School Goals

School Goals for the 2009-2010 School Year

1.  Reduce discipline problems by 50%.

            Our goal is to minimize the amount of time students spend out of class due to        discipline referrals.  Our benchmark is 50% of the referrals turned in during the         2008-2009 school year. 

            Strategies include:

            - School-wide Implementation of the SOAR program

            - Monitoring/interventions with high risk students

            - Monitoring/interventions with high risk teachers

            - Strict application of the Code of Conduct

            - Required parent involvement

2.  Implement a “No Child Left Behind” policy in regard to extra curricular activities. 

            Our goal is to engage everyone one of our students in at least one sports program, club, or activity beyond the general curriculum.

            Strategies include:

            - Monitoring student participation in clubs and activities

            - Recruitment in to existing clubs and activities

            - Development of new clubs and activities

3.  Increase parent involvement in the school process.

            Our goal is to have 1,000+ sign-in’s by parents during the school year.

            Strategies include:

            - Organize and support an active PTO organization.

            - Provide opportunities for parents to become involved in the daily operation of                   the school

            - Recruit parents to be active participants in the school process.

4.  Improve writing scores as measured on the ADAW.

            Our goal is to have 65% of our students demonstrate proficiency in writing (as       indicated by scoring a 3 or 4 on the ADAW).  This represents an increase of 10%          above the average for the last 3 years.

            - Place increased focus on importance of writing

            - Require writing in all subject areas.

            - Implement the use of journals in subject areas

            - Implement writing contest during the school year

            - Provide incentives for high performance on the ADAW

            - Increase the emphasis placed on the AR program

Quick Facts and Interesting Notes

• SOUTHSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL is located in Tallassee, Alabama as part of the Tallassee City Schools system.  Our Principal is Dr. Kenneth Varner, and our Assistant Principal is Mr. Bruce Dean.
• There are 608 students enrolled at SMS for the 2009-2010 school year.
• Southside Middle School was known as "R.R. Moton High School" until 1969. 
• Some maps still list our location as Outer Drive, but Outer Drive was renamed E.B. Payne, Sr. Drive in 2005.
• SMS has been renovated and remodeled numerous times over the years.  Recent renovations include a new cafeteria in 1999/2000, remodeled bandroom in 2000/2001, new science labs and classrooms in 2007/2008, and a new office suite in 2008/2009. The computer lab is presently one of the most technologically advanced, up-to-date middle school labs in the state of Alabama; several classrooms as well as the lab were outfitted with Promethean boards for the 2009/2010 school year.
• We have many faculty and staff members who are Tallassee natives, and several who have spent their entire professional careers at SMS.
• As of 2009, Southside Middle School's 'school bell' is an electronic tone produced via the Cisco IP telephones in each classroom.