Mrs. Cyndee Policastro-Smith has taught the self-contained autistic class at Intermediate East in Toms River for the past three years. She was formerly a teacher at a private school for handicapped students, Children Center in Neptune, New Jersey. Mrs. Smith is also well known from presenting at the COSAC conferences in 2003-04 and she is an expert in A.B.A/Verbal Behavior. Although Mrs. Smith is a relatively new teacher at Intermediate East School, the administration and staff knew immediately that she was an exceptional educator and that we were very fortunate to have her in our school.

Mrs. Smith’s autistic students present a number of challenges in the classroom in terms of their academic, social and behavioral abilities that demand a great deal of her energy and commitment. Mrs. Smith is always enthusiastic with her students and demonstrates endless compassion, patience, and dedication. She is highly skilled at working with autistic children and has been instrumental is training the paraprofessionals in her classroom as well as educating some of the regular education activity teachers who work with her special students. Mrs. Smith is the advisor of the Scores Club which is an after school club that provides opportunities for her students to socialize with regular education peers. In addition to her work in the classroom, Mrs. Smith also spends several afternoons a week working at Kids Club, a daycare program for handicapped students. She also provides home behavioral therapy to autistic children and their families. In the summer, Mrs. Smith is a co-director at a non-profit summer program, Camp Bridges. Camp Bridges is a social skills camp for children with autism, aspergers, PDD, and ADHD.

Mrs. Smith is a highly devoted special education teacher who continuously dedicates herself to the field of autism. She frequently advocates for her students and she has developed an outstanding program at Intermediate East that provides opportunities for her self-contained autistic students to be integrated within the school and community. Through Mrs. Smith’s efforts, the Intermediate East community of students and faculty are accepting and supportive of the these very special students. Mrs. Smith’s dedication to her students and the overall autistic program at Intermediate East is highly commended. Mrs. Smith was recognized by WRAT radio  on January 30, 2009 as a "Teacher Who Rocks!"

Mrs. Smith with Principal Bryan Madigan and Assistant Principals Mr. Cleveland and Dr. Tegedar.	Mrs. Smith: a "Teacher Who Rocks!"
Mrs. Smith accepts congratulations from her paraprofessionals.	Mrs. Smith poses with her family and principal.

Other Teachers Who Rock:

• Mr. Neil Mastroianni
• Mr. Kevin Cohen
• Miss Pina DiBrizzi