TEXARKANA, Ark. -- The school district here will hold a meet and greet event from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday for Arkansas Middle School's new principal, Kendrick Smith.
The event will be held at Arkansas MIddle School, 5443 Jefferson Ave.
Smith, who was hired earlier this month, will replace Theresa Cowling, who accepted a promotion to Director of Magnet Programs at Texarkana Arkansas School District.
Smith earned a bachelor of science in Health Education from Texas A&M University-College Station and received his master's degree in Education Administration from Texas A&University-Texarkana. With more than 20 years in education, Smith's educational journey includes being a coach/teacher and assistant principal in the Pleasant Grove School District, and both assistant principal and principal at Liberty-Eylau High School.
Smith was the L-E High principal from July of 2015 to January of 2021.
"I believe it is important for a principal to know his or her staff and students and build relationships with them," Smith said. "I look forward to getting to know my staff and gaining their trust and confidence."
Smith said that through the process of building relationships he hopes to learn the individual strengths of staff and build on those strengths with recognition and praise.