A familiar smile is retiring at Salem Middle School

For 16 years, Shelli Smith has called Salem Community Schools home. At the end of this school year, she’s closing that chapter and heading into retirement.

After Smith left her job in retail, she spent her first year at Salem substitute teaching and handling concessions, a job she still does to this day. 

“It’s my favorite!” Smith said about being in charge of the concession stand.

She said her husband, the late Derek Smith who was a teacher and administrator at Salem High School, came home one day and said, “I signed you up for concessions!” 

Smith said her response was, “Are you messing with me or do I really get to?” She was thrilled because she loves feeding people, organizing, planning, managing and bossing people around.

“It’s where my brain is the happiest!” she said.

After one year subbing, Smith moved into an aid position for special education at Bradie Shrum for two years before landing in her current position as administrative assistant at Salem Middle School.

Smith said all the jobs have had their fun parts, but being in charge of the concessions has definitely been her favorite role at SCS. 

“I’m a happy person!” she said. “I enjoy the creative side of my job!”

She said as the person who greets everyone who comes to SMS, she really likes her middle school parents and getting to know them.

When she retires, Smith said she will miss the parents and the people she has worked with for so long. She has worked for four different principals: Ray Oppel, Jennifer Lawyer, Kevin Albertson and Brett Miller and enjoyed all of them.

“What I will not miss is the rowdy children and the phone ringing constantly!” she laughed.

She is looking forward to quiet mornings on her front porch drinking her coffee and traveling with her mom. 

“I also will spend time pulling weeds in the garden because I grow a lot of weeds!” she laughed.

Smith said she is really looking forward to having time to attend fall festivals. Being in charge of concessions occupied many of her weekends and didn’t allow her to enjoy festivals as often as she’d like. 

She said she has enjoyed her job at Salem and will miss the concessions the most and students she worked with over the years. 

“I have worked 16 years with eighth graders and juniors,” she laughed. “That’s a lot of kids and I will miss most of them!” 

At the middle school, Smith is known for her coffee bar and chocolate drawer and her ability to keep staff going with caffeine and sweets throughout the day. Smith will still be enjoying both, just from the comfort of her own home!