Bethany-area families can meet Beaverton School District Superintendent Tony Smith face-to-face Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Mountainside High School's Community Room from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The session is the last of three informal drop-ins Smith has held across the district since taking over July 1. The district described the events as casual, with no speeches or formal presentations, according to a BSD Facebook post. Earlier sessions took place Aug. 13 at Tumwater Middle School and Aug. 15 at Highland Park Middle School.

Since starting July 1, Smith told the Beaverton Valley Times that community members keep returning to the same themes: they want the district to be great, and they want honesty about the road ahead.

"They also all recognize this is a different day, and challenges exist and they want us to be transparent," Smith said. He added that families want the district to be thoughtful in how it addresses those challenges.

Smith, who spent nearly 20 years in Denver Public Schools rising from teacher to deputy superintendent, said he was struck by how long Beaverton teachers stick around. He called the retention "staggering." Teachers told him they stay for their colleagues, the parents and, above all, the students.

To hear more from staff, Smith launched "Snacks with Smith," informal sessions at individual schools. He held six during the week of Aug. 17 and aims to reach at least 60% of the district's 53 schools this year. The district employs roughly 4,600 teachers and classified staff.

Smith started the first day of school, Aug. 25, at 6 a.m. and visited six schools before the day ended. As of Aug. 26, the district counted 35,703 students enrolled, a number officials said could shift as final counts come in. BSD is Oregon's second-largest school district.

In an Aug. 28 opinion piece, Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty and School Board Chair Justice Rajee acknowledged the district faces challenges including students still recovering from pandemic disruptions and declining enrollment.

In a welcome video released ahead of the school year, Smith told families to expect him to be visible, saying he planned to look, listen and learn about the district's strengths and where it can improve.

The Wednesday, Sept. 2, Mountainside drop-in is open to all families. Smith has also said he plans regular community coffee chats and classroom visits as his 100-day listening tour continues.