The student body was recently informed that Dr. Ryan Smith, principal, will be leaving Freedom Middle School. 

Dr. Smith was a teacher for six years. He was Dean of Students for a year and a half, and even assistant principal at the high school for a year and a half. This will be his seventh year as a principal in the middle school. In all, he has been with us at Freedom for 16 years, and that is not even counting his years as a student. 

Dr. Smith grew up in Freedom, attended Conway Elementary School, and graduated from Freedom Area High School in 2000.  Freedom has decided to have a retired educator, Dr. David Anney, temporarily take over for the principal position.

“He was here for a short time as the [interim] superintendent,” Dr. Smith explained. 

Dr. Smith also informed us that he is going to Franklin Regional School District where he will become the Director of Instruction. He will work with the principal at Franklin Regional, which is a huge promotion from what he does now. You can imagine how great it is for Dr. Smith to have this opportunity. 

“I’m very sad,” Madison Knopp, grade six, said when asked what she thought about him leaving. “He was a very good principal,” Knopp stated. Many students value Dr. Smith as a principal, and for good reason, as he has done so much for this school district, including the Freedom Cup and the houses, the Principal’s 100, and the kindness classes. He also had the help of the teachers at Freedom, however, none of these would have been possible without him. 

Dr. Smith has done so much for this school, as well as the school doing a lot for him. Dr. Smith has spent many years at this school. Starting as a student and ending as one of the most influential principals we’ve had yet. The school has gone through many changes and advancements with him, including COVID-19!