LAKEWOOD — A month and a half after David Kiefer resigned from the Lakewood school board, Jahna Smith has been appointed to take his place.

Kiefer resigned April 15, citing changes in his schedule that would preclude him from participating as much he thought proper for the board position. Smith was sworn into office May 27.

Although Smith and her husband moved to the district in 2003, their family has lived in the area since 1940. Their daughter, Mariah, graduated from Lakewood High School in 2011, while their son, Noah, is set to graduate this June.

Smith sees her new position as the next logical step after serving on the committee that helped pass the bond for the new high school last year. She’s also served as treasurer of the Lakewood sports booster club and run the group’s annual auction, which raised $30,000 this spring.

“With Dave leaving, this was a huge opportunity to help continue building our new high school,” Smith said. “We’re not as big as other school communities, but we can still create opportunities for our kids, to focus on trade and technology education, and to grow areas such as music and drama.”

At the same time that Smith will strive to offer new educational avenues for students, she hopes Lakewood will be able to retain its small-town feel.

“I’m connected to a lot of people in the community, so I look forward to taking their pulse and bringing that to the board,” Smith said. “I can also report what’s happening at the school district level to the people, as far as why certain things are being done. I’ll be promoting good communication and positive interaction.”

Rather than simply approving or denying the superintendent’s decisions, Smith believes her role requires her to make community members feel like part of the process.