Faculty Spotlight--Ms. Smith

Name: Nancy Smith

Family: Husband – Joseph (1987 OCHS graduate); Daughter – Karrie (2007 Oscar Smith High School, VA graduate); Sons – Zeke (3rd grade @ OCS K-3), Jeffrey (1st grade @ OCS K-3), and Nate (2 years)

What do you teach? Pre-Algebra, Core Algebra I, Comp Algebra I, Accelerated Geometry
Teaching experience/education: I earned my BS Mathematics @ Christopher Newport University in Newport News VA. After teaching summer school geometry, I began my tenure at Oscar Smith High School, Chesapeake VA teaching personal finance, Algebra I, and Geometry. After my husband retired from military service and moved us back to his hometown, I started my career at Daviess County High School in the Freshmen Academy.

Favorite part of your subject: The best part of Algebra I is when I can see that a student “gets it” and the light bulb turns on. Another great part is sharing and doing all the really cool things with Geometry.
Interests/hobbies: Being outdoors is the best! I like to watch NFL (Dallas Cowboys), NCAA basketball (UK), and most of all I love to watch and go to the NASCAR races to watch Jimmie Johnson. I stay busy going to my sons football and baseball games. My hobbies are scrapbooking and gardening.

One other interesting fact about you: I was adopted at the age of seven months by my uncle and aunt. At eighteen, I left home and joined the Navy. While serving, I lived in Scotland and visited England, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Jamaica, Cuba and Mexico. Also in my travels, I have seen over fifteen states in the U.S.

A story about an educator that left an impression on you: During my sophomore year in high school, my English teacher was a first year teacher. Our classroom was on the second floor of Mar-Mac High School in McGregor IA. The class as a whole didn’t really care for her and began to make her life difficult. I remember one day, the class turned all of her wall decorations upside down. During the debates, each pair that got up there agreed on the subjects. Finally, on a December afternoon with eight foot snow drifts outside the window a student jumped out the window and went home. After that year, she joined the Air Force and never taught again. That may seem like a funny story but her perseverance was an inspiration for me!