Northwoods Middle School is helping students develop the work class skills needed for life and the characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing a safe, caring, and academically challenging learning environment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the students have overcome numerous obstacles and the staff works tirelessly to think outside of the box in order to help the students of Northwoods Middle School reach their full potential both virtually and in-person. Northwoods Middle School continues to work on making gains in student achievement through collaboration and teamwork with neighboring middle schools, Communities In Schools, Achieve 3000, ALEKS, and Illustrative Mathematics.
Northwoods Middle School has been able to provide students with opportunities for high school credits in Algebra I, English I, and Spanish, along with exposure to PLTW, reading and mathematics interventions, after-school enrichment, digital content, arts-infused project-based learning, and extracurricular activities. Additionally, our teachers are always seeking to learn new and effective strategies to use in the classroom by attending weekly professional development and sharing common planning periods with each other.
We are continuously working to make steady progress academically, but we have also made huge strides in changing the climate and culture of the school by immersing student’s day-to-day activities in creativity and innovation, even during a pandemic. While our population continues to grow, our discipline has decreased with the assistance of Restorative Practices, PBIS, and Second Steps. Students are taking ownership of their behaviors and utilizing the skill of conflict resolution which is an integral part of using critical thinking to problem solve and communicate effectively. We have partnered Restorative Practices with PBIS, MTSS, Second Steps, Department of Mental Health, and Capturing Kids’ Hearts. While each program is separate in its own right, we are joining the programs in a specific way in order to fit the needs of Northwoods Middle School students.
We can proudly say that Northwoods Middle School has the best students and staff. The faculty, staff, and community members believe that the school, family, and community must share the educational responsibility of all of our students. We are confident that if we work together, our students will have the appropriate foundation and support in order to achieve academic success throughout their educational journey. Thank you for all of your support in helping develop our future leaders.
Dr. Colleen Knauer, Principal
Ms. Zenovia Dixon, SIC Chair
