Staff

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Monika Garner-Smith

Preschool Director

Monika Garner-Smith, M.Ed., ACCESS Group Inc. preschool director, is responsible for planning the preschool curriculum and managing the ACCESS Preschool team.

Garner-Smith began her career as a special educator at Easter Seals Arkansas, working there for eight years before co-founding ACCESS Preschool in 1995. A graduate of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, she has a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in early childhood special education. She is certified in The DuBard Association Method®, as well as early childhood education (birth to Grade 3), elementary education (Grades K-6) and special education (Grades K-12).

Garner-Smith is a member of the Arkansas Federation of the Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Early Childhood. She has served as a guest speaker at the annual national Division for Early Childhood conference; at the Arkansas Department of Education Special Show biennial conference; and at several parent and professional training workshops as part of the ACCESS Founders Series.