Who superintendent thinks should fill leadership vacancies in Muscogee school district
Muscogee County School District Superintendent David Lewis has recommended promoting three administrators into higher positions in the system, according to the Muscogee County School Board’s agenda for a Monday meeting:
- Tim Smith to be chief academic officer
- Wilson Dupre to be an assistant principal at Columbus High School
- Angel Vines to be assistant principal of Lonnie Jackson Academy.
The MCSD board is scheduled to vote on these recommendations during its May 20 meeting. Here’s background information about the recommended candidates, based on their resumes:
MCSD chief academic officer
Keith Seifert plans to retire next month after nine years as chief academic officer and 33 years in the district.
Smith, the district’s executive director of federal programs since 2015 and executive director of professional development since 2022, has worked for 22 years in MCSD.
He taught second and third grades at St. Marys Road Magnet Academy (2002-04). He also taught second grade and fifth grades at Allen Elementary School (2004-06). He moved into administration as assistant principal at Clubview and Gentian elementary schools (2006-08), then became principal of Blanchard Elementary School (2008-15) before taking his current position.
Smith also has worked as an educational leadership instructor at Columbus State University (2019-23) and served in the U.S. Army as a petroleum supply specialist (1995-98).
He attended local institutions for his college education: a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from CSU (2002), a master’s degree in educational leadership from Troy University-Phenix City (2005), a specialist’s degree in educational leadership from Troy-PC (2008) and a doctorate in educational leadership from CSU (2015).
Ten candidates applied to be MCSD’s next chief academic officer, and two were interviewed, Lewis told the Ledger-Enquirer.
“Dr. Smith has effectively served in various school-based and district level leadership positions within our district that have prepared him well for this important role,” Lewis wrote in an email to the Ledger-Enquirer. “In addition to being a successful principal, his most recent position overseeing federal programs and professional development has equipped him with the fiscal and programmatic knowledge to lead our district’s instructional vision and relevant areas of the strategic plan that includes a focus on early literacy and personalized learning, as well as accreditation and school improvement processes.”
Smith wrote in an email to the Ledger-Enquirer, “It is humbling anytime someone puts their faith or trust in you. If the Board chooses to approve the recommendation, I will continue to pour my heart and soul into supporting our schools to provide the best possible education for all of our students.”
Asked why he wants to be MCSD’s chief academic officer, Smith wrote, “I want to continue the progress we have made under Dr. Lewis’ and Keith Seifert’s leadership and strive to help our schools provide academic experiences for our students that inspire them to pursue enrollment, employment, enlistment or entrepreneurship upon graduation. My desire is that the Division of Teaching and Learning, in collaboration with the other divisions, provides the foundation our schools need to create learning environments where teachers love to teach and students are passionate about learning.”
If he gets the job, Smith said, he would spend “substantial time” during the first few months meeting with school leaders, teachers, students and parents to help develop his plan.
Columbus High School assistant principal
This vacancy was created last year, when Sonya Allen was promoted from assistant principal to principal after Marvin Crumbs left MCSD to become principal of Marietta High School and be closer to his adult children, who reside in Atlanta.
Dupre has been academic dean and Advanced Placement testing coordinator at CHS since 2022. He started his education career as an MCSD teacher in 2005 and has worked at Marshall Middle School, Fort Middle School and Dimon Magnet Academy.
Dupre earned an associate’s degree in applied science meteorology from the Community College of the Air Force (2003), a bachelor’s degree (2005) and a master’s degree (2006) in sport and fitness management from Troy University, a master’s degree in health and physical education from Columbus State University (2009) and a specialist’s degree in educational leadership from Argosy University (2013).
Lonnie Jackson assistant principal
The reason for Lonnie Jackson’s assistant principal vacancy wasn’t mentioned during the work session, and no MCSD official replied to the Ledger-Enquirer’s query before publication.
Vines has been an academic coach at Westley Heights Elementary School since 2022. She previously taught kindergarten, third grade and fifth grade at Wesley Heights (2007-22), where she also has been a lead mentor teacher since 2016.
Vines earned four degrees from Columbus State University: a bachelor’s (2007), a master’s (2008) and a specialist’s (2010) in early childhood education and a specialist’s in educational leadership (2017). She earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Liberty University (2021).
Additional MCSD leadership positions
The board’s agenda for its May 20 meeting also lists scheduled votes to approve filling four additional MCSD leadership position vacancies, but Lewis hasn’t made those recommendations yet.
Those vacancies are one of MCSD’s three region chiefs, Allen Elementary School principal, Carver High School assistant principal and Double Churches Elementary School assistant principal.
The reasons for these vacancies weren’t mentioned during the work session, and no MCSD official replied to the Ledger-Enquirer’s query before publication.
