Natalie Smith started as the new Assistant Principal of Curriculum this past mid-July.

Only moments before interviewing, she stepped from her office, a smile spreading across her face as she extended her arm for a handshake.

Stepping inside her office, one would see walls adorned with inspirational messages and images of the Houston Astros, her “team.”

“I know it’s not a cool thing with the Dodgers [here],” Smith said, laughing through her words. “I grew up playing softball and just love the game.”

Along with her special interest in baseball, Smith thoroughly enjoys spending time outside.

“I love doing the hiking thing. There are trails everywhere and I just love that,” Smith said. “If I can put on my shoes and go out for a couple [of] hours on a Saturday morning, I’m just ecstatic.”

She had previously been employed 10 years at Granada Hills Charter High School as a math educator and later an instructional adviser.

Before, however, Smith was completing her credential as an unpaid teaching positions in various schools such as Colina Middle School and Canoga Park High School.

“I taught everything from Algebra 1 up to Calculus. We also had some IB courses that I taught,” Smith said. “It helped me to fully earn the credential.”

A few years back, Smith completed a program at UCLA called the Principal Leadership Institute.

“As a part of that, they send out lots of emails to keep you up-to-date on job postings,” Smith said. “Mr. Buchanan had also attended that institute a few years before me, so he [sent] a personalized email talking about how great Oak Park was.”

At this point, Smith shared that she had recently moved to Thousand Oaks and was commuting to work, so when she received this email, she asked herself if it was “too good to be true.”

“I wasn’t necessarily intending to make a change,” Smith said, “but it’s one of those right moment, right time kind of things.”

After looking into the application and completing the application, Smith explained she was invited to interview twice at the district and school levels; this led to her being offered the job in April of 2019.

“They were so welcoming the whole time,” Smith said. “It was and still is very overwhelming. I’m just very grateful to be given this shot to serve an obviously excellent school of students.”

One of Smith’s first orders of business in serving the students has been finalizing the master schedule, color-coded and pasted on the wall adjacent to her Houston Astros poster.

“Up to your right, here, is what’s called the master schedule,” Smith said. “The first few weeks I was here was [spent] making sure that most of you knew which classes you were in.”

Smith’s smiles transitioned to sincerity as she spoke of her philosophy on encouraging an environment of safety and support: a culture that she believes many students already bring to the school.

“I think that you can’t be at school and not care about what people are going through and what their life outside of this campus looks like. It’s so cliche, but I want to be available for any reason,” Smith said. “And I really want to know everyone’s name.”

Smith has been seen around campus quizzing herself on students’ names in attempts to work toward this goal.

“I want to make sure I remember you,” Smith said. “Students, staff and parents alike.”

The lunch bell was soon to ring as Smith included her first encounter with a standing desk, peering at the one that was now placed before her with animation illuminating her face.

After being asked earlier about what brought Smith to Oak Park, it seemed as though the answer was clear to her now.

“I love the idea that we need to be healthy and take care of our environment. You will be at your best when you take care of yourself,” Smith said. “Something as simple as a standing desk [can] help with that.”

Swiveling around in her chair, Smith pointed to a slanted tree outside her window with paradoxical inflections in her voice: one of tranquility and excitement, reflecting her attitude toward this new transition.

“I love looking out and there’s a tree right there. I was never in a classroom that had that nice view — not like we do here,” Smith said. “It’s a very beautiful area. We’re very lucky.”