With this in mind, every initiative, from classroom instruction to facility renovations incorporates this philosophy. “It is placing a focus on our values, of who we are,” Superintendent Mark Rairigh explains. “Bryan Built is what we live by.” A FOUNDATION OF CORE VALUES Further to this, Bryan City Schools operates under three core values, encompassing the BCS acronym - Being your Best, Connecting with the Community, and a Commitment to Serve. “It’s about displaying your best attributes in all that you do, putting your best foot forward to showcase who you are. We have a fantastic community that surrounds us and supports our school system, and it provides so many opportunities for our students,” Rairigh details. “It’s our job to prepare kids in their K to 12 experience, to be ready for the world beyond high school. We really pride ourselves on serving others and making sure that our students are getting the best out of us, we’re going to see the best out of them in return.” EMBRACING INNOVATION IN EARLY EDUCATION Recognizing the connections to long-term academic success, Bryan City Schools has organized its elementary curriculum to build a strong foundation in reading and writing. “What we’re really looking to do is set the foundational approaches,” expands Rairigh. He notes that BCS uses a combination of Letter Land curriculum and early diagnostic testing to provide a base for student performance.“We can use that data to enhance them throughout their grade levels, moving forward, to help them be prepared to move into the middle school age,” he relays. BCS has also integrated technology and STEM into its curriculum from the early grades. As a one to one district, each student has a Chromebook for research and projects, while educators use the Google Classroom platform to upload assignments and learning experiences. Along with this, BCS has incorporated STEM into the curriculum, with students in grades 3 to 5 rotating through a daily STEM class designed to spark creativity and problem solving skills. Superintendent Rairigh imparts, “Right here in Williams County, Ohio, a vast majority of our jobs are manufacturing and production based. So, there’s a wealth of opportunity right here in our backyard to get into a career field that involves STEM. Our goal is that we can start integrating those skills with our students at a young age, and hopefully by the time they’re at the age of employment, they’re able to then use those skills for a career.” CAREER READINESS Progressing into middle and high school, the district’s commitment to student success becomes more personalized, with opportunities that match individual interests and goals. Pathways in media arts, family consumer sciences, and engineering and STEM, through programs like the Project Lead the Way curriculum, equip students for life after graduation. 261 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 03 BRYAN CITY SCHOOLS
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