Lamar County School District Superintendent Tess Smith is heading back to her first college home – this time as head of the school board.
Smith, who began her college career at Pearl River Community College in 1987, was recently named chair of PRCC’s Board of Trustees, where she will serve the Hattiesburg and Poplarville campuses for the next two years.
“I’m excited,” Smith said. “It’s been very nice to be able to come back and be a part of the school at this level.
“Ironically, I graduated from Oak Grove High School, ended up returning there as a classroom teacher many years ago, and then started my college career at PRCC many years ago. Now I’m back as board chairman, so it’s been a big circle.”
A lifelong resident of Sumrall, Smith enrolled as a freshman at PRCC’s Poplarville campus after graduating from high school. After a semester there, she moved to the University of Southern Mississippi, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1992.
She then began her teaching career at Oak Grove High School – where she taught from July 1992 until June 2004 – and after earning her master’s degree from Southern Miss, she transitioned into a school counseling position. From there, Smith earned her specialist degree in School Administration from Southern Miss.
She served as assistant principal and counselor at Oak Grove Middle School from July 2004 to June 2010 before being named principal of the school in July 2010. In June 2012, she was named as principal at Sumrall High School, where she served until May 2014.
In June of that year, she was appointed superintendent of the Lamar County School District, and she was later elected to the position.
In her new position as chair of the board, Smith takes over for Hancock County School District Superintendent Alan Dedeaux, who served in the seat for 2018 and 2019. Smith, who is currently working on her doctorate at William Carey University, will serve for 2020 and 2021.
Smith said she is looking forward to working with PRCC President Adam Breerwood in her role with the board.
“Dr. Breerwood is very forward-thinking,” she said. “Just in his short time there as president, he’s done some great things and has seen the enrollment increases that have come in the last couple of years. I’m just excited about the future of PRCC and thankful that I’ll be able to be a part of it.”
In a statement released earlier this month, Breerwood said Smith is a trusted and well-respected member of the school’s board of trustees.
“Her forward-thinking and innovative approach to education has provided valuable perspective,” he said. “I look forward to her continued leadership as we work to provide higher education opportunities to our surrounding communities.
“I am thrilled with the board of trustees’ decision to appoint Ms. Smith chairman for the next two years. In the ever-changing world of higher education, we have numerous challenges that lie ahead. She is the ideal candidate to lead the efforts of our board.”
