A BELOVED TEACHER

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK 2026: Meg Smith, St. Pius X kindergarten teacher, finds joy in seeing the world through her students’ eyes

Megan Smith (r.) credits her colleagues, administrative staff and the parents of St. Pius X for making the school so special, and in particular her teaching assistant, Jean John, who’s been with her since she joined the school. (Emily Benson photo)

Meg Smith always knew she wanted to teach kindergarten. 

“It’s that beautiful age where kids have so much growth,” she said. “They come in in September, and by the time June rolls around, it’s amazing the growth that they make.”

For 21 years, Smith has been a pillar in the kindergarten classroom at St. Pius X School in Loudonville — and her efforts in the classroom haven’t gone unnoticed, as Smith was honored with the 2026 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Distinguished Elementary School Teacher Award.

The award “honors a Catholic school teacher who has promoted a school’s Catholic educational vision and who has a strong awareness of a school’s Catholic identity and mission,” and whose teaching skills have “a positive effect on the moral growth of students.

“Mrs. Smith embodies the spirit of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton through her unwavering dedication to education, compassion and faith-inspired teaching, making her an exemplary candidate for this prestigious recognition,” wrote George Frany III, a St. Pius parent and current school board president, in his nomination letter. 

“I had no idea they were doing this,” Smith said. “It’s funny, you put your head down, you’re in your classroom, and you do the very best you can. You communicate with your parents and you teach the children and you’re with them every day, and it’s so wonderful, so you don’t ever look up and think, OK there’s an award. It was just a real surprise … that people felt strongly enough to fill out the application for me.”

Parents have praised Smith for her hands-on learning style, storytelling and personalized attention to her students. It’s apparent as Smith walks through the kindergarten room that she cares for her class. Students run up to Smith, thrilled to tell her a story about their day or sneak a quick hug as she walks by. 

It’s also part of the reason why she’s stayed teaching so long: being with the kids helps Smith to remember the world through their eyes.

“When it’s snowing out there, and the kids are jumping up like crazy looking out the window, you would think it’s the first time they’ve ever seen snow in their lives,” she said. “It’s so nice to be a part of that. You’re able to see their vision of the world.”

Teaching was something Smith found organically during her undergrad at SUNY New Paltz. She started taking a few teaching classes out of interest, following a few friends who were in the major, and discovered a joy for working with kids. After her bachelor’s, she obtained her master’s in early childhood education from The College of Saint Rose.

Smith grew up in Voorhees­ville but wasn’t familiar with Catholic schooling until she started her own family. Smith’s husband wanted to look into sending their children to Catholic school, so they started to look around. 

“We came in here and it just felt so welcoming,” Smith said of St. Pius. “From the very beginning we wanted our children to come here.”

Smith enrolled their two children at St. Pius, and when her youngest was entering kindergarten, she was approached about an opening for a kindergarten teacher at the school. 

“It was perfect timing,” she said. “I’ve been here the whole time they were here.”

Smith’s daughter, Julia, was no stranger to visiting her mom’s classroom. Even after graduating from St. Pius X, she would come back on school breaks or half days to visit or help out. Seeing her mom in the classroom planted the seed for her own interest in the field, and in 2020, Julia started working at St. Pius X alongside her mom. 

“When I look back on my career, that will probably be my favorite part,” Smith said of working with her daughter. “Just getting to share that experience with her and this community with her.”

Through her two decades of work, Smith credits her colleagues, administrative staff and the parents of St. Pius X for making the school so special — and particularly her teaching assistant, Jean John, who’s been with her since she joined St. Pius X, and who goes “above and beyond, every single day,” Smith said.

“I have been very blessed to be able to work in this community for 21 years,” Smith added.