Smith hired to fill Oakmont assistant principal slot
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Greg Smith

Ashburnham resident Greg Smith will be assuming the position of assistant principal at Oakmont Regional High School at the start of the next year.

Smith, the assistant principal at Lunenburg High School, was recently hired by David Uminski, the current assistant principal who will be replacing retiring principal Jeffrey Lawrence, and Ashburnham-Westminster Superintendent of Schools Michael Zapantis.

"I'm very excited to be working with Dave Uminski," Smith said. "I think Dave is going to be a fantastic educational leader at Oakmont."

He said he likes working at the assistant principal level for a variety of reasons.

"I am constantly working with students and their families. I like that," he said. "I enjoy young adults. I love their enthusiasm, their creativity. Their energy fuels me."

Smith, who has lived in Ashburnham for 24 years, is already familiar with Oakmont on a vari- ety of levels. In the late 1970s, he completed his student teaching in the high school's special education department and spent his first two years out of college teaching there.

He is also the parent of two Oakmont high school graduates and a seventh-grader at Overlook. His daughter, 23, was part of the journalism program at the high school under the direction of James Mullins. And his son 20, started the school's political discussion group under the direction of Uminski.

Although this familiarity will only take him so far, he said.

"I want (the students) to know I am sort of like a big freshman," Smith said. "I am going to need to find my way around the Oakmont school community."

Smith has served as the assistant principal at Lunenburg for seven years after working as the assistant principal at Wachusett Regional High School for three years.

"There is nothing here (at Lunenburg) that is making me leave," Smith said. "Going to Oakmont is just a wonderful opportunity. My affection to Lunenburg isn't diminished."

Smith worked at Wachusett as an administrator focusing on the curriculum bridging the classroom work and careers and as a vocational special education teacher.

"Special education educators are trained to generalist," he said.

During his years teaching, he taught English/language arts, math, social studies and electives in career development. He said this helps because he has knowledge about a variety of areas in general education.

"The focus (in SPED) is on the individual student," he said. "To help that student become successful, It's about working with families and students to set goals, and working to develop strategies to allow the students to meet those goals. And that is as applicable to students that are gifted and talented, the good athlete, and for any student."

Smith has also worked outside the classroom. He is a corporal in the Massachusetts National Guard. He has served as their director of public affairs during Hurricane Katrina and the Democratic National Convention.