Meet the staff
Mrs. Joelle Smith Founder & Executive Director
Joelle Smith is a Florida-certified educator, published author, and founder of The Living School: Education Outside the Box. With over 25 years of experience in education, she has dedicated her career to helping students thrive- especially those who don't fit into traditional learning environments.
Early in her career, Joelle was nominated for Teacher of the Year and went on to develop a successful middle school drama program during her 12 years in public education. After leaving the classroom, she spent over a decade homeschooling her children and teaching students across a wide range of ages and abilities, including those with autism, ADHD, and other learning differences.
Through years of hands-on teaching, tutoring and real-world learning experiences, Joelle saw firsthand that many students learn best outside of a desk- through movement, exploration, and meaningful connection to the world around them.
This realization led her to create The Living School, a program designed to meet students where they are and help them build confidence, life skills, and academic success through real-life, hands-on learning.
Joelle's passion is helping every student feel capable, understood, and inspired.
"There's onting like learning in the real world."