When Sally Smith was called into the cafeteria at Buice Elementary she wasn’t sure what to expect but there sure were a lot of people there.
The reason for the celebration was to present Smith with the Ector County ISD Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year award. When she walked in, Principal Jim Workman grabbed her by the shoulders and walked her up to the front. That made her believe this was for her.
Smith has been in education for nine years and with ECISD for six. She also has worked for Midland ISD. This is her second year as an assistant principal.
A native of Brownsboro, she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from University of Texas at Austin and a master’s in educational leadership from Lamar University.
Smith and her husband, Kyle, have three sons.
Smith said she was very surprised that she was recognized.
“I’m honored to have been chosen to be the elementary assistant principal of the year. With that I feel like comes responsibility … to continue doing the best that I can. I think that I’m ready to live up to that,” she added.
Smith added that it helps her realize that what she’s doing is hopefully having an impact.
Buice has about 850 students in grades kindergarten through fifth. It had a staff of about 40 last year.
“It makes me want to … focus that much harder and work that much harder to keep making a difference,” she said.
Smith added that she got into education to make a difference and those little “aha” moments when students pick up content or learn something new.
“It’s just gratifying for them to be able to learn something from you,” Smith said.
As an assistant principal, she does classroom walkthroughs, but she’s not in the classroom as much as a teacher.
She has thought about becoming a superintendent someday, but would have to go back and get certified.
Smith enjoys the family feeling at Buice.
“We’re here to support each other and … we’re working our best … (to) provide (for) and meet the needs of all of our students,” she said.
Smith said she likes the pipelines that ECISD offers to people who want to further their education and careers. The pipelines allow people who aren’t certified in specific areas to get certified in those areas.
“It also allows people who want to become principals or teachers the availability to do that which helps them further their careers and be lifelong learners,” she added.
Workman said Smith is truly dedicated to Buice — the students and the staff.
“She is highly motivated and meticulously centered around excellence and achievement at every level. Sally is detail oriented and knows the importance of taking care of even the smallest of things because cutting corners leads to outcomes that are unacceptable for our students. She is truly deserving of this recognition, even though she does not see the need herself. Sally Smith is what all leaders should strive to attain, and her demeanor and attitude is evident as well as contagious. We are truly blessed to have her on the leadership team at Buice Elementary,” Workman said.
