Walla Walla public schools name new superintendent

Walla Walla public schools didn’t have to look far to find a new superintendent.

The school board unanimously named former Interim/Deputy Hermiston School District Superintendent Wade Smith to the post during a meeting Thursday night.

Smith was with Hermiston schools for several years, filling in as superintendent from 2011-13 while the superintendent at the time was away on military service. He also was assistant superintendent for several years and principal of the Morrow County School District. He taught secondary school science before that.

“We are thrilled to have Wade Smith as our next leader,” said Board President Cindy Meyer in a news release. “(We) feel collectively he is the best fit for Walla Walla.”

Smith is married to Marianne Smith, a Hermiston High School art teacher, and has two daughters. A news release stated he’s a first-generation college student. His parents were a drywall contractor and a career secretary.

This story was originally published March 3, 2016 at 8:54 PM with the headline "Walla Walla public schools name new superintendent."