Celebrating Smith Springs Elementary

Smith Springs Elementary: Supporting Every Student in a Beautiful Setting
Posted on 03/29/2022
students in class

Smith Springs Elementary School serves students in Pre-K through fourth grade on a campus near Percy Priest Lake. The school’s location inspired its mascot, a duck – more specifically, the Shoveler Duck, an animal that is native to this area in Tennessee. student smiling at camera

Smith Springs is also next door to the YMCA’s Camp Widjiwagan, and it has a historic cabin on the school property that is original to the land. You will see not only ducks but also a variety of birds, deer, wild turkeys, raccoons and frogs on the school grounds. 

But the wildlife isn’t the main attraction at Smith Springs. The best thing you’ll see is hard-working staff members who are dedicated to helping all students put forth their strongest effort to grow and become their best selves. Recently, the school received six awards from the district for student performances on the January MAP tests. Students met the school’s growth and achievement goals in literacy and math, and Smith Springs’ scores placed it among the top three elementary schools in the Southeast quadrant. 

Every year Smith Springs develops a new hashtag as a slogan for the school year that becomes a driving force behind everything they do. To support the district’s Every Student Known initiative, this year’s hashtag is #EveryDuckEveryDay. students raising hand in class

Smith Springs ensures every student is known by promoting and incentivizing satisfactory attendance. Students are celebrated monthly for good attendance and for when they show positive Social Emotional Learning practices. The SEL pep rallies not only reward students for their choices but also remind students and open conversations about effective SEL strategies. Smith Springs encourages student voice through a student-led leadership team consisting of third- and fourth-graders who help to make key decisions around the school.  

The school staff also supports individual student needs through a focus on the Pre-K and fourth grade transitions to make students feel comfortable and confident for the next step. The fourth-grade class has done at least one transition activity every month with their two associated middle schools (Apollo and JFK). Students also start their day with their homeroom teachers in morning meetings and end their day with personalized learning time to receive tailored, individualized instruction. 

“We believe that we are true partners in education with our parents and families – we go to every length possible to communicate with parents, involve parents, organize family events and keep parents informed of their child’s progress,” Smith Springs Executive Principal Cherish Piche says.

“Being the mother of an elementary school student myself, I value parent and family involvement and strive to give our almost 700 students the same love, attention, connection and support that I would want for my own daughter. Similarly, I attempt to engage parents in our school the same way that I would want to be engaged in my own daughter’s education.” 

 

Celebration of Schools

Join us in celebration of Metro Schools, our students, our educators and staff. Each day we're featuring a new school, highlighting programs, sharing histories and celebrating their unique offerings.

Read previous features on the Celebration of Schools page.

Celebration of Schools logo

Categories:
Celebrate MNPS
Tags:
#Celebrate MNPS,Smith Springs,Elementary