We Are BCSC
By BCSC
We Are BCSCOct 01, 2021
9/27/21 School Board Briefings
Our BCSC Board of Trustees held its second meeting in the month of September last night, Monday, September 27, 2021. The full meeting can be viewed here. The following items were a part of the meeting:
* A required Public Hearing was held regarding the proposed budget for 2022.
*Taylorsville Elementary staff members (Sydell Gant, Principal; Jake Shaffner, Assistant Principal; and Kevin Sweet, Teacher) presented information on successful methods to improve student writing.
*During the COVID-19 Plan of Action update, we gave an update on COVID-19 case counts around BCSC, updated county-wide statistics that can be found on a weekly basis on the COVID-19 Community Task Force website, and state-wide designations that can be found on the CDC’s website and the Indiana Department of Health’s website. We currently have 441 positive test cases; we had 665 during the entire 2020-2021 school year. 4.9% of our close contacts have later tested positive for COVID-19; this percentage was less than one last year.
*During our Cabinet Reports, Dr. Boezeman, with assistance from the law office of Ice Miller and CSO Architects, provided information about the Construction Manager as Constructor (CmC) process and Dr. Pleak and Mandy Keele, CSA Co-Vice President, shared a slide proposing revisions to our 3-year school calendar. The CmC process was being introduced as a way to approach significant upcoming building renovations. The proposed calendar includes full-day professional development opportunities (two during second semester of this year and four each for the next two years). The revised calendar will be recommended for approval at the next Board meeting.
*Items that were recommended and approved included minutes of the regular school board meeting held on September 13, supplemental contracts, claims and payroll, resolutions pertaining to the Refinance of Central Middle School Bonds, resolutions related to a 2021 Lease Rental Bond, and permission to receive bids for the CmC process introduced earlier in the meeting.
*The Board approved all Human Resources recommendations (retirements, resignations, new hires).
School Board members will next meet on Monday, October 25, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. This meeting will include a recommendation to adopt the 2022 budget and, hopefully, a negotiated collective bargaining agreement for certified staff members. The Board has a Strategic Planning Session scheduled for Friday, October 29, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.
CSA Lincoln Recognized as National Blue Ribbon School
On this episode of the We Are BCSC Podcast, Communications Coordinator Josh Burnett talks with CSA Lincoln Elementary's Principal Brett Findley about their recent news of being recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. Congratulations, Huskies!
Legado Program
On this episode of the We Are BCSC Podcast, Communications Coordinator Josh Burnett talks with teachers Greicy Patiño & Angelica Renteria about the Legado program at Clifty Creek Elementary, National Hispanic Heritage Month, and how we celebrate diversity in our school corporation. Make sure to tune into this podcast to learn about Legado is helping our students become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural.
Book Buddies Interview with Gretchen Tregoning
On this episode of the WE ARE BCSC Podcast, Communications Coordinator Josh Burnett talks with Book Buddies Director Gretchen Tregoning to talk about Book Buddies within BCSC, the impact of the program and how it helps children with their reading, and how you can get involved with the program. Also, make sure that you listen to how you can be a part of Put Your Nose In A Book Day on September 8, 2021.
Columbus Rotary Club Rivalry Week BCSC Fall Sports Program
Each fall, Columbus Rotary Club invites coaches from the BCSC Fall Sports teams to participate in a Rotary Roundtable Program emceed by 1010 WCSI's Sam Simmermaker. This year, this program took place via Zoom and is this week's episode of the #wearebcsc podcast.
8/23/2021 BCSC School Board Briefings
Hello, everyone and welcome to another edition of BCSC School Board Briefings. My name is Josh Burnett and I’m the Communications Coordinator for Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation. In case you weren’t able to attend in person or did not watch the live stream available on our BCSC Youtube Channel, this is created to keep you informed and up to date about decisions made at the School Board meetings. Please take a moment to subscribe to our Youtube channel if you haven’t already so that you will be notified when we release new videos.
You can always find School Board information including previous meeting minutes, agendas, and other relevant materials on our website at bcscschools.org/schoolboard.
Alright, let’s get into the school board meeting.
Our BCSC School Board met for its second meeting of the month on Monday, August 23, 2021 at the BCSC Administration Building.
To start things off, the School Board held Public hearings where the community had an opportunity to discuss the proposed 13 million dollar renovations to buildings throughout the school corporation and an additional appropriation.This will not result in any new property tax increase.
Columbus North High School’s Stacy Doub was formally recognized for receiving the 2021 BCSC Teacher of The Year award. Stacy shared prepared remarks that led to many laughs, a few tears, and a standing ovation from the in-person crowd. After she received a plaque from Dr. Pleak, BCSF’s Suzi Bruin and Angie Emmitt presented Stacy with a “big check” as an additional way to celebrate this award.
Next, Dr. Roberts gave an update on COVID-19 case counts around BCSC, updated county-wide statistics that can be found on a weekly basis on COVID-19 Community Task Force website, and state-wide designations that can found on the CDC’s website and the Indiana Department of Health’s website.
During public comments, 14 individuals spoke and the main topic of conversation was masks with a few offering suggestions on how to improve school board processes.
*After the public comment portion of the meeting, a list of NEOLA Policy Revision Recommendations was read for a first reading and will be presented again before any adoption takes place.
The Board approved all Human Resources recommendations as well as a lengthy list of requests that can be found on this meeting’s agenda document for reference.
School Board members will next meet on September 13, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. in the Terrace Room of the Administration Building and you can also stream it live here on our YouTube Channel.
Thanks for taking the time to recap this School Board meeting with, I hope this helps you stay informed and up to date with all decisions made here at BCSC. We’ll see you next time.
BCSC Teacher of The Year Conversation with Stacy Doub
On this episode of WE ARE BCSC, we talk with the 2021 BCSC Teacher of The Year Stacy Doub. Mrs. Doub, Columbus North High School Science teacher, was selected to represent BCSC as Teacher of the Year for our district and will now prepare for the opportunity to be considered for the Indiana Department of Education's annual Teacher of The Year award.
During the conversation, Mrs, Doub talks about:
-how it felt to be named Teacher of The Year
-why she chose to going into teaching and moments that have shaped her career
-how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted her teaching and how she adapted
-what advice she would give to new teachers to BCSC so that they can thrive as educators
If you would like to celebrate with Mrs. Doub on her recognition as BCSC Teacher of The Year, please attend the upcoming School Board Meeting in person or virtually on Monday, August 23, 2021.
Columbus Virtual Pathway Information with CVP Director Josh Giebel
What is Columbus Virtual Pathway? Is this a good option for my student and family? What does a typical day of CVP look like? On this episode of WE ARE BCSC, Communications Coordinator Josh Burnett talks with Columbus Virtual Pathway Director Josh Giebel to answer these questions and many more. If you would like to learn more about CVP, visit www.bcscschools.org/cvp.
8/9/2021 BCSC School Board Briefings
Hello, everyone and welcome to the second edition of BCSC School Board Briefings. My name is Josh Burnett and I’m the Communications Coordinator for Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation. In case you weren’t able to attend in person or did not watch the live stream available on our BCSC Youtube Channel, this is created to keep you informed and up to date about decisions made at the School Board meetings. Please take a moment to subscribe to our Youtube channel if you haven’t already so that you will be notified when we release new videos.
You can always find School Board information including previous meeting minutes, agendas, and other relevant materials on our website at bcscschools.org/schoolboard.
Alright, let’s get into the school board meeting.
Our BCSC School Board met for the first of two meetings this month on Monday, August 9, 2021 at the BCSC Administration Building.
To start things off, the School Board held a Public hearing where the community had an opportunity to discuss the proposed 13 million dollar renovations to buildings throughout the school corporation.
Columbus East High School’s Peggy Myers was formally recognized for receiving the 2021 Edna V Folger Outstanding Teacher award. This annual award, presented by SIHO, The IUPUC Center for Teaching and Learning and the Community Education Coalition, is designed to raise awareness about the immeasurable influence educators have on their students, and to recognize the image of educators as important community role models.
Next, Dr. Roberts made the recommendation to the board members that we revise our current 2021-2022 BCSC COVID-19 Reopening Plan to require universal masking indoors at all BCSC buildings. Board members approved this recommendation, as well as other revisions to the plan, that will now go into effect on Wednesday, August 11, 2021.
During public comments, 34 individuals spoke and the main topic of conversation was opinions expressed for or against masks.
After the public comment portion of the meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Gina Pleak gave an overview of teacher evaluations for the previous school year. As one may guess, teacher performance evaluations went up as years of experience increased. Dr. Pleak is looking forward to seeing how referendum pay can help with attracting and retaining quality teachers for our students.
School Board members will next meet for their next regular session on Monday, August 23, at 6:30 pm.
2021-2022 BCSC Welcome Message from Dr. Roberts
Hello everyone and welcome back for this school year.
I say this every year and I will say it again. This is the most exciting time of the year for me. It is like sunshine and fresh flowers. It’s an opportunity for all of us, students, teachers, parents, to approach a new year with a fresh outlook. It is a 5-year old going into his/her first kindergarten classroom. It is a student going from Elementary School to Middle School and starting the transition to adolescence.
It is a student going from Middle School to High School and getting the chance to put on a high school uniform, be it cheerleading, band, athletics, academic teams. It is a junior becoming a senior and getting the chance to relish the most exciting year of all as a student. It is a teacher getting a new group of students and with passion and energy helping them learn and grow. And it is a parent experiencing all of these changes and realizing that the next phase for their child is as great as the one before it.
For each of us, it is a new beginning.
Last year was an odd one...I mentioned sunshine and fresh flowers...to some, last year may have been more like thunder clouds and weeds. And, if you remember, our first student day featured a series of torrential downpours. Regardless, even though we may have felt like we were in survival mode, we did what was necessary to move our students forward, to prepare them for what comes next.
What comes next is this year. And it is a time to go from survival mode to...THRIVAL MODE. Is thrival really a word? I’m not sure, but I like it...so, THRIVAL MODE.
Over the past few months, our school corporation has been working hard on its next 5-year plan. As a part of that work, we have focused on our moon shot...how do we stretch ourselves? How do we get to the moon? In 1962, President John F. Kennedy set the country’s moon shot by stating that, literally, we, as a country, are going to the moon. His speech about going to the moon aligns precisely with what we work to accomplish as a public school system… that
We choose...to do all the things that will help our students
not because they are easy, But because they are hard,
Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills,
Because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept,
One we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.
We learned a lot over the last 17 months about ourselves...our agility, our resilience, our ability to get results regardless of the circumstances. Regardless of what comes at us this year, and there will be things whether related to COVID-19 or not, we will benefit from our lessons learned, embrace the opportunities that await us, and thrive.
THRIVAL MODE. IT’S ON.
7/19/2021 BCSC School Board Briefings
Hello, everyone and welcome to BCSC School Board Briefings. My name is Josh Burnett and I’m the Communications Coordinator for Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation. One of the new initiatives we will be adding this year to our communication’s efforts is to summarize what takes place at our school board meetings in case you aren’t able to attend in person or do not watch the live stream available on our BCSC Youtube Channel. Please take a moment to subscribe to our channel if you haven’t already so that you will be notified when we release new videos.
You can always find School Board information including previous meeting minutes, agendas, and other relevant materials on our website at bcscschools.org/schoolboard.
BCSC Reopening Information 7/16/2021
BCSC Staff Members, Students and Families:
Last week, Thursday, July 8, 2021, we released a first draft of our reopening plan for the 2021-2022 school year. With the release of that plan, we requested feedback and have received that in a variety of ways.
Our reopening plan was viewed by 10,782 unique individuals and our Google Form was completed by 436 people. Additionally, since last Thursday, we have received multiple emails, had many phone conversations, and met with both internal and external stakeholders. With the additional feedback we have received, we are making only slight revisions to the plan. This does mean that the wearing of masks will remain optional in all school corporation buildings as indicated in the draft. Due to a continuing federal mandate, masks are still required on school buses. Contact tracing also remains in the plan as it is a requirement of the Indiana Department of Health. You may review the plan that will be presented to our School Board members in the link below.
We are aware of the increase in COVID-19 cases around the country, of which the Delta variant is the majority, will continue to monitor local spread, and are prepared to make adjustments to the plan, including the requiring of masks, if circumstances dictate.
We do wish to remind parents that we have invested in a full-time virtual school, Columbus Virtual Pathway, and information about this opportunity can be found on our website.
Our School Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 19, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. in the Terrace Room of the Administration Building and will be streamed live on our BCSC YouTube channel. Please subscribe to our channel so that you can be notified when the broadcast begins.
Thank you.
Jim Roberts
BCSC Reopening Information 7/8/2021
BCSC Staff Members, Students and Families:
I hope you are enjoying your Summer Break and have been able to find time to rest, relax, and rejuvenate following a challenging school year.
One year ago this month, prior to this past school year, we presented to you a draft of a reopening plan summary that outlined our risk mitigation strategies for COVID-19. Additionally, we solicited your feedback regarding the draft’s content AND attempted to gauge families’ interest in possible virtual school options.
As we edge closer to our first scheduled student day of this next school year and continue to digest COVID-19 related information provided to us by the Indiana State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, as well as consult locally with Columbus Regional Health and the Bartholomew County Health Department, we again come back to you with a draft of a COVID-19 related reopening plan. We have already had a lot of public commentary on the topic of reopening, including formal comments during School Board meeting and shared emails, phone calls, and social media posts. It is our hope that you will review this plan, currently available on our website, all BCSC social media sites, and local media outlets, and provide us with your thoughts.
Feedback from our stakeholders will be used to determine what revisions, if any, are necessary for the plan prior to its being formally recommended to our School Board members for approval.
As you may know, as of July 1, the use of face coverings in schools are no longer required in Indiana and, as per Governor Holcomb, “local school boards are now responsible for whatever measures and restrictions are deemed necessary and prudent to address the impact and spread of COVID-19 for their buildings, facilities, and grounds...” Regarding face coverings, we are currently recommending that their use be optional for all staff members and students. They are highly encouraged for those at risk and/or not vaccinated.
On Monday, July 19, a presentation regarding reopening will be given to our School Board members during their regular monthly meeting. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., will be held in the Administration Building Terrace Room, and can be viewed on BCSC’s Youtube Channel. Please make sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel so that you will be notified when we are live.
Hopefully, this next school year will feel a lot more normal than the last.
Thank you for your support of BCSC.
Jim
Links:
Dr. Roberts on AM Columbus WCSI
On this episode of We Are BCSC, Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts sits down with 1010 WCSI's AM Columbus program to discuss reopening plans for our district, summer facilities projects, recent flooding at Columbus East High School, and back to school supplies information.
Each month, Dr. Roberts sits down with 1010 WCSI as well as QMIX to discuss what's happening in and around BCSC. Make sure to listen to 1010 WCSI and QMIX 107.3 for more information like this episode.
To find out more about BCSC, visit our website at www.bcscschools.org.