Good afternoon Families,

We need your partnership! Students at Southside Middle must complete their academic homework of completing Exact Path Blended Learning Assignments on the computer. Please work with your students at home to complete:
• Two Exact Path Lessons in Math with a 70% or higher
• Two Exact Path Lesson is Reading with a 70% or Higher
Steps for students to access Exact Path:
• Log in to OneView
• Click On Blended Learning
• Click on Exact Path

Student Ids
Student IDs are a requirement of DCPS. Students must purchase a replacement ID at the cost of $6.00. Please ensure your student has their ID each day.

No Crocs, Sandals or Slide Shoes
Students may not wear crocs, sandals or slide shoes to school. Students must wear closed toe and closed heel shoes to school each day.

Veteran’s Day-Wednesday, November 11, 2026
There is no school for students in honor of Veteran’s Day on Wednesday, November 11. Students will return to school Thursday, November 12.

Student Picture Day-Tuesday, November 17:
Picture Day is Tuesday, November 17. Students will take photos during PE/Health classes. Students may dress down for picture day. Students must adhere to the DCPS Dress Code for Picture Day.

Thanksgiving Break-Monday, November 23-27, 2026
School will be closed Monday, November 23 thru Friday, November 27. School will resume Monday November 30.

State FAST PM 2 Testing-December 7-December 16
Parents and Families, please begin preparing your students by studying for the state FAST PM 2 Testing. Students will complete the Mid-Year testing to determine their class placement for the 2nd semester. Student focus and readiness for this assessment is imperative to help us determine instructional next steps to improve student academic progress. It is important that your students are present for school each day.

Attendance Counts!
Students must attend school each day. School begins promptly at 9:30. Late students must be checked in by a Parents/Guardian in the front office.

Thanksgiving Food Drive
Please help Southside Middle Support Students in the community this Thanksgiving by donating nonperishable items:
• Canned vegetables and fruits
• Canned beans and soup
• Pasta and rice
• Macaroni and cheese
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Cereal and oatmeal
• Boxed potatoes and crackers
• Other nonperishable food items

Good afternoon Southside Families!
We look forward to a great week November 2-6, 2026. Here are a few school updates and reminders:

Uniforms:
• Students must wear the Southside Middle School designated uniform shirt with Black or Khaki pants.
• Gym Shorts are not acceptable uniform bottoms.
• Grey pants are not acceptable uniform bottoms.
• Uniform bottoms must be fingertip length
• Only Southside Crew Neck Sweaters may be worn at school. All other sweaters, jackets and hoodies are not acceptable in weather above 50 degrees
Please ensure your student is in the appropriate uniform each day. Clothing items outside of the uniform will be confiscated and returned to the student or parent at the end of the school day.

Cell Phones:
Student Cell Phones must be turned off and put away during the school day. Students cannot use cellphones in class to make calls, send text messages or browse the internet. Student phones will require a parent pick up if they are taken by school staff during the school day.

Chess Club- Monday, November 2:
Does your student enjoy the game of chess??? Join Southside Middle's Chess Club! Chess club will meet with Coach Carter Monday Nov. 2nd after school until 5:15.

Free Sports Physicals-Tuesday, November 3!!!
Attention Southside Athletes....The Mobile Health Bus will be on campus Tuesday, November 3rd. This is a perfect opportunity to get your Athletic Physicals done for Winter Sports. Students should see Coach Carter or Coach Hernandez for athletic forms! Remember Soccer and Basketball seasons start soon, and you'll need a completed physical in order to Try Out

School Advisory Council-Wednesday, November 4:
The School Advisory Council meeting will be held in the Media Center on Wednesday, November 4th at 5:45 in the Media Center all families community members and parents are welcome to attend this important monthly meeting.

Dress Down Cheerleader Fundraiser:
It's time for another Dress Down Day, happening on Friday, November 6th!
Dress down bands are $2 and go on sale starting tomorrow.
📍 6th & 7th Grade: Buy your band before school in the gym.
📍 8th Grade: Buy your band during lunch.
⏰ Don't wait! The last day to purchase your band is next Wednesday, November 4.

UNF Soccer Training-Fridays!
Calling all soccer players, boys and girls, to workout with UNF coaches after school every Friday. You'll receive conditioning tips and overall skill development training! Let's get ready for the upcoming soccer season by preparing with college athletes! See Coach Carter or Mr. Watts for Team Up Applications!

Student Picture Day-Tuesday, November 17:
Picture Day is Tuesday, November 17. Students will take photos during PE/Health classes. Students may dress down for picture day. Students must adhere to the DCPS Dress Code for Picture Day.

Thanksgiving Food Drive- October 26-November 13
As we enter the season of gratitude and giving, Southside Middle School is partnering with Communities In Schools of Jacksonville to support families in our school community through our Thanksgiving Food Drive! Our goal is to provide 20 Thanksgiving Food Baskets to families so they can enjoy a holiday filled with warmth, gratitude, and a delicious meal. We invite our students, families, faculty, staff, and community partners to join us in making a difference. Every donation counts, and together, we can help ensure that families in our community feel supported this Thanksgiving!
📅 Food Drive Dates: October 26 – November 13
We are collecting nonperishable food items, including:
• Canned vegetables and fruits
• Canned beans and soup
• Pasta and rice
• Macaroni and cheese
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Cereal and oatmeal
• Boxed potatoes and crackers
• Other nonperishable food items
🏆 Let the First Period Competition Begin!

Our first-period classes will compete to see which class can collect the most nonperishable food items! The first-period class with the most donations in each grade level will win a pizza party on November 18, sponsored by Mr. Watts, Program Manager of the SMS Communities In Schools Program. Students, encourage your classmates to participate, bring in donations, and show your Southside Knight spirit! Teachers, help us track your classroom contributions as we work toward our schoolwide goal. Thank you for your generosity, kindness, and commitment to supporting our Southside families. Your donations will make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Good Afternoon Southside Middle School Families!

We are excited about the upcoming week!
Click here for the Knight Life Family Newsletter with School Updates and Information:

Knight Life Link: https://app.smore.com/n/1358x

We look forward to seeing all of our students in class ready to learn.

Educationally,
Dr. Taylor

Dear Southside Middle School Families,

We are excited to invite all parents and guardians to our Annual Title I Meeting and Open House on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our school, connect with teachers, and gain valuable information about your child's academic program and school expectations.

Annual Title I Meeting
🕠 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM
📍 Cafeteria

During this meeting, families will learn about our Title I program, school improvement efforts, and ways parents can partner with us to support student success.

Open House
🕕 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Immediately following the Title I Meeting, parents will follow their child's class schedule and have the opportunity to:

Meet each of their child's teachers
Learn about course requirements and academic expectations
Review curriculum and instructional programs
Learn about schoolwide safety procedures and expectations
Ask questions and build connections with our school staff

Please bring or access your child's schedule through the Focus Parent Portal before arriving.

Open House Class Rotation Schedule:
6:00 - 6:08 PM - 1st Period
6:10 - 6:18 PM - 2nd Period
6:20 - 6:28 PM - 3rd Period
6:30 - 6:38 PM - 4th Period
6:40 - 6:48 PM - 5th Period
6:50 - 6:58 PM - 6th Period
7:00 - 7:08 PM - 7th Period

We look forward to partnering with you for a successful school year and hope to see all of our families on August 18!

Together, we prepare every student for success.

Educationally,
Dr. Talya M. Taylor
Principal

Dear Southside Middle School Families,

We are excited to invite all parents and guardians to our Annual Title I Meeting and Open House on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our school, connect with teachers, and gain valuable information about your child's academic program and school expectations.

Annual Title I Meeting
🕠 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM
📍 Cafeteria

During this meeting, families will learn about our Title I program, school improvement efforts, and ways parents can partner with us to support student success.

Open House
🕕 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Immediately following the Title I Meeting, parents will follow their child's class schedule and have the opportunity to:

Meet each of their child's teachers
Learn about course requirements and academic expectations
Review curriculum and instructional programs
Learn about schoolwide safety procedures and expectations
Ask questions and build connections with our school staff

Please bring or access your child's schedule through the Focus Parent Portal before arriving.

Open House Class Rotation Schedule:
6:00 - 6:08 PM - 1st Period
6:10 - 6:18 PM - 2nd Period
6:20 - 6:28 PM - 3rd Period
6:30 - 6:38 PM - 4th Period
6:40 - 6:48 PM - 5th Period
6:50 - 6:58 PM - 6th Period
7:00 - 7:08 PM - 7th Period

We look forward to partnering with you for a successful school year and hope to see all of our families on August 18!

Together, we prepare every student for success.

Educationally,
Dr. Talya M. Taylor
Principal

Dear Southside Middle School Families,

We are excited to invite all parents and guardians to our Annual Title I Meeting and Open House on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our school, connect with teachers, and gain valuable information about your child's academic program and school expectations.

Annual Title I Meeting
🕠 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM
📍 Cafeteria

During this meeting, families will learn about our Title I program, school improvement efforts, and ways parents can partner with us to support student success.

Open House
🕕 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Immediately following the Title I Meeting, parents will follow their child's class schedule and have the opportunity to:

Meet each of their child's teachers
Learn about course requirements and academic expectations
Review curriculum and instructional programs
Learn about schoolwide safety procedures and expectations
Ask questions and build connections with our school staff

Please bring or access your child's schedule through the Focus Parent Portal before arriving.

Open House Class Rotation Schedule:
6:00 - 6:08 PM - 1st Period
6:10 - 6:18 PM - 2nd Period
6:20 - 6:28 PM - 3rd Period
6:30 - 6:38 PM - 4th Period
6:40 - 6:48 PM - 5th Period
6:50 - 6:58 PM - 6th Period
7:00 - 7:08 PM - 7th Period

We look forward to partnering with you for a successful school year and hope to see all of our families on August 18!

Together, we prepare every student for success.

Educationally,
Dr. Talya M. Taylor
Principal

Greetings Southside Middle School Families,

We are so excited to welcome your students into our building on Monday morning!

Please check out our Southside Middle Parent Newsletter with important information about the 1st week of school at this link: https://app.smore.com/n/p5x6b

Our teachers have been busy organizing their classrooms, decorating bulletin boards, and writing lesson plans for engaging instruction to begin next week. Every detail is being considered. The only thing missing from our classrooms….is your student!

As summer comes to a close, I hope your family has had the opportunity to relax, recharge, and enjoy time together. We are excited to welcome our students back next week and begin what promises to be an incredible school year. Middle school is a time of tremendous growth, discovery, and new opportunities, and I look forward to greeting each of our students and families as we kick off the year together. If you have any questions or concerns before or during the school year, please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly. I value our partnership with families and look forward to working together to make this a successful and memorable year for every student!

I’ll see you on Monday!

Dr. Talya M. Taylor

Welcome to Southside Middle School for the 2026-2027 School Year!

As the new school year approaches, we would like to connect with all of our school students, families and partners. Please click on our Southside Middle School Summer Newsletter at the link below for important school updates.

Southside Middle Family Newsletter July 18, 2026

Summer orientation is Thursday, July 30. During orientation families will:
-Receive Student Schedules
-Complete Required School Paperwork
-Tour the School
-Purchase Uniforms
-Take ID Pictures (6th graders and new 7th/8th graders)
-Sign up for Clubs and Athletics

We look forward to connecting with our students and families during the July 30th orientation.

Educationally,
Dr. Talya M. Taylor
Principal
Southside Middle School

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL - The countdown is on — just ONE month until the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 10. Take small steps now to get ready: Adjust sleep schedules a little each week, gather school supplies and organize backpacks, keep learning going with 20 minutes of reading or math each day, mark important school dates on your family calendar, and start practicing morning routines. We can't wait to welcome everyone back for another amazing year!

Good Day Southside Families,

Does your child need bus transportation for the 2026-2027 school year? If so, you must register for transportation in your Parent Focus Account. All students, who receive bus transportation MUST register for transportation.

To register for transportation, log into your FOCUS Parent account, select your student, and go to "forms". Then you will find the form labeled 2026-2027 Bus Transportation Registration. Complete the form and submit it. By completing the form, you are notifying the transportation department that you need a bus route for your child. ONLY students who have registered for transportation will receive a bus route. You can find instructions for registering for transportation at the following link: https://dcps.duvalschools.org/o/dcps/page/bus-registration

If you have questions or need assistance with registering for transportation, please contact the school at (904) 739-5249 or call the transportation office at (904) 858-6200 Option 1.

Good Evening Southside Middle School families,

Thank you to those who attended the March School Advisory Council Meeting! Parent support has been proven to have a positive effect on student success in school! We are looking forward to seeing parents and families at school even more than ever in the coming weeks! Also, we appreciate your support of our efforts to improve school attendance by ensuring your child is present every day. Your efforts help us meet our Attendance Goal of 95% of our students present each day.

Here are some updates to help you plan for the week ahead:

Southside Middle students will take the Florida BEST Writing Assessment this week. Please make sure your child is well-rested and present for testing.

• 6th Grade BEST Writing-Tuesday, March 31

• 7th Grade BEST Writing-Wednesday, April 1

• 8th Grade BEST Writing-Thursday, April 2

Mark your calendars: school will be closed on Friday April 3 through Tuesday, April 7. Students will return to school on Wednesday, April 8.

As always, we strongly encourage consistent, daily attendance. Our goal is to have 95% of our students present each day.

We are always in need of volunteers at Southside Middle School. Whether you are available during the school day or outside of school hours, there is a volunteer opportunity for you.

DCPS still has free computers for our students. If you would like a computer for your child, go to the Technology Innovation Center at 4019 Boulevard Center Drive weekdays between 8:00 and 5:00. Be sure to bring ID and your child's 8-digit student number. Bring your child's computer to the school and we will install the blended learning programs that your child can use at home. If you already have a computer that is not working, you can exchange it for a new computer at the Technology Innovation Center.

Be Safe, Be Seen is district-sponsored safety program intended to bring awareness to student safety while traveling to and from school. You can help by following traffic rules and reminding your students how to be safe on the way to school and back home. For more information go to this article on the DCPS website: Duval community launches pedestrian and bicycle safety campaign, “Be Safe. Be Seen.” | Duval County Public Schools.

The Fortify Florida App allows you to quickly report a tip to law enforcement and school officials. Help keep our schools safe by reporting suspicious activity at getfortifyfl.com.

Have a great week!

REGISTER FOR A BUS TODAY - Bus registration for the 2026–2027 school year is now open. All students who plan to ride a school bus next year must be registered in advance, including students enrolled in self-contained ESE programs. Families are encouraged to register as early as possible to help ensure a smooth start to the school year. Registration forms are available in Focus. For step-by-step instructions on how to complete the process, visit: www.duvalschools.org/busregistration

Good Afternoon Southside Middle School Families!

We are excited about the upcoming week!
Click here for the Knight Life Family Newsletter with School Updates and Information: https://app.smore.com/n/936dn


Students must only wear Southside Middle School approved uniform shirts/sweatshirts as of March 2, 2026. All non-Southside Middle School outerwear is prohibited. Prohibited outer wear includes anything that is not the Southside Middle School Uniform Shirt or Uniform Crewneck sweater.

Uniform purchases are still available. Please either order online at SchoolCashOnline.com: Welcome

Parents may also complete the attached order form and send in EXACT CASH to the front office.
We look forward to seeing all of our students in class ready to learn.

Educationally,
Dr. Taylor

Good Afternoon Southside Middle School Families!

We are excited about the upcoming week!
Click here for the Knight Life Family Newsletter with School Updates and Information: https://app.smore.com/n/936dn

Students must only wear Southside Middle School approved uniform shirts/sweatshirts as of March 2, 2026. All non-Southside Middle School outerwear is prohibited. Prohibited outer wear includes anything that is not the Southside Middle School Uniform Shirt or Uniform Crewneck sweater.

Uniform purchases are still available. Please either order online at SchoolCashOnline.com: Welcome

Parents may also complete the attached order form and send in EXACT CASH to the front office.
We look forward to seeing all of our students in class ready to learn.

Educationally,
Dr. Taylor