POINTS OF PRIDE: BGM School District

Colin Gisel, Business Teacher at BGM and my former student

As a teacher, it is a joy to spend time with former students especially those who have chosen to enter the teaching profession.  Colin Gisel was in my 6th grade class where he always stood out as a responsible person willing to put in the extra effort to do his best.  He continues in that same way as a business teacher with the BGM School District in Brookyn, Iowa.  The BGM Community School District, located in east central Iowa, encompasses the communities of Brooklyn, Guernsey, and Malcom.  I had the pleasure of touring his building and presenting to the staff about "Learning- A Shared Journey of Discovery" during one of their early outs which occur every Wednesday at 2:15.

BGM DEMOGRAPHICS

Enrollment:  Approximately 550

Free and Reduced Lunch:  37%

Grades: K-12

ELL students:  40+

Superintendent Brad Hohensee provided a tour of the facilities known as BGM - Bear Country. One feature of BGM is a  swimming pool, available for competitive swimming and training students in the art of life guarding. BGM has a strong partnership wtih Iowa Valley Community College, located in Marshalltown, IA.  This district has three (soon to be four) Cromebook carts with the potential of providing a 1:1 option.  A Community Wellness Center is used by the school district as well as in partnership with the community.  Besides the Wellness Center, they have two little league fields on their grounds.

BGM elementary goals include:

• Increase literacy skills through quality core instruction and targeted interventions.
• Increase math skills through quality core instruction and targeted interventions
• Encourage positive student behavior using the six pillars of Character Counts.

This district has taken on Rachel's Challenge which encourages a chain reaction of kindness and compassion with the following rules:

1. Look for the best in others.
2. Dream big.
3. Choose positive influences.
4. Speak with kindness.
5. Start your own chain reaction.

The Citizen Scholarship Fund is one of the largest in the state, awarding over $120,000 in scholarships for students graduating from BGM as well as those in the first, second, or third years in college.  This is a strong Point of Pride in the BGM district.

As we entered Colin's classroom, he was busy working with a student at the board.  As teachers, we pass on a legacy of care that continues through our students creating a chain reaction of care.   As Leo Buscaglia said, "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind work, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."