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Superintendent's
Scoop |
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Welcome to another great BCSD 101 year |
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August 31, 2017 |
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| New staff
this year at BCSD 101 are, from left to
right: Andrea Leach, Maurine Blackmore,
Nelda Gentry, Kevin Campbell, James
Workman, Mark Yercheck, Jessica Vickers,
Natalie Erickson, Amy Brown, Bethany
Blackmore, Chase Hill, Kristine Vessey,
Mark Rives, Jessica Naranjo and Heidi Bo
Hawkins. Not in photo: Pamala Fleck,
Christin Knechtges, Macee Laplante,
April Leyden, Gina Reinhardt,
Christopher Sabin, Garbriela Solum and
Samantha Tinerella. |
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By Gary Pflueger
Superintendent
Included in this addition of the news is a copy
of my “Back to School” speech for the staff of
BCSD 101. I wanted to share these thoughts with
the community, as it directly speaks to our work
with your children. But, I also need to assure
the community of promises made in the past and
an explanation of the direction I see for our
future.
First, an introduction to our new staff!
Maureen Blackmore, Bonners Ferry High School
Bookkeeper; Bethany Blackmore, Boundary County
Middle School English Teacher; Heidi Bo Hawkins,
Valley View Third Grade Teacher; Amy
Brown, Valley View Third Grade Teacher; Kevin
Campbell, Bonners Ferry High School Chemistry;
Natalie Erickson, Para; Pamala Fleck, Para;
Nelda Gentry, Valley View First Grade Teacher;
Chase Hill, Bonners Ferry High School English
Teacher; Christin Knechtges, SLP; Macee
Laplante, Preschool Para; Andrea Leach, Valley
View Fourth Grade Teacher; April Leyden, Para;
Jessica Naranjo, Foreign Language Teacher; Gina
Reinhardt, Valley View Para; Mark
Rives, Boundary County Middle School Computer
Teacher; Christopher Sabin, Bus Driver;
Garbriela Solum, Valley View Computer Para;
Samantha Tinerella, Naples Para; Kristine
Vessey, Bonners Ferry High School Business Ed;
Jessica Vickers, Valley View First Grade
Teacher; James Workman, Bonners Ferry High
School Welding Teacher; and Mark
Yercheck, Bonners Ferry High School English
Teacher.
Second, special thanks to our friends at
Mountain West Bank for the fine breakfast served
to all staff at the Back to School event on
Monday, August 28!
All five of the schools in Boundary County
School District #101 are in great order under
the direction of a strong administrative team.
We have the right people in the right places!
We will continue to work toward our three word
motto: Safe, Civil and Productive!
Safe refers to the physical and emotional safety
of all students and staff. Civil is the basic
behaviors of a polite society. Civil behaviors
are not only needed in the classrooms and
hallways, but also on the athletic fields, the
sidelines and in the grandstands. This shows
“Badger Pride”!
Let’s cheer for our kids instead of cheering
against the visitors or ref.
Productive is the advancement of the academic
programs. In BCSD this means the standard H.S.
Diploma is the minimum requirement. Advanced
opportunities, dual enrollment and college
credit lead as far as students can reach. I will
continue to advance the Career-Technical
Education Program at Bonners Ferry High School.
These vocational based opportunities will give
our trade oriented students a hand up toward a
career of their choice.
Choice can also be found in the extra and
co-curricular areas: athletics, band, choir,
drama, leadership classes, robotics, etc. I will
continue to focus our efforts toward a “Student
First” philosophy. I believe we have something
for most every student.
But, I also live by a strong belief and that is:
not every child is cut out for public education.
If what we have does not work for you or your
child, please let us know and we will help you
find something else to meet their needs.
Another promise I made when I accepted this
position is for fiscal responsibility and clear
budgeting practices. I will continue to hold a
meeting of the Financial Understanding
Committee. This group will meet on the first
Monday of every month at 6 p.m. in the District
Office, beginning October 2.
One of the challenges we need to study is the
physical state of our aging elementary schools.
We have some hard decisions to make!
These meetings are open to the public.
If you have any questions, please do not
hesitate to call or stop by. I like to hear what
you think.
Final Note: We will hold a dedication for the
renovation of our VVES Gymnasium at 3 p.m.
Thursday, September 7.
Now, as promised, my August 28 speech to
Boundary County Education Association staff to
kick off our new school year:
"Welcome back to many and welcome to our new
colleagues! We have great opportunities before
us!
"I started teaching in 1977 for the March Valley
School District in Arimo, Idaho. I taught
special education for 11 years, mostly in an
alternative program for kids who were removed
from the regular junior high. Other years I
taught in state institutions and self-contained
programs.
"I began my administrative duties in 1987. I
came to Bonners Ferry in 2011. I have served as
an elementary and middle school principal for 25
years. During my career I did everything I could
to stay away from the superintendent and school
board members.
"I thought, 'Just leave me alone and let me do
my job!' I honestly thought, what is the point
of a superintendent? If everyone would just do
their job and get along, all is fine!
"Look what happens with that kind of thinking!
Man, I learned so much during the last two
years.
"Let me put this in the perspective by the three
word motto I am asking all students and staff of
Boundary County to adhere to: Safe, Civil and
Productive.
"This will take all of us: the teachers,
paraprofessionals, secretaries, bus drivers,
kitchen crew, custodians, school board and
community members.
"My first year as superintendent was an 'Oh my
gosh!' year. Personally, it brought prayer back
to public school for me. That year, my focus was
on making and maintaining a safe environment,
including both the physical and emotional side
of safety for all students and staff. Many of
the PEAK strategies we have learned helped us to
this goal.
"My second year we brought in Love and Logic.
This helped me focus on the civil component of
teaching. The primary rule of Love and Logic is
to react without anger or haste to a problem
situation and to provide consequences that are
not punitive but allow a child to experience the
results of a poor choice. This will enable him
or her to make a better choice in the future.
"Foremost in our minds needs to be the academic,
social and emotional well-being of the student.
"If you are one of those who feel PEAK and Love
and Logic are not for you, okay. If you don’t
want to use these techniques, you need to have
something that comes up with the same results.
"Many years ago I learned of an effective
relationship building technique called 10 and 2.
If you have a student, let’s say it’s a boy, who
is constantly disrupting instruction, start
meeting with him at lunch and ask him what he
likes and doesn’t like. Ask him what he does for
free time or recreation, what his strengths are,
ask him about his family, etc.
"Do this for 10 days in a row for two minutes
each time. This works for one of two reasons: he
will see that you are interested in him
personally and he will work harder to please you
OR he will disrupt less to get you off his back
at lunch.
"Either way, it is the same end result.
"This, my third year as superintendent, all of
us need to become more productive. It is time to
raise the bar in Boundary County! To quote
Charlotte Danielson’s book, 'Enhancing
Professional Practice, a Framework for
Teaching;' 'Embedded in the concept of high
expectations for students is a culture of hard
work and perseverance. A skilled teacher does
not accept sloppy work from students or work
that does not represent sincere effort; such
practices convey the message that just
submitting an assignment is good enough ...
significant learning requires concentration and
intellectual elbow grease.' We need to hold our
kids to a higher standard.
"They will respond!
"This year we need to hit harder on the academic
core standards provided by the state. We need to
hit the academic targets that we are measured by
with better results. For K-3, it is the Idaho
Reading Inventory and a math measure, which we
need to identify. For fourth through 11th, it’s
the ISAT. Last year we had a number of teachers
who used the Interim Assessments for the ISAT.
It took instructional time but every student who
used the interim assessments showed greater
academic growth.
"The ISAT Assessment is not the end all in
education but it is our state measure. We will
teach to the academic standards that drive the
test! The interim assessment blocks will be
required. Test scores must improve.
"Did you all know the results of the Writing
Assessment every students takes in the fall,
winter and spring are used to measure your
teaching effectiveness? These results are
factored in your teacher evaluation, as required
by the State Department of Education. This
includes P.E. Teachers too!
"I might start leading student exercises while
spelling out 'physical education' instead of
just counting down the number. Pushups and
squats done to math facts and times tables also
help!
"Other things we need to continue to work on are
parent knowledge and understanding of advanced
opportunities available for their child
beginning in middle school and duel credits at
the high school. What a great deal for these
kids!
"As I started last year, I will continue to
encourage students to enter the proud profession
of teaching. I will ask you to help me with this
for we have a teacher shortage in Idaho. It is
time to grow our own. Please encourage our best
students to enter this honored vocation. I am
working with the College of Education to make
this course of study more affordable.
"In addition to these avenues, I will continue
to advance our Career and Technical Education
Programs for our hands-on trade oriented
students. I have a plan for these opportunities.
"We are absolutely involved in a great business.
Our career directly affects the future welfare
and success of our community. When we do our
jobs well, the students of Boundary County will
be able to compete in a global world. It is true
that the parents are the primary educator of
their child, but we are also responsible for the
academic, social and emotional development of
every student in our schools. This is our
challenge and our responsibility.
"It is my job, the building administrator’s job
and the school board’s job to support you in
this effort.
"It is our responsibility to remove the
distractors and barriers to the critical task
you have accepted. Working together and with
community support, we will be successful.
"Please work hard to make the first three weeks
of school positive for all students -- no
failure for any students. Set the table for
success!
"Let me end with a suggestion I offered last
year: Please be careful in all your actions and
reactions in the community, including your
interaction on the social media!
"Teachers are held to a high standard and you
represent BCSD 24-7. I look forward to a great
school year. Let me know how I can help you.
"Make today a great day through kind words and
respectful choices! Go Badgers!" |
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