Dr. VaShawn Smith is Grandview Middle School Principal for the 2022-2023 school year. Dr. Smith has worked diligently over the previous three years to ensure the priorities of Relationships, Intentional Planning & Delivery of Instruction, and Advancing Literacy and Numeracy are implemented at GMS. Before being principal at GMS, Dr. Smith served as an Assistant Principal, Instructional Coach, and math teacher. Dr. Smith obtained his bachelor's and two master's degrees from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Dr. Smith completed his doctoral work at Saint Louis University, where his dissertation focused on trauma-informed schools. Dr. Smith started his teaching career in Omaha, NE, where he taught middle and high school math. Dr. Smith left Omaha to help open a charter school in Columbus, OH, before joining Kansas City, KS, public schools. Dr. Smith was named the 2022-2023 MOASSP Greater Kansas City Middle School Principal of the Year.