Deep Roots
Southside Elementary School (SES) has just under 500 students in grades Pre-K through Fifth. 79 of those students are Hispanic and 200 are African American. 9% are English Learners; 69% receive free/reduced meals; 11% receive special education services; and under 1% qualify for gifted services. Southside has been focused on creating a culture in which teachers have ownership and parents are welcome. The students of Southside Elementary know that they are cared about and that their teachers have great things to share.
Great Heights
Our philosophy can be summed up in our vision statement which states that Every child every day deserves a choice, a chance, a champion. As educators, it is our charge to provide choices to students; to give them the chance to succeed (and to try again); and to be the champion for every child who walks through our doors. The school quality profile can be found at http://schoolquality.virginia.gov/schools/southside-elementary.
The Dinwiddie Difference
Southside is a school dedicated to meaningful instruction. The staff at SES embraces strategies that have proven successful and constantly update them to remain relevant in today’s world to be career ready. With programs such as “Kindness Month” our students learn about helping others and bolster a sense of community. One of the most important of our guiding principles is that we, the staff, are dedicated to doing right by our students; in class, in our hallways, and in the community by promoting kindness and how this impacts our community and school.