This was originally published in the Feb 13, 2020 Dayton Daily News “In Our Schools” page. I am rereleasing it as a blog because maybe you didn’t see it in the paper, you don’t get the paper, or it’s worth another look to remind us about all of the great things going on in our schools…
Sincerely,
Douglas Cozad, PhD
I Love Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools Because…
By Douglas A. Cozad, PhD
February is a great time to reflect on all of the things that we love about our schools and community. What do people love? Well, it depends on who you talk to!
While out in the community, I often hear people say things like “I love our schools because…”’ and “I love my teachers - they are awesome!” or “I love all of the activities my kids can get involved in” and “I love homework!” (okay, I might just have thrown this last one in there). As I talk with students, I often ask them what they love about their school. They tell me about their teachers and all of the things they are involved in, such as Partnerships For Success (a community service group), Academic Team, sports and band. Students also mention their STEM-based coursework, Biomed class, Advanced Placement courses and project-based learning experiences. Parents often tell me about the dedicated teachers and staff, citing examples of gratitude for a teacher who stayed after school to ensure a student was prepared for a math exam or a counselor who not only spent time with a child to provide guidance on a college and career decision but also a dilemma the student was facing with a classmate.
To help ensure that everyone is able to view the things we all love about Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools, we have made an effort to increase our communications, including our social media presence. Social media is a great way to get an inside look of all of the impressive things students and staff are doing. For example, did you see the post about first grade students in Mrs. Rice’s class, who have been studying nocturnal animals including owls, bats and foxes? They read books, watched short informational videos and wrote animal facts in their journals. Or did you see the post about high school students in French I and how they practiced their classroom and school vocabulary by creating and labeling mini classrooms? In addition to posts about what is currently going on in our schools, a real crowd favorite are Throwback Thursday posts, which include pictures from the district archives. Who knows - if you’re an alum, you might just see your picture up there!
This is just a glimpse of the amazing things going on in our schools - there is so much to love! There are a number of ways to stay connected and up-to-date on all things happening in our district - please visit our website at www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us and click on the Communications Tab and follow us on Facebook (@BellbrookSchools) and Twitter (@BellbrookSchool).
Great efforts are made to foster partnerships between our dedicated teachers, staff, parents, students and the community. It takes an entire community to have our great school system, and our community provides such a strong network of people and resources to encourage and engage our students in educational success.