Kristen Smidy of Westfield has been appointed to the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as the only representative from Western Mass.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
WESTFIELD — Kristen Smidy of Westfield has been appointed to the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, according to an announcement from the Healey-Driscoll administration on Sept. 22.
Smidy is a former teacher, principal and superintendent with nearly 20 years of experience as an educator in Massachusetts. She is currently an associate director for Accreditation and School Improvement on the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Public Schools, a position she began recently after serving as superintendent of the Gateway Regional School District for the past four years. She previously served as the principal of Hampshire Regional High School, and began her career as a sixth and seventh grade social studies teacher at Duggan Middle School, now known as John J. Duggan Academy, in Springfield.
During her tenure as superintendent at Gateway, Smidy was an outspoken advocate for rural school funding and the needs of school districts in the small towns of Western Massachusetts. Of the eleven members on the board, three of whom are from Newton, two from Worcester, one from Hudson and the rest from the Greater Boston area, she will be the only representative from Western Mass.
“It is an honor to serve on the Board and to bring forward the voices of students across Massachusetts, from our cities to small, rural towns across the state and particularly from Western Massachusetts,” said Smidy. “I am committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunities they deserve.”
Smidy said she was selected after receiving a text from Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler, telling her she was being considered for the board, and asking if she would be interested in serving. “I thought about it. Given that Western Mass. does not have great representation on the board, it made sense,” she said.
“I hope that the board will be able to consider the perspective of the students and educators in Western Mass. A lot of the policy is for the eastern part of the state. I’ve been pretty frustrated with some of the inequities and policies coming out statewide that don’t make sense,” Smidy said.
In making the announcement, Smidy’s ties to rural and regional school districts in Western Massachusetts were touted. “We are excited to welcome Kristen Smidy to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education,” said Tutwiler. “Her leadership and deep commitment to high-quality instruction, student support and community connections will be a great asset to the Board. She brings an important perspective and will be a powerful voice for students and families in Western Massachusetts.”
Local representatives also cheered the hiring of Smidy to the board.
“Kristen Smidy has been a tenacious and tireless advocate for rural schools in Massachusetts. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from her and from the countless number of students that she has engaged in the legislative process. Her appointment by the Healey-Driscoll administration underscores the importance of having diverse perspectives at the table to ensure that every student, regardless of ZIP code, receives the very best education that our Commonwealth can provide,” said state Rep. Natalie Blais, a Democrat from Deerfield whose district represents several rural communities in Franklin County.
“I am beyond thrilled that Kristen Smidy has been appointed to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Having had the honor of working with Kristen during her time as superintendent to the Gateway Regional School district I know she will be an invaluable asset to the Board as they continue to shape and strengthen our Commonwealth’s public education system to help all of our students succeed regardless of zip code,” agreed state Sen. John Velis, a Westfield Democrat.
Smidy has served on the Legislative Committee for the Massachusetts School Superintendents, the Connecticut Valley Superintendent Roundtable Executive Board, and the Massachusetts Inclusive Higher Education task force. She is a graduate of UMass Amherst and Boston University.
Smidy and her husband, Andrew, have two sons, who attend Southampton Road Elementary and Westfield Intermediate School.
