WELCOME TO

WAYSIDE
MIDDLE SCHOOL
New Parent Orientation
Ms. May, Mr. Pitman, & Ms.
Argabright
ABOUT OUR SCHOOL
Grades: 6-8
Number of students 900
Our Mission: The mission of
Wayside Middle School is to
provide each student a holistic
education in a safe, supportive
environment that promotes self-
discipline, motivation, and
excellence in learning. The
Wayside team joins the parents and
community to assist the students in
developing skills to become
independent and self-sufficient
learners who will succeed and
contribute responsibly in the
community.

CENTER ROTATION & GROUPS
Group 1 (with Malcolm first): Professor Barrett,
Megan, Erin, Brandi
Group 2 (with Leanna first): Devyn, Cassie,
Andrew
Group 3 (with Julia first): Richard, Taylor,
Rachel
CURRICULUM
At Wayside Middle School, we aim to
make the curriculum relevant,
challenging, integrative, and exploratory
for your students.but what does this all
mean?
RELEVANT: CLOSELY CONNECTED OR APPROPRIATE TO THE MATTER
AT HAND
The teachers truly aim to get to know the students; therefore,
learning can apply to their lives.
Curriculum is designed to be authentic, or true to what necessary
to learn.
Our catch phrase is: Do it like Dewey, or learning by doing. Our
students learn through inquiry and discovery. The truth is
discovered in the classroom.
Are tests, worksheets, and essays enough? Are the students
learning?

CHALLENGING: TESTING ONE'S ABILITIES; DEMANDING
Teachers often give responsibility to the students in the classroom
for their learning in the form choosing assignments
Apply learning to real world, but instead of just telling the
students, through discovering we believe that our students will
realize themselves the application.
In order to have a successful learning environment, all teachers
build on prior knowledge, or scaffold learning to make it more
meaningful.

INTEGRATIVE: SERVING OR INTENDING TO UNIFY SEPARATE
THINGS
Like previously mentioned, the teachers and staff aim to apply
learning to real world. By making it applicable, the students cant
help but see the importance of the education. It goes far beyond
the textbook.
Help students to make sense of the world around them
Our classrooms are also cross-curricular with ties from all areas of
subjects interwoven into each other.
EXPLORATORY: RELATING TO OR INVOLVING EXPLORATION OR
INVESTIGATION
Discovery! Choice! Accountability!
With all of these, our students will be able to do it like Dewey
Answers will not always be given to students, but through
prompted discussion, centers, and time for investigation within the
classroom, the students will discover the academic truth.
MORE CURRICULUM DETAILS
Our curriculum follows common core state standards.
Curriculum is student-centricbased around the needs of the
students.
Although there is traditional scheduling for the core subjects, all
actions are to benefit the students.
Subjects are interwoven, cross-curricular, so themes are
designed upon knowing the students and their needs, as well as
the happenings of the world, society, etc. service learning.
INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
Goal: to differentiate instruction so that each student learns in a
way that is comfortable to him or her
There will be: lectures with accompanying PowerPoints,
cooperative learning activities, centers, and hands-on activities.
All will have a balance
These centers, like the ones you are traveling in today, allow for
whole group instruction, small group instruction, and individual
work; all are essential
STUDENT-CENTRIC TEACHING
Teachers will be master of content, but flexible with process and
product of the classroom.
By giving students choice, there will be more interest and
motivation.
We aim to help students become responsible for their own
learning; this will include collaborating with peersworking
together, discussing, problem solving, etc. These actions will also
show growth in the students maturity
Because it is student-centered, student mastery decides when to
move on or cover more in depth.
MODELING
Modeling is important I do, We do, Yall do, You do
I do- Teacher shows student process and or steps in order to
become successful
We do- As a class, with the guidance of the teacher, the students
complete a problem, or go through the steps.
Yall do- The students work in small groups to complete the
problem given or go through the steps, without the teacher.
You do- At this point, the student should be able to complete a
problem individually.
All steps lead to independent work, creating a sense of
responsibility in the students.
TEAM TEACHING
In order to maximize success within the school, all teachers will
be members of teams. These teams will consist of the teachers in
each of the grades to confidently interweave disciplines between
each class to make learning more meaningful for students. In
each grade there are:
2 language arts teachers
2 math teachers
2 social studies teacher
2 science teachers

ENVIRONMENT
Goal: to create a community conducive to learning in a safe and
positive manner
To create this community, the teachers all make valiant effort to
connect with students inside and outside the classroomwayside
teaching
Each student is a member of the community, and must act like it.
We do not want to treat our students like they are children,
instead they are responsible for their own behaviors, learning, and
consequences.
We aim to support all students emotionally, socially, physically,
and academically. The students are not just students, we want to
embrace our students holistically.
ENVIRONMENT CONTD
Physical: space for a reading corner, desks organized in clusters
for small group work, congestion free, anchor charts, library for
student choice books, smart board, posted schedules
Building: each grade has a floor to help build cross-curricular
work, as well as improve teaching teams ability to collaborate

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING
Reminder of upcoming events:

QUESTIONS??