August 25, 2014
Dear Creek Families:
I trust this letter finds you enjoying the last few days of the summer break and eager for an amazing 2014-15 school year! Rest assured that those of us who work with your children are as excited and prepared as we have ever been in anticipation of the return of our students.
Over the summer we have hired 12 new teachers as well as several support staff. These additions, as well as our veterans will help to comprise a well-educated, motivated, and caring educational staff with a focus on student achievement. Our staff’s dedication is exemplified by the fact that a significant portion of both our new staff and veteran staff have received and will receive specialized training which will only serve to enhance our current exceptional learning environment.
Of significance this year, our district, in partnership with The Dow Chemical Company, will continue initiatives in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and Project Based Learning (PBL).
This partnership includes the following:
- Extensive training in PBL for the K-12 teaching staff starting with two professional development days under the direction of the Center for Science Teaching and Learning, which is based in New York.
- Creation of a STEM coordinator position whose duties will be to coordinate our STEM initiatives throughout the district.
- Creation of a STEM coaching position whose duties will be to coordinate after school STEM programs.
- The addition of Learning Blade, which is a web based STEM career exploration program in the middle school.
- The addition of Project Lead the Way, which is a nationally recognized STEM based course especially designed for students interested in pursuing a STEM based career. This course will be taught in the high school.
Suffice it to say that none of these initiatives would have been possible without the generous grants from The Dow Chemical Foundation or The Dow Chemical Company’s passion for engaging their “fence line neighbors” in STEM. We are extremely grateful!
So those are just a few highlights of the upcoming school year. What is not new is the fact that you can count on us to take care of your kids. We will make sure that they are safe, given a first class education and treated like they are family…because that’s exactly who they are…our family, our kids!
Here’s to a great school year! It’s a Great Day to be a Lancer!
Take care,
Charles F. Schwedler Superintendent
schwedlerc@bcreek.org