Preston Smith Elementary School is one of Lubbock Independent School District's newest schools, built in 1987. More classrooms were added in 1990.

School facilities include a gymnasium and outside play areas for students.

The school is located next to Phil Hoel Park, which has tennis courts, playground equipment and a pond, which students can enjoy when they are out of the classroom.

The technology is modern and up-to-date. The school has Dell computers running Windows in both its computer labs, and each class visits the computer lab twice a week to work with educational software or access the Internet for research.

Every student has access to a computer in the lab.

The classrooms have one computer workstation for teachers. Teachers also have access to large-screen monitors with mobile computer workstations.

Preston Smith Elementary School will soon have Internet capability in each classroom, according to school officials.

Many parents volunteer on a regular basis to help school officials in some capacity, and most are members of the PTA, said one official.

Parents play an integral roll in the success of the school.

Each year, the school celebrates Texas Tech Day, Red, White and Blue Day, Going Global Day, a Play Day, a spelling bee, a Destination Imagination program that involves student teams, and a student council, which fosters leadership in fourth- through sixth-grade students.

Special programs at Preston Smith include physical education, art, computers, music and orchestra.

The school also has a language-retraining program for dyslexic students.

In the 2000-2001 school year, Preston Smith Elementary School obtained a middle-childhood classroom, which serves students with severe physical and mental disabilities.