May 22, 2009
OAKLAND -
Former Cal football player Tony Smith has been named the new Superintendent of Oakland Public Schools. Smith was elected by unanimous vote of the seven-member Oakland Board of Education.
"I am honored and humbled by the opportunity that the Board, and by extension, the people of Oakland, have presented me," Smith said. "Public schools are a sacred trust tasked with developing the most precious asset a city has to offer - its children. We are creating a covenant with the entire city of Oakland to put children and families at the center of our conversation. As OUSD Superintendent, I will strive relentlessly to ensure that our students learn, live, work and play in a school system that helps them fully realize their potential."
Smith has previously served in the role of Superintendent for both the San Francisco Unified School District and the Emery Unified School District in Emeryville. He has also held roles as Director of the Emeryville Citywide Initiative; Director of the Academy for Excellence, Equity and Leadership in Teaching and Director of Transition Project at BayCES; as a management consultant for Oakland-based Growers Produce; and as a program evaluator with An Alliance for Action.
Smith was a four-year letterwinner on the Cal football team from 1986-89. The offensive lineman was a team captain and earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors as a senior. Smith received his B.A. in English from Cal in 1992, before going on to add Master's and Doctorate Degrees in Division of Language and Literacy from Cal's Graduate School of Education in 1993 and 2002, respectively.
For a complete release, visit the Oakland Unified School District website.
