South Tama Schools Superintendent Jared Smith Chronicle/John Speer

“We’ve been asking for feedback and getting really good insight,” new South Tama Superintendent of Schools Jared Smith said last week. Smith assumed the superintendent’s post on July 1.

Smith says do not look for major changes to be made in his new school district but emphasizes he himself will, and he will encourage staff to, strive “to make kids and families want to attend STC.”

Smith reports over 100 responses have been received to a social media survey which asks three basic questions: What should we keep doing, stop doing and start doing?

He said administrators and staff will evaluate the results and hope to use some of the recommendations in future planning.

“Making sure we are meeting the needs of all students in all classes” will continue to be the focus of South Tama schools, Smith says.

Smith said he did encourage the recent addition of the iJAG program for STC High School juniors and seniors which will provide career motivation and help. In conjunction he said he recognized the value of the dual enrollment program for STC students in Marshalltown Community College classes.

Everyone is invited to meet the new superintendent, new Elementary Principal Brad Schweppe and the new Director of Curriculum and Student Services Shauna Smith tomorrow evening, Thursday, July 26, at the South Tama Elementary School in Tama between 5-7 p.m. A free taco bar will be served.

During his career Smith served as assistant principal at Ft. Dodge and assistant high school principal at Waterloo East High, both for four year stints and had just completed his second year as principal at Muscatine High School when he accepted the South Tama position.

He previously had taught elementary school at Sarasota, Fla., and at an Ogden School in downtown Chicago.

He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Masters in Education from National Louis University, and Doctorate from Iowa State University, Ames.

A native of Waterloo, he is a graduate of West High School.

His wife, Lindsey, is a Green-Mountain Garwin High School graduate and is a dental assistant.