Columbia School District Teachers Are Dedicated To Their Students!

This weekend I watched several college football games on Saturday and a couple of professional football games on Sunday.  As I watched the players battle for the ball, run in to the in zone for a touchdown or sack the quarterback, I thought about how many hours they practice to get to the collegiate or professional level. 

At Columbia School District our teachers also spend many hours working to hone their teaching skills through professional development and advanced classes.  Each teacher must earn the equivalent of six credits every five years and spend at least thirty hours in school based professional development each year.  Teachers read educational articles and books in order to continue to learn best practices in teaching and learning.  Many teachers scour the internet reading teacher blogs and articles about what activities are included at schools across the country. 

As we prepared for school this fall our teachers spent several days working together, analyzing data and planning positive learning interventions.  During their collaborative learning opportunities they discussed and cooperated on many activities that will provide success oriented activities

for their students.  Many of our teachers spent the summer taking courses, reading educational books or attending seminars to help them prepare for their students.

We had several teachers attend seminars focused on the curriculum for Advanced Placement courses.  Some of our teachers spent time this summer joining almost 1,000 other educators at Nerd Camp focusing on literacy, technology integration and innovative educational activities.  Still other Columbia educators connected with colleagues to participate in book studies.  In addition, some of our teachers and administrators participated in leadership focused activities this summer.

As you watch the various sporting events this fall and admire the proficiency of the athletes, think about all of the effort our great Columbia School District educators put into improving their ability to teach our children and preparing our students to be successful learners.  These fine Columbia instructors are truly life-long learners.  If you are interested in learning more about Columbia educational opportunities, email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641.

Columbia School District Says Thank You to Our Community!

In 2012 we began meeting as a community interested in improving school safety, increasing our ability to keep our students warm and dry, and enhancing our technology.  Our Facility Improvement Team worked together with Granger Construction and Kingscott Architects to put together the right combination of improvements to provide an excellent learning environment for our students.  In November of 2013, the community voted to approve the two proposals totaling $30.5 million. 

Thank you to the Columbia Board of Education for their commitment and positivity through the Bond Campaign and construction process.   Thank you to Mr. Robert Wahr, Board President for his leadership and continual support.  Thank you to Mr. Garry Applegate, Board vice president, for his construction expertise, enthusiasm and time commitment, attending hundreds of meetings and putting in thousands of hours over the past three years.  Thank you to Mr. Mark Fish for his knowledge of the inner working of electrical projects and attendance to committee meetings.  Thank you to Mrs. Jodi Collins for her ability to motivate fellow committee members and her ability to organize people to canvas the entire community, going door to door educating our friends and neighbors and helping to plan and carryout this ceremony.  Thank you to Mr. Dave Slusher for his support through this process, first as the high school principal and for the past two years as a board member.  Thank you to Mr. Michael Moore for his enthusiasm for the project and his steadfast belief in the importance of creating a positive technological learning environment for our students.  Thank you to Mrs. Bev Fish for her assistance in organizing this ceremony and support throughout the bond campaign.  Thank you also to former school board members Dan Fulara and Doug Schedler for their support and expertise throughout the bond passage and construction process.

I want to recognize our principals Daniel Hyliard, Nick Rulewicz, Christi O’Neil, Deb Powell, Ralph Piepkow, and Lisa Klink for their time commitment attending countless committee meetings, walking door to door, even in the rain, and answering questions from our community members regarding the project.

I want to recognize our teachers and aides for their enthusiasm and positive attitude as they canvassed the community door to door, attended committee meetings, and moved countless boxes and furnishings out of the building and back into the buildings, even over this holiday weekend.  Thank you to one of our retired teachers, Willow Jeffreys, who has been involved in every phase of the process from the bond campaign all the way through until today.

Thank you to our secretarial and clerical staff members for their intense optimism as they answered questions, guided the moving process, packed boxes and still maintained their positive attitudes.

Thank you to our hard working diligent custodial and maintenance staff led by Mr. Bill Bradley for their immense time commitment working to make this transition happen by moving thousands of boxes, chairs and desks, as well as joining in the bond campaign by encouraging their friends and neighbors to vote yes.

Thank you to our positive and enthusiastic Columbia students who never complained as they worked to pass the bond issue and helped to move our teaching staff out, then back in to the buildings.  We couldn’t have done this without you.

Thank you to our Granger construction management team, Glenn Granger for your leadership, Barry Rooney for your support throughout the bond campaign and construction process, Matt Lerg for his leadership and detail oriented tenacity during the construction, Bronson Clayton for his kind way of reminding our construction team of our high standards for the final project, Ken Heinz and Jason for their countless hours working, supervising and sweating with our construction crew.

Thank you to Kingscott Architects, David Martin lead architect, Sarah Haselschwardt lead designer, Dana McClellan designer and John Noteware project architect.

Thank you to our contractors for all of your hard work throughout the two years of construction.  You made the aggressive timeline possible.  Let’s give a round of applause for all those involved in the construction process.

Thank you to our community for your support and enthusiasm through this improvement process!  It was a blessing the way that our great Columbia community members came together to make these extensive renovations possible.

Seeing Education from Various Vantage Points at Columbia School District

Each summer my husband and I take a group of teens and preteens to Cedar Point.  The experience is enjoyable and educational.  One of the things I find fascinating is that depending on your vantage point, you see the park differently.  When you are on a fast ride you see the area as a blur, both right-side up and upside down.  If you are on the Sky Ride or the giant Ferris Wheel you are able to see a lot of the park and a bit more of the detail.  However, if you tour the park on the ground by walking around, you see details you miss from a speedy or an elevated ride. 

Similarly, Columbia School District teachers, administrators and staff members focus on working closely with your child to ensure the important details are covered.  Whether your child is a preschooler enjoying learning about career choices, a sixth grade student learning about the parts of a cell or a Columbia Central High School senior learning the intricacies’ of solving a crime in the Forensic Science class, our teachers give their students the information they need to be successful. 

Our caring administrators work diligently to craft schedules, programs and educational learning opportunities to give students a firm foundation for a bright future.  The Columbia emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) includes engineering and robotics classes and after school programs, hands-on activities through the MLAG program (Michigan League of Academic Games) and opportunities to earn college credit through our STEM electives: AP Chemistry, AP Biology and AP Calculus.  New this year will be the Upper Elementary Genius Hour project.  During this activity period students will use project based learning techniques to successfully complete hands-on activities.

One of the new programs for our students in kindergarten through sixth grade is the technology exploratory.  This class will give students the opportunity to learn more about educational technology including Chromebooks, iPads and applications that focus on learning strategies.  At Columbia Central high school students will also have new technology options as the result of the addition of our business foundations and Microsoft IT Academy.  These classes will give our high school students the opportunity to build their skills and abilities to provide a pathway to higher education and the work-force. 

In each of the areas of our district our teachers are dedicated to providing our students both a birds-eye view of their subject area, similar to the outlook from Sky Ride at Cedar Point, and the ground-level detail that will give our students a foundation for a successful future.  If you are interested in learning more about Columbia School District, our programs and opportunities for success, email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call me at 5175926641.

Accumulating Knowledge Bit By Bit!

The other day I was rearranging items in my bag when I noticed how heavy it was.  When I pulled my wallet out I realized that it was the culprit.  Upon further investigation I noticed that I had accumulated several dollars' worth of change in the coin purse side.  Who would think that in this small compartment I could have almost a pound of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters?  

Over the years we accumulate many things, some boring and useless, and some items that are precious and priceless.   In much the same way, children accumulate bits of knowledge through their experiences and the learning opportunities that come their way.  At Columbia School District our teachers use various techniques to assist our children as they learn and build their knowledge base. 

This fall our students will be able to take advantage of the use of new iPads and Chromebooks.  Their experiences using these devices will enhance their accumulation of knowledge and skills.  Our students will also be exposed to SMART technology through the interactive projectors and SMART boards.  As our children move forward in their lives they will most certainly use technology in everything they do.  Their use of technology in their Columbia School District classroom will benefit them throughout their lives.

Our students will also have the opportunity to gain insight through the academic focus of their classroom teacher.  Our dedicated Columbia School District teachers passionately focus on helping our students learn and grow, accumulating bits of knowledge, throughout their school careers.  Their accumulation of knowledge and insight will further them down the path to success.  Just like all of the various coins I had accumulated in my wallet, our children will find that the daily, weekly and yearly accumulation of knowledge and skills will give them a firm foundation that is valuable.  If you are interested in registering your child for Columbia School District, please email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641.

Ribbon Cutting at Columbia School District!

Symbolically, a ribbon cutting ceremony is conducted to celebrate a grand opening or renewal of a business, government building or school.  The ribbon cutting ceremony gives the entity an opportunity to celebrate the hard work of the owners, the community, the construction crews, the architects and governmental partners.  The ribbon cutting allows folks from the surrounding area, including the media, an opportunity to participate in the festivities. 

This year school begins on Tuesday, September 8^th and to celebrate the immense work that went into the Columbia School District renovations, you are invited to a ribbon cutting ceremony!  Because the project was spread across the district to all four schools we are having multiple ribbon cuttings.  The times and dates are as follows: Columbia Central High School will have a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 8:30 am on Tuesday, September 8^th.  Columbia Elementary and Upper Elementary Schools will have a joint Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for their students in grades PK through 6^th on Tuesday, September 8^th at 10 am.  Columbia Options High School and Columbia Virtual School (for sixth through twelfth grade) will have their Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday, September 9^th at 10 am.

At the Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies Columbia School District will celebrate our teachers, students, administrators, board members and community members who worked diligently to pass the bond issue in November of 2013 that concentrated on making our schools Safe, Warm, Dry and Smart.  We will also focus our appreciation on our many contractors, Granger Construction Management, and Kingscott Architects.

The work on our buildings is almost finished!  There are many great contractors from the local area who are putting their heart and soul into our project to make it a positive learning environment for our students.  Most of our new exterior windows and doors have been installed.  A lot of the classroom doors have been replaced, SMART projectors and new white boards are being installed in the high school and Upper Elementary, SMART boards are being installed in the Elementary, the new heating and cooling systems are almost fully installed across the district, fresh paint has applied to the walls, new tile and carpet is are going in to the classrooms and hallways, and the updated electrical lines and technology wiring is close to being complete.   Many of the new computers, laptops and iPads have been delivered and the furniture is scheduled to arrive on September 1^st.   It is exciting to see all of the improvements coming to fulfillment.   If you have questions or want to know how your child can attend Columbia School District and take advantage of our great teachers and terrific facilities, email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641.

Columbia School District Supports Our Students!

A couple weeks ago there were a myriad of reports in the news regarding NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft as it approached Pluto.  This spacecraft, about the size of a piano, was launched from Kennedy Space Center on January 19, 2006.  As it flew by, one of the photos that were sent back to earth showed Pluto directly in front of the sun (CNN, 7/26/15).  The photo surprised the NASA

scientists by showing that there were more layers of haze than they expected.  It was reported that the New Horizons spacecraft was 1.25 million miles away from Pluto when the photo was taken.

Another photo that was widely publicized in the media showed an area on the surface that appeared to be in the shape of a heart.  These photos represent the hopes and dreams of many scientists, who worked for years to make New Horizons a reality, then waited for nine more years to see the results.

At Columbia School District we focus our skills as learning specialists, our educational efforts, hopes and dreams into making the success of our students a reality.  Just like NASA’s New Horizons taking time to produce pictures, sometimes children take a little extra time and focus to become successful.  Columbia Elementary has several programs that help support our students as they learn and grow into successful adults. 

Our Reading Recovery program gives elementary students the opportunity to work one-on-one with a trained reading teacher.  These teachers not only work with the children, they also communicate with the parents to provide the greatest opportunity for success.  Our Reading Recovery teachers also spend a portion of the day working with groups of students on literacy.  This strategy teaches children skills to help them be successful in reading, which is the basis for all of our core curricular areas.

Another one of our support programs for our students is Buddies Reading, which uses volunteer community members to help provide one-on-one reading support to our youngest students.  Volunteers in this program not only include many retired community members, but working people on breaks and some of our leadership students from Columbia Central High School.

In addition, at all of our schools, Columbia provides extra support for our students who have individual education plans.  The teachers, who are specially trained to give students optimal assistance, work with the students, their regular teachers and their parents to increase their achievement.

Columbia School District also provides positive support for students in the elementary school through our summer math program for students in grades four through six, the summer Leaders In Training program for students in grades five through eight, Academic Games program open to students from September through March in grades three through eight, new afterschool robotics programs for children in grades three through six, a special “eighth hour” study program at Columbia Central, online programs for area homeschoolers and our summer school program at Columbia Central High School.  If you are interested in learning more about these or other programs at Columbia School District email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call me at 5175926641.

The Importance of STEM!

One of the important areas of emphasis at Columbia School District is STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).  Science is very important in society today.   Science is in our lives from the pavement we drive on; to the medicines we take; to the alarm clocks that wake us up each day.  Science has provided us with new plastics that make up our water bottles, bullet proof vests for our law enforcement professionals and parts for our automobiles.  Our students have the opportunity to take chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology, physics, sports medicine and forensics.  In addition Columbia Central offers the opportunity for our students to earn take college level science courses through our Advanced Placement program. 

Globally, one of the things that science has provided is the basis for technological advancements, which paved the way for cell phones, computers and an impressive array of electronics.  Technology has given students new avenue for learning.  At the schools in Columbia we focus on integrating technology into every area: Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies.  Our students use iPads, Chromebooks, desk top computers and graphing calculators.  Technology allows our students to increasing their learning potential by performing research anywhere and anytime.  In addition, some of the lessons our students perform are flipped lessons.  In a flipped lesson technology allows teachers to provide basic learning opportunities through technology, and then the students work together with their peers and teacher to put their learning into practice the next day. 

Engineering is of increasing importance and is directly connected with the other elements of STEM.  Our students have the opportunity to learn basic engineering principles through our science lessons.  Engineering principles are also taught in our robotics course, through our robotics teams and the high school principles of engineering course.  We have the opportunity to offer three engineering and robotics teams to our students in junior and senior high school.  In addition, this fall we will begin offering afterschool programs in engineering and robotics to our third through sixth grade students.

As the final letter in STEM, M stands for mathematics, which offers a platform for technology and engineering, and is directly tied to science.  Math is in our everyday lives, from shopping for bargains, to driving our cars, to figuring out how much tax we owe on a purchase.  Math is not only used in the science, technology and engineering, it is used by artists and musician in their daily work.  At Columbia, we offer our students an opportunity to play in our Academic Games afterschool where mathematics, language arts, social studies are combined to provide an extensive learning program for participants. Our Columbia Central High School students are able to take Advanced Placement Calculus course and our junior high school students may choose to take advanced math through our accelerated summer program.  If you are interested in learning more about Columbia’s many STEM opportunities, email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641.