Smith, Lisa

Hello Shore Center family, and welcome to the 2025/2026 school year!!  I am so excited to be working with both you and your children. First, a little about me …

My educational background includes: an Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts from Ocean County College, a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Kean University and my Master's Degree in School Counseling K-12 from Kean University. I am also a Certified Professional Life Coach and Certified Mindfulness and Meditation Coach. I also worked at By Design Social Skills for seven years before becoming a mother. I always want to credit BDSS for the unbelievable work experience I had there! 

My goal as an educator is to see each and every student thrive in their environment, to utilize the taught skills when faced with an unexpected situation and come out of it with a sense of growth and accomplishment. 

I strive to create a learning environment that makes each and every single child feel heard and safe,  to embrace their strengths and life’s journey with confidence. The sky is the limit! 

I have led/coordinated clubs/special areas l: The first co-ed cheerleading squad at The Shore Center. I started this program after Covid. Students experienced a lot of isolation during that time, and I felt it was crucial for students to feel a sense of connection, joy, and excitement again. What better way to do that than express yourself through cheering your heart out, connection, and teamwork! 

I value my role as the School Counselor at The Shore Center. 

I'm passionate about creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment in all of my teachings as the School Counselor. In addition to counseling both individual and small group sessions, I run weekly SEL/ social skill lessons in all of the classrooms. The lessons are fun, interactive, and developmentally appropriate and tailored to meet the needs of each individual child. We learn through organized lessons and videos, but also through movement and music, collaborative and cooperative work and play skills, praising one another, and promoting kindness and empathy! I am also a big believer in feeding off your environment. I work with the students on mindfulness, de-escalation strategies that work for them, yoga, and meditation. 

Outside of the classroom, I enjoy spending time with my family. Creating memories is extremely important to me. We do this through adventures, whether it be road trips, exploring nature and hiking, going out in a kayak, or beach, or gardening in the yard. Spending time with my family is the most important thing to me :) 

I'm proud to be part of the Shore Center community because of the students. Coming into work is a new experience every day, and it is all because of the smiles and energy the children bring into the building. Watching them thrive from personal growth, their interests, life experiences, peer interactions, and setting and achieving personal goals is the absolute best thing to witness. Being a school counselor is a wonderful job, but being a school counselor at The Shore Center is the BEST job!