Teaching & Learning
Engage all students in learning that leads to academic growth, achievement, and readiness for high school, college, career, and life.
Raising the bar and expecting more is hard work, particularly for students and teachers. Academics are at the core of Gulf Shores City Schools, with a goal of having each student achieve his or her full academic potential by the time they graduate. New standards mean new ways of teaching and learning, and ultimately harder tests. To help our families achieve a greater understanding of what these new standards mean, Gulf Shores City Schools provides fact sheets, frequently asked questions, and links to information about Alabama's College and Career Ready Standards.
At Gulf Shores Middle School, we foster academic success through carefully orchestrated programs that reflect the social, emotional, and intellectual needs of young adolescents. We recognize that 10 to 14 year olds are developmentally poised for significant intellectual growth and are cognitively ready for high-level academic challenges. We also recognize, however, that this can be best achieved in a safe and inviting environment that supports the significant changes in the physical development and social behavior, as well as rapid development in the emotional intelligence of our students. Flexible and varied instruction, individualized learning, and collaborative, cross-disciplinary approaches are utilized in a facility designed for this age group. Our teachers and students share ownership of learning in the classroom, after-school activities and through annual outdoor educational experiences.
Year-Round Electives:
- Yearbook - Students apply and are selected in the Spring prior to the school year.
- Newspaper - Students apply and are selected in the Spring prior to the school year.
- Library Aides (8th Grade) - Students apply and are selected in the Spring prior to the school year.
- Office Aides (8th Grade) - Students apply and are selected in the Spring prior to the school year.
- Band
- Advanced Art - Second year art students are selected in the Spring prior to the school year.
Additional Information:
Gulf Shores Middle School does not accept parent requests for specific teachers or requests for periods when students take courses. Students are randomly assigned teachers and course periods by the INOW program. Every effort is made to balance student rosters by teachers. Schedule changes are at the Principal’s discretion for situations that warrant it.
P.E. is required both semesters, and students are required to dress out. There is a fee for P.E. uniforms.
Our school is committed to your child's complete wellness and life-long health; therefore, throughout the year, we will be utilizing the evidence-based P.A.T.H. curriculum from ThriveWay. Prevention and Awareness for Total Health (P.A.T.H.) is a schoolwide approach to address state-mandated topics, promote positive coping skills, and strengthen character building. The purpose of this comprehensive curriculum is to concentrate on critical prevention areas and expand into additional life skills and character traits. The program contencts include grade-level comprehensive lessons focused on prevention mandates: bullying, substance awareness, types of abuse, and mental health; plus, seven lessons on character education for elementary grades K-6. The curriculum is delivered to the students; students do not have direct access to lessons.
Each developmental phase for elementary students brings its ownunique set of challenges and opportunities. We strive to equip our students with personal tolls that will help them combat those challenges, protect physical health and safety, foster kindness, enhance relationships, promote mental wellness, maintain perspective, employ positive coping skills, and build resiliency. We want our students to do more than survive - we want them to thrive!
We believe that schools and families must work together for the betterment of the whole child, and our communication with you is a key factor in the success of that mission. We are excited to share this information with you as we use P.A.T.H. to empower students to make choices that will protect their safety, enhance connectedness, and encourage life-long physical and mental health.
Academic Links
Content Standards and Curriculum
Gulf Shores City Schools content standards and curriculum align with the standards outlined in the Alabama State Course of Study. You may learn more about state standards by clicking on the Standards tab on the Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX) website.
Information regarding textbooks, curriculum, materials, and instructional resources used in Gulf Shores City Schools is linked below.
NBC Teachers
Gulf Shores City Schools are proud of their teachers and how they continue learning as they teach! Click here to view the Present and Future National Board Certified Teachers.
We Encourage Our Students To:
- Dream big
- Learn with intent
- Realize their own potential
- Enhance the lives of others
- Be inclusive, inventive and curious
We Do That Through:
- Continually transforming the way we teach and learn
- Exploring new ideas and approaches to learning
- Being rigorous with assessment and learning outcomes
- Being inventive in the way we teach
- Offering individualized learning paths
- Integrating technology in all that we do
- Fostering and celebrating diversity