Special to the NEWS
Wilma Garza Smetter
Dr. Wilma Garza Smetter has announced her candidacy for the San Benito CISD School Board Trustee Place 3 position.
For the past 30 years, Garza Smetter has been an educator. She has a Doctorate of Education from the University of Houston and has served as a teacher, middle school assistant principal, middle school principal, high school principal, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and superintendent.
As an experienced district administrator, Garza Smetter said she has overseen and has “extensive knowledge” in the curriculum and instruction, maintenance, transportation and food service departments; business office, after school program as well as the bilingual, advanced academics, migrant, special education and human resources departments and school board member responsibilities.
Garza Smetter said she has developed her work ethic and leadership skills by working in successful school districts ranging from 1A to 5A and currently serves as the assistant superintendent in Mercedes ISD.
An honor graduate, Garza Smetter has been recognized as the State Runner-Up Technology Administrator of the Year and Harlingen Jaycees Teacher of the Year. She currently serves on the San Benito CISD Superintendent Advisory Council. “Having the courage to be decisive and doing the right thing in one’s work” are what Garza Smetter called “high values.”
Garza Smetter said she is dedicated to the students and community she serves. “As a parent of a band student who attends Veterans Memorial and as an educator, it is important for me to keep abreast of the happenings of my son and all the children in our district,” she said. “This generation of student attends a very different school from their parents. Today’s students must be engaged in the classroom whether it be through mobile devices or innovative instructional strategies and must be recognized for their individuality as students in whatever activities they are involved in at school.”
Garza Smetter added, “Our co-curricular and extracurricular activities require the necessary resources so that all our students can excel and continue to represent SBCISD with Greyhound pride. Each district employee deserves our gratitude for their dedication to the students of SBCISD. They have a tremendous impact on our children’s development. As a school board trustee candidate for Place 3, I am seeking the community’s support as an advocate for their child, their neighbor’s child, and my child so that they will be presented with the necessary skills to be successful in the 21st Century once they graduate from San Benito CISD.”
She also said she’s committed “to our children and dedicated to progress.”
24 comments
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I want to wish Dr. Smetter and her team the best of luck in Saturdays election. I hope the voters of San Benito vote for the best qualified. Also good luck to Mr. Tumberlinson. You all have our vote.
I voted today for Mr. Tumberlnson, Mrs. Llanes, and Dr. Smetter. I am telling all my friends to do the same. Good luck!
Tumberlinson, Llanes, and Smetter have my vote! These individuals are educated and have the mindset and determination to help SBCISD succeed!
You came to my house on Saturday Dr. Smetter. We are all behind you and Mr T and Mrs. Llanes. Thanks for the visit. Not cuts to fine arts please!
Wow, I found this really interesting.
http://wjsmetter.blogspot.com/
I not against anyone but want my ipad now!
I have a son and a daughter who are both in band, and I would hate to see the band program cut simply because of an irresponsible idea by Mrs. Yliana Rodriguez of having softball in the middle schoolds. I don’t have anything against softball, but I just don’t think cutting a good program for another is good for our students or cost effective for our school distrtict. As for who I will vote for in the May election, I can tell you that I have yet to see Mrs. Rodriguez at a band concert, recital, marching contest, choir concert, theatre arts perfornmance, Christmas Program etc…etc.. How can she now ask us for our vote when she is never around? We need school board members who are not affraid to engange with the common folk and will support our kids at their events. After reading Dr. Smetter’s announcement, I think its’ time elect someone who truly will represent us and our students. And I am willing to give Dr. Smetter a chance. I like that she has a son in band attending San Benito schools. Dr. Smetter is my choice!
I had the privilege of working with Dr. Smetter when she was an asst. principal at HCISD. She was also my professor at UTB. My father was a teacher at San Benito CISD for over 40 years. Currently I have been a teacher for 20 years. I truly LEARNED from Dr. Smetter both as an employee and as a student. I always admired her dedication and leadership as an administrator, teacher, and parent. She was never too busy to listen to our concerns, and worked diligently to accompish many goals within our school. While many of us have titles but do not know how to fully utilize their roles, I believe Dr. Smetter has proven consistently that she is an effective leader and role model. She has proven that students are a priority. Her vast experience in many roles in education, would benefit the students of San Benito. A victory for all the students.
Really ‘Guess Who’? I don’t know where you are getting your misinformation, but it is FACT that she proposed these cuts in order to use them to start a middle school softball program. If she is saying otherwise, then she is also a LIAR. A softball middle school program is a great idea, but it is not the right time for that and not at other departments’ expense. (How many valley schools have this program? Who will they play? What will it cost to travel outside the valley to play other schools?) This doesn’t sound like a well thought out proposal, and it doesn’t sound like she is intending to do what is best for the students. Maybe her Puppet Master’s screen printing/embroidery business will be the only one benefiting from a softball program? Open your eyes!
Cutting fine arts for softball in the middle schools is ridiculous! What is Yliana Rodriguez thinking? Sounds like a personal issue to me. I am very impressed with Dr. Smetters bio. You have my vote mam!
Do your homework Guess Who!!!
Do your homework Armadillo!!….it’s not a rumor. Yliana Rodriguez wants to cut fine arts for softball. She has said it herself. That’s why she wants to get another Huerta elected. Hello! I call for everyone to take a good look at the school board candidates. We cannot afford to get it wrong this time. WE NEED GOOD, SMART, QUALIFIED, EDUCATED PEOPLE ON THE BOARD WITH NO PERSONAL AGENDAS!!! In my opinion, Tumberlinson, Llanes and Smetter is the team to vote for. They are the best qualified. And that should matter!!
Hey “guess who”! Read her announcement above! Don’t be a hater! Hello!! Fired?? You must be talking about Joe D. Gonzalez…the dude who was suspended from SB and Donna and now is running for office. Hello!! I don’t know Dr. Smetter, but I can read and can see her excellent qualifications. We have enough Huertas and 19 yr old teen mothers on the board already not to mention the Rodriguez lady who doesn’t know what she is doing. Wake up San Benito! We need qualified people on the school board! You have my vote Dr. Smetter!
I agree with you… my comments wont get published… for some reason…lol. Anyhow I will also vote for Tumberlinson!!!! — so much drama.. HAS people forgotten what this is about .. THE STUDENTS OF SAN BENITO AND GETTIN OUR DISTRICT ON EXEMPLARY STATUS
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FYI
Smetter dedicated to progress yeah right!!! It’s all a cover up & you people are falling for it!!!!
Mrs.Rodriguez you have my support!!!!
FYI I can assure you that the board president has no intentions of cutting bugets for band / fine arts etc. These are simply rumors that have been said to discredit her. She intends to do whats is best for all student & staff.
Mrs. Rodrigez YOU HAVE MY VOTE !!!!
Speaking of school board candidates… I recently went by the mayor’s house on Williams Rd. by the Industrial Park and noticed that he has school board signs up for Huerta, Cruz and Rodriguez. Isn’t he the mayor of the whole town and shouldn’t he appear impartial? How tacky!!! How typical of him.
Hoping the same j.r. cause she has been fired from two others districts
I worked with Dr. Smetter in Harlingen. She will make an excellent school board member.
I am a band student and all I have to say is that we have an awesome band program. This will be a state year and we heard that the president of the school board wants to cut band for softball at the middle schools. I really hope people will vote for Dr. Smetter.
Awesome. We finally have a new candidate with credentials. Hope our voters can recognize that.
I heard about the proposed slashes to the band program and others. We shall pray for Dr. Wilma Garza Smetter and this community. She has given so much and cares so deeply. We know you will not support cutting the budget of our fine arts programs!!! Viva You!!
Wow! What a resume! You have my vote Dr. Smetter!!