Message from the School Board President:
Dear ,
These are exciting times for Belton ISD. Following a five-month community-driven search process, the district has officially hired its new superintendent, Dr. Matt Smith.
Most recently serving as the Chief of Staff in Leander ISD, Dr. Smith has more than two decades of experience in public education serving as a classroom teacher, at-risk program coordinator, athletic director, campus administrator and district administrator. And while his extensive resume leaves no question that he is qualified for the role, my fellow trustees and I are excited to have selected a superintendent that we believe is committed to investing in our students, in our staff and in our shared purpose in a meaningful and authentic way. We are confident that he will embrace and enhance our district’s culture as we continue to address our fast-growth and shape the future of our students and community.
Dr. Smith’s first official day as Superintendent of Schools for Belton ISD is Monday, February 24, but he isn’t waiting for that first day school bell to ring before he begins listening to our community. This week he launched our first district-wide ThoughtExchange to begin to hear the important perspectives of our students, staff, parents and community members. This open and transparent virtual community conversation is LIVE for you to participate in through February 26 and I would encourage you all to share your thoughts and rate the thoughts of others to ensure your voice is heard.
The strength of Belton ISD’s enduring success is directly related to our tremendous staff that serve students each day and our Big Red Community that supports them. It is with the continued commitment of both that we can say with certainty that we are excited for our future with Dr. Smith.
Being able to look ahead with such positive enthusiasm is in part due to the leadership that Belton ISD has benefited from since August. Thank you to Dr. Robin Battershell for stepping up for our kids and this community to serve as our Interim Superintendent. Having Dr. Battershell in this role, afforded my fellow board members and I the chance to truly dive deep into the superintendent search process with the knowledge that our students and staff had her strong, steady leadership to support them.
I am grateful to each trustee for the hours spent in reviewing community feedback, reading through application materials, conducting in-depth interviews and ultimately making such an important decision for our district’s next leader.
Welcome to our Big Red Community, Dr. Smith!
Sincerely,
Suzanne M. McDonald
President, Board of Trustees