Tomorrow will mark one year on the job for Florida Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith. And Board of Education Chairman T. Willard Fair took time out at today’s board meeting to applaud the board’s hire.
“However you would want to evaluate success, from my vantage point, he has indeed been successful,” Fair said. “Thanks for 12 months of blood, sweat and tears.”

Fair singled out Smith’s hires and his relationship building with stakeholders. “There was a time when I was afraid for my commissioner to go to a superintendent’s meeting,” Fair said, “because I wasn’t sure if he’d return.”

Fair said he’ll bring recommendations for a renewed contract for Smith to the board meeting in January. In a related development, the board voted unanimously to extend Fair’s tenure as chair.

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