This year at Northside Middle School, we prioritized student growth, leadership, and engagement across all areas of learning. Teachers collaborated weekly on Common Formative Assessments (CFAs) to guide instruction, while our Guiding Coalition strengthened AVID strategies across classrooms. We emphasized Focused Notes through the Five Phases of Note-Taking and enhanced engagement through interactive practices. During advisory, students were introduced to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to build a schoolwide culture of leadership through Leader in Me.
We expanded experiential learning through visits to the Innovation Center, MEBA Career Fair, USC, Riverbanks Zoo, Anne Frank Center, and more. Students used YouScience to explore career paths based on their aptitudes, with 8th graders applying this to their IGPs. Our new school-based enterprise class, in partnership with Junior Achievement, allowed students to create and operate a pop-up store, building real-world entrepreneurial skills.
We celebrated a strong year of community engagement through events like Literacy Night, Hispanic Heritage Night, Fruits & Families, and multiple parent nights. Our new WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) program supported 6th graders with mentorship from 8th-grade leaders, who facilitated orientation and follow-up lessons, fostering a strong sense of belonging.
Our Days of Caring focused on the 8th Habit, encouraging students to find their voice through service learning. Projects included care packages for the homeless, motivational posters, letters to military personnel, and appreciation cards for school staff—promoting empathy and civic responsibility.
Our first year offering AVID and AVID Excel empowered students with skills for college and career readiness, especially our multilingual learners. Weekly activities included focused note-taking, college exploration, and collaborative study groups.
We are proud of our student achievements this year. Our archery team earned their highest placement yet. We celebrated 3 Junior Scholars and 7 Myrdis Walker Scholars. In the arts, our band earned a Superior rating, while chorus and orchestra received Excellent ratings. Many students were honored in district and state-level music groups, and one of our own won 1st place at the SC Beta Club State Solo competition. Our Junior Beta Club also made its debut at the State Convention, where we had a national qualifier heading to Disney this summer.
We’re grateful to our dedicated staff, families, and community partners for helping make this a successful and enriching school year.
Dr. Tiffany Hall, Principal
Kent Parsons, SIC Chair
