Principal Karen Smith Promoted to Assistant Superintendent

For the last 15 years, Karen Smith has been a mentor for up-and-coming administrators in the school system while serving as principal of the Derynoski Elementary School. That was just one principal at a time.

Now Smith, a 21-year building-level administrator, will have the chance to serve as mentor for everyone in the school district as once after she was named as Assistant Superintendent Thursday evening.

“Over the course of my career, I’ve held a very simple philosophy,” Smith said. “I strived to be the type of leader that I would want my children and now my grandchildren to have.”

“I pledge to continue that philosophy and try to be the best assistant superintendent I can be, always remembering children come first,” she said.

Smith will assume the position starting July 1, replacing Howard Thiery who resigned from his position on April 1 to take the Superintendent position in East Haddam-Killingworth.

Smith will spend the rest of the school year at Derynoski Elementary, a request Board Chairman Brian Goralski said she made when offered the position.