Administration

Board

Educational Philosophy

Grace College: Authorizer

The Leona Group: EMO

Partners

"While I have encountered caring and concerned teachers at traditional schools, the glaring difference at Smith Academy has been the administration. I have
never met with administrators
who know my son personally, even at small schools. They are not just aware of his name, but specifically who he is...

...They are aware of his strengths and weaknesses and his interests. They invest in his success with recognition; recognition of what needs to be done by everyone involved (parents, teachers, administration, and student) in order for my student to reach his full potential."
-SAFE Parent

Smith Academy for Excellence is led by an administrative team consisting of a School Leader, and two assistant School Leaders. Together, these administrators ensure that the school operates productively and efficiently.

School Leader
The School Leader oversees and manages organizational, fiscal, and employment matters. He establishes a school culture of success supported by a climate that is conducive to high achievement.

Corey Smith, Co-Founder and School Leader:
Corey holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Grace College and a Master of Education Administration from Grand Canyon University. He was a teacher in Fort Wayne from 2004 to 2012. During those years, he was a high school assistant basketball coach for girls for one year and for boys for three years. He held leadership roles as a teacher including Math Bowl Coach, Quality Improvement Team member, Thinking Skills Coach, and Leadership Team member. Corey piloted the Primary Years Program, International Baccalaureate’s elementary program, for his school and led the school through the process of adopting elements of that program. Since 2012, Mr. Smith has been an administrator at Smith Academy, holding positions as Chief Academic Officer, Assistant School Leader and School Leader. He has received various honors including a 2017 Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly Forty under 40 Award.

Assistant School Leader
The Assistant School Leader helps manage instruction, assessment and discipline. This administrator also helps oversee extracurricular activities and assists the School Leader in any capacity necessary to ensure a positive learning environment. He serves directly under the School Leader and manages the school if the school leader is out of the building.

Thomas Smith, Co-Founder and Assistant School Leader:
Thomas holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from DePauw University, and a Master of Arts degree in Education as well as 2 masters level certifications in Elementary Administration and Supervision, and Secondary Administration and Supervision. He was a teacher for 15 years and has been an administrator for over 20 years. He has taught various grade levels from elementary through adult education. In 1983, he was named as the first minority varsity head football coach in Fort Wayne at Elmhurst High School. He was also the varsity head wrestling coach. Mr. Smith has held leadership roles as a teacher such as Department Chair and Team Leader. As an administrator, Smith helped establish the Alternative Learning Program in Fort Wayne. He was a leader in the Fort Wayne Community Schools district in various ways including leading the High School Reinvent Process, Initiating the Freshman Community, and organizing and leading Curriculum Mapping for district high schools, and serving as the Summit Athletic Conference Commissioner. In his years as a principal, Mr. Smith’s schools have all displayed both academic and behavioral growth. Smith led this improvement at each school he was at including a high school of over 1,500 students, with nearly 30 nationalities and over 25 languages. He has shown the ability to provide for the needs of a myriad of minority populations. Thomas has been a presenter for schools and universities as well as for organizations in other fields. These presentations have been given at the local, state, national, and international level including a presentation entitled, “How IB curriculum can support and enhance learning in a diverse public high school,” at the International Baccalaureate Head Masters Conference in 2005.

Assistant School Leader
This Assistant School Leader has the duty of assisting the School Leader with day-to-day operations of the school including the meal program, discipline, the physical plant and transportation. He also works closely with the community.

W. Francis McGarry, Assistant School Leader
Bio forthcoming