Smilow Prep
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou I Poet and Writer
Smilow Prep is located in Jackson, Mississippi.
RePublic Schools founded Smilow Prep in 2017 as its second school in Jackson, Mississippi. It serves 577 scholars in fifth through eighth grade. (Today, there are four schools in Jackson that are part of RePublic Schools. They each have their own identity and make changes in their educational strategy based on the needs of the student population and the vision of the school leader.)
Victoria Haberman, originally a high-performing fifth-grade teacher at a RePublic School in Nashville, Tennessee, served as founding principal of Smilow Prep. She established the school with a strong focus on academics and high literacy rates. This translated to the school having a strong identity around student growth across all content areas. Since its founding, Smilow Prep has continued to develop its commitment to growth and student culture as the leadership has changed over the years.
Today, Smilow Prep is led by Interim Principal Rasaan Powell. The school focuses heavily on building strong foundational skills in math, reading, and computer science that will set its scholars up for future academic success. According to staff, Smilow Prep feels like a historically Black college or university in that scholars honor and are proud of Black and Brown culture and are on a path towards academic excellence. Scholars participate in culture days and each department has its own identity like a sorority or fraternity. Smilow Prep has a family atmosphere that is dedicated to building a safe and joyful learning environment.
Rasaan Powell
Director of Operations/Interim Principalsmilowprep@republiccharterschools.org769-524-5330Have a question about Smilow Prep? Looking to enroll your child? They’d love to hear from you!
School Location
787 E. Northside Drive
Jackson, MS 39206