Columbia County Middle Schools

Caught in the middle! No longer children, but certainly not adults! What a wonderful time of life, characterized by an unparalleled energy level and a motivation for learning. With these thoughts in mind, we welcome you to the middle schools of Columbia County School System. You will find each of our schools to be safe, warm, inviting, and characterized by a school climate and culture conducive to maximum learning.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which is the oldest accrediting agency in the nation, has affirmed that our middle schools meet the high standards of excellence necessary for their accreditation. This is an on-going process, and a challenge that is met on a continuous basis.

With an ever-increasing population of students, there continues to be a need for more middle schools in Columbia County. Two new schools have been added in the past five years, and this trend shows no sign of ending. Our schools, complete with addresses, phone numbers, and feeder high schools are listed below:

Columbia Middle School

6000 Columbia Road, Grovetown, GA 30813; 706-541-1252

Evans High School, Greenbrier High School

Evans Middle School

4318 Washington Road, P.O. Box 129, Evans, G. 30809; 706-863-2275

Evans High School

Greenbrier Middle School

5120 Riverwood Parkway, Evans, GA 30809; 706-650-6080

Greenbrier High School

Grovetown Middle School

5463 Harlem-Grovetown Road, Grovetown, GA 30813; 706-855-2514

Harlem High School

Harlem Middle School

375 West Forest Street, P.O. Box 729, Harlem, GA 30814; 706-556-5990

Harlem High School

Lakeside Middle School

527 Blue Ridge Drive, Evans, GA 30809; 706-855-6900

Lakeside High School

Riverside Middle School

1095 Fury’s Ferry Road, Evans, GA 30809; 706-868-3712

Lakeside High School; Greenbrier High School

Instructional Time, Attendance, and Conduct

The middle school instructional day consists of two distinct blocks of instruction. The core block is 300 minutes in length, and focuses on learning opportunities in math, social studies, science, and language arts. Foreign language and remediation/enrichment opportunities may also be included in this block, at the discretion of the individual schools.

The connections block consists of two classes that are each approximately forty-five minutes in length. Classes are offered on a nine-week basis, and may include instruction in the following:

Band, General Music, Choral Music

Physical Education, Health

Foreign Language

Technology Laboratory

Business and Informational Technology

Family and Consumer Science

Students may also be offered opportunities for remediation of skills during the connections block.

Students are expected to attend school 180 days during the regular school year. The student handbook outlines the attendance policies in detail, as well as consequences for non-attendance. Excused absences are granted by the school system under certain circumstances deemed appropriate by the administration.

Students are compelled to exhibit proper conduct at all times during attendance in school and at school-sponsored events. When any population of individuals join together in a common environment, there exists a need for rules which govern proper conduct. These rules and consequences are clearly defined in the student code of conduct contained within the student handbook. Each student receives a copy of this document and is encouraged, along with their parents, to read and develop a clear understanding of its contents.

Enrollment

Parents wishing to enroll their child in a middle school for the first time must furnish a certificate of eye, ear, and dental examination. All students must be immunized for contagious diseases. The Department of Human Resources Form 3032, Certificate of Immunization, serves as evidence of immunization. A withdrawal form with grades and verification of class placement status is required of students enrolling during the school year. Students who enroll during the summer months prior to the beginning of school should bring a report card indicating promotion or retention. Copies of standardized tests scores area also useful to counselors working in the registration process. This information makes placement a more expedient process.

Curriculum

Mathematics

Students in grade 6 may receive instruction in either general mathematics or advanced mathematics. This placement is determined through the use of a formula that utilizes information from both elementary math grades and standardized tests. Parents may petition the principal for a waiver if their son/daughter does not meet the criteria for placement into the advanced mathematics class. It is most critical, however, that the proper placement be obtained through the consideration of all available data. Not all students are ready for advanced mathematics, and many students will function well and develop a good foundation for future coursework when placed in the general mathematics classes.

Students in grade 7 may receive instruction in either general mathematics or pre-Algebra. Once again, proper placement is critical. The school follows established criteria for placement in an effort to insure that the student can be successful and develop the concepts and skills necessary for future math courses. Waivers for special circumstances are available through the building principal.

Students in grade 8 may receive instruction in either pre-Algebra or Algebra I. Those students who are ready to proceed with strong algebraic concepts are scheduled into the Algebra I classes. These students may receive high school credit for successful completion of this course, as it is taught on a level of rigor and curriculum commensurate with the high school course. Parents may have a choice as to whether to accept or reject this credit at the end of the middle school experience. Students who will benefit more from placement in pre-Algebra receive a strong foundation that will enhance their chances of success in a high school Algebra I class. As in earlier courses, waivers for special circumstances are available through the building principal.

Science

Students in grades 6-8 receive instruction in a spiraled, integrated format that includes physical, life, and earth sciences. At the end of the middle school experience, students should have a firm understanding of the basic concepts of all three divisions, as well as the ways they interrelate to form our world and interactions of the species within. Laboratory opportunities, along with projects and other kinesthetic/tactile learning experiences enhance the instruction in this arena. Advanced content instruction in science is offered to all students who qualify for the gifted program in seventh grade. Additional high-achieving students may be offered this opportunity in blended classes, at the discretion of the individual schools.

Social Studies

Social Studies in the middle school grades six and seven involves extensive study in world history and related geography. A legislative mandate requires that eighth grade students participate in a yearlong study of Georgia history, to include state and local government. Advanced content is offered at the sixth grade level for all students identified in the gifted education program. At the discretion of the schools, these classes may be blended to include high achieving students in this area of study.

Language Arts

Language arts instruction in middle grades focuses on the various forms of communication and the skills needed to adequately engage in such at a desired level of competency. Reading, literature, grammar, and writing all comprise a unit of study designed to produce students who can succeed in communication and expression in life. Of all the disciplines, language arts are perhaps the most important with regard to the total instructional process. Skills learned in this arena are directly applied in all disciplines, making it a focal point of middle school instruction. Novels and other supplementary materials are provided in an effort to enhance the instructional processes in this vital subject. Some schools actually teach writing as a separate class, in order to provide special attention relative to these skills. Advanced instruction in language arts is offered at the eighth grade level to those students who are identified in the gifted education program. At the discretion of the schools, these classes may be blended to include high achieving students in this area of study.

Physical Education and Health

The state of Georgia does not require physical education for middle school students. The Columbia County Board of Education, in a show of concern for the total wellness of children, has chosen to mandate that each student participate in one semester of health and physical education each year during the middle school experience. This mandate may be waived under special circumstances, at the discretion of the board. The health quality core curriculum standards are taught within the physical education unit, to include mandated sex education, communicable disease, and substance abuse prevention guidelines. There is no specified length of time for the health education instruction, and it cannot be waived.

Connections Classes

These classes are taught in a separate time slot from the core instruction. They are generally special interest classes that help middle school students to become exposed to a diversity of concepts, and to “connect” with potential future high school coursework. Normally forty-five minutes in length, and nine weeks in duration, these courses help the middle school students “connect” with their special interests and provide a framework for vocational/technical and fine arts pursuits. Band, chorus, and foreign language, due to the nature of the courses, are taught in a full year schedule. Foreign language is often paired with physical education/health so that one annual connections course offering provides the equivalent of one semester of physical education and one semester of foreign language.

Gifted Education

Advanced content instruction is offered to all students who have met the criteria for identification in the gifted education program. Students have gifted level instruction in math during each of the three years they are in middle school. Additionally, advanced content in social studies, science, and language arts is taught on a rotational basis. Social studies advanced content is presented in sixth grade, with science in seventh and language arts in eighth. Each middle school offers these same basic opportunities for gifted learners. Schools may choose to offer blended classes (classes made up of gifted learners and high achievers), or structure their offering only for students identified in the gifted program. Columbia County School System is one of the few systems in Georgia offering advanced content instruction to gifted middle school students in all four core areas

Grades and Homework

Grades are reported to parents each nine weeks, with intermittent progress reports at the midpoint of each grading cycle. Grades are meant to be an accurate assessment of achievement, and are assigned as follows:

A 90-100

B 80-89

C 72-79

D 70-72

F 69 and below

Homework is assigned as an augmentation to instruction, and helps to reinforce skills learned within the regular classroom. Parents are asked to encourage students to complete homework in a timely manner as assigned. For specific homework policies, please refer to your student handbook, or contact your school’s guidance counselor and/or administration.

Middle Grades Project

The middle grades project is an opportunity for all eighth grade students to exhibit, in a performance-based format, skills and concepts learned during the middle school experience. At the beginning of the eighth grade year, students are introduced to several potential project guidelines, and may choose among the indicated selections. Each project has math, social studies, science, and language arts components, as well as research, technology, and presentation modules. Eight days per year are dedicated to the completion of this project, and the vast majority of it should be completed within the school setting. Students receive guidance from faculty members throughout the process. There is a formal evaluation upon completion, and resulting assessment is calculated as a part of the student grade in each core area.

Middle School Concept / Interdisciplinary Team Approach

Each grade level is divided into teams, or pods, of approximately seventy-five to one hundred twenty-five students assigned to a specific interdisciplinary team of teachers. The term “interdisciplinary” refers to the concept that teachers work and plan together, in order to present subject matter in such a way that students understand relationships between math, science, social studies and language arts. Teachers in each team have the same planning period, and use this time to discuss student progress and plan related educational experiences for the students in their pod. This approach leads to cohesive instruction, and helps the faculty to better serve the students within their individual schools.

Organizations / Student Participation

Middle schools provide a host of opportunities for students to participate in organized activities. In athletics, possibilities in traditional sports such as basketball, softball, soccer, and football are augmented by opportunities in tennis, golf, and track. The number and variety of these athletic offerings may vary from year to year, and from school to school. In addition to athletics, endless opportunities for involvement in academic organizations, newspaper staff, yearbook production, and other non-athletic entities provide a focus for the preference of each student regardless of diversity of interest.

Assistance

GUIDANCE COUNSELORS: The guidance program addresses the needs of middle school students by stressing academic achievement, decision-making, and person/social development. The program emphasizes development of respect for self and others, problem solving, career exploration, study skills, and personal responsibility. Individual counseling and group counseling services are available to all students. Parents are encouraged to contact counselors in the schools to receive detailed information regarding these and other services provided.

TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS: Teachers and administrators provide assistance to students as well as parents. Appointments to meet with your child’s teacher(s)can be made through a simple phone call to the school. Parents can often gain insight into the total educational experience of a student through a meeting with the interdisciplinary team of teachers from their child’s pod.

STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM (SST): When a teacher or parent has a major concern about a student’s academic / behavioral performance, a Student Support Team may be initiated. The team involves parents, teachers, school counselors, and/or others who develop and monitor a plan to best meet a child’s current educational needs.

SPECIAL SERVICES: A full continuum of services is provided for students having impairments or disabilities. Locations for some services may require transportation to sites other than the student’s home school. Currently, programs area available for middle school students who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or hearing impaired, emotionally/behaviorally disordered, intellectually disabled, orthopedic impaired, other health impaired, severely emotionally disturbed, specific learning disabled, and speech/language impaired. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Special Services Department of Columbia County Schools.

TRANSPORTATION: The transportation department provides bus service to all students living more than one and a half miles from their schools. Service is also provided for students who live in designated hazardous traffic zones but may be within the one and a half mile limit. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Transportation Department of Columbia County Schools.