• View the 2009-2010 Climate Survey

VISION
Enable every student to attend high school with the option of taking college preparatory courses without remediation.

MISSION
Teach every student the knowledge, skills and values to enter high school and become a contributing member of society who flourishes in a diverse, dynamic world.

CORE VALUES
Students and staff at South Middle School will be Honorable Organized Willing Learners by demonstrating these core values:

Respect: Each person has equal, intrinsic worth and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect

Integrity: Integrity is based on trust, honesty and accepting accountability for all words and actions

Compassion: Every individual should be willing to give time and energy to act in the best interest of others

Diversity: By honoring unique characteristics and embracing similarities, diversity strengthens and enriches our school district and community

Excellence: High achievement requires high expectations focused on challenging instruction and a willingness to work hard for success

View December 2009 Newsletter.

KRD, known for its dynamic choreography and its outstanding educational programming, is providing a special dance class for boys only at South Middle School. With an “artist as athlete” approach to movement through modern dance, twenty-five 6th, 7th, and 8th grade boys have the opportunity to study dance with Artistic Director Kim Robards and several of her professional company members.

The classes focus on basic dance skills and provide a first hand experience of the athleticism necessary in the art of dance.

Artistic Director Kim Robards stated, “Our first class was an amazing experience the boys were so in to it, they were focused and they fully participated and they were having such a good time simultaneously with working hard.”

Anthony and Maurice, seventh and eighth grade participants stated, “The first modern dance exercise we did reminded us of Michael Jackson from ‘This Is It,’ ‘Beat It’ and ‘Thriller’ dances.”

Robards was thrilled that the students immediately made the connection between learning the basics all the way to super stardom.

For more information about this program, visit outreach@kimrobardsdance.org.

TeenInk recently published a poem by South M.S. student Jasmine Krouch.

• View Jasmine’s published poem.

Mr. Plywaski was born in Poland in 1929 and was forced to live in a ghetto in Poland in 1939. At the age of 15 he was brought with his family to the Auschwitz concentration camp. He last saw his mother when she was getting in line to the gas chambers and he witnessed the fatal beating of his father.

He escaped with his brother and was eventually brought to the United States. He had fought as a US soldier in the Korean War and now lives in Boulder, CO.

South students, staff and parents were touched to have Mr. Plywaski share his stories of the struggles the Jews experienced during the Holocaust.

7th Graders Class of 2015

8th Graders Class of 2014

More than 500 South Middle School students, families and community members recently celebrated academic success during the first annual Achievement Awards Banquet.

The banquet, held a Queen of Peace Church, honored 153 students who scored in the 70th percentile or above in at least two subject areas on CSAP.

APS Board of Education President Matt Cook, Bill Holen, Congressional Aide to Ed Perlmutter; Suzette Hudson, Educational Specialist to Congressman Perlmutter; and APS staff also joined in the celebration.

A dynamic group of storytellers known as the “Rainbow Troupe” recently visited South Middle School. The visit included stories about the history of Colorado, as well as myths and folktales that echoed the cultures of South Middle school students.