Louise Smith

Biography

Louise Smith is currently in her nineteenth year as the band director for Gautier Middle School in the Pascagoula-Gautier School District. When not teaching band at Gautier Middle School, Mrs. Smith is extremely active in promoting teacher leadership. She is a Teacher Leadership Initiative alumnus and currently serves as a state coach for the Teacher Leadership Institute, a joint project between the National Education Association, National Boards for Professional Teaching Standards, and the Center for Teach Quality. In addition, she has worked on several national education initiatives such as National Boards Jump Start Initiative, Teacher Leadership Initiative Redesign, and served on the Standards Setting and Content Validation committee for the National Boards for Professional Teaching Standards. Recently, U.S. News and World Report featured Mrs. Smith as one of the Twenty Professionals Who Made a Difference During the Pandemic.” When not actively engaged in education, her favorite time spent is traveling with her husband, Brian, and spoiling their two dogs, Charlie and Polly.