Northside names new principal

FORT SMITH — School District alum Chris Carter is returning to be the next Northside High School principal.

Carter attended Sunnymede Elementary School, Kimmons Junior High School and graduated from Northside High in 1990 before earning his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia.

He has spent a majority of his professional career in Fort Smith as well, working as an assistant principal at Northside, and a teacher, coach and assistant principal at Kimmons Middle School. Kimmons was formerly a junior high school. He has been the principal at Magnolia High School since 2016 in Magnolia.

“I was an assistant principal for roughly 14 years — four at Kimmons and then 10 at Northside — and I saw an opportunity to lead my own building,” Carter explained. “And what that means is I need to be a high school principal, not an assistant anymore, and I chose Magnolia because it was in south Arkansas.”

His wife’s family is from a little town west of Magnolia called Taylor, Carter said.

“Magnolia is a fantastic place.” he added. “I call it the best kept secret south of Little Rock. They were very good to me, and it was a wonderful experience.”

Carter said his time at Magnolia taught him how to creatively use limited resources in a smaller district, as well as how to change the climate and culture of a school.

“Not that there’s anything wrong at all with Northside High School’s climate or culture, but I do think looking at it from a different set of lenses, there might be some really cool things that we can manipulate or change that can really affect the outcome of academics at Northside,” Carter said.

Northside had 2,497 students enrolled in grades 9-12 as of the district’s October 2021 census report.

According to the district’s website, Carter will be Northside’s 11th principal, with the Fort Smith High School being split into Northside and Southside in 1928.

Northside’s current principal, Keri Rathbun, has held the position since 2017. She recently accepted the director of coordinated school health and career counseling position for the district, meaning she will be responsible for establishing a comprehensive initiative to address the components of coordinated school health, as well as provide instructional and leadership services to prepare students with the related academic critical thinking, workplace readiness and technical skills essential in pursuing career pathways.

Carter said he plans to be back in Fort Smith by late June, as his contract will begin July 1. His position will be included in the Professional Staff Recommendations for the School Board in June.

“We are excited to welcome Chris back to our district to assume this very important role,” Superintendent Terry Morawski said. “Northside High School has a long history of providing excellent opportunities for its students. In discussions with Mr. Carter, I believe he shares the district vision for high expectations for student success, building quality relationships with students and families and a safe culture where students feel they belong and are supported.”

“Northside High School has a long tradition of wonderful administrators and faculty,” Carter said. “From 1962 to 2017, a family member of mine consecutively has gone to school there and graduated from there. My uncle Richard started there in 1963 and was drafted into the Vietnam War. But ever since 1962-63 school year, there’s been a family member of mine in that school consecutively until 2017, when my youngest daughter graduated. So I have a long standing history of family that has been to school there, including myself, and I can’t think of a better place to work than Northside High School.”

Monica Brich may be reached by email at [email protected] .


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