{"id":51357,"date":"2026-05-06T08:41:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T12:41:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/?p=51357"},"modified":"2026-05-11T11:36:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T15:36:35","slug":"new-director-of-technology-mrs-lindsay-smith-brings-student-first-vision-to-north-penn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/top-stories\/2026\/05\/06\/new-director-of-technology-mrs-lindsay-smith-brings-student-first-vision-to-north-penn\/","title":{"rendered":"New Director of Technology, Mrs. Lindsay Smith, brings student-first vision to North Penn\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Lindsay Smith steps into a classroom, she isn\u2019t just thinking about devices, networks, or software. She\u2019s thinking about the students. What they need, what engages them, and how technology can help them leave school ready to make an impact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smith, North Penn School District\u2019s new Director of Technology, didn\u2019t initially set out for a career in educational technology. Growing up in Lower Bucks County, she followed a more traditional path into education, attending Penn State as an elementary education major and later teaching in both Pennsbury and Central Bucks. Over time, her interests in leadership, creativity, and innovation began to intersect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIf you asked me when I went to Penn State if I would be a technology director, the answer would have been no,\u201d Smith said. \u201cBut what I realized over the years is that I&#8217;ve always found myself in leadership roles. Whether it was cheerleading, softball, or Sports Night captain, I always loved leading people and cheering my team on. As I entered my career, that didn\u2019t seem to change. I am drawn to innovation and collaboration.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<aside>\n    <div class='pullquote sno-pullquote-6a45cedd96b24 sno-animate pullquote-shadow'>\n                <div class=\"quotebody\">\n                        <div class='largequote'>&ldquo;<\/div>\n                                    <p class='pullquotetext'>Whether it was cheerleading, softball, or Sports Night captain, I always loved leading people and cheering my team on. As I entered my career, that didn\u2019t seem to change. I am drawn to innovation and collaboration<\/p>\n                            <p class='quotespeaker'>&mdash; Mrs. Lindsay Smith <\/p>\n                        <div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<style>\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd96b24 {\n    display: flex;\n    float: left;\n    margin: 30px 30px 30px 0;\n    width: 50%;\n    border-color: #26a5ef;\n    border-top-width: 5px;\n    border-right-width: 5px;\n    border-bottom-width: 5px;\n    border-left-width: 5px;\n    background-color: #040749;\n}\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd96b24 p.pullquotetext,\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd96b24 p.quotespeaker {\n    color: #ffffff !important;\n}\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd96b24 .pullquotepic {\n    width: 33%;\n    margin-left: 25px;\n}\n.sno-story-body .sno-pullquote-6a45cedd96b24 p.pullquotetext {\n    font-size: 22px;\n    line-height: 1.4em;\n}\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd96b24 .quotebar {\n    background: #dddddd;\n    flex: 0 0 90px;\n    margin-top: -15px;\n    margin-left: -15px;\n    padding-left: 15px;\n    padding-top: 15px;\n    margin-right: 15px;\n}\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd96b24 .largequote {\n\tcolor: #24a0e2;\n}\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd96b24 .quotebody {\n    width: unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During her years in Central Bucks, Smith helped design and implement a hands-on, elementary STEM program (QUEST), similar to North Penn\u2019s developing SHIELD program. She also spent a decade in the district\u2019s technology department, eventually serving as assistant director. Along the way, she earned multiple certifications in special education and school leadership, and she is currently working toward her doctorate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her passion for STEM is also personal. As one of the only girls in coding and design classes growing up, Smith became aware of how subtle barriers can shape students\u2019 experiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cNo one told me \u2018you can\u2019t do this\u2019 but there was nothing that was inviting me in or a pathway where I saw female success in the elective classes I enjoyed most.\u00a0 I am very passionate about students recognizing the vast career opportunities that exist in STEM , especially female students,\u201d Smith explained.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That commitment to access and inclusion continues to shape how she approaches technology today. Smith points to the rapid evolution of classroom tools, from overhead projectors to one-to-one devices and cloud-based learning, as both exciting and challenging.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen I started working as a teacher, I can remember having an (ELMO). It was an overhead projector at the front of my class.\u00a0 I remember teaching fourth grade writing and math on transparencies\u2026bringing cloud technology to the district that I worked in was a game changer in allowing anytime, anywhere learning for students and staff,\u201d Smith said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At North Penn, Smith is focused first on observing. After stepping into the role this spring, she has spent her early weeks meeting with teachers, administrators, technicians, and students to understand how technology is currently being used, and how it can evolve.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI\u2019m a relationship driven person. I want to see our tools in action, even though I might think I know how technology is being used, it really makes sense to see how it works in North Penn and hear from our users,\u201d Smith said.<\/span><\/p>\n<aside>\n    <div class='pullquote sno-pullquote-6a45cedd973bd sno-animate pullquote-shadow'>\n                <div class=\"quotebody\">\n                        <div class='largequote'>&ldquo;<\/div>\n                                    <p class='pullquotetext'>I\u2019m a relationship driven person. I want to see our tools in action, even though I might think I know how technology is being used, it really makes sense to see how it works in North Penn and hear from our users<\/p>\n                            <p class='quotespeaker'>&mdash; Mrs. Lindsay Smith <\/p>\n                        <div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<style>\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd973bd {\n    display: flex;\n    float: right;\n    margin: 30px 0 30px 30px;\n    width: 50%;\n    border-color: #26a5ef;\n    border-top-width: 5px;\n    border-right-width: 5px;\n    border-bottom-width: 5px;\n    border-left-width: 5px;\n    background-color: #040749;\n}\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd973bd p.pullquotetext,\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd973bd p.quotespeaker {\n    color: #ffffff !important;\n}\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd973bd .pullquotepic {\n    width: 33%;\n    margin-left: 25px;\n}\n.sno-story-body .sno-pullquote-6a45cedd973bd p.pullquotetext {\n    font-size: 22px;\n    line-height: 1.4em;\n}\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd973bd .quotebar {\n    background: #dddddd;\n    flex: 0 0 90px;\n    margin-top: -15px;\n    margin-left: -15px;\n    padding-left: 15px;\n    padding-top: 15px;\n    margin-right: 15px;\n}\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd973bd .largequote {\n\tcolor: #24a0e2;\n}\n.sno-pullquote-6a45cedd973bd .quotebody {\n    width: unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her leadership philosophy centers on what she calls the \u201cthree R\u2019s\u201d: making learning relevant, rigorous, and relatable. Whether she\u2019s working with classroom teachers or district leaders, her goal remains the same, ensuring that students are prepared to contribute meaningfully beyond just the classroom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI was brought up with those three R\u2019s in my career. How do you make a classroom relevant to students?\u00a0 If it\u2019s relevant, students want to learn, and you can make connections to the greater world,\u201d Smith explained. \u201cUltimately, my goal is to create an environment and lead a team to give the tools to the classroom so that students\u00a0 can leave North Penn and do great things in the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That work also involves managing the less visible side of technology. From coordinating device distribution for thousands of students to maintaining infrastructure and vendor partnerships, Smith\u2019s day-to-day role is a balance between big picture planning and behind the scenes management.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, she is eager to stay connected to classrooms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI love to stop into classrooms and see what\u2019s going on. I will always be a teacher at heart,\u201d Smith said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Outside of school, Smith describes herself as active and family oriented. She lives in Doylestown with her husband and three children and spends much of her time at sporting events, outdoors at Peace Valley Park, or traveling. She and her family recently visited Spain to connect with the students her family hosted the past three years through a student exchange experience program.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As she settles into her new role, Smith emphasizes that her door is always open.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_51360\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51360\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-51360 size-small\" src=\"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_4833-300x225.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_4833-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_4833-600x450.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_4833-1200x900.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_4833-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_4833-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_4833.jpeg 2001w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-51360\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mrs. Lindsay Smith and Mrs. Sheri Penna taking some time to hang out on the set of North Penn Television.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI\u2019m super interested in immersing myself in North Penn, and if there are any events that anyone wants me to attend, please feel free to include me,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThere is an open invitation to ring the doorbell outside of the Tech Suite and come in to see what our incredible team is doing, or invite us into your classroom. I hope to meet many students and staff as I visit our schools.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a background rooted in teaching and a vision grounded in equity and innovation, Smith arrives at North Penn aiming not just to improve technology, but to make it meaningful for every student who uses it. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Lindsay Smith steps into a classroom, she isn\u2019t just thinking about devices, networks, or software. She\u2019s thinking about the students. What they need, what engages them, and how technology can help them leave school ready to make an impact.\u00a0 Smith, North Penn School District\u2019s new Director of Technology, didn\u2019t initially set out for a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":51358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54,11],"tags":[],"staff_name":[1401],"class_list":["post-51357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","category-top-stories","staff_name-claire-segrest"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51357","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51357"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51357\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51383,"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51357\/revisions\/51383"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51357"},{"taxonomy":"staff_name","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.knightcrier.org\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/staff_name?post=51357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}