Bellevue Independent School Superintendent Robb Smith resigned his position in late March as superintendent to take a job with the Kentucky Association of Educational Cooperatives as the director of Deeper Learning.
He will start his new job on July 1.
Smith has been Bellevue’s superintendent for eight years. His fellow superintendents said they respect him and are sorry to lose him.
“Robb is such a thoughtful intellectual, this new job seems like a perfect fit for his skills,” said Dayton Independent Schools Superintendent Jay Brewer. “He is a good guy. He’s like a brother to me — I’m going to miss him.”
Ludlow Independent Schools Superintendent Michael Borchers also said he will miss Smith.
“Dr. Smith has passionately served the Bellevue community for the last eight years,” Borchers said. “He will be missed in Northern Kentucky.”
Smith said he will miss Jay Brewer and Michael Borchers, and also Tony Watts (superintendent from Newport schools), and Alvin Garrison (superintendent from Covington schools). He said he felt like they all made a good river city team.
The Kentucky Association of Educational Cooperatives represents eight educational cooperatives through out the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The KAEC is partnering with the Kentucky Department of Education to create transformative procedures for students through Deeper Learning strategies.
The funding for this position and work will be through the American Rescue Plan, and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief plans, ARP and ESSER. The funding, which equals $24.5 million for the next three years beginning this fall will fund this effort.
“Our public schools are filled with innovative practices that deserve to be shared across classrooms,” Smith explained. “To be able to cultivate and connect them is a special opportunity, and I plan on being at the forefront of the efforts to ensure excellence across Kentucky’s distinct regions.”
Smith has been a math teacher, a principal, a district administrator, and superintendent in his 27 years in education. He is a trusted expert on curriculum and educational leadership, and frequently presents at national and state conferences.
“Along with the deeper learning teams, my goal is to help the Commonwealth’s students reach upper levels of thinking – thinking that goes way beyond application and analysis and into the creation of original products,” said Smith about his new job.
As excited as he is to start his new job, Smith has bittersweet thoughts about leaving Bellevue. In the eight years he has been in the district, he has helped the district to come a long way in practically every way, and has formed attachments.
The state recently awarded the district with $12 million in building funds. Smith is currently in the middle of renovations to both Bellevue High School and Grandview Elementary.
“There is still so much to do, so the new superintendent will have $12 million to do more improvements, which probably will be at Grandview, but that is up to the new person,” he said.
The board is in the decision making process at this time, having set the deadline for applications for the superintendent’s position last Friday. The board members are also sad to see Smith leave, but happy for this new opportunity for him.
“I will miss Bellevue greatly,” Smith said. “This has been a big piece of my career, and a big piece of my heart is here. I’ll take a lot of the lessons I’ve learned to my new job, but a part of me will always be here.”
