Superintendent
Dr. Wade Smith, SuperintendentPhone: (509) 526-6715 Susie Golden,
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Dr. Wade Smith joined Walla Walla Public Schools in 2016, serving as its 16th superintendent over its 165 year history as a school district. During his twenty-five year educational tenure, Wade has worked as a classroom teacher, elementary and secondary principal, central office administrator, and Superintendent.
In 2021 Dr. Smith was recognized by the Washington Association of School Administrator's with the Robert J. Handy Most Effective Leader Award for all large school districts in Washington State. Smith also received the WASA Student Achievement Leadership Award in 2021 for improving outcomes for students by closing the graduation gap for Hispanic/Latino students. Dr. Smith has served on a number of state committees, workgroups, and advisory roles advocating for Improved student outcomes, experiences and opportunities.
When he is not busy supporting either community or district events, you are likely to find Wade spending time recreating in the mountains as an avid outdoorsman.
Superintendent Video Series & Monthly Pulse Updates
Educational Leadership & Involvement
- AASA Governing Board: 2023-Present
- WSU-Vancouver Professional Education Advisory Board: 2022-Present
- Walla Walla Blue Zones Steering Committee: 2020-2023
- WASA/AASA Communities of Practice Workgroup: 2020-23
- Walla Walla Noon Rotary 2016-Present
- WASA Region 123 Board Member: 2018-2022
- WASA School Funding Coalition: 2020-21
- OSPI Student Learning Advisory Workgroup: 2020-21
- OSPI Staffing Enrichment Workgroup: 2019-20
- ESD 123 Superintendent President: 2018-20
Superintendent Communications & Publications
- Approval of Walla Walla School Levies Affirms Community's Values (Op Ed Article) 3/24
- In Pursuit of the American Dream (Op Ed Article) 11/23
- Learning 21st-Century Skills Through a Century-old Program (Op Ed Article) 8/23
- "Vision 2030" Provides Exciting Direction for our School District's Future (Op Ed Article) 5/23
- What Our Nation's Schools Can Learn from Lewis and Clark's Journey (Op Ed Article) 2/23
- Walla Walla School Board Vital to Students' Success (Op Ed Article) 1/23
- Celebrating American Education Week - A Ride-a-long With Driver Robb (Op Ed Article) 11/22
- The "Shine" is Back at Walla Walla Public Schools (Op Ed Article) 9/22
- Beyond the Pandemic (Op Ed Article) 5/22
- The State of Our Schools: A Rotary Club report from 1926 (Op Ed Article) 2/22
- Honoring the Present-Lessons from our Past: Celebrating American Education Week (Op Ed Article) 11/2021
- One of My Best Cups of Coffee Ever (Op Ed Article) 8/2021
- We All Belong Here (Op Ed Article) 7/2021
- What Schools Have Learned (or relearned) as a Result of the Pandemic (Op Ed Article) 2/2021
- Children Need to Get Back to School - It's Up to our Community to Help Make that Happen (Op Ed Article) 8/2020
- What Does Fall Hold for our Local Schools (Op Ed Article) 6/2020
- A Spring Unlike Any Other (Op Ed Article) 4/2020
- Levy Appreciation (Op Ed Article) 2/2020
- Winter 2020 District Update (Service Club Presentation) 1/2020
- Ringing in the New Year (Op Ed Article) 1/2020
- Time to Shine the Walla Walla Way Bat Signal (Op Ed Article) 9/2019
- Remembering September 11 0/2019
- Going All In: A Year of Accomplishments (Op Ed Article) 6/2019
- Once a Blue Devil Always a Blue Devil (Op Ed Article) 9/2018
- Superintendent Advisory Group Presentation 9/2018
- School Safety is Number One (Op Ed Article) 7/2018
- The Importance of High Expectations (Family Forum: 3/2018)
- Getting to Home Plate (Op Ed Article) (7/2017)
- The Future For Walla Walla Schools (Op Ed Article) 4/2017
- WWPS Vision (Op Ed Article) 1/2017
- In the Business of Saving Lives (Op Ed Article) 11/2016