About Us

As an educator in the Howard County Public School System for over 20 years, I am excited to enter into my first year as the Principal of Bonnie Branch Middle School. I am a product of Howard County Public Schools as I attended Talbott Springs Elementary, Clarksville Middle School, Harper’s Choice Middle School, and I am a proud graduate of Wilde Lake High School. I attended Howard University, in Washington, D.C., where I earned a B.A. in English and my Masters of Education. I am committed to providing an engaging academic environment for all students and building a school community in which the well-being of each and every one of our students is consistently the priority. I will collaborate with the BBMS staff to provide our students with challenging and rigorous academics, as well as meaningful experiences to enrich their growth and development. I look forward to all of the staff and students at BBMS stretching themselves to achieve their ultimate potential. Please note, that I can be contacted at lisa_smithson@hcpss.org.

I am thrilled to be entering my second year as Assistant Principal at Bonnie Branch Middle School. In my 27 years in education, I have served in several roles including mathematics teacher, math instructional support teacher, team leader, leadership intern and assistant principal in both Howard and Anne Arundel Counties. I am a strong advocate for student voice and the home-school connection. I am so thankful for the education my own children experienced in Howard County Public Schools and am proud to work with the Bonnie Branch Community to provide a caring, supportive environment for our students. I look forward to meeting all of you!

I am thrilled to begin my role as a Leadership Intern at Bonnie Branch Middle School! I have been working in education since 2001 and with nearly 13 years of experience as an educator in Howard County, I have held various positions, including G/T Resource teacher, ESOL teacher, Science teacher, Instructional Team Leader, and Grade Level Team Leader. I hold a Master of Education degree in Biology from Iona University and an Administration Certificate from Towson University. For the past 3 years, I have served as a coordinator for the Gifted and Talented Summer Institutes for Talent Development. I am excited to be part of the Bonnie Branch community and helping to ensure a welcoming, supportive and academically challenging environment for our students. I look forward to meeting you and sharing in the year ahead!