether anyone admits it or not. And lastly, instead of pointing fingers and giving untruth opinions I recommend all “naysayers and anti-Smith supporters” to apply for Ms. Smith’s position and see what you are capable of doing with Danville Public Schools. I guarantee the first day you are on the job dealing with the economy, the state and federal mandates, and the Danville community at large you will throw in the towel and find employment elsewhere. Just believe me education isn’t what it use to be and no one human can fix the problems that Danville faces, Virginia faces, or America faces. But maybe the “naysayers and anti-Smith supporters” can work a miracle. Go ahead and give it a try!
Well, if that’s the case, teachers and principals should be given the same consideration instead of looking to get rid of them when not enough students in high poverty areas pass these “Richmond dictated tests.” It seems funny that the suits and skirts in central offices get a free pass which is exactly what some are giving Smith.
I hear she was “personality-free” —-what did she do for DPS in her 2 years? her claim to the DPS central office fame? who brought her here? why would she leave the North Carolina position she had to come to a poverty school system like DPS? she must have had a connection.
In response to what did Smith do in her two years in Danville I will put it as simple as possible, she did according to the duties of a chief academic officer. The main function of that title is to ASSIST the superintendent in the role of providing leadership in developing, achieving, and maintaining the best educational programs for students. However, with this position a lot of duties are delegated to directors such as director of special ed, director of preschool and elementary, director of secondary ed, director or career and technical ed, etc. and under these individuals you have principals who are over teachers. So with that being said leadership in education is just that to lead but it guarantees nothing because there are others in place to actually get the job done. My question is what did Ms. Smith’s support do to increase academic achievement including parents, community members, and naysayers? But from my earlier post no matter who is leading or providing instruction it still has to be done according to the VDOE or whatever state you are in. In response to who brought her here it seems you have more insight on her personal life than I do but I will say however she found Danville it took seven school board members from DANVILLE to believe in her and her credentials before she could be hired. In response to why she would leave North Carolina to come to a poverty school system like DPS I’m sure anyone with her experience and credentials are needed in these areas and I’m sure individuals such as Smith desires to share their experience and expertise in areas such as Danville. But again since it seems that you have more insight on her personal life I’m sure you have already made your assumptions prior to any postings on this blog. I will state once again Ms. Smith was a great asset to Danville and she will be greatly missed whether individuals admit it or not. Danville’s lost is Wayne County’s gain because while individuals are pointing fingers, giving negative opinions, and celebrating that she is gone; I’m sure Ms. Smith isn’t losing any sleep better yet she is just getting one step closer to completing her doctorate which will allow her to become a superintendent if she desires to be. And then this blog will not be addressing her as Ms. Smith but DR. Smith yes she will soon be Dr. Smith. This will give her the opportunity to be the CEO (Chief Educational Officer/Superintendent) of a school division. So with two more weeks before Danville Public Schools receive students back let’s accept the fact that Ms. Smith is gone just like many others who made the choice to leave DPS and let’s turn our focus on Danville preparing to send their kids back to school so teachers can do their best to educate them to become productive citizens regardless to what a state test says and regardless to what a leader does in their position.
well now…u seem to know a LOT about the future DR smith. the readers of this blog will depend on you to inform us when we can address her as DR smith—-do let us know to complete her mini bio that u have begun,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
what university is she getting her doctorate?
Good job, Onyx. All trevor does is try to stir up trouble. He’s an idiot. Unfortunately, he’s also an idiot who works with children in some capacity in a public school setting that is NOT even Danville Public Schools. If you follow Bruce on Facebook, you can figure out exactly who he is based on the uneducated writing and inventive spelling he uses in both places. He can’t just realize he’s a fool and shut the hell up. He’ also appears to be a backwater racist and that part scares me the most. I pray there are no minority students in the school where he works. I am “this close” to sharing some of his racist posts with the school board in hopes that he’ll be dismissed. I don’t think he would stand a chance being hired by Dr. Smith.
Trevor, I just do research to find out a lot. Please feel free to Google Ms.Smith and the same Information I stated will be available to you as well. But I definitely will not mind sharing what I find out on her with viewers on this blog. From my understanding she is getting her doctorate from Wingate University near Charlotte, NC.