My name is Joy Sides and I am a kindergarten teacher at Pumpkin Center Primary School in Lincoln County.  I grew up in Gastonia, NC and graduated from Ashbrook High School in 1990.  I attended Western Carolina University and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. I began my career in the Burke County School System.  I moved to Concord in 2002 and taught for Cabarrus County Schools.  I married Eric Sides in 2003.  We moved to Denver, NC in 2007. 

     My teaching philosophy is that every child has a gift and is able to achieve his or her goals if provided tools to succeed.  I want my students to be active 21st century learners.  I believe that it is my role to model effective strategies to solve problems in the classroom.  I hope every child will succeed if they gain the knowledge needed to make connections.