Northwoods Middle School is helping all students develop world-class skills, life, and career characteristics as detailed in the Profile of the SC Graduate. Providing a safe, caring, and academically challenging learning environment is our priority. Northwoods Middle School continues to make gains in student achievement through collaboration and teamwork with the district office, Communities in Schools, Achieve 3000, ALEKS, Illustrative Math, the Gibbs Museum, and the North Charleston Recreation Department.
Northwoods Middle School provides students with opportunities, intervention, and support. Students have the opportunities to earn high school credits to include, Algebra I, English I, Spanish I, and Google Applications. We offer reading and mathematics interventions and the option for after school and Saturday school enrichment. Our support is through digital content, arts-infused project-based learning, and multiple extra-curricular activities. The students of Northwoods Middle School have seen their MAP data increase significantly, with 45.14% of students meeting their targeted growth goal in Mathematics and 46.43% of students achieving their targeted growth goal in reading. Additionally, our teachers are always seeking to learn new and effective strategies to use in the classroom by attending weekly PDs and sharing a common planning period.
We continue to make significant progress academically and considerable strides in changing the climate and culture of the school by immersing student’s day to day activities in creativity and innovation. Our discipline has decreased by 14% (fighting and refusal to obey reduced by 38%) with the assistance of Restorative Practices and Second Steps. Students are taking ownership of their behaviors and utilizing the skill of resolution to problem solve and communicate their needs in the restoration of relationships. This sense of community and conflict resolution has, in turn, increased student attendance. We have partnered with programs in Restorative practices with PBIS, MTSS, Second Steps, and Capturing Kids’ Hearts. While each program is separate in its own right, we are integrating programs in a specific way to fit the needs of Northwoods Middle School students. We can proudly say that Northwoods Middle School has the best students and staff. The students overcome numerous obstacles, and the team works tirelessly to think outside of the box to help the students of Northwoods Middle School reach their full potential.
The faculty, staff, and members of the School Improvement Council, believe the school, family, and community must share the educational responsibility of all of our students. We are confident that if we provide appropriate foundation and support, our students will achieve academic success at Northwoods Middle School and throughout their educational careers.
Dr. Colleen Knauer, Principal
Ms. Zenovia Dixon, SIC Chair