After nearly a 35 year career in education, I retired as the Superintendent of Schools in January 2020. While in the role as superintendent, I sat on two national committees, ERDI and C21 and also was an adjunct professor for Gonzaga University. I now work as a leadership consultant supporting the work of school boards, system and school leaders.
Chris Smeaton
Author's posts
Apr 10
Relationships…always!
I’m sitting in Olds High School in advance of my presentation on high school redesign. Instead of sitting in the area where we will be having lunch, I chose to sit in a common area with students all around me. As a superintendent I don’t get enough opportunities to be around students so it is …
Mar 31
From the Desk of the Superintendent- March 31, 2014
I want to begin this month’s blog by celebrating excellence. This past month, three of our Holy Spirit teachers were recognized for their excellence. Coreen Packham was nominated for an Excellence in Teaching Award, Kelly Peake was named Holy Spirit’s recipient of the Excellence in Catholic Education Award and Cyrenna Carpenter will be our Edwin Parr nominee, …
Mar 26
Curriculum Redesign
The following article was published in the Lethbridge Herald on March 26, 2014. During the last couple of years, the Lethbridge Herald has offered local superintendents an opportunity to write a weekly column on education. Each of us has written about our own local initiatives, as well as the changing face of education. This consistent …
Mar 23
Science and Innovation Summit- Berlin 2014
Last week, I wrote about my experience travelling with EF Educational Tours Canada to Germany. I have yet to write on the main purpose of the trip which was the Science and Innovation Summit, held in Berlin. I have now had time to recover from jet lag, a nasty cold and have been able to reflect on …
Mar 15
Remembering the past
The past week I have the pleasure of accompanying EF Educational Tours Canada and a group of senior educational leaders from across Canada to tour Germany. The main event was the Science and Innovation Summit. I will write a separate post on my experience with the summit. Prior to the summit however, we were able to visit …
Mar 09
From the Desk of the Superintendent- March 09, 2014
The wind is howling in southern Alberta this morning. That means we are either having a bitter cold snap or a chinook. Already in March, we’ve faced both! Let’s hope that the spring weather we are experiencing currently (maybe without the wind) stays around as I for one am tired of winter! February’s board meeting highlighted some major capital announcements …
Feb 23
Accountability and Assurance
There has been considerable conversation about the topic of accountability in education. Often pundits stand on either side of the debate without addressing the real issues or worse, without any semblance of common sense! Our division, although relatively small compared to our metro counterparts, still has a budget of approximately 53 million. The vast majority of this …
Feb 20
From the Desk of the Superintendent- Generative Governance
The following article was published in the Lethbridge Herald on February 19, 2014. School boards in Alberta have three main roles. The first is a fiduciary role that focuses on exercising its legal responsibilities. The second role revolves around strategic planning; making decisions on resources, programs and services. Last, and probably least exercised in the …
Feb 09
Continuous Improvement Plan Reviews
This year, I’ve been more intentional in working with our schools with their continuous improvement plans or CIPs as they are commonly referred. At one time in our division’s history, the school had little flexibility in the design of their plans. There was a strict format and all plans adhered to it. I believe that this …
Feb 02
From the Desk of the Superintendent- February 2, 2014
Semester and quarter exams are over and February begins the last half of the school year. According to Balzac Billy, who didn’t see his shadow, spring should be right around the corner, even though Environment Canada predicts more cold! The question is, “Who are you going to believe?” Regardless of the weather, we are in …