Bellbrook-Sugarcreek School District Earned Top Grade on Report

Fall 2018

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools

Our Mission: Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools empowers our learning community to: Be responsible decision-makers and effective problem-solvers;

Persevere in the achievement of life goals; Contribute to communities locally and beyond; and Embrace learning as a lifelong process

Volume 42 Issue 1

t’s official: The Ohio Department of

Education (ODE) released its 2018 state

report card results, and Bellbrook-

Sugarcreek Schools received an A!

Superintendent Dr. Douglas A. Cozad

said, “We are extremely proud of Bellbrook-

Sugarcreek Schools’ recent accomplishment

on the state report card. We are thrilled that

we were one of only 28 school districts, out of

612 districts in Ohio, that earned an A on the

state report card!”

The state report card grades schools and

districts on specific marks of performance

(measures), within broad categories (compo-

nents). The 2018 components are

Achievement, Progress, Graduation Rate, Gap

Closing, Improving At-Risk K-3 Readers and

Prepared for Success. You can visit our web-

site (www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us) or ODE’s

(reportcard.education.ohio.gov) for a complete

look at our district and school report cards.

The Achievement component represents

whether student performance on state tests

meets established thresholds and how well

students perform on tests overall.

The Progress component looks closely at

the growth that all students are making, based

on their past performance.

The Graduation Rate component measures

the percentage of students who are success-

fully completing high school with a diploma in

four or five years.

Gap Closing shows how well schools are

meeting performance expectations for sub-

groups in English language arts, English lan-

guage proficiency, math and graduation.

The component for Improving At-Risk K-3

Readers seems relatively self-explanatory;

however, any school or district with fewer than

5 percent of its kindergarteners reading below

grade level will not receive a letter grade for

this component.

The Prepared for Success component looks

at how well prepared students are for all future

opportunities, whether training in a technical

field or preparing for work or college.

Dr. Cozad said, “This A puts us in the top 5

percent of all Ohio school districts. This

accomplishment is truly a team effort, thanks

to our great kids, supportive parents and com-

munity, dedicated faculty, Board of Education,

administrators and support staff!”

2018-19 School Calendar Page 2 BMS Wins Governor’s Edison Award for 22nd Year in a Row Page 2

BHS high in U.S. News & World Report Rankings Page 3 Rivero OCTM Teacher of the Year Page 5

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek

School District Earned Top

Grade on Report Card!

From The

Superintendent

It is a privilege to have

been selected as the new

Superintendent of

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek

Schools! I was extremely

impressed

with the

start of the

new school

year, full of

anticipation

for an out-

standing

academic

year. The teachers returned

from summer break

refreshed, excited and

ready to help our students

learn and grow.

It is my pleasure to

announce the hiring of

nine new staff members to

our school district. Joining

Stephen Bell Elementary

are Brienna Davidson (first

grade), Paige McRoberts

(second grade) and Jaime

Siler (first grade); joining

Bell Creek Intermediate

Dr. Doug

Cozad

Continued on Page 3

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools

2018-19 School Calendar

Oct. 12 - No school/teacher in-service

Nov. 19 - No school/P.T. Conference Trade Day

Nov. 20 - No school/P.T. Conference Trade Day

Nov. 21-23 - No school/Thanksgiving break

Dec. 5 - Two-hour early dismissal

Dec. 24 - No school/winter break begins

Jan. 7 - School resumes

Jan. 16 - Two-hour early dismissal

Jan. 21 - No school/Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Feb. 15 - No school/teacher in-service

Feb. 18 - No school/Presidents’ Day

Mar. 25 - No school/spring break begins

Apr. 1 - School resumes

Apr. 19 - No school

Apr. 26 - Two-hour early dismissal

Applications are now being accepted for building

custodians, special-needs assistants, substitute bus

drivers and transportation assistants (aides) for the

2018-19 school year. Individuals who qualify will

receive all necessary onboard training, as applicable.

Interested candidates should download a support-

staff application from

www.sugarcreek.oh.us/Employment.aspx and submit

the following to Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools, Attn:

Human Resources, 3757 Upper Bellbrook Rd.,

Bellbrook, OH 45305-8750:

1. District support-staff application

2. Resume

3. Cover letter

Following a review, qualified individuals will be con-

tacted to initiate additional employment procedures.

Bellbrook Middle School (BMS) has received the Governor’s

Thomas Edison Award for Excellence in STEM Education and stu-

dent research for the 2017-18 school year. This is the 22nd con-

secutive win for BMS!

This award recognizes schools and teachers who display excel-

lence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics)-based teaching, specifically those who stimulate sci-

entific student research and technological design and extend

opportunities beyond traditional classroom activities. BMS teachers

acknowledged for the 2017-18 school year are Lisa Bakita, Allie

Bisignani, Emily Cline, Kyle Ferguson, Kim Lord, Cathy St.Pierre,

Jennifer St.Pierre and Debi Schwieterman.

BMS Science Teacher Miss Jennifer St.Pierre said, “This award is

recognition for the achievement of our students, along with the

tremendous support of our administration, parents and community

members!”

BMS earned the recognition by having students participate in

the Scanning Electron Microscope EDucatorS (SEMEDS) program at

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base; attend the space program at the

Dayton Challenger Space Center; and participate in the National

Science League competition, Kids ’N Science Club and more.

The Ohio Academy of Science is one state agency that sponsors

the Governor’s Award. It is the leading organization in Ohio to fos-

ter curiosity, discovery, innovation and problem-solving skills. For

more information visit www.ohiosci.org.

BMS Wins Governor’s Thomas Edison

Award for Excellence 22nd Year in a Row

Substitute Support-Staff Opportunities

In September 2018, Bellbrook Middle School (BMS) held

Challenge Day for all eighth-grade students, for the fourth year in

a row.

Challenge Day, or Be the Change Movement, is a project about

service and giving back to the world. According to the Challenge

Day website, “We challenge you to do one intentional random act

of kindness daily (we call it an ‘Act of Change’) that will benefit

others. The movement is designed to inspire peace, create hope

and challenge everyone to find their affinity for all people.”

It takes three days to give every eighth-grader the Challenge

Day 6½-hour program experience. Over 70 volunteers are recruit-

ed from among school staff and the community. The program is

paid for by donations and community grants.

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Tobacco

Program provides outreach and education about

implementing policies to protect and promote the

health and well-being of all students and staff in

schools; and Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools scored an

A+ on our comprehensive tobacco policy.

The district has implemented a 100% tobacco-free

policy, to endorse a healthy lifestyle and prevent tobac-

co use. No student, staff member, volunteer or school

visitor is permitted to use tobacco products (including

e-cigarettes) at any time, including during non-school

hours, on any school grounds or at any school-spon-

sored event.

ODH believes this policy will provide positive role

models, reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, and

prepare students for smoke-free workplaces and

tobacco-free college campuses.

Tobacco-free policy earns A+

Challenge Day Continues at BMS

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us

The Bridge

Fall 2018

Volume 42, Issue 1

Published Quarterly

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools

3757 Upper Bellbrook Rd.

Bellbrook, Ohio 45305

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools’

Board of Education Office

3757 Upper Bellbrook Rd., Bellbrook, OH 45305

P: 848-6251/848-4800

Bellbrook High School

3737 Upper Bellbrook Rd., Bellbrook, OH 45305

P: 848-3737

Bellbrook Middle School

3600 Feedwire Rd., Bellbrook, OH 45305

P: 848-2141

Bell Creek Intermediate

3777 Upper Bellbrook Rd., Bellbrook, OH 45305

P: 848-3777

Stephen Bell Elementary

4122 N. Linda Dr., Bellbrook, OH 45305

P: 848-7831

District Super Number

848-5001 (to reach any school)

St. Pierre Education Center

3757 Upper Bellbrook Rd., Bellbrook, OH 45305

P: 848-3757

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools’ Honors

District Numbers

Where to Call

2007, 2008,

2012-2018

2011-2017

Ranked 39

in Ohio and

n the top 10% in the USA!

Bellbrook

Middle School

BCI 2018

School are Sara Moore (Intervention

Specialist) and Adam Robert (Special

Needs Assistant); joining Bellbrook

Middle School are Kimberly Blaschak

(Nurse), Tracy Dawson (Special Needs

Assistant) and Allyson Geis (art); and

joining Bellbrook High School is Brian

Haley (math).

My staff and I are working to

expand the partnership among our

schools, parents and community.

Over the past year, the district

embarked on a strategic-planning

process. Committees – comprising of

parents, community members, teach-

ers, staff, Board of Education mem-

bers and administrators came togeth-

er with valuable ideas on how to

guide the district in areas of curricu-

lum, communication, facilities, tech-

nology and finance – were estab-

lished, to ensure future success.

One strategic-planning goal already

implemented pertains to communica-

tion. The district has already begun a

social-media campaign to increase

parent-community engagement and

awareness. You may follow us on

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and

YouTube. You can also visit our new

website at

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us. You can

easily find our social-media sites at

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us/SocialMe

diaPages.aspx or by scanning the QR

code included in this article (down-

load a QR code

reader app).

I would like to

take this opportuni-

ty to thank every-

one who has so

graciously taken the time to introduce

themselves during athletic games,

meetings, school visits, and while I

was out and about in the communi-

ty. I have to say that I’ve been

impressed by the outpouring of sup-

port as I stepped into my new role as

Superintendent of Schools.

Thank you to all of our citizens,

businesses, parents, students, teach-

ers and staff who have contributed to

our schools’ strong sense of commu-

nity! Now is the time for us to contin-

ue the legacy of excellence for our

district. I plan to honor the past, cele-

brate the present and embrace the

future.

SUPERINTENDENT Continued from Cover

From time to time during the school

year, Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools may

close, experience delays or make changes

in school schedules and activities. We will

make every attempt to update the web-

site and use social media to notify you of

changes in a timely manner.

The Instant Connect call out system will

also be used to notify parents of school

cancellations, early dismissals and late

openings. Local TV and radio stations will

carry announcements and updates, as

well.

Inclement Weather:

What to Do

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools

VanBrackel Guest Speaker at AF Museum

Dee VanBrackel earned the honor of being the featured

guest speaker during Educator’s Night held at the National

Museum of the United States Air Force in October!

s. VanBrackel is the K-5 Science, Technology, Engineering

and Mathematics (STEM) teacher at Stephen Bell Elementary

and Bell Creek Intermediate schools. She is the first-ever winner

of The Big Hoopla STEM Teacher of the Year.

Ms. VanBrackel will be speaking about the dynamic and

innovative methods for STEM education. Congratulations Dee!

BHS Fall Play Set

Come see Bellbrook High School’s theatre in action

November 15, 16 and 17 (7 pm), as students perform “The

Curious Savage.” The play, written by John Patrick, is the story

of an elderly widow named Mrs. Ethel P. Savage, whose hus-

band has left her $10 million. The Curious Savage is a warm

comedy that compares the kindness and loyalty of psychiatric

patients with the greed and hostility of so-called “normal peo-

ple.”

The play is under the direction of Kyle Castle and Marie

Jergens. Tickets are $10 each.

BCI’s 2nd Annual Great Pumpkin Auction

Set for October 25!

The second annual Great Pumpkin Auction will be held at

Bell Creek Intermediate (BCI) on Thursday, October 25 at 6:30

pm.

Last year, fifth grade students, their families and many BCI

staff members bought and decorated pumpkins to auction off

for a good cause … A Special Wish Foundation, Dayton

Chapter. The 2017 auction raised over $4,000 – enough to

grant an entire wish to a family; one week in Disney World!

oung’s Jersey Dairy food truck and the Funnel Vision food

truck will be on site during the live auction of an estimated 70

decorative pumpkins.

BHS’s Tess Rivero OCTM Teacher of the Year

ongratulations to Tess Rivero for being selected as the Ohio

Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ (OCTM’s) Secondary

Teacher of the Year for the Southwest District! Mrs. Rivero was

honored during OCTM’s 67th Annual Conference, held in

Columbus.

Each year OCTM recognizes outstanding teachers, profes-

sors, emerging leaders and friends of mathematics. OCTM is

committed to educating, engaging and inspiring…through the

power of mathematics! OCTM is an affiliate of the National

Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Greene Giving Gifts BHS $1,000

Bellbrook High School Science Teacher Cindy Hasler (above)

was awarded a $1,000 Fair Investment Award/Grant by the

Greene County Community Foundation, dba Greene Giving.

Greene Giving’s purpose is to promote philanthropy and pro-

vide stewardship and leadership, to enhance the use of region-

al resources to meet charitable needs.

Did You Know

BHS Makes the Grade in U.S. News & World Report High-School Rankings

Bellbrook High School (BHS) received a state ranking of

96 out of over 800 high schools, earning silver-medal

recognition in Ohio, according to the annual list of Best

High Schools published by U.S. News & World Report.

The organization looks at “nearly all” public high schools

in the United States – more than 20,500 in all – to sift out

the best, with an eye on college readiness. BHS ranked

#2,184 in the national rankings!

Nearly 6,000 schools received recognition from U.S.

News & World Report, which worked with global research

firm RTI International on a methodology that stressed that

schools “must serve all students” and yield measurable

outcomes tied to that criterion.

Top-performing high schools receive gold-, silver- and

bronze-medal recognition from U.S. News & World Report.

BHS Principal Chris Baker said, “This is the 12th straight

year that our school was recognized nationally as among

the top high schools in the United States. These independ-

ent groups confirm the good work that we, as well as the

entire district, are doing in preparing our students for their

futures.”

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us

Straight A Fund Helps Inspire Students and Teachers!

Several district

teachers and

administrators

recently experi-

enced Air Camp,

a once-in-a-life-

time aviation and

aerospace experi-

ence to inspire the

next generation.

According to

AirCampUsa.com,

Air Camp is a

hands-on educa-

tional adventure in

aviation and aeronautics. It inspires stu-

dents at the intermediate- and middle-

school levels, as well as teachers and

educational leaders across all grades, to

learn more about Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics (STEM),

using aviation and aerospace as the

medium, while promoting the values of

scholarship, leadership and citizenship.

Bellbrook teachers were able to fly

unmanned aerial vehicles, attend

ground school and more.

Air Camp is the vision of Dayton-area

leaders who want to help young people

nationwide achieve their potential,

develop critical-thinking and problem-

solving skills, and pursue further educa-

tion and future careers in STEM-related

fields, aviation and aeronautics.

The Beavercreek City School District

received a $984,000 Straight A Fund

grant in 2017 for a project named

“Rethinking the Classroom: Learning

Takes Flight!” The grant was later modi-

fied to be a county-wide initiative on avi-

ation and STEM to allow all schools in

Greene County to benefit. The grant

provided opportunities in engineering

and aerospace career development and

instruction for students throughout the

districts grades K-12, including profes-

sional development and shared

resources for public schools within

Greene County. The Straight A Fund

grant was awarded by the Ohio

Department of Education (ODE).

In addition to Air Camp, another com-

ponent of the grant is allowing many

interested teachers in Greene County

schools to soon participate in a work-

shop to build a

wind tunnel. They

will learn how air

flows around

things and how the

tunnel simulates

flight conditions. A

model of this proj-

ect will be taken

back to the class-

room to teach stu-

dents.

Recently

Bellbrook Middle

School 7th grade

students were able to experience pro-

grams in the portable planetarium called

the Digital Star Lab! They learned about

the moon phases and eclipses, as well

as the tides and ocean currents from an

underwater video of a coral reef. The

8th grade Kids ‘N Science Club mem-

bers visited the Digital Star Lab during

one of their Eagle periods.

The purpose of the Straight A Fund is

to help Ohio schools launch creative

new ideas for improving education. The

intent is to transform Ohio’s education

system into one that meets the unique

needs of every student in every class-

room. ODE says that to help achieve

this purpose, the fund supports ideas

from local educators that promote aca-

demic achievement and economic effi-

ciencies within schools and districts.

Abigail Clack named OMLA’s 2018 Student of the Year!

nspired by last year’s Challenge Day at Bellbrook Middle

School (BMS), then eighth-grader Abigail (Abby) Clack

helped organize a Positivity Committee, whose purpose

was to continue the commitment that its members had

ade during Challenge Day.

The Ohio Middle Level Association’s (OMLA’s) Student of

the Year Award is intended to recognize young people who

exemplify the best of our youth. Students are nominated by

a member of the OMLA. The individual nominating the stu-

dent may be a teacher, administrator or parent.

BMS Principal Jenness Sigman nominated Abby for the

award.

According to Mrs. Sigman, the Positivity Committee’s

goal was to promote positivity to all students in BMS and

beyond, into the community. Abby led this campaign, which

included a quick dance party every Monday in the ellipse

(

the area in which all hallways come together) to start the

week off on a positive note. The committee also created

the High 5 Zone, encouraging students to “High 5” one

another when crossing through the ellipse.

bby and her committee didn’t stop there. They held a

VIPP (Very Important Positive People) lunch every month

for students selected by their teachers for their positive atti-

tudes and actions, created a Positivity MS Snapchat

account and organized a Fake Out assembly, as a reward

for the students’ hard work on their state assessments.

OMLA Vice President Kelli Cogan said that Abby exem-

plifies all of the characteristics of a student who embodies

citizenship and positive contributions to her school. Abby

will receive her award in October 2018, at the Kalahari

Resort & Conference Center in Sandusky. Abby will receive

a plaque and a check for $500.

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us

During the June 14,

2018 Board of

Education meeting,

Steve Berryhill

received recognition

for the naming of

the high school

baseball field

“Berryhill Field.”

Bellbrook

Baseball

During the June 14, 2018

Board of Education meeting,

Dr. Keith St. Pierre and Cathy St. Pierre were recognized

for 24 and 22 years of service, respectively, to the

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools District.

Service Awards

BHS Wall of Fame

honors BHS gradu-

ates who have

served or are serving

our country!

Wall of Fame

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek

Schools is participating in an

effort to identify and locate

all children from 3 to 21 years

of age who may have disabili-

ties. For more information

please contact Tonya Wilson,

Director of Special Education

and Preschool, at 848-6251.

Search for

Disabilities

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools

Bell Creek Intermediate Future Chefs Competition to

Be Featured at OSBA Student Achievement Fair

Students from the

past Future Chef com-

petition at Bell Creek

Intermediate and

Jennifer Hoehn,

General Manager for

Sodexo, will attend

the Ohio School

Boards Association’s

(OSBA’s) Student

Achievement Fair at

the association’s Capital Conference in Columbus on

November 12, 2018.

Ms. Hoehn said, “Since the inception of the program in

2013, we have had nearly 100 students participate in

our annual Future Chef competition.”

Over the years Ms. Hoehn has helped students make

healthy substitutions in recipes and make overall better

food choices as they honed their skills in recipe develop-

ment and culinary talent for the competition.

The Future Chef program also inspires former partici-

pants to come back and coach younger contestants.

Hoehn said, “This

show of talent and

willingness to give

encouragement and

support to younger

students has really

allowed Future Chef

to expand from a

once in a lifetime

competition to a culi-

nary club where stu-

dents of all grades are welcome to come back.”

A slide show of the past five competitions is planned as

well as handing out recipes and free samples of a

healthy Future Chef snack.

There will be a raffle for Cookbooks from the 2018

competition. Future Chef students, in full chef attire, will

be there to talk about how the program has impacted

their lives.

Ms. Hoehn will be available to answer any questions

from other school districts about implementation of the

program and its successes.

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools

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BONUS BRIDGE ARTICLES!

Click on this QR Code (download a QR code

reader app) to go to The Bridge webpage (or

search Bridge on the BSS website).

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools’ Hall of Fame Accepting

Nominations for 2019 Induction

The Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools’ Hall of Fame is accepting

nominations for the 2019 induction. The deadline is Novem-

ber 1, 2018.

You can print the nomination form from

www.sugarcreek.k12.oh.us/NominationsandInfo.aspx.

Forms areavailable in print and online format. They are also

available at the Board of Education office.

The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to recognize and honor

persons living or deceased who, through their leadership,

achievement and service, reflect credit upon the Bellbrook-

Sugarcreek Schools community.

Camp Invention

Bell Creek Intermediate (BCI) held Camp Invention, a national STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathemat-

ics) program for K-6 students, this past summer.

Camp Invention is led by experienced local educators; and new curriculum is introduced each year, inspired by the in-

ductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

BCI STEM teacher Dee VanBrackel served as the director of Camp Invention in Bellbrook.

Stephen Bell Second-Grade Teacher Wins

Book-Club Giveaway

Rachel Barker, Stephen Bell Elementary Second-Grade

Teacher, was one of 4,000 teachers selected from

127,000 applicants to receive $500 and 500 bonus

points to provide books to her classroom library from the

James Patterson and Scholastic Book Clubs Giveaway!

According to scholastic.com,James Patterson and every-

one at Scholastic Book Clubs agree about the crucial im-

portance of getting books into the hands of as many kids

in as many places as possible. They also know that for

many children, access to quality books begins with (and

too often is limited to) what their teachers can offer them

in the classroom. This is why, for the fourth consecutive

year, James Patterson and Scholastic Book Clubs teamed

up to bring books into classroom libraries throughout the

country.

Ms. Barker plans on choosing books focusing on kind-

ness and empathy to fill her classroom library. Congratu-

lations!