Junior English: Mrs. Smith-Rodriguez

Contact Info: (323) 485-4229 or dsmith@kippla.org

Welcome to Upper School Reading!

Mrs. Smith-Rodriguez is currently the English Language Arts teacher for the Class of 2015 and is also the Saturday School Director for KIPP LA Prep as well as the Grade Level Chair for the Class of 2015. Prior to joining the KIPP LA Prep Team and Family, she taught 7th Grade English at Roosevelt Middle School in the Compton Unified School District. She earned both her BA in English as well as her Masters in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her Single Subject Teaching Credential for English from California State University, Northridge. Mrs. Smith-Rodriguez loves to read, travel, and spend time with her family (and Chihuahua Princess). She has written and received many grants, including the Bob Costas Grant for the Teaching of Writing (sponsored by the College Board), a Fund for Teachers Grant, a Target Field Trip Grant, and two Jordan Fundamentals Grants, and has co-written the English Language Arts curriculum for middle school at her previous school district.

This year, Mrs. Smith-Rodriguez is prepared to take all of her students on a journey towards critical thinking via the reading and writing that will take place in her class. She is also excited to kick off a year of Poetry Slam with some KIPP LA Prep students, and get the campus thinking environmentally by spearheading the first annual KIPP LA Prep Goes Green Saturday Program! She is also working tirelessly to make sure all of her KIPPsters get on the road to college!