Vancouver Public Schools welcomes Wendy Smith to the board of directors. Smith, who was elected in the Nov. 7 general election, will be formerly sworn in at the Dec. 12 school board meeting. A lifelong Vancouver resident, she teaches social studies at Heritage High School in Evergreen Public Schools.

"I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve the students and families of Vancouver Public Schools," said Smith. "As a teacher, I see the work of the school board as a natural extension of the commitment I made to public education 14 years ago. And as a parent and lifelong resident of the Vancouver community, I have a personal investment in the district's success as well. I'm proud of the work VPS has done to increase equity for students; provide choices for families; and create innovative, community-oriented schools. I'm looking forward to continuing this legacy of excellence."

Smith and her husband have two young children: George, a preschooler, and Eleanor, a third-grader at Sarah J. Anderson Elementary School. Smith herself is a product of VPS. She attended Felida Elementary School, Jason Lee Middle School and Columbia River High School. She has bachelor's degrees in history and anthropology from University of Washington and a master's degree in education from Washington State University Vancouver.

"Wendy's commitment to student learning will align well with the board's work to increase opportunity and improve outcomes for VPS students. We look forward to Wendy joining the team," said Vancouver School Board President Michelle Giovannozzi.