About Northwest Middle School

We provide educational experiences, in cooperation with the home and community, that prepare students for lifelong learning and for ethical, productive participation in a democratic society and the global community.

• All students can learn.
• Students are the center of the educational process.
• Students learn best in a safe environment nurtured by caring, supportive teachers, principals, and staff personnel.
• Students have the right of equal access to educational opportunities.
• Students and teachers have the responsibility to be actively involved in lifelong learning.
• Instruction and assessment should be provided consistent with the needs of all students.
• A balanced curriculum ensures that students communicate effectively, compute accurately, think critically, and act responsibly.
• Education is the shared responsibility of the home, school, and community.

Most of the students at Northwest Middle come from four Greenville County elementary schools: Duncan Chapel, Gateway, Heritage, and Slater Marietta. A good number come from outside our attendance area to attend Northwest by special permission. When our students leave Northwest, most will attend Travelers Rest High School, but some go to Berea High. Many of our students go on to attend technical schools, colleges, and universities all across the United States. Some have even returned to Northwest as teachers.

Northwest Middle School opened in the fall of 1973 as an open classroom school. At the time you could stand at one end of the school and see clear through to the other end. There were no interior walls. It was like a warehouse. It was a new concept in education that proved to be faulty. It soon became apparent that middle school students needed walls to focus, so, metal walls began to go up and areas of the school were partitioned off for classrooms.

In 1990, we underwent a major renovation where the sunken theater area was filled in and metal walls were replaced with concrete block walls. The media center was enclosed for the first time, so it was no longer a passage way from one end of the building to the other.

In 1997-98 we all moved outside and Northwest underwent a multi-million dollar renovation project which gave the interior and exterior a new look. The entire school was restructured for a state of the art educational facility. All classrooms now have networked computers connected to the Internet, and classrooms are now more accessible to the media center, lunchroom, and related art classrooms.

Northwest Middle currently houses approximately 900 students who receive instruction in English, Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, Journalism, Band, General Music, Art, Piano, Computer Tech, Physical Education, and Special Education.

In 2007 Northwest was recognized as a finalist in the Palmetto's Finest program that recognizes outstanding schools in our state.

Most of the students at Northwest Middle come from four Greenville County elementary schools: Duncan Chapel, Gateway, Heritage, and Slater Marietta. When our students leave Northwest, most will attend Travelers Rest High School, and many go on to receive degrees from technical schools and/or four-year colleges or universities.

Our community is very involved in our school and is a major reason for our success. Through the years many people have worked extremely hard, both parents and teachers, to help us achieve the present status of our school. Former principals of Northwest were: Tom Bollinger, Norman Harris, Bud Goble, Phil Edge, Judy James, Lacy Wilkins, Tony Poole, Lee Givins, Dr. David McDonald, and Dr. Patrick Jarrett. Our current principal is Mr. Daniel Greene. Our PTSA is a very important means of financial and moral support. We are a proud community with great educational expectations for our students.

This statement is based on This We Believe: Successful Schools for Young Adolescents,the position paper of National Middle School Association. 

I have chosen to be a middle level educator, for I recognize that the years of early adolescence are pivotal and abound with individual potential and opportunity. Therefore, I will care for the students personally, listen to their voices, respect their concerns, and engage them in meaningful educational experiences that will prepare them for a promising future.

I believe that every young adolescent...

• has the capacity to learn, grow, and develop into a knowledgeable, reflective, caring, ethical, and contributing citizen.
• must have access to the very best programs and practices a school can offer.
• must be engaged in learning that is relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory.
• thrives academically, socially, and emotionally in a democratic learning environment where trust and respect are paramount and where family and community are actively involved.
• faces significant life choices and needs support in making wise and healthy decisions.
• deserves educators who are prepared to work with this age group, who are themselves lifelong learners and committed to their own ongoing professional development and growth.
• Therefore, I proudly dedicate myself to becoming the best middle level educator I can be and an active advocate for all young adolescents.