Superintendent

Daniel W. Smith, Ed.D.

Dr. Daniel W. Smith joins Stafford County Public Schools as superintendent with more than 20 years of transformative leadership experience and unwavering dedication to student success. Known for his student-centered approach, Dr. Smith has a proven history of fostering academic excellence, promoting access, and nurturing school communities.

Most recently, as Chief of Staff and Acting Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools—one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing districts—Dr. Smith oversaw a $1.8 billion budget supporting 83,000 students across 100 schools. During his tenure, he led significant improvements in student outcomes, boosting graduation rates and reducing chronic absenteeism. His leadership was instrumental in securing Loudoun’s first fully funded budget in six years, restoring community trust, and narrowing achievement gaps across core subjects.

Dr. Smith is known for championing forward-thinking initiatives, such as specialized academies in Health and Medical Sciences, dual language immersion programs, and expanded mental health services. His collaborative approach has fostered meaningful partnerships and ensured that every voice is valued in the pursuit of educational excellence.

As a lifelong advocate for Virginia’s public schools, Dr. Smith is excited to work alongside Stafford County’s students, families, staff, and community to build on the district’s strengths and pursue a bold vision for the future. He and his wife, Michelle, who have been married for over 21 years, are thrilled to join the Stafford County community. They have two children: Caden, a freshman at Virginia Tech, and Liliana, who looks forward to attending Stafford County Public Schools.

Dr. Smith holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Virginia and is a respected voice in education across the state and beyond.

Contact Information

📞 (540) 658-6000
📧 suptoffice@staffordschools.net

Superintendent's Entry Plan

Superintendent's Entry Plan

Over the past six months, it has been a privilege to listen, learn, and lead alongside the Stafford County community. Through meaningful conversations, classroom visits, school events, and districtwide collaboration, we've deepened our shared commitment to inspire, empower, and elevate every student.

Read the Entry Plan

As we Elevate Stafford, our focus remains on aligning our work with the Strategic Plan, investing in people and partnerships, and ensuring every student is prepared for success after graduation.

Key Focus Areas (Initial Six Months)

Throughout the entry plan phase, our goals included:

Building strong and transparent relationships with the School Board, staff, students, and families;
Assessing progress toward Strategic Plan goals, post-secondary outcomes, academic performance, school climate, and staff support
Evaluating organizational effectiveness and efficiency, ensuring clarity, coherence, and competence across all departments
Verifying systems and structures are in place to support academic growth for every student;
Developing strong partnerships with advisory groups, PTOs, the Stafford Education Foundation, elected officials, educational associations, and community leaders.

Community Engagement

Throughout the plan, we hosted Community Connections events, visited schools, and collaborated with organizations across Stafford County. Your feedback has helped shape the themes and recommendations that will guide our continued work. Thank you for your voices and your commitment to our schools.

Entry Plan Outcomes: Final Report and Presentation

We invite you to review the findings and reflections that emerged from the Superintendent’s Entry Plan:

These documents highlight what we’ve learned together and lay the foundation for our next steps as a division.

Next Steps: Elevate Stafford

With our listening and learning phase complete, we now turn our attention to elevating Stafford through:

Implementing targeted action steps identified in the Entry Plan Report;
Strengthening division-wide communication and collaboration;
Ensuring alignment between our daily work and our student-centered vision;
Advancing the goals of the Strategic Plan with renewed focus and purpose.

Thank you for your partnership as we continue to Elevate Stafford—together.

Explore Our Strategic Plan

The Post Entry Plan aligns closely with Stafford County Public Schools' Strategic Plan, a roadmap that ensures every decision supports our mission to inspire, empower, and excel.

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