Our History

Project Reflect was founded in 1992 to serve children living in poverty and to transform urban America through education and education reform. Project Reflect began with a summer tutoring program called PREP. PREP quickly grew to a year-round effort, successfully taking students significantly behind in school and bringing them up to read at grade level.

In 2003, Project Reflect opened Smithson-Craighead Academy, the first charter school in Middle Tennessee. Serving students in grades K-4, SCA offers children a top tier education with emphasis on math and literacy. PREP continues to support the students in an afterschool program offering specialized interventions and a tutoring as well as enrichment programs like chess, art, music, and more.

Over 92% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Most come to us a grade level or more behind in school and with a variety of affective needs that must be addressed before academic success can be achieved. Specialized interventions and tutoring programs further help these children overcome obstacles, including mental and/or physical health challenges such as ADHD, asthma and various learning disabilities as well as affective challenges, to achieve academic success. Our priorities are 1) a safe place for all the children; 2) a home away from home where the school staff attends to the children’s affective needs, character development, and self-identity as part of a caring community; 3) an exciting and effective laboratory for academic achievement.

We also work with the families to provide programs and interventions that support strong family function and self-identified needs.

Parent involvement is crucial to the development and growth of our children. I, along with my staff, look forward to working with you to aid in the productive growth of the future generation.