Bridging to Resilience

I am Kaci Smith, a dedicated educator with a passion for the arts, neuroscience, and trauma informed practices. With 15 years of teaching experience, I have had the privilege of sharing my expertise in a variety of creative disciplines, including fine arts, graphic design, interior design, fashion design, and photography. In addition to my work in the visual arts, I also serve as an adjunct psychology professor at Highland Community College.
My academic journey began at Bethany College, where I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Studio Art, focusing on Drawing and Graphic Design. To further my educational reach, I participated in the Transition to Teacher Program at Fort Hays University to obtain my teaching license. Recently, I graduated from Tabor University with a Master's in Education in Neuroscience and Trauma, deepening my understanding of the intricate relationship between education and mental health.
I am deeply committed to trauma-informed practices in education. I believe in the transformative power of the arts and their potential to help children navigate life experiences while fostering social and emotional development. My unique blend of artistic expertise and psychological insight allows me to create engaging and supportive learning environments for my students.
I am also a lead teacher in the Partners in Education Across Kansas (PEAK). PEAK is a collegial professional development community of museum and K-12 educators housed within the Spencer Museum of Art on the campus of The University of Kansas. Since 2017, the Spencer Museum of Art PEAK program has been working with K-12 educators to co-create communities of practice (CP) that support arts integration, object-based teaching and social-emotional learning and character development in Kansas schools. Arts integration has been found to increase student achievement and engagement and the communities of practice model supports increased teacher knowledge and classroom implementation and comfort with professional development content and strategies. This approach to professional development also supports self efficacy and leadership, increasing the sustainability of these pedagogical approaches in the classroom.