The Other Side of the Mirror: A 10-Year Reflection on New Orleans Public Schools

Roslyn Smith is the second child and first daughter in a family of twelve children born and reared in New Orleans. She is married to Dr. Felipe Smith, a professor of English at Tulane University, and she is the mother of one son, Gian, and one daughter, Saia, both young adults and graduates of the New Orleans Public School system. Dr. Smiths early education was in the segregated Catholic schools of New Orleans. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and Special Education, a Master of Education degree in Learning Disabilities, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Administration, all awarded by the University of New Orleans. Her primary research interest is in developing transformational principals as moral leaders for urban schools. During a 32-year career in New Orleans public education system, Dr. Smith taught elementary grades and special education classes, and served as a school-site curriculum coordinator before moving to administrative assignments. She worked for a brief stint as Director of External Grants and Professional Development in the districts central office. For 22 years, she was principal of Oretha Castle Haley Elementary School, a high poverty, high minority urban school. In 1993, she was elected President of the Principals Association of the New Orleans Public Schools, Inc. During her tenure, she was named the Louisiana Elementary Principal of The Year and recognized as a National Distinguished Principal in 1995. Before retiring in November of 2005, Dr. Smiths last position was that of Area Superintendent where she was the immediate supervisor of the districts lowest performing schools, the Signature high school centers and the organizer of thirteen instructional support teams. Currently, Dr. Smith is the CEO and President of A+ Professional Educators, Inc., an independent educational consultant company. Her work experience includes developing administrative plans for charter schools, coordinating a Wallace Foundation grant to train urban school aspiring principals, and conducting professional development workshops for educators. She is the presiding President of the Treme Charter School Association, a community charter group in the countrys oldest African American community. Dr. Smith is an activist on all fronts of rebuilding public education in New Orleans.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Tulane
• NewOrleans
• education
• schools
• urban
• charterschools