This article was written by BenitoLink intern Meghan Lee. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
After working in education for more than 40 years, Linda Smith is retiring. She has served as the principal and superintendent for Willow Grove Union Elementary School District since 2014.
Smith has a credential in education and special education, plus a masters degree in educational administration. She said she was planning to continue studying educational administration, but had a change of heart.
“I had started my doctorate, and was, like, I really want to get back to the kids,” she said.
Smith has worked in a variety of educational roles during her career, up and down the California coast.
In San Benito County, those roles included serving as principal of R.O. Hardin Elementary for several years; director of curriculum and instruction at Hollister School District; and educational consultant at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
Willow Grove School Board President Greg Swett approached her about getting involved with the school, which was struggling with low attendance, but Smith was already retired. She had volunteered there for a year before the board chose her to be principal. Smith said she had fallen in love with the school, so came out of retirement.
“I’ve loved every minute out here,” Smith said. “I love the kids. I love the smallness of the school where you get to know everybody and know all the families.”
When Smith became principal, Willow Grove had eight students. In the 2023-24 school year, the enrollment was 23.
One of her main initiatives was bringing in an intervention specialist to help students meet the school’s reading standards.
“There’s a whole process we take them through, and pretty soon they’re at grade level and moving above,” she said.
Smith announced her retirement at a parents’ night on May 1. She said Kathleen Kilday would be taking over the role for her in June.
Kilday taught at Spring Grove Elementary School for 26 years and served as principal there for four years. She retired in 2015, and later on occasionally substituted. Smith had asked her to substitute at Willow Grove last year, and eventually asked her to take over as principal.
Kilday said she wants to expand the school’s offerings.
“They’re just—they’re fun kids,” Kilday said, “and I hope to bring some things to the school that maybe haven’t been here. A little bit more music. We’re gonna figure out how to do sports.”
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