Dear Bullock Creek Community:
I hope this letter finds you well rested and enjoying this beautiful Pure Michigan fall….er…summer weather! Regardless of the season, it seems as if it is Springtime in Bullock Creek!
Springtime; a state or time of great activity, thriving or achievement. So what is happening in our schools to warrant this description??? Plenty!!! Staff
We have been able to hire some fantastic new professional staff this summer. They include;
Kristy Chaffin, a graduate from Grand Valley, who will be teaching physical education at Floyd Elementary; Emily Fiting, a graduate from Saginaw Valley, who will be teaching special education at BCMS; and Ashley Meyer, a graduate from Saginaw Valley, who will be teaching At Risk Math at BCMS and BCHS.
Additionally, much of our staff has been involved in training this summer to enhance their teaching skills and prepare for the upcoming school year.
Construction
You will be amazed and pleased as you step through all five of our buildings this fall! We have repaired roofs, remodeled entrances to enhance safety and added energy efficient lighting and doors, to highlight a few of the projects. All of this work, as well as the purchase of busses and technology have been made possible by the Bond Issue passed in 2009. No general funds have been used for any of these projects. I am very proud of this fact; our community cares about our kids and puts a priority on their education and safety!
Technology
Bullock Creek currently has targeted wireless coverage in each of its buildings. New for the 2013-14 school year, we are implementing a new wireless network that will provide full coverage for every classroom in every building. This will allow for more wireless equipment such as laptops and tablets to be used seamlessly throughout every building (paid for out of a State of Michigan Grant).
We are bringing in more tablets, specifically iPads, into the District. The current focus for tablet use has been in lower elementary with several dozen shared across multiple classrooms. This year will introduce two classroom “sets” at the middle school and expand usage at the elementary building (paid for with Bond funds). Additionally, we are partnering with TechSmith to train teachers to more effectively use technology in the classroom. The District is also
implementing additional camera systems on our school bus fleet. This summer we are implementing new building surveillance and security equipment including cameras, card access and remote locking functionality (paid for with Bond funds).
Partnerships
Chippewa Nature Center – Thanks to the generosity of the Dow Family Foundation, The Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative and 3M we have been able to expand our already amazing partnership with the Chippewa Nature Center to enhance our STEM (Science, Engineering and Math) education using nature as our vehicle. Some examples of this partnership include teacher training, summer school, visits to the CNC, visits from the CNC naturalist, weeklong programs at the CNC and of course the expansion of our one of a kind Nature Kindergarten at Floyd Elementary.
Dow Chemical Company – We have also begun a STEM partnership with The Dow Chemical Company Michigan Operations. Our Goal; professional development, career development in STEM related fields and improvement of our Science scores. This past summer we had several teachers attend seminars at the Smithsonian Institute and Keystone University for specialized training, all sponsored by Dow. Additionally, we will be meeting this month to continue our planning for the 2013-2014 school year.
So yes, even though the weather and the calendar are pointing toward fall, it is springtime in Bullock Creek.
I look forward to the students returning on September 3rd(probably as much as you are ready to send them) and look forward to another great year in Bullock Creek!
It’s a great Day to be a Lancer!!
Superintendent