Desiree Smith, serves as the School Leader at KIPP Zenith Academy, bringing over 15 years of dedicated service in K-12 education and school leadership to the Sunnyside community that shaped her. A proud alumna of Prairie View A&M University, she holds both a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration. Since joining the KIPP team in 2011, she has served in diverse instructional and administrative roles, including Founding Second Grade Teacher, Dean of Student Culture, Dean of Early Childhood, Instructional Coach, Assistant Principal, and Principal in Residence, in addition to completing KIPP’s Striving School Leader Cohort.
She specializes in transformational school leadership, character development, closing academic achievement gaps, and building authentic community partnerships. Grounded in the core conviction that “teaching is an obligation to cultivate greatness, transform communities, and positively impact generations to come,” she leads with an unwavering commitment to educational equity, academic excellence, and whole-child development. Her approach centers on the belief that every child deserves a high-quality education regardless of background, driving her work to create spaces where students are inspired to reach their fullest potential.
As School Leader, she works collaboratively with educators, families, and community partners to cultivate a safe, joyful, and rigorous learning environment where every student feels loved, valued, and empowered to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. Outside of her leadership at KIPP Zenith Academy, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, children, extended family, and friends, whose support reinforces her commitment to building a school community where every child is known, supported, and celebrated.
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