Grape Creek ISD Welcomes New Superintendent

San Angelo, Texas - This school year, Grape Creek ISD welcomes its new Superintendent, Mrs. Angie Smetana.

For Smetana, this is more than a job; it’s the realization of a lifelong dream.

“[It’s] like a dream come true," she explained. "I used to tell them [my kids], 'One day, that campus is going to be mine.'”

Smetana has been a part of the Grape Creek community since she was 6 years old and starting in the 1^st grade. She attended the district until graduating from the 8^th grade. During that time, freshman were able to select between attending either Lake View or Water Valley High School, for the district had not built a high school yet. Smetana attended Water Valley ISD, and then went on to Angelo State University to obtain her teaching degree.

Her love for Grape Creek brought her back to the campus during her student teaching. Unfortunately, there were no open teaching positions during that time, so she taught at Glenmore Elementary for a number of years, also serving as a coach.

The opportunity to join the district occurred when she had the chance to become part of the Three Rivers Coop as a Transition Coordinator with the Special Education Program. Yet her dream was always to become even more involved in the district, which is why she applied for the position of Assistant Principal four times. As luck would have it, she didn’t get the position until August of 2009.

Smetana served as Assistant Principal for a year and a half, until she was hired on as the Grape Creek Primary Principal. She has served the primary campus with the utmost love and dedication to her students. Children across all campuses of the district know Mrs. Smetana and truly consider her an integral part of the community.

 “I love the community,” Smetana said, “They are like a family to me, truly.”

During her time as principal, she obtained her Superintendent certification, but she loved being on campus and interacting with the kids, so she stayed on as principal. At the same time, she also became an Adjunct Professor at Angelo State University in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, which she continues to be a part of.

Her involvement with Grape Creek ISD has occurred in a variety of roles over a lifetime. From being a student, all the way to having the role of parent, she knows her campuses and what they need in order to be successful. Not only did she dedicate all her effort to make a difference in the district, but she also watched her children grow up in the community. Her children are now pursing their higher education degrees at Angelo State.

Smetana said her main goal as Superintendent is to truly make a difference and create an even stronger bond between the community and the schools. She knows the importance and the difference a supportive community can mean for the students and district, and it’s her desire to continue cultivating that relationship.

“I want to bring us all together and truly be united as one,” Smetana said.

In keeping the community united, Mrs. Smetana noted that she welcomes the ideas, opinions and concerns of both parent and community members whom all work together to create the close knit family Grape Creek ISD has become over the years.

She said she truly believes the kids in her district are capable of great things, and she’s willing to work as hard as needed to provide students with the opportunity to thrive in the real world, on whichever path they may choose to take.

Smetana added, “I want to give them the tools and experiences, and have them come back and show them [other students] that the sky is the limit.”