Meet Melanie Smith, principal of Williams Elementary School!
What jobs have you had before becoming an administrator? I’ve had a variety of jobs before becoming a school administrator. Prior to becoming the principal of Williams Elementary School, I was Messalonskee Middle School’s assistant principal for 6 years. I have taught fifth and sixth grade, coached softball and field hockey at Westrbook Middle School, waitressed in Portland’s Old Port and Old Orchard Beach, and was also the manager of ticket sales for the Portland Pirates.
What are you most excited about for this upcoming year? Each school year, I look forward to celebrating each child’s growth and succeses, and to making Principal 100 calls to our families to share the awesome things our students do while at school. I also enjoy seeing our students participating in the fun and engaging activities that our wonderful WES teachers plan. This year, I am also excited about increasing each child’s physical activity time. Our children will participate in two physical education classes each week and they will play a cooperative game bi-weekly where they will work on communication, cooperation, teamwork, and problem solving. I am very excited about this opportunity for our students. I am passionate about wellness and increasing wellness opportunities for our students, staff, and community is important to me. I have been a member of our district wellness team for many years.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I love spending time with my family camping, fishing, hiking, snowmobiling, and skiing. I also love to bike and run. During summer, I competed in the Beach to Beacon 10K and hiked Mount Katahdin.
What’s your favorite meal? I love to eat, so it’s hard for me to choose a favorite meal. A few of my favorites include lasagna, fish tacos, and shephard’s pie.
What would your students be surprised to find out about you? My husband and I recently converted a school bus into a Skoolie (motorhome). This past April vacation, my family traveled down the East Coast to Disney World. We stopped and camped in Pennsylvania and South Carolina along the way… it was a blast.
If you could live anywhere, where would it be? I LOVE living in Maine and my dream would be to live on a lake! I love the weather here and love to hike and ski Maine’s beautiful mountains. I also enjoy fishing new lakes in our state. I’ve always wanted to visit Alaska and return to Washington with my husband and children to visit my aunt and uncle.
Tell us about your family! My husband Justin and I will be celebrating our 10th anniversary in October. We have two children. Our daughter, Charlie, is 4 and our son, Griffin, is 7. We also have two cats named Benny and Moose Jaxmin, and a turtle named Terrance. We love to go camping, biking, fishing and hiking. We love to explore new places.
What is your coffee order? Caramel iced coffee with skim milk from Dunkin Donuts or coconut joy iced coffee from Aroma Joe’s.
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