Dr. Benny L. Gooden; Superintendent of Schools
Fort Smith Public Schools
fortsmithschools.org
479.785.2501
The Fort Smith Public Schools are in the “futures” business. We serve a diverse student population of more than 14,000 students in an urban environment. Students from all backgrounds have access to a rich array of programs taught by outstanding teachers to prepare them for their futures. From the most advanced AP classes to programs for students with disabilities, meeting the specific needs of each student is a top priority. Digital learning, visual and performing arts, athletics, ROTC and opportunities to explore interests and develop individual talents all help each student to plan and prepare for bright futures. The FSPS mission says it best: “…to ensure academic and personal success for each student—today and in the future.”
Word to Live By: “It is easier to do the right thing than to explain the wrong one.” A favorite quote comes from Oklahoma philosopher and humorist, Will Rogers. While his grammar may be flawed, Rogers’ statement , “It don’t bother me what people don’t know. What bothers me is what they “know” that just ain’t so” appears to describe communication in our world today.
3 products Dr. Gooden can’t live without: Dark coffee, popcorn and apples
What do you miss most about being a kid? I miss a simpler period in history with more stable families and more respectful discourse in the public arena.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
There are several:
- Skipping college classes to go see President John Kennedy;
- Going to Plains, Georgia to attend President Jimmy Carter’s Sunday school class; and
- Deciding to become a candidate for president of the American Association of School Administrators.
What’s the longest you’ve gone without sleep, and why? The twenty-four hour drive from California to Fort Smith—in the snow of winter.
If you had a year off, what would you want to do? I don’t need a year off. Work is what I do.
What three things do you think about every day?
- What will the world be like in 25 years—for my great-grandchildren?
- How can public schools help students overcome the vestiges of poverty in which so many live?
- How can we attract the brightest and best of young people into teaching who understand that the work is hard, but it is an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of future citizens?
What was your first job? Other than farm labor in Van Buren County, I was a laborer for Forsgren Construction. In this job, the most advanced machine entrusted to me was a shovel. It was a great experience for a young person right out of high school.
What did you buy with your first paycheck? I saved it for college.
What makes you nostalgic? Thinking of my mother, who began teaching during the Great Depression when jobs were scarce, pay was low, and the schools were so poor that the monthly paycheck might not clear. We have truly come a long way.
What was the first car you owned? 1953 Mercury convertible.
If you had to pick one place in Fort Smith to show a tourist, where would it be? The National Historic Site and Courthouse.
Favorite food from your childhood? Mother’s banana pudding.
What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you? In my earlier life I was a musician. I directed the AASA Singing Superintendents for more than twenty years.
Where was your last road trip? Columbia, Missouri for the Arkansas-Missouri game.
Favorite song from your teen years? “Unchained Melody.”
What’s the last movie you saw? True Grit – again.
What book are you currently reading? Decisive by Chip and Dan Heath
What’s the best part of your job? Seeing the success of Fort Smith students of all races, economic status and backgrounds as they excel in academics, musical performance, athletics and in developing into responsible graduates with a plan for their future.
Where’s your favorite spot in Arkansas? Home in Fort Smith.
Name one thing you want to accomplish in 2015. Refine and focus plans for facilities and programs to meet the needs of Fort Smith students for the next twenty-five years.
