A message from the Superintendent

August 2, 2012

Dear Lowell community,

I am excited today to announce the appointment of Dr. Marion Smith, Jr. as your new principal.

Dr. Smith comes to Lowell from Madrona K-8 where he was assistant principal during the 2011-12 school year.

He is committed to inclusive practices and will be a great fit for the Lowell Elementary School community. He has identified cultivating positive, constructive relationships with the community, supporting a foundation for continuous school improvement based on Lowell Elementary’s strengths and growth areas, and creating a shared vision for the future as beginning priorities as principal.

Marion Smith, Jr. served as the founding director of culture at Young Scholars Frederick Douglass, a K-8 turnaround school in North Philadelphia. He was previously dean of students at J.D. Smith Middle School in Las Vegas, and has also been a middle school English Language Arts teacher, high school English teacher, and AVID curriculum specialist for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas.

Starting his career in education, he was a lead pre-kindergarten teacher. Dr. Smith’s educational preparation includes an earned Doctorate of Educational Leadership and Change from Fielding Graduate University, a Masters of Education Administration and Supervision from the University of Phoenix-Las Vegas campus, and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary English Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He holds a Washington State Administrative Certificate.

He was selected after a hiring process that included input from staff and families. The selection committee was particularly impressed with Dr. Smith’s professional practices anchored in advocacy and equitable education, and his dedication to working with the community.

He has demonstrated a fearless support of teachers, emphasizing access of learning for all students, and he is philosophically aligned with our hiring goals.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Marion Smith, Jr., to Lowell Elementary School!

Sincerely,



Jose Banda
Superintendent
Seattle Public Schools