The Smithton R-VI School District announced the hiring of David Bray on Wednesday as the new superintendent beginning July 1 for the 2017-18 school year.
Bray is the building principal at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Jefferson City, where he has worked for the last nine years. Bray also worked for the Salisbury R-IV School District and Marshall Public Schools.
Bray said he is looking forward to working on the comprehensive school improvement plan the Smithton R-VI District already has in place.
“I hope to carry on the core beliefs of the district’s plan that they already have in place,” Bray said by phone Wednesday. “I want to compliment the community for putting the plan in place with input from both the staff, administration and community.”
Bray added he is excited to lead the direction of the plan and sees one of his first duties as reviewing and assessing the timeline created in the plan.
“As an educational leader I am looking forward to the direction and momentum that the district is headed,” Bray said. “There is a great deal of community support here to lead a district with and I feel it is a great place for both my family and me to be.”
Bray and his wife Jennifer have four children, who will all attend Smithton during the upcoming school year. The couple’s youngest child will start kindergarten in the fall.
“Smithton R-VI School District is looking forward to Mr. Bray continuing the excellence established by the district and welcomes him into this important leadership position,” a Smithton R-VI news release states. “He was selected from a strong list of candidates and he was deemed to be the best fit for the Smithton R-VI School District.”
Bray replaces Superintendent Matthew Teeter, who was with the district for two years and recently accepted a position beginning in July as superintendent with the Willard School District.
Bray has been an educator for 14 years. He is a graduate of Salem High School and received his teaching degree from the University of Missouri and his masters and specialist’s from William Woods University.
“Everyone has been so kind and I am anxious to get started in the position,” Bray said. “I want to thank the community and staff for making me feel so welcome.”
Bray said he and his family plan to be at the school Saturday for the district-wide spring carnival beginning at 3 p.m.
The Smithton R-VI School District will host a reception for Bray at a later date so members of the community can meet him.
The district’s search for a new superintendent was led by the Missouri Association of Rural Education.
