FORT BENNING, Ga., (Oct. 8, 2014) -- During her first year as principal, Edwina Smith said her goals are to give Dexter Elementary School students a collaborative learning environment that promotes student achievement and build relationships with parents.
Smith served as the assistant principal at Faith Middle School last year before coming to Dexter. Smith has worked with the Department of Defense Education Activity since 1998 and was a math and computer science teacher, counselor and assistant principal at elementary, middle, and high schools in Germany, Korea and Japan. She has also coached varsity soccer, basketball and tennis in the Department of Defense Dependents Schools system.
"Both of my daughters attended and graduated from DoDEA schools in Europe," Smith said. "I have a sincere desire to support the military-connected child emotionally, socially, academically and physically."
Smith said she will focus on improvements in reading comprehension and math communication skills while working with parents to develop educational plans.
"We have identified students who are struggling in math or reading so that we develop an individual plan for each of those students," she said. "In collaboration with our math and reading specialists, the classroom teachers are implementing instructional strategies to address the needs of those students who can use additional academic support in these areas. My plan involves personally monitoring each student's progress."
Additionally, Dexter's Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics program offers activities to students at least once a week, Smith said. The school also has a variety of after-school programs, including drama, yearbook, technology math and sign language clubs. Smith said the new sign language club has approximately 25 students and is currently learning to sign the Pledge of Allegiance.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about diversity and acceptance of others," she said. " When students learn to recognize and accept each other's differences at a young age, they actually begin to realize that we all have something to contribute to society."
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