Published by CounciLINK on May 23, 2019
Some of Kimberlee Smith’s best moments have been teaching preschool children and helping them succeed in the classroom.
“Seeing them gain self-confidence and get excited about learning lets me know that what I’m doing is making an impact,” she said.
Now she’s using her knowledge and skills to also make an impact on high school students in Sandy, UT.
For the past four years, Smith has worked at Alta High School, where she runs a preschool and teaches two levels of classes: Early Childhood 1 and 2.
In the more advanced class, her students work toward getting their Child Development Associate (CDA®) credential, help manage the preschool, mentor EC 1 students and foster the best conditions for learning.
The students aren’t the only ones who are learning new skills that will help them work well with preschool kids. Smith is earning a master’s degree so she can reach her goal of becoming a college professor of early childhood education.
“I want to be able to share my passion for early childhood education with more people and at a higher level,” she said. “I believe I can reach this goal by teaching at the college level.”
She’s reaching for the heights in her teaching career because she’s stirred by the changes she’s seen in both the preschoolers she’s taught and in her older students.
“I have watched many high school students in my program start out very quiet and shy, then blossom into very excited teachers,” she said.
Like Smith, the students have seen that making an impact on a child is one of the best moments you can have.
Kimberlee Smith teaches high school in Sandy, UT.
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Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
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Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
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