SOUTHSIDE TRADITION

SOUTHSIDE THROUGH THE YEARS

The mission of Southside has remained the same throughout the past sixty years, providing opportunities for academic and personal success to students. Keeping timeless traditions and creating new ones, Southside is celebrating sixty years of success and growth. The school opened in 1963 to 250 students. Now, Southside has 1900 students enrolled. 

With the major transition of changing from a sophomore-senior school to freshman-senior school. This change was implemented in 2022, with the class of 2025 being the first class of freshmen on campus. 

Four different fearless leaders have served as principal of Southside. Victor Stewart took on the role of principal in Southside’s earliest years. Wayne Haver created a lasting legacy as Southside’s longest serving principal for 36 years and oversaw the change to the Maverick mascot. Lisa Miller worked during the global pandemic and school wide construction, a turning point in Southside’s history. Jeff Prewitt, current principal, welcomed the first group of freshmen to campus and returned the school to normalcy after the pandemic. 

In 2015, the Fort Smith School Board voted to change the Southside mascot from the Rebels to the Mavericks. Along with that came many other changes to traditions, organization names, and memorabilia. School spirit has endured over the course of the past sixty years. 

In 2020, the school opened a campus-wide construction that came to a completion the following year. This was the first campus-wide renovation the school had seen since it’s opening in 1963. The renovation included a new arena, known as “The Barn,” an additional wing for freshmen, and an updated cafeteria. The renovation completely changed the appearance of the school and removed treasured parts of the school, such as the Southern Belles “Duck Hole,” a previous locker room for the dance team. 

Undergoing all the changes the school has faced, Southside continues to provide opportunities for academic and personal success.