Gregory Smith brings varied background into new role as Poplar Springs principal

Published 3:15 pm Monday, July 29, 2019

Gregory Smith had plans of working in law enforcement but after working with disabled children during a summer camp while in high school, he began to change his mind.

He earned a degree in criminal justice, but turned instead to a career in education.

“When I finished my bachelor’s degree, at that point, I decided to pursue teaching,” Smith said.

Smith is now ready to lead as he takes on his first job as a school principal at Poplar Springs Elementary School. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Smith brings 22 years of experience in education to Poplar Springs. He has been a teacher, a graduate assistant, a college professor and has worked on the administrative level.

After working the in schools, in 2007, Smith decided to pursue his Ph.D. at Clemson University with a focus on curriculum and instruction. After working in higher education for a number of years, Smith decided to go back into K-12 education in 2018 by becoming the director of school accountability at the Columbia, South Carolina, School District.

Smith has had experience working with troubled students. He began his career in 1997 as a behavioral specialist in the inner city of New Jersey before becoming a special education teacher. Smith mostly worked with students who had behavioral and emotional issues.

He said, he saw “some pretty rough kids, gangs, drugs and violence.”

On the first day, he said, he remembers working with a 20-year-old student who was released from prison. Smith could relate to him since he was close in age.

Because of his criminal justice studies, Smith said, it took him a while to get used to teaching. He didn’t take the traditional route and didn’t have a chance to student teach.

“I was kind of thrown into these things with minimal experience and trying to do the best I could,” Smith said.

The exposure he had to education came from his mother, a teacher, and his father, a coach.

“I guess you can say it is in my blood,” Smith said.

Jason Harris, superintendent of Columbia School District, said he got in contact with Smith after he asked about volunteer opportunities within the district. Harris said after meeting him he knew Smith had a desire in helping students to succeed.

“Dr. Smith had this desire to see all children succeed during his time in Columbia,” Harris said.

While being a college professor, Smith said he got the opportunity to have a leadership role, which came with a learning curve. 

“I learned about academics and myself,” Smith said.

Alisa Lowrey, a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, worked with Smith for the last four years. She said even though he would help in research and other duties as a professor, he cared about his students. Lowery said Smith would relate to his students by telling him about his motorcycles and all his travels across the country.

“The students will miss him, he made learning fun,” she said.

For the upcoming school year, Smith said he wants the school to be successful academically, behaviorally, socially and do well on the Mississippi Accountability Report Card.

“At this time next year, I would like us to be an A,” Smith said.

He has been making the rounds in the community and took part in a meet the principal event and he has met with teachers. He plans to have more formal meetings with community members to see what they would like in the school and to keep up with the school’s traditions.

Smith said on the first day of school he hopes to meet with all students, but if he doesn’t meet them individually he will hold an assembly.

“Yes, that is the absolute goal is to meet everyone as soon as possible,” Smith said.

Smith said his career in education has been rewarding, fun and challenging. He likes to be part of the learning process. He said he hoped that he has inspired kids and has helped them to see their potential.

“I think I have inspired people to pursue some things that they wouldn’t,” Smith said.