Partnering With Our Community

Approximately 150 Columbia School District teachers, staff and administrators appreciate the opportunity to assist in developing and increasing learning activities to benefit your child’s education. Our goal is to partner with you to provide your child an outstanding educational experience in a safe, positive and dynamic environment.   

At the schools in the Columbia District, we work on being intentional regarding our students’ learning opportunities.  Teachers develop plans which include activities designed to enhance student achievement.  Our terrific teachers use detours and “teachable moments” to allow random events to become learning filled occasions.   The other day I ventured into a classroom where a visiting spider had given the teacher an opportunity to help the students learn a bit about the rather large arachnid.

Increasingly, teachers are integrating technology into their learning activities in their classroom. Our teachers engage their learners by unfolding their lesson by intentionally using technology to boost student interest and understanding.  The teachers are coming up with creative ideas to improve student achievement and to increase the capability of students to be successful problem solvers.  We are empowering our teachers to work with students to harness technology to gather information and to communicate efficiently and effectively.  Our teachers, using best practices, are striving to increase literacy and integration of technology while incorporating digital and blended learning activities into the educational environment in their classrooms.

As a member of the Columbia School District community you may support the teachers’ intentional focus on enhancing the students’ achievement by encouraging your child or grandchild to fully complete their school projects or assignments.  You may encourage your child to take the next step and learn more about topics they are covering in school by conducting web-quests.  You may also support our wonderful teachers by engaging in positive verbal support as you speak with others in the community.  Your enthusiasm for learning at Columbia Schools may also include volunteering to serve on a committee or read a book to a child or cheer our sports teams on to victory.

As we work together side-by-side leading the children of the community to become lifelong learners, our support of education will have an enduring effect on our children! I am deeply proud of the critical and immeasurable community support for the Columbia School District. Thanks to your help, Columbia School District has become one of Michigan’s premier school districts.

If you have questions about how you may partner with the Columbia School District or to register your child for school, please email me at Pamela.Campbell@myeagles.org or call me at 517.592.6641.

Firmly Rooted in Education

Over the weekend I was pruning bushes and pulling weeds.  As I pulled the weeds with prickly spines, I noticed that while they had large leaves, their roots were small.  They were easily pulled out as I grabbed them with my gloved hand.  I compared the root system of the weeds to that of other small plants and bushes; I realized that the plants we value have intricate root systems that reach far into the soil to give them a strong base to grow from. 

In much the same way our children need extensive support systems to grow and mature.  Columbia School District focuses on supporting our students academically and nutritionally.  Our students have the opportunity to take advanced courses that will get them ready for their future.  Last week as I spoke to various students at Columbia Central High School I heard many positive comments.  One student exclaimed excitedly that she loves science and was taking Anatomy and Physiology, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine.  Another student told me on Friday that she loved her teachers and her classes, especially Chemistry and Algebra II.  Still another student mentioned that he is taking college courses through our dual enrollment program.  Several students told me that they are excited to be taking Advanced Placement classes so they may earn college credits.  Our teachers make an effort to give their students educational learning opportunities to help them grow and mature into life-long learners.

At the middle school level our students develop their educational root systems by learning and collaborating.  Over the past two years we have focused much energy on introducing our students to Chromebooks and integrating technology into all of our courses.  Students at the middle school have the opportunity to earn high school credits in mathematics, Spanish and history.  This past summer thirteen of our middle school students participated in advanced math courses that resulted in high school credit.  Other middle school students opted to participate in the Leaders In Training program that gave them an opportunity to work collaboratively building their teamwork skills.

This fall we are introducing a new program that will provide support for our third through eighth grade students and will increase their understanding of mathematics and language arts.  We are joining the Michigan League of Academic Games.  Students learn the games of Equations, On Words and On Sets.  In a fun and challenging game setting our students will learn aspects of Algebra II such as set theory, square roots, exponents, imaginary numbers and will use the basic operations of addition, subtraction, division and multiplication.

We all want our children to become successful, productive members of society who are rooted in a solid educational foundation.  Our students are continually building their root systems and our teachers and staff members work diligently to assist and support them as they grow and mature into wonderful adults.  If you are interested in learning more about the programs at Columbia School District, please email me at Pamela.Campbell@myeagles.org or call me at 5175926641.

Assessment In Our Lives

Most of us have to mow our lawn once a week, pull weeds and prune bushes at our homes.  We also have to keep our vehicles working properly so we can get from place to place.  Each time we begin to work on our landscaping or check over our vehicles, we must go through a process of assessment and evaluation.  The assessment and evaluation of our environment whether our landscaping, or the vehicles we drive, keeps us on track. Columbia School District also uses a system of assessment and evaluation for our students' learning environment.

This year the Columbia School District has adopted the iReady assessment program for our students in kindergarten through eighth grade and students who attend Options High School.  The program is designed to assess an individual student’s skills across multiple grade levels to pinpoint strengths and gaps in their learning in mathematics and English language arts.  The assessment may be given to students up to four times per year and will allow teachers to target areas where there students may need additional work.  

The iReady is a computerized adaptive assessment which uses a dynamic mode based on student response patterns to derive large amounts of information from the test items.  For example, a second grade student who has strong math skills may begin at the second grade level and end up in some strength areas at fifth or sixth grade.  The iReady will also give teachers information on the areas where that student may need additional assistance.  This is a different ideology compared to the old bubble in traditional fixed-form tests.  The adaptive tests give students an opportunity to push the limits of their knowledge base and efficiently pinpoints the student’s educational needs.

This type of assessment program is beneficial for providing differentiated instruction based upon strengths and for identifying gaps spanning back multiple years.  Columbia teachers will use this information to individualize next steps for instruction for each student.  One of the strengths of the iReady assessment program is that student results are tracked from year to year.  Based upon the results of the adaptive diagnostic, the program will provide individualized online and teacher-led instruction which is appropriate and targeted to each student’s unique needs.  Teachers are able to print out reports and action plans for groups of students or individual children.  The reports also include the tools to present the information in the most appropriate way for each student’s learning needs.

Next time you check your vehicle’s oil, fill up the gas tank, or strategize a plan for your landscaping, think about the iReady assessment program used by Columbia School District to help support our students as they learn and increase their knowledge base in mathematics and English language arts.  If you have any questions regarding the Columbia School District, email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call at 5175926641.​

Updated Columbia Elementary and Middle School Campus

In any environment there are right and left-brained individuals.  This combination of the two types of people helps to make school a rich learning environment.  The so called “right-brained” thinkers are said to be creative, thoughtful and intuitive.  “Left-brained” thinkers give us the logical, analytical and sequential way of approaching a problem or a concern.  Strengths of right-brained and left-brained combine to make the school environment rich during learning activities.  Classrooms in the Columbia School District often use grouping to solicit various solutions and problem-solving approaches by complementing right-brained people with students who are left-brained.

As we have worked with our construction projects we also have included right and left-brained individuals in the process.  Some of us look at things in square boxes, very sequentially, while others view the area in question with a creative approach.  Some of our contributors use charts, graphs and organizational utilitarian strategies, while other participants go by their experience and feelings.  As we have proceeded through the process we have discussed, designed, and redesigned areas, then kept, delayed or deleted individual items. 

This summer our projects included new roofs at all four schools.  The roofing projects included new metal trim around the edge, upgraded and improved soffits and soffit lighting and new downspouts.  The roofs received new insulation and are warrantied.  So far we have had very few leaks throughout this process.  Unfortunately, one leak emerged after the antenna on the Columbia Central High School was placed directly above the CC logo in center court in the gymnasium.  The slight rip in the seam of the roof during a short down pour, resulted in some damage at center court.  The roofing contractor is paying for the damage to the court.

One of the important safety items we tackled this summer has been the separation of the parent drop-off and
bus loop at the Columbia Middle and Elementary School Campus.  Parents will find it convenient to drive east on School Street straight into the parent drop-off loop.  The loop goes to the right, so parents may drop their middle school students off first, then proceed around to the elementary school drop off area.  There will be two lanes: the right one for dropping your child off and the left one for passing.  Children should exit from the passenger side of their vehicle. Parents may not drop their child off from the left lane or they may be in peril of getting hit by a car.  To keep the drop-off lanes working to peak efficiency, please ask your child to have their shoes or boots on and their school supplies in hand when you pull up to the drop-off area.  There will be a small parking area in the center of the drop-off loop for preschool parents.  This area is reserved for preschool parents because they have to bring their little ones into the school to sign them in.

For parents who desire to park and bring their child into the building, they will find it convenient to park immediately west of either the elementary or middle school.  Parents with elementary aged children are asked to park in the “Parent/Staff” lot on the west end of the elementary school.  This lot is designed for parking only, not for drop-off.  All drop-offs must be made in the drop-off loop between the buildings.  Middle school parents who must accompany their children into the building are asked to park in the “Parent/Staff” lot immediately west of the middle school.  This lot is being transformed from a drop-off loop into a regular parking lot.  The formerly dirt and gravel lot may be used by either elementary or middle school parents.

A second safety element is the bus loop.  Children arriving by school bus will be dropped off in a separate area from the parent drop-off loop.  This area is accessed by the new bus driveway off of Monroe Street.  This drive may not be accessed by any automobile traffic. 

It is exciting to see this summer’s renovations coming to a close just in time for the next phase to go out for bid in October.  A heart felt “Thank You” goes out to all of you left or right-brained community members who have participated in the Facility Improvement Team or any of our other committees.  The improvements to our schools are a testament to your hard work and tenacity!

If you have questions regarding the traffic flow at the middle or elementary schools, please attend the Back-to-School Bash for Columbia Elementary students on Wednesday, August 27^th from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm or the Open House for Columbia Middle School students also on Wednesday, August 27^th from 6 pm to 7:30 pm.  If you have questions regarding registering your child for Columbia Schools, please email me at Pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call me at 5175926641.

Stuff the Bus!

Recently I was talking to a friend of mine regarding my concern for children who come from families who are struggling to provide back-to-school supplies.  As we talked about the opportunity for community members to donate notebooks, pens, pencils and backpacks, my friend launched into her own story.  She told me that her eldest daughter was ready to begin school when her situation changed at home.  Her husband left her with nothing, so she applied for a position back in Michigan to be closer to her parents.  However, it took all she had to get moved and she was worried that her daughter would not have everything she needed to start school.

She knew that her daughter had grown a lot during the summer and wouldn't fit into her clothes from the last fall, and she certainly didn't have funds to purchase a new backpack or other school supplies.  Being a woman of faith, she prayed that she would be able to provide for her daughter as she began school.  The next morning she opened the door and there was a big box filled with a mixture of gently used hand-me-down clothes and items that still had the price tags!  There was even a backpack filled with school supplies.  When she checked the return address, she noted it was from a friend.  When she phoned her friend to thank her, she learned that her friend had gone through her daughter’s closet pulled out items that no longer fit her.  When she mentioned the backpack, her friend told her that they had been at the store getting back-to-school items and her daughter had suggested they send the items along with the clothes.

At Columbia Schools, we too have families, who struggle just like my friend who was in need at that point of her life.  As you make trips to the store to purchase back-to-school items for your child or grandchild, you may want to pick up a couple extra notebooks, pencils, pens or even a backpack to donate to someone who is in need.  Donations of school supplies may be dropped off at any of the Columbia School District offices or put your donation in the school bus during “Stuff the Bus Week” August 25^th through September 2^nd; you never know…your generosity may just be the answer to a mother’s prayer.

If you are interested in registering your child for school or learning how you might volunteer at the Columbia School District, please email me at pam.campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641.

Getting Ready for Kindergarten!

Kindergarten is an exciting time for children and their parents. As your child moves from preschool or daycare to Kindergarten they may need you to help prepare him or her for this big step. You may be able to build their confidence by doing family activities to help your child learn what school will be like. Over the next several weeks before school begins on Tuesday, September 2nd you may want to try some of the following activities:

• Doing art projects with your child and incorporating the use of crayons, markers, glue, scissors, paint, and other supplies will help him or her to be familiar with activities he or she will do in school.

• Math activities such as counting pennies, grouping items into similar categories, matching numerals with numbers of items, talking about time, and discussing differences in sizes of items such as big, little, small and large.

• Reading books together. The Public Library is a great source for choosing books at random or about a particular topic your child is interested in, such as dinosaurs, dogs, animals, or space travel.

Columbia School District is offering all day Kindergarten, Young 5’s, and Preschool for your children. We believe that all day Kindergarten and all day Young 5’s program are successful in providing additional learning opportunities for our students. The additional time allows teachers to expand and advance our curriculum providing increased academic experiences for our Kindergarteners and Young 5’s. Our teachers are excited about the growth and achievements they see in our children who participate in all day Kindergarten.

Since beginning all day Kindergarten we have seen many benefits. Our students learn to read in Kindergarten and they are excited when they get an opportunity to read to each other. They are able to work on additional math facts and learn about how to count coins. The students count pennies, nickels, and dimes. They also have an opportunity to work with guided writing strategies. Many of the current standards and benchmarks are very similar to what used to be taught in first grade.

Transitioning from preschool or daycare to Kindergarten or Young 5’s is a big step for children. If you haven’t had an opportunity to register your child for one of these terrific programs, please stop by Columbia Elementary or call 592-6632 or email Mrs. Powell @ deb.powell-principal@myeagles.org or lori.hunter@myeagles.org. Together we are Building a Brighter Future for our Students!

Paddling as a Team Towards Educational Excellence!

Recently my husband took a group to West Virginia to go whitewater rafting.  For those of you who have been on the New River, you know that there are medium rapids, fast rapids and a couple areas of calm water.  As you proceed down the river you follow the lead of your guide: paddle on the right, paddle backwards, or lean a particular way.  When you make it through an especially difficult run of rapids, you feel a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie.  You and your rafting team-mates may even use your paddles to do a huge “high-five.”

In a school district, much like a river raft, there must be guides.  The Columbia School District Board of Education guides the district by making policy decisions and budgetary assessments.  When looking forward to the district improvements, the Facility Improvement Team handed over draft plans for the bond issue and the School Board adopted the recommendations.  As the projects go forward the board continues to adjust the plans and maximize the benefits for the students. The guidance they provide influences all those in the Columbia School District family.

Working closely with the School Board, administrators, teachers and community is another guide; the superintendent.  Similar to the way the guides on the New River ask the participants to paddle left, right or backward, as superintendent I work with the principals and teachers on curriculum, technology and school improvements.  I also have the responsibility of putting the budget together and I work closely with the construction team, made up the School Board, Steering Committee, architect, construction manager and contractors. 

This year our high school teachers and students had a new guide in Mr. Hyliard.  As he worked throughout the year with the teachers and students they developed camaraderie, similar to the teams in the river rafting.  They also set their sights to build on previous years’ work by improving student test scores and they succeeded! Our students responded to the guidance of their teachers and principal to achieve to a level unequaled by other schools in the county.  On the MME and ACT, the students raised their scores in each category compared to last year.

Providing guidance for Columbia Middle School is Mrs. O’Neil.  In her second year as principal, she has worked with her teachers to create a positive learning environment for all students.  They work together to celebrate excellence with Student of the Month, the Science Fair, the Robotics Team and Geography Race.  They also have put in a lot of time paddling together in the same direction towards achievement of their school improvement goals.

Mrs. Powell provides the guidance to the Columbia Elementary School teachers and students.  One of their school improvement goals was to align their curriculum to the Common Core standards.  They have spent hours and hours working together to set their goals, objectives and activities to provide excellence in learning activities for their students.  They also have worked on improving support for their students in reading and writing. 

Options High School teachers and students follow the lead of principal Piepkow. One the growing programs at Options is the Online Academy.  The Columbia Online Academy has many students joining every day and taking advantage of the learning environment options.

The Columbia School District is looking forward to the 2014 – 2015 school year!  Beginning on September 2^nd, we are set to have the best year ever!  CCHS has two new science courses and one new AP social studies course.  CMS is providing various new summer programs that will give students an advantage when they begin school in the fall. CES is offering Reading Recovery this summer and has additional supplemental materials for mathematics.  All of the schools will have carts of new Chromebooks for the students and the elementary will have a card of new iPads for students to use. 

If you would like to join us as we paddle our raft to excellence in educational learning environments and register your child for school, please call me at 5175926641 or email me at pam.campbell@myeagles.org.