3-year Fort Smith principal resigns

The principal of Fort Smith Southside High School is resigning because she is relocating to another state.

The resignation of Lisa Miller, who’s been the principal for three years, was approved by the Fort Smith School Board during a regular meeting Monday night.

Miller will be moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, to be closer to her son, Drew, daughter-inlaw, Macon, and two grandchildren, the district said.

Her departure comes at a time when the 13,839-student Fort Smith School District is converting its two high schools — Southside and Northside — from grades 1012 to grades 9-12. Freshman wings, under construction at both schools, should be finished in August, when the new school year begins.

Southside construction and renovation includes a freshman center, competition gym and new administrative spaces. Interior renovations include a new library media center, cafeteria and safe rooms.

The multiphase construction project at Southside is scheduled to be completed by fall 2021.

Southside, with 1,358 10-12-grade students in the academic year that just ended, is one of the 20 largest high schools in the state.

Miller began her career with the Fort Smith district in 2003, teaching science and social studies at Kimmons Junior High. She taught mathematics at Ramsey Junior High before leaving for the Van Buren School District, where she worked for eight years as principal at Coleman Junior High and the Freshman Academy.

She was named the 2021 Administrator of the Year by the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association.