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
Nov 29
Saying goodbye to my CASSIX colleagues
Last night, I was recognized at our annual CASSIX/ASBOA Christmas Dinner and Retirement Evening. Other than my own senior administrative team, these individuals (senior leaders from across zone 6) have been my closest colleagues. My relationship with this esteemed group goes back to 2001 when I entered senior leadership. During what I call my “retirement …
Nov 23
Supporting Principals as Instructional Leaders
In my work as a senior leader, I’ve long-held the belief, that the most influential person in a school division is the principal. Their ability to “lead from the middle” as explained by Andy Hargreaves is certainly influential but it also comes with some significant pressures from top and bottom. That simple fact should be …
Nov 13
Final Musings
Over the past number of years, the local paper, the Lethbridge Herald has provided superintendents in the area a chance to submit articles on a rotational basis. Although I’m not set to retire until January, the following article published on November 13th, will be my last. Enjoy! With my impending retirement in January, this will …
Nov 03
Catholic Education Sunday 2019
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario are the only three provinces remaining in Canada that still offer publicly funded Catholic education. If you are a new Canadian, or maybe just new to Alberta, your experience of Catholic education has probably been that it is not very accessible to the general Catholic population because it is private and involves …
Nov 01
From the Desk of the Superintendent- November 2019
Did everybody survive Halloween? As I made my way through schools yesterday, there might have been just a little bit of excitement! Today unfortunately, there will probably be a fair amount of sugar highs!!! I want to begin this message with some reference to our October board meeting. Every October, the Board holds their organizational …
Oct 22
Saying goodbye at ERDI!
Last week, I attended my last Education Research Development and Innovation (ERDI) conference as a current superintendent. Since it was my last conference, I was recognized as a retiring education partner. As part of the recognition, I was given the opportunity for me to address the delegates, which began the start of my goodbye speeches …
Oct 13
Standards and professional growth
In 1997, the Ministerial Order, Teaching Quality Standard Applicable to the Provision of Basic Education in Alberta was signed. It provided a standard with descriptors of the knowledge, skills and attributes related to teachers who were new to the profession (i.e. Interim Certification) and those who held a permanent certificate. A new policy derived from that Ministerial …
Oct 02
Focusing on the competencies
The following blog post was published in the Lethbridge Herald on October 02, 2019. Last Thursday, Holy Spirit began the first of three division wide collaboration days. While most professional learning days have keynote presentations and work in similar interest groups, these days will focus on student competencies and will be cross grade and interdisciplinary. …
Oct 01
From the Desk of the Superintendent- October 2019
Well, that was quite the way to end September!!! We’ve closed all schools in the division three times in my days as superintendent, but this was certainly the earliest. It is not easy coordinating closures given that we cooperate with our neighbouring school divisions and the City of Lethbridge on busing but I was extremely …
Sep 23
Adult Relationships with Students Matter
September is quickly coming to a close, and teachers have been busy assessing students’ current knowledge to personalize instruction in order to go deep into the curriculum. But the first part of any school year or the teaching of a new course must have a focus on fostering effective relationships with students. While connecting is …