I am a student at Smiley Middle School and I
absolutely love it!! I am in the IPM program where I am challenged everyday!
Some of our teachers stay after school to around 6:00 everyday! Great things
are happening at Smiley and I hope you can be a part of it!
Their magnet program is what carries the entire
school! It is rigorous and skill building but they are nurturing and not
afraid to put forth the tough love with our children. I was a bit nervous
about placing my son into Smiley but overall it has been a great learning
environment. I am extremely impressed with the work that Judith Haye, Gary
Sulley, Zelda Ford,Joel Paque, & Mr. Leher have put forth into my son. This
school has more than its share of problems but if your child is fortunate
enough to be enrolled into their International Preparatory/ International
Baccalaureate program, it is definitely worth the time!
My child attends the International Preparatory Magnet
(IPM) at Smiley. She has had an excellent experience with great teachers and
high expectations. The curriculum is rigorous, and features such subjects as
semantics and a required foreign language. The math is challenging and
taught to the top of the class. Her test scores are phenomenal. Discipline
has not been a problem. We plan to send our younger children there.
I feel my child is receiving a great education at
Smiley and so does she. The teachers are so committed and willing to help,
with their after school and Saturday tutoring help. I appreciate the
principal being a firm disciplinarian. We are very happy with Smiley.
Smiley Middle School offers the International
Preparatory Magnet (IPM), a program based on International Baccalaureate
Middle Years program. This program is academically rigorous, and
teachers are available for 2-3 hours after school and Saturdays for
students needing support.. Students applying to the program must be
prepared to commit to high academic and behavioral performance. CSAP
scores in the IPM program are well above the district average. The
school climate is productive, respectful and supportive. A strict dress
code is enforced; discipline issues are handled effectively and
consistently. My daughter loves going to school; she is challenged, yet
not overwhelmed. All IPM students take algebra in eighth grade,
preparing them for the the GW IB, DSST and East X classes. Spanish is a
mandatory, core class for all grades. All traditional sports and
extracurricular activities are available.
Our daughter is a sixth grader in the IPM
program. The academics are stellar and the teachers committed. She loves
playing clarinet in the band. All my questions and concerns are promptly
answered by the principal. She is getting an excellent education. Smiley
is definitely on the right track.
As a student at smiley middle school, I can tell
you that smiley has a very good academic environment. I also think the
parent involvement is great, although we have no privacy at school. The
extracurricular activities such as drill team, sports, including hockey,
drama, semantics, M.E.S.A., and more. Although the school has small
mishaps every now and then, it has really helped me with my middle
school years. The tri-academy experience has also contributed to my 3
years of middle school.
I am not a teacher at this school, but I was and
I give a lot of credit to staff there. Smiley has its share of problems,
but the problems lie a lot on the outside, and the scores don't show the
true effort the teachers and principals put out. It is a great staff.
There are many great programs (the academies, after school activities,
field trips, etc)and the principals are always around with the kids.
(which doesn't happen at a lot of schools) What the school needs is more
support, especially from parents, the community, and the district! It a
needs more teacher aids and smaller class size! Smiley has a great,
bright bunch of kids who just need extra attention...they are starving
for it...but the principals and teachers can't do it all alone.