Home » Hopewell Valley’s Dr. Tom Smith Honored as Mercer County Superintendent of the Year

Hopewell Valley’s Dr. Tom Smith Honored as Mercer County Superintendent of the Year

by MercerMe Staff

The Mercer County Association of School Administrators (MCASA) has recognized Hopewell Valley Regional School District’s chief school administrator, Dr. Thomas A. Smith, as the 2018 Mercer County Superintendent of the Year.

Dr. Smith has served as Superintendent of the Hopewell Valley Regional School District since 2009, making him one of the longest tenured district leaders in the county. Under his student-centered leadership, the Hopewell Valley Schools have had many examples of achievement in academics, the arts and athletics. Last year, Dr. Smith guided the school district to the successful passing of a 35 million dollar bond referendum that will modernize the district’s schools and prepare them for the next generation of Hopewell Valley students.

Dr. Smith has served as the Mercer County Association of School Administrators president for over four years, and has previously served on the legislative committee for the New Jersey Association of School Administrators.  Dr. Smith has spearheaded many countywide endeavors such as the widely praised “Mercer County Day of Dialogue,” a student summit that promotes equity and respect and involves all the school districts in the county.  He has also presented on this initiative in professional development conferences around the country.  This past year, Dr. Smith has led a “Call to Action” for county school districts focused on the mental and emotional health of local students.  This has inspired many important community events for children and parents as well as professional development activities for staff focused on issues related to student mental health.

Dr. Smith initially obtained a Bachelors Degree in Film and Television from Trenton State College, now The College of New Jersey.  He then secured Masters Degrees in both Special Education and Educational Administration from TCNJ prior to earning his Doctorate from Seton Hall University. Dr. Smith began his teaching career in the West Windsor-Plainsboro Schools before moving to a district administrative position for the Spotswood School District in Middlesex County. He returned to West Windsor-Plainsboro as an assistant superintendent before becoming Hopewell Valley’s superintendent in 2009.

Dr. Smith is the first educational leader to be selected as County Superintendent of the Year since Ewing’s Michael Nitti in 2015.

“Dr. Smith is widely respected and highly regarded throughout the county and state,” West Windsor-Plainsboro Superintendent David Aderhold commented. “He is truly a student-centered educational leader who is passionate about his work and has served as a mentor to new superintendents. Dr. Smith is an outstanding selection as Mercer’s Superintendent of the Year.”

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