South Side Middle School - Columbiana, OH

Columbiana South Side Middle School is a 5th-8th grade public school in Columbiana, Ohio committed to educational excellence for our students, staff, and community. Our small town culture is one of intimate, individualized instruction. This atmosphere effectively lends itself to fostering a flourishing community of readers and writers. Every student at South Side carries a personally-chosen book to every class. While rooted in language arts instruction, the effects of reading are felt throughout the school. High expectations are set at every grade level without any canned or “reading-for-points” program. Students instead become good readers by making intrinsic choices while teachers set firm expectations for growth. While classrooms differ slightly across grade levels, the foundational vision of choice, daily reading, and close analysis is consistent. Given our community, most of our students live relatively sheltered lives; therefore, offering breadth of knowledge is a priority. Literacy has proved the best platform to achieve this end. With wide-ranged reading, students learn to imagine a life beyond their front doors. This, in turn, fosters curiosity in other disciplines. Inquiry spills into other classrooms, and students view the
world through new lenses of science, art, history, or whatever interest has been sparked. This spark ignites student interest toward wider community learning. Programs like the Youngstown State University English Festival, Destination Imagination, and Great Lakes Science Fair flourish, not because of teachers pushing programs, but because students are inquisitive. With luck, this vision propels students toward higher education and personally rewarding careers.