News Flash

Dec. 17, 2019 - Superintendent Dr. Jeffery Smith has been named one of four finalists for 2020 National Superintendent of the Year by AASA, the School Superintendents Association. The award honors school system leaders throughout the country who are "making a postitive difference in the lives of the students they serve."

Dr. Smith began his tenure as superintendent of Hampton City Schools in  2015. 

Under his leadership, academic success is the highest it has been in decades, notes the school system. For the first time, 100% of the division’s 29 schools are accredited without conditions. The school division has strengthened its dual enrollment program with Thomas Nelson Community College, to date yielding a 642% increase in the number of dual enrollment credits. The on-time graduation rate has increased from 88% for the class of 2015 to 92.73% for the class of 2019. The dropout rate has decreased from 5.1% for the class of 2015 to 1.26% for the class of 2019. In addition, the Hampton community has earned the distinction of being the first Ford Next Generation Learning Community in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The other finalists are: 

• Gustavo Balderas, Eugene School District 4J, Eugene, Ore.
• Samantha Fuhrey, Newton County School System,  Covington, Ga.
• Michael Nagler, Mineola Public Schools, Mineola, N.Y.