Newton Public Schools announced yesterday that Lisa Gilbert-Smith, director of the city’s Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) program, will serve as Newton North High School’s interim principal for the 2026–2027 school year.

Gilbert-Smith will fill the role following the departure of Principal Henry Turner for a superintendent role in Reading. A Boston Public Schools alum, she has worked as a teacher, administrator and principal across the Boston, Brookline and Newton school districts in the last 30 years.

The METCO program is a state-funded educational program designed to eliminate racial imbalance through the busing of children from Boston and Springfield to public systems in surrounding suburban metropolitan communities. Newton’s program is the largest, with more than 431 students or 3.1% of the student population enrolled across all 21 schools. Gilbert-Smith has overseen this program since 2019. 

“Gibert-Smith brings a rare combination of deep instructional expertise, proven turnaround leadership, and a decades-long commitment to educational equity,” NPS announced in a press release. “Her work includes supervising staff, guiding anti-racism and cultural proficiency efforts, managing the district budget for METCO, and strengthening partnerships with Boston families.”

Gilbert-Smith recently completed Influence 100, a superintendent preparation fellowship through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. She is the fifth Influence 100 fellow to partner with Superintendent Anna Nolin, including outgoing principals Tamara Stras of Newton South High School and Henry Turner.