For Exceptional Scholars
About Us
SMITH Academy of Excellence (SAE) is an education community centered around providing exceptional scholars with instruction and training through a specialized curriculum. SAE’s first objective is Scholar Mastery through Instruction, Training, and Home (S.M.I.T.H), School & Community Partnerships. At SAE, we are committed to providing an educational experience that is unparalleled.
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Founded by Dr. Sandra Smith, Jasia Clark, and Antoinette Rudolph, SMITH Academy of Excellence (SAE) is the amalgamation of parents and educators coming together to form a student-centric, home, school, and community partnership. At SAE, we believe in collaboration and community. Together, there are no limits. As such, we are proud to also announce one of our first Academic Partners and Collaboration with the University of Missouri - Columbia (Mizzou), Department of Special Education, MU Center on Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (SW-PBIS), Dr. T. J. Lewis, Ph.D. Under our Collaboration, SMITH Academy of Excellence will be identified as a SW-PBIS Model Site!
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SMITH Academy of Excellence (SAE) is a non-profit, private school for children in grades PK3-12. We educate and serve students diagnosed with special needs, including but not limited to, autism, ADHD, asthma, anxiety, cerebral palsy, Crohn's, down syndrome, EBD, hydrocephalus, learning disabilities, and OHI. SAE focuses on Academics, Adaptive Living skills, Social skills, Coping skills, Life skills, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Response to Intervention, a Multi-Tiered System of Supports, and most essentially, Home-School-Community Partnerships.
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SAE focuses forward, as our Scholars' future is the mission. In looking forward, SAE prioritizes six essential elements each day: (1) a positive, protective, and supportive school climate and environment; (2) scholarly daily attendance and home guidance when scholars are unable to attend; (3) universal, targeted, and individualized social, emotional, and behavioral interventions, promoting discipline and reinforcing positive behaviors; (4) data-driven and individualized, student-focused academics; (5) family engagement uniquely and authentically promoted, supported, and reinforced by the Academy and Community; and (6) student engagement and mentorship designed to create and increase positive in-school experiences leading to durable post-school outcomes for our scholars, to include the development of self-advocacy and self-determination skills for all scholars.
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Our Founder
Dr. Sandra Smith
Dr. Sandra Smith, Ph.D., is the Founder and Chief Academic Officer for SMITH Academy. Dr. Smith serves as Director of Education during day-to-day operations. She focuses on creating, implementing, and increasing positive and protective in-school learning experiences and environments; therefore leading to increased durable and independent post-school outcomes for exceptional scholars. According to Dr. Smith, “The scholar’s future is the mission of the Academy!”
As an Academic Program Manager, Co-Principal Investigator, and Coordinator of Training and Technical Assistance, Dr. Smith’s advocacy, consultancy, scholarship, and service expands two decades, forty-two states, BIA/BIE Tribal Schools, ten territories, and three countries. According to Dr. Smith, “Advocacy and service is what you do when no one is looking!” She is an Expert in the field, a Professor of Practice, author, advocate, consultant, scholar, practitioner/Professor in Residence, vocational rehabilitation counselor/psychologist, and a practicing medical/disability services specialist. Dr. Smith’s leadership is established on strategic alliances, a broad range of expertise, evidence-based practices, intensive technical assistance, high-leverage practices, engaged home-school partnerships, and community collaborations.
Our Team
Founded by Dr. Sandra Smith in 2023, SMITH Academy of Excellence is dedicated to providing exceptional scholars with quality education and wrap-around services. Our team includes 5 teachers, 5 paraprofessionals, 2 administrative team members, and 4 executive staff members. All employees are required to pass a rigorous and thorough background check to ensure that our scholars in capable, dedicated, fully vetted, and qualified hands.
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Get to Know Us
SMITH Academy of Excellence (SAE) is a non-profit institution of learning founded by accountable, experienced, and engaged educators, professionals, and parents (2023). Founded and designed for K12 Exceptional Scholars, the SAE purpose is to provide universal, targeted, and tertiary educational experiences that establish, authenticate, and reinforce effective learning strategies and positive vocational outcomes guided by best practice, thereby leading to Scholar Mastery through Instruction, Training, and Home, School & Community Partnerships.
SAE is a proud partner of the University of Missouri - Columbia (Mizzou), Department of Special Education, MU Center on SW-PBIS, Dr. T. J. Lewis, Ph.D. Under our collaboration, SAE will be identified as a SW-PBIS Model Site.
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