Southside Middle School

Dear Southside Knight Family,

I would like to thank you all of our families for the excellent support during the first three weeks of school! Over the last three weeks, we have accomplished so many positive things at Southside Middle!

Many of the positive things we have accomplished include:

• Open House
• Safety Measures with Structured Movement as students transition from each class
• Safety Drills - Fire and Lockdown Drills
• Wellness Wednesday-Resilience Lessons with the whole school
• Balancing Classes to maximize smaller classrooms for students
• Safer Dismissal Procedures
• School Advisory Council Meeting
• Annual Title I Meeting
• Football Tryouts
• Volleyball Tryouts
• Girls on the Run Registration

The positive things happening at Southside will continue to grow, we encourage families to get involved by volunteering.

Let's have a very productive and instructionally focused September!

With Knight Pride,

Dr. Talya M. Taylor

Girls on the Run Season Information:

• Fall 2026 registration will be August 17th (starting at 6:00am) thru September 4th
• Our Fall 2026 season will begin the week of September 14th, 2026
• Southside Middle Girls on the Run practice schedule is 2x a week for 10 weeks Mondays and Wednesdays
• Girls on the Run Coaches: Principal Taylor, Ms. Jackson and Ms. Martin. Coaches may be contacted at jacksond5@duvalschools.org.

Financial Aid:

The scholarship approval process is included in the online registration process. Simply answer the household income question, and the computer will determine your eligibility and adjust the fee accordingly. If you decline to state, the computer will automatically assign the maximum fee for our program.

*Girls on the Run of Northeast Florida reserves the right to request proof of household income.

Registration Fees

The registration fee ranges from $50-$130 based on household income. Discounts will automatically be applied during registration. Our actual cost per girl is $200, through generous donors our non-profit is able to subsidize the cost to families. If you are able, consider donating $45 to help us close the gap of cost per girl.

We will be offering a 2 payment plan this season; half when you register and the 2nd half is due Friday, September 25th, 2026. You will have the option to use this opportunity if you choose.

Your program registration fee includes:

• 20 seventy-five to ninety-minute sessions conducted by certified GOTR volunteer coaches
• Curriculum and lesson materials
• Official GOTR T-shirt and water bottle
• 5K Registration fee
• 5K Medal
• Post 5k celebration
• Keepsake

Program Details - 6th - 8th Grade | GOTR Northeast Florida

Register here for Girls on the Run:

Program Details - 6th - 8th Grade | GOTR Northeast Florida

The Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) is a progress monitoring system that is administered three times per year to track your student’s progress in learning the Benchmarks of Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards throughout this school year. The purpose of this letter is to inform you that your student will participate in the first administration (PM1) of the Grade 6/7/8 Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) ELA Reading and Mathematics assessments starting September 1, 2026. Your student’s results from PM1 are for informational purposes only, and you will be provided with information about how to access the results after testing is completed. Please see the full letter below outlining testing information.

Grandparents can join their grandchild for lunch on September 11. Grandparents must RSVP and bring their own lunch. Students will join their grandparents to celebrate this special day during lunchtime. Please see your students’ grade level lunch schedule below. The school WILL NOT provide lunch to grandparents. Grandparents and families, please RSVP using this link: Grandparent's Day Friday, September 11, 2026, RSVP – Fill out form

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your grandchild’s lunchtime to check in at the Main Office. All visitors MUST check-in at the Main Office with a Valid ID to participate in this event.

📣 Attention Southside Knights! 🛡️💙

Get ready for our Friday Knight Live Back-to-School Dance!

🗓 Friday, September 11
⏰ 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
📍 Southside Middle School

🎟 Dance tickets are $10 and will be sold during lunch.

👕 Want to dress down during the school day? Purchase a Dress Down Band for $5 and enjoy a dress-down day on Friday, September 11.

Don't miss this chance to celebrate the start of the school year with friends, music, and fun! We can't wait to see all of our Knights at Friday Knight Live!

See you on the dance floor, Knights! 🕺💃🛡️💙

📚 Progress Reports Coming Friday, September 11, 2026
We are quickly approaching the halfway point of the first quarter! Progress reports will be issued Friday, September 11. We encourage families to check grades with their students and discuss their academic progress. Now is a great time to celebrate successes, address any missing assignments or areas of concern, and set goals for the remainder of the quarter. Please reach out to your child’s teachers with any questions regarding academic progress.

Southside Uniforms

• Students should wear the approved Southside Middle School Uniform Shirt Daily.
• PE clothes should only be worn in Gym class. No student should wear gym clothes as their uniform.
• The approved Uniform bottoms are black or khaki pants/bottoms ONLY.
• Non-Southside Middle Jackets/Sweaters are not permitted. Please remind students to remove their non-Southside approved wear while on campus.

Student IDs

• Students have received their IDs. IDs should be worn each day on the upper torso. Students must purchase a replacement ID for $8.00. Replacement lanyards are $2.00.
• ID's are to be worn at all times while at school. Southside provides one free ID per year.
• If students lose their ID's, the cost is as follows:
• The cost is $10 ($8 for the ID and $2 for the lanyard) Temporary IDs are $1 each.
• There is a disciplinary consequence after the 4th time without an ID.
• The very first temporary ID is free.

We appreciate families helping us address dress code concerns before students arrive at school. A quick check before heading out the door can help prevent disruptions to the instructional day.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We are looking forward to another productive week of learning, growth, and excellence at Southside!

Join the Southside Middle School Advisory Council!

Parents and guardians, we invite you to become a voice in shaping the future of Southside Middle School by joining our School Advisory Council (SAC).

The SAC provides an opportunity for families, staff, and community members to work together to support student success, school improvement, and a positive school culture. Your ideas, feedback, and involvement help make our school stronger.

Whether you can attend every meeting or just a few throughout the year, your participation matters and your voice is valued.

Interested in joining? Please join us at our September 14 SAC meeting at 4:45 pm in the Media Center.

Together, we can make Southside Middle School an even better place for our students to learn and thrive!

We invite our families and community members to support the Southside Middle School Principal's Discretionary Fund. Your donation helps fund staff appreciation, campus beautification, media center enhancements, student activities, and new opportunities that enrich the student experience.

Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us create a positive, engaging environment where our students and staff can thrive.

To donate, please visit: SchoolCashOnline.com: Welcome

Click on Southside Middle Donations Unrestricted Principal's Trust - 2026/2027

Thank you for your generosity and partnership in supporting Southside Middle School. Together, we are creating exceptional opportunities and experiences for our Knights!

The purpose of Title I, Part A is to help local educational agencies (LEAs) improve teaching and learning in high-poverty schools and help children failing or most at-risk of failing meet challenging state academic standards.

Please click the attachments below to access our Title I information including:

• Southside Middle Parent and Family Engagement Plan (English and Spanish)
• Southside Middle Annual Title I Presentation

For issues that require you to speak with an administrator, please email your child’s grade-level administrator/dean. Please allow 24 hours for a response.

Follow Southside Middle School on Social Media! Please like and follow our Southside Middle School pages:

Instagram: @smsknights64 -https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/tfOnC93z1ViwX5xvTof0CqQdr4?domain=instagram.com

Facebook: Southside Middle School -

https://www.facebook.com/SMSKnights64

Volunteers are a vital part of student success at Southside Middle School

We’re grateful for the many volunteers who support our schools each year. If you plan to volunteer during the upcoming school year, please be aware that Duval County Public Schools has updated its volunteer background screening policy in our effort to strengthen student safety as be in alignment with state law. The biggest change is that some volunteer roles now require a Level II background screening which includes a fee. This applies especially to volunteers who serve as chaperones for field trips and may not be in direct view of district employees. Both current and new volunteers will be impacted. Please read more about the volunteer background screening policy on our website.

• Level I Volunteers. These volunteers will always be in the direct view of district employees and are never alone with students. Level I volunteers undergo our standard Level I screening procedures, which includes being checked against the Dru Sjodin National Sexual Offender Public Website.

• Level II Volunteers. This group of volunteers most commonly includes chaperones for field trips and events or may not be in direct view of district employees. By requiring these volunteers to undergo a Level II background check, they’ll be screened for felonies and criminal violations, in addition to being checked against the Dru Sjodin National Sexual Offender Public Website.

We ask that parents take the time out this summer to complete the DCPS volunteer screening if you plan to attend any field trips with your students or volunteer at our school. Anyone, including parents, who will visit the campus more than once to help must complete the process.

Link to complete Volunteer Application:

Volunteer Registration

FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows you to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials. Please click the link below if you would like to report any type of emergency situations.

https://getfortifyfl.com/

Southside Middle School

2948 Knights Lane East

Jacksonville, FL 32216

(904) 739-5238

Breakfast Time: 9:00-9:25 am

School Hours: 9:30 am-4:15 pm

Communities in Schools After School Program Hours: 4:15 pm-7:00 pm