Betty Smith
By GERRY HENDERSON
USD 408 Superintendent of Schools
Last week's front page article in the Marion County Record on the USD 408 Board of Education meeting, while accurate and complete, perhaps left a few people wondering. The article mentioned that the board acted to accept the resignation of Jerry Smith, Marion Middle School teacher and coach of a number of Marion High School sports.
What the article did not mention is that Smith has resigned in order to retire from teaching after a near 30-year career, the last 18 years here in Marion.
Some would suggest that the oversight is the responsibility of the superintendent of schools, and perhaps that is true.
During last week's board meeting, I did not explain to the Record reporter that Jerry was retiring, and I should have.
My apologies to Jerry Smith. It was never my intent to slight Jerry Smith or to in any way downplay the tremendous contribution he has made to Marion young people over the past 18 years. He has coached nearly every sport in our extra-curricular activity program at one time or another and having done so, has touched too many lives to number.
We are fortunate that Smith has indicated a willingness to continue coaching even though he will retire from the classroom. We suspect that continuing to work with young people will ease the transition from full-time teaching to retirement. Whatever the case, we are grateful for Jerry's contributions over the years, and we are pleased that young people will continue to have the advantage of Jerry's advise and counsel on the football field or at the pole-vault pit. Thanks Jerry!
