Katie Smith, principal of Union Elementary School, poses with her 2023 State Elementary Principal of the Year plaque.
Submitted photo
Union Elementary School’s principal was named the 2023 Indiana Association of School Principals Elementary Principal of the Year, a distinguishment that is awarded to one outstanding leader in the state every year.
Katie Smith has been the principal at Union since 2017. Prior to that, she served as the principal of Northwood Elementary for seven years.
After first being chosen Principal of the Year by Franklin Schools, she was chosen as the District Nine Elementary School Principal of the Year by her peers this past May. Of the 12 district winners in the state, one winner is chosen as state principal of the year.
“I was so surprised, honored and humbled,” said Smith. “When I heard my name called, I was actually in a state of shock. It just doesn’t seem real. There were wonderful, amazing candidates who worked really hard. I have been surrounded by great leaders that I have learned a lot from. It keeps me going, keeps me motivated and keeps that passion alive.”
Superintendent David Clendening commended Smith for her professionalism and leadership.
“The hallmark of any school is having a great principal,” Superintendent David Clendening said. “Katie is the consummate professional in this area. She leads with passion, love, and vision and is most deserving of this honor.”
The journey to Principal of the Year has been eventful for Smith. She took a job as a music teacher at Greensburg Community Schools immediately after she graduated from college.
The following year, she accepted a position with Franklin Community Schools to be a kindergarten teacher, a role she described as her dream job.
She taught kindergarten for five years and then became a literacy coach for another five years.
Smith then returned to school to get her master’s in Early Childhood Development and her administration license. Smith has now been at Franklin Schools for 22 years.
“You always want to surround yourself with outstanding individuals,” Smith said. “I have been honored to be in two buildings that have had great people who love kids. Union is a special place with its rich traditions and culture.”
Smith says that her leadership style emphasizes building trust with families, students and staff. She strives to establish a positive and collaborative culture and make school fun for all parties.
“When you get out of your car every single day, you don’t know what you are going to get,” Smith said. “Every day is a brand new day. I often tell students when they are having a bad day that tomorrow is a new day. There is no playbook for being a teacher or a principal because every day is so different. The students drive what we do every day. The hardest part of the job is that you never know what you are going to walk into or what needs are going to arise.”
During Smith’s final year at Northwood Elementary, she developed the Cub Academy Preschool program with the help of a specialized committee. It took about a year to develop, she said.
She had three preschool classrooms at first: one at Webb Elementary, Northwood and Creekside. Clendening saw the program’s potential and invited Smith to move to Union and continue the Cub Academy’s growth.
“There was a need for it in our community,” Smith said. “Now we have six Cub Academy classrooms throughout the district. I have great staff who love our kids and provide a nurturing, caring and fun environment for our three, four, and five-year-olds.”
Smith will now represent Indiana at the National Association of Elementary School Principals National Distinguished Principal Recognition Program in the fall of 2024. She is excited for the opportunity to meet other elementary principals from different parts of the country.
Throughout her journey, one message rings true for Smith: the kids make the job worth it.
“I love my job because I love kids,” she said. “I love to see them in the school and in the classrooms learning and growing. I wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for the kids.”
