Vicki Smith was recently chosen as the new Assistant Principal at Thomasville Elementary School.
She had previously visited TES while a Reading Specialist at J.F. Shields High School. “I did an observation for the Phonics First program,” Smith said. “… Thomasville Elementary had a stellar reputation for exceptional instruction. I was able to see firsthand the explicit instruction and the collaboration efforts (of the teachers). That stuck out to me – how supportive everyone was and their creative ability.
“I knew that I wanted to be a part of something like that. I’m convinced that education can transform a student’s life.” Smith met current TES Principal Chelsea Doggett when Doggett served as the Reading Coach. “I want to support her and together impact as many students as we can. Over the past few years, this school has achieved significant academic success. …I’m hoping I can collaborate with Mrs. Doggett, and we can continue to grow academically.”
Smith’s goal is to “help the teachers and the students become their best selves.”
She was born and raised in Camden and graduated from Wilcox Academy. In her high school grades, Smith was inspired by her English teacher, Becky Axon. “She made us responsible for our learning,” she said. “She was creative in the way she instructed, and she took the time to make sure we understood .”
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Troy University and a Master’s in Postsecondary Education, also from Troy. She has since completed the Instruction Leadership Program from the University of West Alabama.
When Smith first went to Troy University, she was a nursing major. After two years, she changed to elementary education.
Her first teaching position was as a second grade teacher at Oak Hill Elementary in Covington, Ga. After being a stay-at-home mom for five years, she taught fourth grade at Young Americans Christian School in Conyers, Ga.
The family moved back to Alabama in 2009, and she served as a fourth and fifth grade teacher at the former G.W. Watts Elementary School in Pine Apple, Ala.
She also taught third at Wilcox Academy for eight years, and fifth and sixth reading at J.F. Shields High School in Beatrice, Ala. She served as the Reading Specialist at Shields for three years, before taking the current position in Thomasville.
Smith and her husband Jeffrey have two daughters: Addison, 20, a junior at Auburn University; and Ella Kate, 16, a junior at Monroe Academy.
When not working, Smith likes to read, exercise, or be out by the pool.