NEWS RELEASE:
The Bucyrus City School District Board of Education approved the district calendar for the 2018-2019 school year during its regular monthly meeting Thursday, Feb. 22.
The opening day for students in grades kindergarten through twelve will be Wednesday, August 22, 2018. The final day for students and staff before Winter Break is Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018.
Two-Hour Delayed Start days are scheduled for October 5, November 2, December 7, April 5 and May 3. The last day of school for students will be Friday, May 24, 2019, with graduation set for Sunday, May 26, 2019.
“The district’s administration and staff worked together to develop a school calendar that is advantageous for students,” said Kevin Kimmel, Bucyrus Superintendent. “We will continue to utilize two-hour delayed starts for students to allow our staff to work through vital professional development activities to better serve our students.”
A contract was approved by the board for STOPit, the leading technology platform for schools that deters and controls harmful or inappropriate conduct. STOPit empowers students to stand up for themselves and others while giving the district the insight it needs to keep students safe. The district will introduce the technology to families and community during a special meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Elementary School auditorium Tuesday, Feb. 27.
“I’m very excited to introduce this new platform to our students, staff, families and community,” said Kimmel. “This will empower all Bucyrus students to report any types of potentially harmful behaviors or situations directly to our administrators and building leadership in a totally anonymous environment, providing another level of student safety and security.”
The board recognized students who competed in the recent Spelling Bee competitions and the Academic Quiz Team. Students receiving commendations from the board included: Ashley Davis (Tri-County Spelling Bee Contestant), Rosalyn Johnson (Tri-County Spelling Bee Contestant and Scripps Regional Spelling Contestant at Ohio University), Chris Palmer (Crawford County Spelling Bee Contestant), Allison Fraser (Crawford County Spelling Bee Contestant), Elizabeth Wilson (Crawford County Spelling Bee Contestant) and Macy Dyer (Crawford County Spelling Bee Contestant); Academic Quiz Team members Randall Elchert, Andrew Mee, Clara Hinklin, Caleb Johnson, Abigail Hart, Bryce Stewart, Jonathon Shultz, Kelsey Carver, Sarah Lipscomb, Tyler Rittenhour, Samuel Rager, Tyler Bishop, Jeramiah Skelton, Matt Fultz, Brianna Baird and Olivia Harmon
“It’s always a special time when we can recognize the outstanding achievements of our students” said Kimmel. “We have great kids working hard in and out of the classroom, and it’s important for them to know the Board of Education recognizes their relentless pursuit of success.”
The board received the findings of the district’s Communications Audit, completed by the marketing firm 300m. The final findings report was nearly 90 pages in length, providing details on every facet of the district’s communications.
“When we started the communications audit for the Bucyrus City School District, we had no preconceived notions, everything was a blank slate,” said Rick Adams, 300m Principal. “At the conclusion of our audit, it was evident that the combined power of the teachers, administrators, and district management deliver an outstanding array of educational choices to their students.”
The board engaged the Columbus-based group through the Ohio School Boards Association to perform a thorough review of the district’s current communications efforts and make recommendations on how the communications program can grow to help address the issue of student attrition to other educational institutions.
“Rick Adams and his team at 300m did a fantastic job delivering a thorough report on our district’s overall communications program,” said Kimmel. “We are already starting to work through their recommendations and develop a comprehensive plan to shine an even brighter spotlight on all the people, activities and programs that make the Bucyrus City School District a great place to get a high-quality education in a safe and secure environment.”
The board approved all other agenda items as presented and recessed to executive session with no additional action being taken. The next regular monthly meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Administrative Center Board Room Thursday, March 29.