After more than a decade as CRLS principal, Damon Smith has stepped down from his position. Mr. Smith will now be working as Chief Operating Officer for Cambridge Public Schools, and filling in his empty position is Allan Gately Gehant, former CRLS vice-principal. On his last day as principal, Mr. Smith sat down with the Register Forum for an interview regarding his career change.
When asked about his new position as Interim Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Smith emphasized to the Register Forum, “I’ll still be working in the district.” He continued, “I’ll be responsible for the operations that occur in the Cambridge Public Schools. This job means managing transportation, safety, and security, [along with] building maintenance, enrollment, and registration—all the operational parts of the school system.” Mr. Smith then explained how he got the role in the first place, telling the Register Forum, “I was offered this position by the interim superintendent, who was the previous Chief Operating Officer. Since he’s now the interim superintendent, I’ve been given the opportunity to fill his former position.”
Though excited about his new job, Mr. Smith admitted that he would be sad to leave his position as principal. “I’ll miss interacting with CRLS students every day,” he lamented. “In my new role, I won’t have that, which is going to be a challenge. It’s something special to see students on a day-to-day basis. This is a very unique school community; we have our tough moments, but we’re still a happy, joyous community.” However, his demeanor lightened as he told the Register Forum, “I will still go to games, performances, and special events. I love to see students find their passions and discover their journeys.”
Mr. Smith reflected on his role as principal. “I liked being principal because I got to help my students attain a life of choice.” He then stressed that he wasn’t completely leaving the community, highlighting to the Register Forum, “I don’t think of this as goodbye. I’m not leaving the district, I’m just helping out in another way. And because I’m interim, it’s possible that I could return—we never know what the future holds.”
When asked about Mr. Gehant assuming the role of interim principal, Mr. Smith said, “Oh, he’s great.” According to Mr. Smith, he and Mr. Gehant have been working together as colleagues since 2004. “He and I have had a long working history,” Mr. Smith added. He ended the interview on a positive note, telling the Register Forum, “Gehant is a real Cantabrigian. He’s super smart, he cares about our community, and he has some really good ideas. He’s going to be great—he already is great.”
Damon Smith has played a major part in the CRLS community. Although we hope Mr. Smith enjoys his new position as Chief Operating Officer, CRLS is sad to see him go. Fortunately, according to Mr. Smith, Mr. Gehant is a qualified, skillful member of our community, so the role of principal is in good hands. Welcome, Principal Gehant, and thank you, Mr. Smith!
This article also appears in our October 2024 print edition.
