Northside Staff Spotlight
August 23, 2021 - Let's Get To Know Our Specials Teachers
Art - Michelle Riede
Michelle doesn't have any pets at this time, but she once had a Yorkie named Tom Brady.
Michelle enjoys gardening, playing tennis, reading, water sports at the lake, and collecting Barbies!
Michelle has taught Art at Northside for 8 years. She served as Northside's PTO president for 4 years before that when her daughter was here. Her favorite thing about Northside is it's family atmosphere. She says the genuine love and support between the students and staff is very special.
How does Michelle feel about teaching Art? I have the best job! It can be messy, fun, and creative all in one! I love the fact that I’m able to share my love of Art with my students and help them grow as artists and creative thinkers. Art instruction helps all children with the development of their motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, risk taking, and being inventive. Art also provides challenges for all students. I tell my students everyday…”there is no right or wrong answer in this room, and no matter what you create, it’s a one of a kind masterpiece and will be priceless to your family!" In Art, I can be a positive influence in our students' lives by building their self-esteem and believing in themselves and their ability to learn, no matter their background or abilities. To see the smiles and pure joy on their faces when they have produced a work of art they are proud of is a moment that is always imprinted on my heart.
Art - Susan Paulk
Susan has two dogs - Boyd and Casey, and she has one frog named Harry.
Susan enjoys reading, painting, and cheering on her Clemson Tigers.
She has been an Art Teacher at Northside for 5 years, and her favorite thing about Northside is the comradery between the staff members .
How does Susan feel about teaching Art? I love teaching and sharing my passion for art! Helping and guiding students express themselves creatively is pure joy. It is so rewarding to see their pride in their artwork after a completed project. I often tell my students that they are all artists; they just might not know it yet!
Computer Lab - Shan Peters
Shan is our Computer Lab teacher, and she has been at Northside for 8 years. She is originally from Greenville, SC. She moved throughout her childhood due to her family being a military family. She attended the University of West Georgia. Shan is married to Colin, and they have three amazing boys - Jeramiha, Jayce, and Jerzey. Jerzey was born just over3 weeks ago! Jeramiha just left our Northside family to go to middle school, and Jayce just started at Northside in our Pre-K class.
Shan and her family have betta fish as pets, and she enjoys event planning as a hobby.
Shan's favorite thing about working at Northside is that Northside is a family - not just the staff members, but our students as well. She feels we get to know all of our students personally and we help them grow both academically and personally. She has many former students she speaks with on a regular basis simply because they know she truly cares and wants the best for each and everyone of them.
How does Shan feel about teaching our students in the computer lab? It's no secret that technology is used each and every day. It brings me complete joy to be able to help students learn keyboarding skills and how to safely navigate on desktops and chromebooks. Whether they are using a computer for the first time or for the 100th time, I’m glad my classroom can be a place each student can enjoy seeing the world through computers. Technology is truly leading the way! I’m so happy to be a part of our students' journey in learning foundational technology skills.
Media Center - Carla Gaddy
Carla has one pet - Lola Bell June Gaddy, and she enjoys reading and crafting.
How does Carla feel about being our Media Specialist? I love being a Media Specialist because I have the opportunity to put books in the hands of our students that could make them become readers for life. I want them to not be able to put the book down because they love it so much! I want them to be sad when the book ends. I want them to be so excited to get another book. I want them to experience the love of reading at an early age. This is something that I missed out on, and I don't want any child to miss their early years of reading great books.
What are Carla's favorite things about Northside? The students and the staff!
Music - Mariah Hollis
Mariah does not have any pets, but she enjoys cooking and exercising.
The family atmosphere is what Mariah loves the most about Northside.
PE - Meagen Lee
Meagen has two dogs - Chloe and Freddie, and she enjoys exercising and traveling.
How does Megan feel about being a PE teacher? Megan believes that Physical Education is one of the most exciting jobs to have. She loves creating games, encouraging teamwork, and watching kids smile as they run around the gym. She enjoys showing the students all the many options of games and sports that will help to keep them active, and she loves teaching them how to live a healthy lifestyle. She believes it's important that our kids are given the opportunity to be both active and healthy.
The thing Meagen loves the most about Northside is that we are a family!