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Superintendent Tony Smith to Leave Emery

David Mills
Connection Staff
October 2007

After three successful years, Emery School Superintendent Tony Smith is leaving the district.

Smith announced September 25th that he has accepted a job as deputy superintendent for instruction, innovation and social justice with the San Francisco Unified School District.

His last day at Emery will be Oct. 30. The Emery Unified School District Board of Education is expected to select an interim superintendent before he leaves.

Emery educators said they weren’t surprised by Smith’s departure. They said he laid a solid foundation that will allow Emery to continue to improve its educational quality.

“It is sad to see such a strong person leave our district, but I am glad we had the opportunity to work with him,” said Melodi Dice, school board president. “We are fully committed to supporting the hard, earnest work taking place in our district and the guiding principles to accomplish it.”

Kurt Brinkman, another school board trustee, agreed. He said Smith is a “tremendous talent” who built a strong team who will be able to continue the District’s work without him.

“Tony planned his exit strategy well,” said Brinkman. “I have no concerns we will do well as we continue down the same path.”

Smith was appointed superintendent when the district’s state-appointed administrator stepped down after Emery returned to fiscal solvency in 2004. Since then, test scores in the district have risen steadily. In addition, city voters passed an extension of the school parcel tax in June, Measure A, providing extra funding for Emery schools. Measure A generates about $2 million annually for the district, of which about 75% is paid for by the business community.

Smith, a Cal graduate and former offensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49’ers, said he is confident the progress the district has made the past three years will continue with the administrators, teachers and, in particular, the school board in Emery.

“I can’t imagine a stronger and more prepared board,” he said.

Smith said he is leaving simply because the opportunity to help a district as large as San Francisco is too great to pass up.

“They have many, many young people there who need a quality education,” he said.

“We’ll miss Tony in Emeryville,” said John Gooding, President of the Emery Ed Fund. “More than an educator, Tony quickly grasped the importance of community and business connections, and being an advocate for the District. He performed that role extremely well, and we wish him all the best in his new position.”

David Mills is a writer for The Emeryville

Connection. If you have a question or comment, please contact him at ecocnews@gmail.com