Accelerated Math

Accelerated Math's advanced technology helps teachers provide the essential practice component of our math curriculum. This classroom-proven software:

Accelerated Reading

Students in grades 2-5 are encouraged to participate in the Accelerated Reader program, and they receive rewards for achieving their individual goals. Students in grades 2-5 take the STAR Reading test at least twice a year to measure their reading levels and their progress throughout the year. Teachers use the STAR results to help the students with their reading levels and setting their goals. Parents can benefit most from AR and STAR by obtaining access to view their student's records from the media specialist. Assisting the students in choosing the books that best suit them and reviewing the student's goals and record on a weekly basis are very important. In addition, providing a quiet place to read and offering encouragement to the child are vital to the student's success.

Saxon Phonics K & 1

Saxon Phonics is a success-oriented program that enables most children to develop a solid foundation in phonics and thus become successful readers and spellers. The phonics series, in keeping with the Saxon philosophy of incremental development and continual review, builds on prior learning. New learning is presented in small increments which are reviewed daily for the entire year. This method of reinforcement provides children with the practice they need to achieve success.

Media Center

The Media Center at Northside is staffed by Mrs. Geraldine Welch and her assistant, Mrs. Debbie Moody. Mrs. Welch has almost 33 years' experience in various media centers and classrooms in Coweta County and Mrs. Moody has served as an assistant at Northside for almost 15 years.

Fine Arts

Music:

Northside Elementary's music curriculum is process-oriented and based primarily on the philosophy of Orff Schulwerk. Music classes are designed to foster lifelong appreciation of music through active music making. Orff Schulwerk is an approach to music education involving the whole child in music making through the use of speech, movement, singing and instrument playing. It involves much imitation, exploration, improvisation, analyzing, creating, refining, and communicating through the use of poems, rhymes, games, songs, and dances as examples and basic materials. All of the students are active participants. In addition to developing specific musical skills, your child's studies in other areas will be enhanced by instruction that links concepts across the curriculum.

While singing is the most important aspect of the music curriculum, the music classes also use “Orff Instruments.” These are barred instruments developed by Carl Orff for use by children. Pitched and unpitched small percussion instruments, drums and recorders are also used at the appropriate stage of musical development. The sound of the instruments blends well with children's voices and are designed for immediate successful music-making experiences. Reading and writing music are introduced as students actively participate.

Below you will find the nine national music standards that are addressed through our curriculum.

1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music

2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music

3. Improvising melodies, variations and accompaniments

4. Composing and arranging music within specific guidelines

5. Reading and notating music

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music

7. Evaluating music and music performances

8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disiplines outside the arts

9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture

Art:

The Northside Elementary Art Program strives to encourage the artistic abilities of students, while meeting Georgia Standards.

PK-3 - 2nd Grade

- Demonstrates artistic skills by creating original works of art using a variety of media.

- Working knowledge of art vocabulary terms and elements of art including color, line, shape, form and texture.

- Mixing of primary colors to create secondary colors.

3 rd -5 th Grade

In addition to a working knowledge of Art Vocabulary and Primary/Secondary Colors:

- Art History and Cultural Context including themes, artist, styles and influences on art.

- Use of Multi Mediums to create original works of art.

- Critical Analysis and Aesthetic understanding of famous artworks, as well as student's original works. These include: properties of color, spatial concepts and general knowledge of the elements in art.  

Health and PE

K-2:

1. Students develop the ability to move competently in different environments.
2. Kicks stationary and rolled balls
3. Chases, flees and dodges to avoid or catch others
4. Develops ways to manage own body weight (hanging or balancing)
5. Develops basic movement patterns (hop, walk, run, jump, leap, gallop, skip and slide)
6. Develops basic throwing motions (underhand and overhand)
7. Develops various methods for catching thrown objects.
8. Experiences various forms of self assessment for physical fitness.

3-5:

1. Demonstrates proper technique for throwing, catching, dribbling, kicking and striking objects.
2. Understands basic rules and how they relate to the playing of a game.
3. Experience and understand the benefits of continuous aerobic activity over a specific period of time.
4. Experience and understand proper methods for increasing flexibility and muscular strength.
5. Participate in physical fitness evaluation for self improvement.

REACH

In accordance with state rules, Coweta County School System's REACH Program for Gifted Students focuses on developing and refining skills in four areas of learning. These areas are: cognitive and learning skills (higher level thinking); research and reference skills; communication skills; and leadership skills. During a minimum of five segments per week, gifted students are provided differentiated instruction and more advanced units of content and curriculum focus to develop and /refine skills. The interdisciplinary units for each grade level are based on broad themes and include higher order activities that enrich and extend the GPS.

Parents may make a referral for gifted evaluation at specific times during the school year for K, 1st, and 2nd grades and all students NEW to Coweta County Schools. Note that referrals are NOT made for students in grades 3, 4, and 5 since the ITBS given in 3rd and 5th grades and CoGat administered in 2nd and 4th grades are used to evaluate eligibility. In August and January, there is a referral period for children new to the system for that semester. In October, there is a referral period for 2nd graders; in January, for 1st graders, and March, for Kindergartens. These dates are posted in the school and school newsletter. The referral forms are available in the front office and should be returned to the school during that referral period to the REACH teacher.

For more information, go to the home page of the Coweta County School System. Click on the programs tab and REACH program will drop down. There is more information about eligibility requirements, testing, and services.

Special Education

The special education program is dedicated to providing additional support to students with special needs.  In our resource classroom, we often work with small groups of children so that we can individualize instruction to meet their needs.  We also have a  collaborative model in which a special education teacher goes into the regular classroom to provide additional assistance and instruction with any student in that classroom.  At Northside we have a three-year old program that is a classroom made up of twelve boys and girls. Half of the students are children who have special needs.  In the 3 year old class, the students work on letters, numbers, calendar skills, and personal information. 

The speech impaired program at Northside is a special education service that is available to all children from age 3 through 5 th grade who have a communication impairment that has a negative affect on their ability to participate in the curriculum or in age appropriate social activities. Children receive services for articulation difficulties (how they make the sounds); language (vocabulary and grammar); auditory processing (listening skills), phonological development (listening and using sounds in reading, writing and speaking); voice, fluency and oral motor difficulties. Children are referred to the speech program by their classroom teacher. Speech impaired services can be a resource service where the children are taught in the speech room or a collaborative service, where speech goals are addressed in their regular classroom setting.