Roger Smith, Ferndale HS Principal – Helping Create Ferndale Success-Stories Every Day!

Story By Jill Hurst
Photos By Ed Abeska

Ferndale High School Principal Roger Smith met with me after a two-week vacation with his wife that started up in Niagara Falls and headed down the East Coast. Visiting old friends, meeting new family, seeing theater; a great trip, but Smith was happy to be home, smack in the middle of life at Ferndale High.

A “good kid” in high school, I never visited the principal’s office. The bench outside the office was reserved for serious troublemakers. Smith’s office? Different. But he is moving. Around the corner. Easier to get work done? Maybe.

Smith looks a touch wistful. “I love this office.” He’ll still be close to the day-to-day influx and close to the assistant principals. Smith speaks highly of both AP’s, Eric Bruner, who was Principal of Coolidge H.S. and Shaun Butler, also the Athletic Director. Smith describes them as “tremendous assets to the district and to this building.”

People stop by, including one of my favorites, Bill Good, Communications Director. I meet Superintendent Blake Prewitt. Smith re: Prewitt, “He is supportive, forward-thinking and fiscally sound.” A good collaborator.
Roger Smith grew up in Ferndale. “It’s a tremendous place to live and raise a family. A little jewel. It’s an area that is very inclusive and its diversity is something we all hang our hat on.” He attended Ferndale Public Schools (Roosevelt Elementary, Lincoln Jr. High). He graduated from Ferndale High School in 1974. He attended Wayne State University on a music scholarship, and earned a degree in music education.

At WSU, he met his wife Cecilia, also a musician and educator. She teaches K-5 music in Northville. Smith first taught at Avondale High School, followed by two years at Madison Jr. High School in Pontiac. In 1980, Ferndale High School was looking for a band director. Smith made it to second place. There was concern that, as a former student, he was too close to the school.

Three years later, the job opened up and this time he was hired. He rebuilt the band and orchestra programs, a “consuming commitment.” His two sons, now 26 and 29, both attended FHS and were in band and orchestra when Smith was the director. Problems there? “Not to my face. They might’ve taken some teasing. Hopefully it was good-natured.”

In the early 2000’s Smith attended Oakland University, to get a degree in Educational Leadership. “I was looking for a new way to help.” When Smith had the chance to move into administration, teachers who worked with Smith were ready to take over the music department. Elon Jamison became band director and Ben Moy took over as orchestra director.

The basic philosophy at FHS? “The Four Rs: Rigor of curriculum, relevance of what you’re teaching, relationships and resiliency.” Balance academia and human relationships. “We work hard on relationship-building. No matter what your job description here, I expect you to engage.”

Smith acknowledges the legacy of past principals at FHS, and predecessors Lisa Williams and Herb Ivory. “I’m just trying to keep the boat going with a few new initiatives.

How to help young people navigate through these challenging times, through a fraught election year?The election this year provides so much opportunity for teachers to be authentic in their teaching. History teachers, economics, English…everyone can draw on the election to make their teaching connect to what’s happening in the world today.

Sometimes kids need extra guidance to help them find that connection. There’s help available: The FHS counseling department, Ferndale Youth Assistance and the Southeast Oakland Coalition.

Also Peer Mentoring. Smith mentions “Challenge Day,” a nationwide event that teaches kids to communicate and hopefully understand that they’re not alone. Another program (Smith’s favorite), is an anti-bullying initiative called “Defeat the Label.” There is the Restorative Practices Justice Program, which cuts down on suspensions, as well as “Eagle Time,” giving 9th and 10th grade Math and English students, who are doing particularly well in class, weekly time with counselors to discuss college and career. Kids who are struggling get extra instruction time with the teacher.

There are also a wide variety of organizations and clubs available to give everyone a home base, including the Gay/Straight Alliance, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Girls Leading a Positive Movement, Spanish Club, Student Enterprise Theatre, Tuesday Night Singers, Black History Club, Art Club, Robotics, S.T.E.M. and many others.

And then, academics. “We have a variety of AP and Honors courses taught by highly effective teachers. Academia here is as strong as you’ll receive anywhere. I’m very proud of my teaching staff. Reading is Ground Zero. It’s all about reading.”

What are you reading, I ask? Smith goes out of the office, returns with his hard-cover copy of “Breaking the Line,” by Samuel G. Freedman. “It’s a little football-centric. Football and civil rights. A relevant book for our time.”

A program Smith spotlighted is the Baker Early College Program. While at Ferndale, students take a course of study in either criminal justice, business and marketing, computer programming or medical assistance. Then they attend Baker in their 13th year of school that actually gives the student the opportunity to earn a two-year Associate’s Degree in one year. At no cost to the student or family, this is an extraordinary opportunity.

A nice young woman comes in with a question; Tasha, a former probation officer who went back to school to get her masters in social work. Now working with Ferndale Youth Assistance, she counsels students and their families. Ferndale is such a diverse area, not only racially and culturally, but socioeconomically. “I can’t paint with a broad brush because every kid comes to us with their own experience. They have a lot going on in their lives, and quite often I hear adults say, “Wait until you get into the ‘real’ world.” This is their real world! It’s very, very real to them. We want them to feel safe here, emotionally and physically, help them find the wherewithal to keep going when things don’t make sense in their world or in their family relationships. We try to provide optimism and resiliency. A lot of kids have been given up on. It’s an ongoing struggle. Along the way, you might shake your head at them, but you don’t give up and eventually they find a connection.”

The secret to Roger Smith’s success, both as band director and principal? “I surround myself with people who are smarter than me. The staff are experts. My job is to provide resources to allow them to do what they do best. I put people where they are going to excel. I just try to stay out of their way.”

At the end of the day, this lifelong Ferndale guy and former Ferndale student loves his job. And that sets the tone for the staff and students at Ferndale High. Smith finished by saying, “One of the best parts of the job is seeing a kid who comes to high school with very low levels of maturity and self-confidence, and watch them develop into a strong, character-driven young man or young lady.” They are some of our most proud success stories.”

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