Columbia School District: Supporting Our Community

Home for the holidays!  Each year many people travel home for the holidays to celebrate with family and friends.  We bring Christmas presents to our loved ones and spend time laughing and celebrating together.  Gathering around a table filled with turkey, ham or roast beef, most of us eat to our hearts content.  However, there are many families in our area who struggle to make ends meet. 

During this season of giving Columbia students and staff members sponsored families for Christmas with toys and canned goods.  Our students banded together to collect over a thousand nonperishable food items.  The students at Columbia Central Junior - High School teamed up with the Country Market and the community of Brooklyn to collect donations of food and paper products.  Many people recognized the need and donated funds that were turned into additional nonperishable food items. 

Even our youngest students at Columbia Elementary School brought cans of green beans, ravioli and even chicken noodle soup!  The donations of Ramen Noodles, spaghetti sauce and toilet paper were given to the Brooklyn Food Pantry to be distributed to those families who are struggling.  

At Columbia Upper Elementary students and staff members not only donated food items, they teamed up with high school students to collect toys and funds to purchase toys and clothing for families in our area.  These donations will help to give many area children a better Christmas.

If you missed the opportunity to donate to the Columbia School District food and toy drive, you still have time to donate funds to a nonprofit before the end of the year.  The Brooklyn Food Pantry accepts donations of food and funds all year around to address the needs of struggling families in our area.  The Salvation Army will have their Red Kettles and bell ringers at various locations in the Jackson area including Wal-Mart through noon on December 24^th.  You may also make a tax-deductible donation of funds to an area nonprofit such as the Columbia Educational Foundation for student scholarships, Columbia School District for technology, a YMCA camp for camperships for needy children or a local church for their efforts to help area families. 

If you are interested in finding out more about Columbia School District and our programs, email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641.

Early Christmas at Columbia!

Christmas came early for many of our Columbia School District classrooms as a result of our 2015 Cash Bash Silent Auction!  We were able to fund some terrific new innovative educational additions through a mini grant process.  The 3A’s Mini Grant was designed to provide funds for Academics, Arts and Athletics.   At Columbia Elementary School first grade teachers Mrs. Hawkins and Mrs. Jenness received funds for their classrooms. 

Mrs. Hawkins’ $1,000 mini grant was for a new educational game system called Osmo.  This system uses an iPad with an interactive interface and provides the users with fine motor activities using manipulatives.  This truly innovative device and app gives the children problem solving activities with visual feedback for the students.   Mrs. Hawkins’ students are very thankful for the generosity of those who donated to the silent auction at the cash bash and to those who purchased the items.

Mrs. Jenness received $309 for a classroom learning center for her classroom.  In her grant application, she cited the many benefits to having a listening center in a classroom.  She wrote that it helps to “build sight word vocabulary, exposes students to a variety of story structures (genres), provides access to higher level texts, fosters independence, models phrasing and fluency, compliments and supplements curriculum, and students don’t always have someone at home to read them books.”  Her students were very excited to hear about their new listening center.

At Columbia Upper Elementary School, Principal Mrs. O’Neil and third grade teacher Mrs. Wright, worked with teachers to reorganize the Media Center and evaluated all of the books.  Their mini grant application was titled, “Loving the Library at Columbia Upper Elementary.”  They received $1,000 for books and posters for the new literature.  In addition, I was able to set up a donation from School Specialty Company for some great brightly colored “marsh mellow” chairs and triangle tables.  The students love their new books and furniture!

Columbia Central Junior – Senior High School had four successful grant applications.  Mrs. Eastman teaches math, coding and robotics at Columbia Central Junior High School.  She applied for a mini grant for her coding and robotics class.  In her grant application she wrote that, “the critical need the program will address is the need for students to problem solve, communicate and prepare for future careers.  Students will have the opportunity to construct knowledge and build theories through robotics, thus strengthening their understanding of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in collaborative settings.  Problem solving and communication are life-long skills that can be applied to every aspect of a student’s life.  Robotics also helps to prepare and introduce students for many high demand careers in the STEM fields.”     Her students are very pleased to have $1,000 worth of new robotics parts and pieces to use in their classroom due to the generosity of community members.

Spanish teacher Mrs. Daniels wrote a grant for $150 for a cross curricular program that features a little bit of art and a lot of Spanish culture.  The goal of the cultural learning experience was to have students learn about the significance and history of the piñata, along with creating amazing piñatas.  After they are completed, the students will take them home to share with their families.

At Columbia Central High School Mrs. VanWagnen and Ms. Samson were granted funds for their classrooms.  Mrs. VanWagnen’s Sports Medicine class was initially created in the fall 2014 and the students wanted to have a greater effect on their peers and teachers.  The goal of the grant was to serve additional students at Columbia Central High School through a student-led health and wellness program.  The new wellness program received funding in the amount of $1000 to provide an initial amount of funds for the students to initiate the program.  Ms. Samson teaches science and received a mini grant for science equipment that teaches her students about flight.  Her innovative STEM program using hands-on activities teaches the scientific properties of flight.  If you are interested in learning how your child could attend Columbia School District, call 5175926641 or email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org .

Columbia Offers Many Activities for our Students!

One of my favorite annual activities is baking Christmas cookies.  Sometime I end up baking them during the second week of December, but this year I made them this past weekend.  As usual I made three types: Lebkuchen, Molasses and Sugar Cookies.  While I enjoy making and eating all three of them, my favorite type is sugar cookies.

At Columbia School District we encourage our students to have favorite pursuits, and much like I enjoy baking Christmas cookies, our students enjoy participating in various activities.  This past weekend our about forty of our Columbia Central High School students participated in a musical play.  The students had been diligently practicing their lines and songs for quite a few weeks.  The sets were nice and the actors and actresses performed well.  One of the things I noticed about many of the students in the play was that just like I make several different types of cookie, most of the participants are involved in several activities at Columbia.

Additionally this past weekend our Columbia Upper Elementary Lego Robotics Team competed in a robotics meet.  This is a new activity and is giving the students an opportunity to use teamwork and problem solving strategies to plan, develop, program and build the robot.  This activity helps the participants build their critical thinking skills and exposes them to a future in robotics.  Much like I enjoy baking Christmas cookies, the robotics students enjoy participating in this educational and fun activity.

Whether a student enjoys after school activities like plays or robotics, or likes participating in sports, band, honor society or leadership activities, they make the school experience better, just like frosting does on the sugar cookies.  At Columbia School District we encourage our students and their families to be involved in school sponsored and community activities.  If you are interested in learning more about the activities offered for your student, email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call me at 5175926641.

Focused on Learning at Columbia!

As I gazed up at the evening sky the other evening, I was amazed at the beautiful moon.  It was so beautiful I wanted to take a picture.  Initially I took a picture that included the trees and the horizon,but it did not do the moon justice, so I focused closer and took a picture of the just the moon.  When I focused at the moon itself, it was more strikingly special and vibrant.

At Columbia Schools our teachers and administrators look for the special things about our students and focus on their skills and talents.  Last week over 150 Columbia Central High School students were honored for their academic achievement over the past year.  These students are not only intelligent, but they are hard-working and possess vibrant skills that have been nurtured and encouraged by their teachers. 

These top students and others like them have given Columbia Central High School top rankings for the past three years, being named as Silver and Bronze Medallion Award recipients from U.S. News and World Report, along with earning the distinction of a Reward School from the State of Michigan.  On Friday we were notified that this year’s senior class received top scores in the county on their State Assessment (the ACT) last spring.  Congratulations to our students for their diligence in studying for the assessment and to their teachers for their exceptional direction and focus on academic excellence.

The positive academic focus at Columbia begins with our youngest students.  Last week I spent some time at our elementary school watching and talking to our teachers and students.  Similarly to how the focus on the crescent moon revealed positive results, my visit to the classrooms found teachers who use planned focused activities to increase their students’ academic level.  In many of the classrooms the teachers were focusing on increasing their students’ proficiency in literacy.  Children were reading and working together on literacy skill building activities.  In other classrooms students were collaborating and learning together.  In one of the kindergarten classes students were involved in various activities, with some children laying on small carpets reading, others working on math concepts using play dough, while others were using iPads to improve their educational abilities.  All of the children were focused on learning.

Columbia teachers and students are focused on learning and excellence in academics.  In much the same way as I focused on the moon, the teachers keep excellence in their viewfinder to improve the skills and abilities of their students.  If you are interested in learning more about the great programs at Columbia School District, please email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641.

Better Than In The Movies!

Education at Columbia School District is better than in the Movies!  Over the years we have seen television shows or movies that focus on school life.  While story lines about schools take risks and exploit academic opportunities, at Columbia Schools the teachers, parents and students have partnered to give students the best opportunity for academic success.   This past weekend we had a great example of that partnership when the elementary Parent Teacher Organization held a very successful Fall Festival for our children.  Not only was it fun for the elementary children, but it gave our teens an opportunity to give back by volunteering to help run the activities and games.  While this event would not make it on television or in a movie, it was a fun, inclusive and positive activity filled time for all of our elementary students.

When you watch a movie you only see just what is on the screen, at Columbia there is a well-rounded philosophy that keeps all of our students in view of the teachers and administrators.  Columbia School District teachers work together to give their students a solid academic foundation.  At Columbia Upper Elementary students are experiencing STEM in two unique ways; The Lego Robotics Program and The Michigan League of Academic Games.  The students participating in these programs only need to have enthusiasm to learn more by experiencing hands-on strategies.  Robotics continues through junior high and into high school.  These programs use collaboration, camaraderie and problem solving to extend learning opportunities in a practical futuristic way.

On the big screen the focus is on the exceptions rather than reality.  For example, the Hogwarts School in Harry Potter housed children who had magical abilities.  At Columbia the magic is not in our students, but in the way our teachers inspire students in their academic endeavors.  Our teachers are positive, creative and hardworking individuals who work to be inclusive of all students not just those who fly, become invisible or use their telepathic powers to get good grades.  Picture ("Hog2warts" by Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hog2warts.jpg#/media/File:Hog2warts.jpg)

One television program that focused on school life was “Welcome Back Kotter.”  This comedy was popular, but regularly featured students who were not behaved and often ridiculed each other.  At Columbia, our students not only care about each other, but maintain a focus on positive classroom behavior.  Recently about forty of our high school students attended a three day-two night event called “Communication Camp.”  This event gave students the ability to make connections on a deeper level and learn about others.  Activities like Communication Camp, Leadership Forum and other leadership opportunities, give our students an opportunity to excel while moving past the cliché school experience.

Columbia School District’s positive programs and activities both during the day and afterschool help to make our students’ experience better in the movies!  If you are interested in learning more about Columbia School District, email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641.

Outstanding Educators at Columbia School District!

Last week I was driving along a beautiful country road spell-bound by the dazzling fall colors.  As I drove past field after field, I noticed various configurations of trees and bushes.  In one farmer’s field there were straight rows tilled with a tree standing right in the middle of the field.  As I contemplated the implications of the beautiful tree standing strong, I thought how our Columbia School District educators stand up for their students and provide many opportunities for success.

Our Columbia Elementary teachers have worked together, standing strong spending many hours over the past two years aligning their curriculum in both mathematics and language arts.  They have created many activities and lessons to give their students the greatest opportunity for success.  One of the skill building strategies used in some of the classrooms has given the students an opportunity to feature their writing in their own blog.  By blogging, the students’ teachers, peers, parents and other special relatives may review and comment on their stories.  All of the positive comments serve to encourage the students to write more.

Similar to the way we assess our environment, like the my admiration for the beautiful tree, the teachers at Columbia Elementary for PK through second grades, Columbia Upper Elementary School for grades three through six, Columbia Central Junior High, Options High School and Columbia Central High School ninth graders, are using an assessment tool called iReady.  This tool uses a progressive system called an adaptive assessment to allow our students to find their exact academic level.  The iReady program uses the academic level of the student to help determine skill building lessons.  Teachers focus activities and strategies to increase student success.

In the Columbia School District we also have outstanding strong programs for vocal and instrumental music.  Similarly to the way I appreciated the beautiful tree, those in our community admire the musicians in our midst.  Our Columbia Central High School Marching Band has made a name for their selves by not only performing beautifully in parades and at football games, but at their many competitions throughout the year.  Our vocal music program has prepared many students to sing in the choirs and our musicals.

These are only a couple examples how our teachers in Columbia are outstanding in a beautiful way much like the way the fall colored tree in the farmer’s field stood out against the background.  If you are interested in learning more about the programs at Columbia School District, please email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641.

Changing Colors of Fall!

The other day one of my friends told me about an experience with his son.  They were out in the woods doing some hiking and hunting.  As the sun rose and lit the trees with its rays, his son said about the vibrant fall colors practically leaping off of the leaves, “This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in nature.”  This ten-year-old was focused on the incredible beautiful ever changing colors of the leaves. 

 As I rush out the door every morning, I take a minute to focus on the beautiful colors of the changing leaves and the rays of the warming sun.  Recently as I gazed up at the bright oranges, yellows, reds and greens of the trees, it made me think about how education has changed over the past several years. 

Technology is one of the most brightest and colorful ever changing areas of education, much like the changing colors of the leaves on the trees.  These days we hear a lot of changing ideas about educating our children.  One phrase we have heard a lot about is “Blended Learning.”  What exactly is blended learning and does it have positive results for our students? 

Blended learning uses both digital learning strategies through online media and traditional classroom instruction.  Students are able to complete the online portion of the learning, decide on the place they access the online content and set an appropriate pace.  Columbia Central High School students use blended learning strategies in quite a few of their classrooms.  In Advanced Placement Biology, Mr. Dickens uses blended learning techniques to enhance the time the students have in their classroom.  He uses a strategy called “Flipped Classroom.”  In this strategy students choose the time and place that they review the material in the lesson before coming to class.  This material may include research, specific online sites or a Podcast.  Once the students arrive in class they begin with activities based upon the material they covered online and may follow up with an assessment covering their assignment and activities.

Blended learning activities also are taking place at Columbia Upper Elementary School.  Many teachers are using strategies that integrate technology both at home and during school.  Recently I spoke to several students who were working on a blended learning technique that included doing online research, creating a graphic organizer and translating that into a multipage website.  This strategy gave the students an opportunity to work in their own time, at their own pace, using a learning-path they chose and a place that worked for them. 

In some of our Columbia Elementary School classrooms teachers are having students write in their blogs online and then classmates, parents, and other relatives, in addition to the teacher, read and write reviews.  This partnership between parents, students and the teacher is made possible through the online techniques of blended learning.

At Columbia Options High School students use online applications during their traditional classes as well as during their virtual classes.  We support students as they complete their virtual classes with a drop-in center and a resource teacher.  Many students find the virtual portion to be better suited to their learning needs, but they also find the resource teacher very important to assist them with questions.

By integrating technology and blended learning into the curriculum teachers must reinvent their teaching techniques.  To adapt the learning activities into this innovative way of teaching and learning, teachers collaborate together and experience a sustainable, transformation that results in meaningful student growth.

At Columbia as we have worked to integrate technology into the curriculum and use blended learning strategies to enhance students’ ability to acquire new knowledge, we have seen a progressive improvement of student retention by using these techniques.  Students enjoy completing online research activities such as in the example in Mr. Dickens’ Advanced Placement course and seem to experience a greater level of retention.  As we continue to use blended learning activities, strategies and techniques with our students we anticipate that they will increase their performance on post activity assessments.  When you look up at the beautiful changing fall leaves, remember to think about the changing look of technology in education. If you would like to learn more about Columbia School District or our programs, call me at 5175926641 or email me at pamela.campbell@myeagles.org .