Jerald Smith seeks board seat

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Helen Davis
Cibola County Bureau

LAGUNA — A tribal member of the Pueblo of Laguna and the president of the Laguna Development Corporation, Jerald D. Smith has tossed his hat into the ring for the District 1 Grants/Cibola County School Board.

Smith, who is half Hopi, grew up in the pueblo and has a bachelor’s degree in business from New Mexico State University. He is employed in business responsible for retail and casino operations for the Pueblo of Laguna.

Smith is running because he is concerned that children in the community can’t read. He also wants to get back to the community. The candidate said he is seriously motivated to run by the need for economic development, which he said is tied to the education in a community.

Businesses look at how good the schools are when they choose a community to move into and that Cibola County should be competitive in education, the candidate said.

Smith, whose experience involves evaluating the success of efforts in business and providing effective leadership to keep enterprises on track, stressed leadership in administration and teaching effectiveness on the front lines as key elements in improving education for the county.

Leadership comes from the top, he said, but it must also be effective at all levels. A good leader chooses good leaders, Smith said. He explained that the district needs people with experience in and around the areas they are expected to supervise; as in business, the district should hire people who know what they are doing, have done their jobs before and are capable of strong, ethical leadership that serves education and the children.

He added that the schools are responsible for teaching what students need to know to be successful in life; it is the family and community that should teach culture. Smith said he is active in his own culture.

He noted that while he is not enthusiastic about the AYP program, it does tell us what works and where the district stands in educating its students.

Voting day in Tuesday, Feb. 3. Vote for school board at your usual precinct, which is listed on your voter registration card. Or call the county clerk’s office, 285-2535, to verify your voting place.