After 43 years working for the Adair-Casey and Guthrie Center School Districts, Superintendent Steve Smith is wrapping up his tenure this week.

Smith has spent his entire career working for either district, first as a sixth grade teacher for Adair-Casey Elementary, next as a teacher and then principal at Guthrie Center Elementary. The last 25 years he’s served as Guthrie Center’s superintendent, 12 of them shared with Adair-Casey, and not to mention several athletic coaching positions throughout.

Of his career, Smith says he’s most proud of the two districts coming together to be able to maintain and expand college-level classes for high school students. Smith comments on the future of ACGC following his departure, “My hope I think as a citizen in the county would be that we can keep schools in rural Iowa thriving so that our kids, whether they be our own kids, our grandkids, or just our kids in our communities have those opportunities. That’s what I would, I guess, always be looking out for and hope that all that follow, whether it be staff, new principals, new superintendents, etc. have that same desire that our kids deserve better.”

A Guthrie Center resident, Smith says he plans on spending his retirement being active in the community, and getting to spend more time with his grandchildren. You can hear more from Smith during Monday’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County program at raccoonvalleyradio.com.