Bert Smith said he hopes his tenure as Ware County Schools Superintendent resulted in an improved system as he prepares to step down later this year.
“I hope that I’ll be leaving the system in a better place when I came here,” said Smith, who earlier this summer announced his retirement effective December 1. “The succession plan we have initiated to train teachers to take leadership and administrative roles was designed to have teachers ready to fill positions whenever they arose, sometimes without much notice.”
Smith departs after a 28-year career in education that began as a teacher at Bacon County High School in 1996. The Brantley County native was named to his current post in May, 2019.
He said the county’s building programs are another source of pride for his years in the job. He mentioned the new Waycross Middle School, where a planned groundbreaking is just a couple weeks away, and the multi-purpose outdoor facility at Ware County High.
“When we started the process, we thought it would take $30 million to build it,” Smith said of the new middle school. “Last week, we were told it will cost $49 million. That’s a challenge.”
He said the state will contribute about $5 million while the system’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax brings in about $9.36 million a year. That would mean a payoff for the school’s construction in a five- to six-year window.
As for the structure at WCHS, Smith said: ““It truly is multi-purpose. The other day, I saw the football team and softball teams practicing together, safely. That was pretty cool. It’s an impressive facility.
“Football does utilize it, but it’s also for soccer, it’s even lined for lacrosse, if we ever get a lacrosse team. Baseball, band, cheerleaders, track and field, all of them have a place to practice in spite of the weather conditions.”
Smith also mentioned that the new state-of-the-art rifle facility as a very nice addition to the system, as well as the new Agriculture building on campus. The Gators have won multiple state championships in rifle.
Smith said he’s proud the system was the only one in Okefenokee RESA to give its teachers and staff members retention bonuses.
“We strategically used ESSER Funds (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) during the COVID years to hire extra support teachers, purchase equipment for the fine arts, and many other projects,” he said.
Smith graduated from Brantley County High School in 1991. He attended Waycross College and then Valdosta State, working his way up through an EdS (Education Specialist) in 2006. His training was as a math teacher.
After starting in Bacon, Smith moved to Brantley County High in 1997. In 2006, he was promoted to Assistant Principal and in 2008, was appointed Assistant Principal at Ware County High.
He spent one year as Principal at Brantley County High School before spending one year as Principal at Williams Heights Elementary School. Smith became Principal at WCHS in 2015.
“I’m thankful for the board members in trusting me, that took a chance on me, not having prior experience as a superintendent,” Smith said. “And, I thank my family. They sacrificed a lot.”
