BCA Ready to Begin 7th Year
Hard to believe, but on Tuesday, August 24, 2010, Bridges Community Academy will open its doors for students for the seventh time! Where has the time gone? We are looking forward to seeing many familiar faces, as well as many new ones! Students will find several changes (all for the better) this year, while at the same time, many of the things that have made BCA such a special place remain. We are looking forward once again to seeing everyone!
The BCA Staff
Bridges Students Compete in JA Business Challenge
Three students from Bridges are currently competing in the first round of the Junior Achievement Business Challenge held at the University of Toledo. They have already “placed” in the first round of the competition and have won $500.00 each. They are now moving on to the next round to compete for $1,000 – $3000.00!
From the event website:
The Junior Achievement Business Challenge is a strategy tournament using the JA Titan program an online, interactive business program. The competition is uniquely designed to unleash student creativity, test leadership skills and demonstrate the competitive nature of the free enterprise system.
The team is under the direction of Mr. Micah Retting and Mr. Donn Pahl
BCA Spring Spotlight A Huge Success
The Bridge Community Academy Spring Spotlight held on May 6, 2010 turned out to be a huge success. Attendance exceeded expectations as some teams approached 100 percent participation! The event was primarily held to spotlight the talents & services of Bridges Community Academy staff & students. It was also a chance for the community get to know BCA a little better. Building tours were given through the evening, and everyone was able to enjoy some wonderful food in our cafeteria.
The evening was a chance to showcase the talents of our youth as several students performed for the crowd and many pieces of student art work were on display. Audience members were treated to several diverse performances including a dramatic scene by our drama class, a karate demonstration, the BCA Band, square dancing and the BCA Cheerleaders.
Many of our parent and other volunteers were recognized for their hard work and dedication to B.C.A. with Bridge Builder Awards. In all, over 40 parents, students, staff and volunteers were presented with awards for the tireless efforts to make Bridges a better place for everyone.
We cannot say this enough: THANK YOU!
Bridges Spring Spotlight
Thursday, May 6th, 2010 from 5:30-8:30 p.m., Bridges Community Academy will be having a Spotlight on the talents & services of Bridges Community Academy staff & students.
We will be showcasing the talents of our youth as well as recognizing individuals for their hard work and dedication to B.C.A.
Door prizes, free food, exhibits, and performances will be done throughout the evening. We will also be displaying each class and all they have to offer.
Tours will take place throughout the evening. Exhibits for different BCA groups will also be on hand.
It’s also a great time to think about the next school year as spaces are filling up fast! Registration and information regarding Kindergarten screening will be available as well!
Come check out all Bridges Community Academy has to offer and enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of our version of Cinco de Mayo.
The full brochure can be downloaded HERE.
BCA National Honor Society Chocolate for Charity Candy Sale
Bridges Community Academy’s National Honor Society chapter is selling chocolate awareness suckers for $1 each. Orders are being taken until May 1, and pick up is to be at a community event May 6. Fifty cents of each sucker is to be donated to charities:
- Puzzle, a multi-colored ribbon, autismspeaks.org for autism.
- Red ribbon, American Heart Association, for heart disease.
- Pink ribbon, pinkribbon.org for breast cancer.
- Yellow ribbon, local locations where mail and packages are sent to soldiers overseas for troop support.
- Gold ribbon, Alex and Christi Lemonade Stand for childhood cancer.
Orders can be placed at HERE.
Morning Announcements March 3, 2010
Good Morning Everyone!!
Quote of the day:
“You have the good fortune to be part of a free nation with boundless possibilities – and enough challenges and diversions to make life interesting every day….Read books. Write stories. Learn history. Enjoy life.” – David S. Broder – Columnist – Washington Post, TV panelist
Joke of the Day:
Q: when is homework not homework?
A: – When it is turned into the teacher.
Thought of the day: Try, try, try again
“The only people who never fail are those who never try.” – Ilka Chase
Many wise people have written about failure, what it means, and how to cope. Here are four more inspiring sayings:
Henry Ford: “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”
Max Beerbohm: “Failure is more interesting than success.”
Robert Kennedy: “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”
William D. Brown: “Failure is an event, not a person.”
Today….make up your own saying about failure.
Question of the day:
Figure out what the capitalized words in Column A have in common. Then decide which one of the three lowercased words in Column B belongs with the capitalized ones.
| Column A DESSERTS DIAPER STRAP REWARD STAR STINK |
Column B tower devil exits |
Yesterday’s answer:
skiing; taxiing; radii
vacuum; continuum
bazaar
powwow
savvy; flivver
Word of the day:
Complacency (noun)
Pleasure, contentment, satisfied with own abilities.
The Olympic gold-medalist stopped practicing after her victory, and it was this complacency that led to her losing in the next competition.
Announcements:
IMPORTANT: School Calendar change – we WILL be having school on Friday, March 19. There WILL be a work at home day on Thursday, April 1st.
TODAY, REMIDER: Mohawk bus riders: They have an early dismissal TODAY. Please let your parents know that you will need to be picked up at the Mohawk school in the afternoon, they will NOT be busing you to your house.
Drama Club – Spring Play – practice is today, Monday from 2:00-2:45 pm. Please meet in Mrs. Santangelo’s room, room 10.
Seniors: please remember to get your pictures in to the office for the slide show. Also please turn in your biographies and your ideas for flowers, motto, song, etc.
Reminder that there are study tables every morning beginning at 7:30 am and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons after school until 3:30 pm. Students who were unable to work during snow days are required to be at study tables to make up their time. Study tables are also for anyone who needs extra time to get ahead or if you need assistance for classes. Students who are falling behind in classes should use study tables to help get back on track. We want everyone to take advantage of this time.
Tiffin Teen Center: 162 East Perry St, phone number: 419-443-0359
Open every day: 2:45-6:00 pm (unless indicated differently)
Study tables everyday: 2:45-4:30 – free tutoring, homework help and prizes for achieving personal study goals.
This week’s lunch menu:
Wednesday: Tilapia, white rice, zucchini squash, wheat bread, fruit; Thursday: Spaghetti with Meatballs, green beans, breadstick, fruit; Friday: Lemon Baked Fish, baked Potato, veggie blend, dinner roll, and fruit.
Have a great day!!
Morning Announcements Feb. 23, 2010
ineffable (adj)
Indescribable, either because something cannot be expressed verbally, or because its description is limited by social or religious constraints.Walking out into the fresh spring air, Joey was overcome with an ineffable feeling of joy, an emotion impossible to describe in words.
Have a great day!!
Founders and Administration of Bridges Community Academy
Founders and Administration of
Bridges Community Academy
Dona Kaufman and Judy Back are the co-founders of Bridges Community Academy established in 2004. They have been administrators of this “gifted/individualized” charter school for the past 6 ½ years.
Dona has been in education for the past 32 years. She taught junior high students for over half of her career in teaching. After 16 years of teaching Dona worked as a Graduate Assistant for Dr. Tom Southern at BGSU and received her master’s degree in Gifted Education. She was then a Gifted Education Coordinator for North Central Ohio Educational Service Center for 5 years. She also earned her administrative licensure at Findlay University in 2002. In 2004 she became the Director of BCA.
Judy has been in education for the past 18 years. She was a Gifted Intervention Specialist for twelve years for the North Central Ohio Educational Service Center. She attended Bowling Green State University to receive her masters in Gifted Education. Judy later became a Gifted Coordinator and attended Findlay University to work on an administrative licensure. In 2004 she became the Director of Academics at BCA.
Judy has been involved with Ohio Association of Gifted Children as a regional representative, then President-elect and President over the past 10 years. She has assisted OAGC with their involvement in the NAGC convention and was instrumental in defining OAGC’s restructuring.
Dona has served on the Executive Committee and Governing Board as 2nd Vice-President of OAGC. She is also the author of a book about meeting the needs of gifted children, My Child is Very Special.
Together, Dona and Judy have worked together to present their knowledge to parents and educators at OAGC, COCG, NWOCCG, OCQE and OAPCS conferences, and have also provided many district staff in-services.
Dona and Judy’s passion has always been to educate others about the needs of gifted children and to help provide appropriate educational opportunities for every individual child. If you are reading this webpage then they hope you have learned what BCA is all about. They are compassionate, yet strong leaders and they have had the ability to promote teamwork that has turned brainpower and a few dreams into reality. The evidence of their assets and their passions are in the accomplishments of the staff, students and families of Bridges Community Academy.
New Student Illness Reporting Guidelines and Procedures
Bridges Community Academy HAS NOT had a confirmed case of any student or staff member contracting the H1N1 virus this school year.
Due to increased concerns over the spread of the H1N1 virus, the Seneca County General Health District has issued new guidelines to be followed when reporting any student absences due to illness. There is a new form that must now be filled out and turned into the office when any student illness is reported. This new form is available HERE.
Additionally, when calling in students, you will need to provide the following information:
Student Name
Grade
Birth Date
Is the student running a fever?
How high was the fever and how long has the student been running it? (degrees)
Does the student have any of the following symptoms?
- Fever
- Headache
- Tiredness (can be extreme)
- Cough
- Sore Throat
- Runny or Stuffy Nose
- Body Aches
- Diarrhea and Vomiting
Thank you for your cooperation. Should you have any questions, please contact the Mrs. Hines or Mrs. Stanko in the school office.
For additional information and recomendations, please visit the Seneca County General Health District website.
Please check back often for additional changes / information.
Teams 1 and 5 Begin Big / Little Buddies Program
This week saw teams 1 and 5 joining together in a new partnership. Big Buddies will be tutoring their little buddies in the classroom once a week. Our kickoff activity was an icebreaker. Buddies drew chalk outlines of each other. As they worked together to decorate their pictures, they had a chance to talk, and get acquainted. It was a chance for the older and younger students to get to know each other a little better and forge a bond. They will also continue to get together as a group once per month and the The Big / Little Buddies Program will continue throughout the the 2009 / 2010 school year. As you can see by the pictures below, everyone seemed to be having a very enjoyable time!
Circle
Outlines
Everyone Draw!