We begin in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

The sign in front of St. Joseph Catholic School is a popular place for a "First Day" photo op

New Year’s Day has nothing on the first day of school, especially at our Battle Creek Area Catholic Schools.

In fact, we were so excited to get our school family together, we started a little early.

Before school began, our administrators and staff, in cooperation with Fun Services and the Kaufmann Family, hosted a picnic for students and their families on the St. Joseph School grounds. There was food, inflatables, prizes, and lots of smiles.

Before school began, our teachers attended professional development days, learning, among other things, the history of St. Philip High School from BCACS historians Matt Davis, Class of 1979, and Sheri (Cobb) Robotham, Class of 2003. St. Philip High School turns 100 this school year. It’s a big deal.

Before school began, students came to Meet the Teacher night, middle and high school orientations, band camp, and sports practices.

Finally, on August 28th, the new school year began.

For some, it was their first time away from home. For others, it was the first time managing a locker and changing classes. For freshmen, it was the first day away from the familiar hallways of St. Joe. For new students, it was the first day with their new school family. 

Some goodbyes included photos and tears, others a quick kiss blown from a car window. Either way, when the bell rang, the hellos began.

Our newly-minted eighth-graders throw Ms. Williamson a surprise birthday party the first week of school.

Some were traditional, like Ms. Hamel’s fifth-grade group photo or St. Philip High School’s hot dog picnic on Cherry Street. Some were unique, like the eighth graders throwing math teacher Ms. Williamson a birthday party or the high school students digging deeper into St. Philip’s history.

One hello, however, was universal – the first All-Schools Mass.

Every member of the BCACS family came to St. Joseph Church on Thursday to pray together, including Bishop Paul Bradley.

“For 100 years, our schools have shown that faith is the center of our lives,” Fr. John Fleckenstein said. “The opening school Mass certainly reminds us of that.”

Students from every grade level took a leadership role, whether reading Scripture, taking up the gifts, singing in the choir, or mentoring a younger student through the Mass.

Afterward, students and staff gathered with Bishop Bradley for a group photo – a moment captured in time that will set the stage for hundreds of special moments.

Come June, some of these souls will have received Confirmation, First Reconciliation, or First Communion. Come June, some of these souls will have graduated from high school. Come June, all of these souls will have grown in Christ.

But those are stories for another day. Right now, our backpacks are packed, our pencils are sharp, and our kids have been blessed.

It’s time to begin.

The last day of school: Ardis Vandenboss & Danielle Orton

Summer vacation is wonderful, but goodbyes are tough. Today's BCACS Blog spends time with two beloved teachers for whom the last day of school is their last day with us.

Ardis Vandenboss

St. Joseph Elementary School teacher Ardis Vandenboss wouldn’t consider her husband’s suggestion of retirement three years ago.

“Up to that point, I had never considered retirement,” Mrs. Vandenboss said. “I truly loved my teaching. Why retire?”

Mrs. Vandenboss has taught nearly every grade of elementary and middle school during her 40-year career, which includes 32 years for the BCACS. She has mentored many teachers, including current St. Joseph School principal Sara Myers.

“She has a great love of teaching, her students, and our schools,” Mrs. Myers said. “[She] has touched the lives of so many, including mine.”

“Ardis has been an inspiration, a mentor, and most of all a friend,” St. Joseph fourth-grade teacher Liz Casterline said.

“Ardis is a huge personality and a gifted asset,” St. Joseph Elementary Administrative Assistant Jeanine Winkler said. “Parents love her tightly-run ship. She provides lots of love, spread out amongst all her students.”

For the last decade, that love included commuting daily from Coldwater, where Mrs. Vandenboss and her husband bought a “ten-cent house with a million-dollar view”. Such a schedule left little time for friends, grandkids, or even having coffee on the deck.

She started considering her husband’s suggestion, which is why this year’s last day of school will truly be Mrs. Vandenboss’s last day of school.

The goodbyes have been tough, especially with her students, who she promised to visit.

“The kids are the ones who are going to be hardest to leave,” Mrs. Vandenboss said. “This group I’ve got now, not only did I have them for two years, but I’ve had a lot of their siblings. In fact, I had some of their parents.”

Mrs. Vandenboss, center, with her final fourth grade class at St. Joseph Elementary School.

 

Danielle Orton

Danielle Orton didn’t plan to stay when she took a teaching position at St. Philip High School in 2008.

Her plans changed.

“I fell in love with this environment, with these kids,” Ms. Orton said.

St. Philip teachers wear many hats, a norm Ms. Orton embraced. During her tenure, she taught English, literature, Spanish, health, creative writing, even yearbook.

“My dream job has been to teach every subject I have the ability to,” Ms. Orton said. “My dream job manifested itself at St. Philip.”

Inspired by the St. Philip counselors who continued to teach in the classroom, Ms. Orton pursued her master's degree in school counseling, which she recently completed.

“I couldn't picture a better work day than one that involved not only working with our kids in the classroom but also being able to help them dig deeper on a personal level and find their strength,” Ms. Orton said. “I'm happy to have worked at a school that embraces nurturing the mind and the soul.”

This year Ms. Orton’s plans have changed again. She will be moving to Alabama.

“Knowing what I know now about how much you can love your job, I have high expectations for my next position,” Ms. Orton said. “I can't think of anything that I won't miss. I'll miss my St. Philip family.”

The feeling is mutual.

“It’s going to be hard to replace Dani,” St. Philip principal Vicky Groat said. “She has done so much for the students over the years. She has shown so much pride and love for the school. Dani will be a great counselor because of her passion for helping and guiding our youth.”

Ms. Orton, center left, with three of her students.

Building a better bridge

When Tina Sprague became the St. Joseph Middle School science teacher, she inherited science kits from the Michigan Department of Transportation. Mrs. Sprague liked what she saw, but needed to complete MDOT training to keep the kits.

So, she took the training.

After Christmas, her eighth-graders took on the Bridge Builder kit. This civil engineering project involved physics, geometry, algebra, computer-aided design (CAD), teamwork, and the scientific process.

“The bridge-building one was really cool,” Mrs. Sprague said. “There was a lesson online where the kids can learn about bridge load, what types of bridges are best for what, and the different kinds of bridges.”

After the lesson, Mrs. Sprague gave each student a piece of thin balsa wood and an apparatus that held a bucket. They filled the bucket with sand until the wood broke. Next, they laminated two pieces of balsa wood together, testing it again vertically and horizontally.

Using these results and a basic CAD program, students designed their own box bridges. The computer virtually tested the strength of their digital bridges, after which students improved their designs.

“Then they get to build the bridge that they designed on the computer,” Mrs. Sprague said.

Students had to meet certain criteria using only the materials in the kit. Over the weeks they built, glued, and pinned their box bridges together.

“They all started out on an even playing field,” Mrs. Sprague said. “It all depended on their design. Some of them used all [of the material], some of them ran out because they didn’t think about how much it was going to overlap or the extra cuts that they made that were wrong.”

When the bridges were finished, the eighth grade invited the first grade to watch the testing. Students hung the bucket apparatus on each bridge, filling them with sand until they broke, delighting their young audience.

“[The bridges] held a lot more than I thought they would hold,” Mrs. Sprague said. “The kids were amazed, too. They didn’t think they would be as strong as they were.”

Afterward, students wrote up reports, detailing the scientific principles they used, the challenges they faced, and the conclusions they drew.

“I loved doing the bridge project because we learned how to make a bridge stronger by just changing a few simple things,” eighth-grader Nick Meyers said.

Best of all, Mrs. Sprague successfully supplemented the eighth-grade science curriculum with a hands-on activity, much like the Math and Science Center kits the sixth and seventh grades enjoy.

“This was my guinea pig class,” Mrs. Sprague said.

Next up is the Magnet Levitation kit, where students will build levitating foam vehicles.

“That’s what I’m going to research over Spring Break,” Mrs. Sprague said.

Creating their own success story

St. Philip High School’s senior internship is a rite of passage, the capstone of BCACS’ Crayons to College and Career program. This year, teacher Debbie Evans transformed this rite of passage into a bridge to the future.

“My number one goal was to build capacity in these students,” said Ms. Evans, a shared-time teacher with the Math and Science Center. “I come from the college level and I see the number one thing students struggle with is not college, it’s self-advocacy – having enough capacity to know they can open doors on their own. I wanted them to have a success story out of this.”

Ms. Evans used her background in professional development to turn the internship class into a project-based learning experience.

Each student had to find, design, complete and evaluate their own internship. Ms. Evans’ role was one of empowerment.

“The students were in the driver’s seat and that was very intentional,” Ms. Evans said. “I was really just a powerful cheerleader.

Ms. Evans helped students examine their aspirations, current skill sets, and personal strengths. Using these results, students determined their “skill gaps” and what type of internships would close these gaps.

Students created electronic portfolios and researched potential employers. Ms. Evans taught them strategies to get past an organization's gatekeeper. She conducted mock interviews with students, so they could up the odds of being hired.

When the students were ready, they called these businesses themselves.

Ms. Evans coached them through setbacks and pushbacks but didn't directly interfere or intervene. Along the way, some students, parents and even staff members voiced concerns, but Ms. Evans was staunch about everyone “trusting the process”.

The process worked. Every single student found their own internship.

As their field work progresses, students continually evaluate the goals they co-created with their employers. Evidence matters, as does the results.

“I thought that I would just do a lot of observing and maybe taking notes, but after the first week, I was given a dog to work with to learn firsthand, which I think tremendously affected how much I've learned,” said McKenna Haley, who is serving her internship at DogZone.

McKenna Haley found her internship at DogZone, where she is gaining experience working with animals. She plans to study Animal Behavioral Science in college and hopes to train service animals in the future.

“Sometimes, during a meeting or something, I'll catch myself falling in love with the job a little bit,” said Meagan Casterline, whose internship with event planner Jennifer Darling may include a trip to New York City. “I love how this internship is coaching my brain to think like an event planner would.”

Meagan Casterline [front, right] with Jennifer Darling [front, left] and the members of the Deep Fried Pickle Project [back row], during a concert Megan helped Ms. Darling organize as part of her internship.

The most important result for Ms. Evans is self-reliance.

“What has been most empowering is watching the students physically and mentally shift because they realized they made this happen,” Ms. Evans said. “This isn’t something someone did for them. This is something they intentionally created.”

Our seniors are doing amazing things, which is why, starting this week, our BCACS Blog will host a “Senior Spotlight”. Every Thursday until graduation, we will highlight different members of the Class of 2017. Read more about their internships, their aspirations, and where they plan to “grow” after graduation.

"Amazing grace - like the song!"

First Reconciliation doesn’t have the pomp and circumstance of First Communion, but it was no less special for our St. Joseph second-graders.

Thursday, February 16, our St. Joseph second-graders made their first Reconciliations. A smattering of parents attended and me.

The children were all dressed in their Sunday best – a mosaic of clip-on ties, Mary Jane shoes, collared shirts, colored tights, lots of bows, and even a couple suit coats.

Since the church building was closed for repairs, the children walked to the parish center, flocking behind their teachers.

Fr. Chris Ankley greeted them with stories about Jesus the Good Shepherd. Having been a practicing veterinarian, Fr. Chris knew something about lambs.

He spoke about Buck, a pet sheep who came when called because Buck knew his shepherd. Father reminded the children Jesus is our shepherd and we come when he calls.

He showed them a real shepherd’s crook, demonstrating how it hooked a wandering lamb’s neck to gently pull it back. Father said our conscious is Jesus’ crook, pulling us into Reconciliation.

Reviewing the Act of Contrition

He pointed to a picture of Jesus holding a lamb in his arms. Father assured the children they have nothing to fear because Jesus loves them.

This emphasis on the Good Shepherd reinforced months of preparation, led by second-grade teachers Barbie Carrier and Amy Doyle. There were catechism lessons, bible stories, visits to the confessional, visits from Fr. Jose and Fr. Chris, lots of open discussions, and plenty of practice in the classroom.

Saying Penance

“The priests and we did what we could to be sure they felt secure, comfortable, and at ease so that they know it is good to go to confession,” Mrs. Doyle said.

And it showed.

One by one the children left for their confession, returning minutes later with big smiles and a decade rosary blessed by Pope Francis. Some of them skipped, a few of them hugged their parents or teacher, but most of them got right down to the business of saying their penance.

  

Celebrating with friends

Reverent and mostly still, the children waited for everyone to finish. Although excitement over the upcoming ice cream party grew near the end.

After a few group photos, these squeaky clean souls got their sprinkles on, running, jumping and playing like…well, lambs.

These second-graders will receive their first Holy Communion on the last Saturday in April. Amidst the pomp and circumstance, will be the peace of this quiet February Thursday with Jesus.

“It's so important for the children to understand God's love, mercy and forgiveness for us always,” Mrs. Doyle said. “The grace they receive in the Sacrament of Reconciliation when their sins have been forgiven is key. That grace prepares their hearts to receive Jesus in the Eucharist.”

Our 2017 First Reconciliation Class
Mrs. Carrier and Mrs. Doyle asked their students how it felt to receive this sacrament. Their answers capture the joy of forgiveness. Please enjoy a selection of them below.

"It's fun to have no sins." ~ "I felt very proud of myself because all of my sins were washed away and I am very glad that it happened!" ~ "Graceful right after I did my penance." ~ "Filled with joy" ~ “My whole soul is clean" ~ "I feel full of grace." ~ "The whole time, I just felt grace." ~ "I felt good because we got the Sacrament of Penance and we got to reset our sins!" ~ "Amazing grace - like the song!"

Comments, questions, have a few suggestions? Write us at BCACS.Blog@gmail.com.

Don't worry. The math (and science) still adds up!

Dear Eighth-Grade Parents,

Battle Creek Math and Science Center letters are speeding to your door. Depending on what's inside, you may be happy, sad or confused.

If your child qualified, congratulations! If they didn't, don't worry. Our St. Philip High School staff has you covered.

What if your child didn't qualify or didn't take the test, but they still want to go the MSC?

If your child wants to go to the Center, they still can. St. Philip students have entered the Center as sophomores, juniors, even seniors.

“You get into the 9^th grade by taking a test,” Luke Perry, STEM Director of the MSC, said. “However, if your student doesn't qualify, there are other ways available to them and they all start with a conversation with me.”

Rest assured that conversation with Mr. Perry will be well supported by St. Philip staff – a staff that includes a shared-time MSC teacher. They will help your child prepare for the transition.

“We can mirror a schedule pretty near what freshmen and sophomores take at the Center,” Kyra Rabbitt, St. Philip counselor, said.

My family knows first-hand.

My son took AP Calculus BC at the Center his junior year. He not only did well, he took the AP exam and received college credit – all on the bedrock of his St. Philip math education.

My son’s story isn’t unique.

“St. Philip does an excellent job of preparing kids for success here,” Mr. Perry said.

What if your child qualified, but wants to delay attending?

There are advantages to waiting, as the Finnila Family discovered. Their oldest son entered the Center as a freshman. Their daughter waited until her junior year to attend. Joy Finnila felt her daughter had more time to acclimate to high school life and form deeper connections with her peers.

“I felt she was less stressed and more carefree,” Mrs. Finnila said. “I had my hesitations with her not going to the Center to start with, but after her first semester at St. Philip, I realized she was not lacking in her education. It enabled her to transition into the Center with little difficulty.”

As a result, the family’s youngest son decided to wait on the Center until his junior year.

What if your child doesn’t attend the MSC?

My oldest child wasn’t interested in the Center. She wouldn’t even take the test. Her 100% St. Philip education not only got her into the university of her choice but did so with scholarship money. Better still, she earned a 3.97 her first semester, which included an “A” in chemistry.

Long story short, St. Philip has you covered. No matter what that letter says, the math (and science!) still adds up.

Comments, questions, have a few suggestions? Write us at BCACS.Blog@gmail.com.

Teacher Feature: Molly Williamson

They say when God closes a door, He opens a window.

When St. Joseph Middle School’s math teacher left in December, God did more than open a window – He opened a new chapter.

This January, Molly Williamson began her post as our middle school math teacher and student learning specialist.

Mrs. Williamson believes learning should not be constrained by time.

“Molly Williamson has been a great addition to our middle school staff,” Katie Reed, St. Joseph assistant principal, said. “Although she has only been with us a short time, her passion for teaching and her ability to connect with students individually is evident. We are very fortunate to have her.”

How fortunate?

The Catholic Schools of Greater Kalamazoo – where Mrs. Williamson has spent the last 19 years of her career – feels her loss.

“Mrs. Williamson has been a wonderful advocate for Catholic education and for the CSGK schools,” Brian Kosmerick, Hackett principal, wrote the CSGK community regarding Mrs. Williamson’s departure. “If you or your son/daughter ever had her as a teacher, you know that she is a top-notch educator and has helped nurture many students through their middle school and high school years.”

Mrs. Williamson started as a special education teacher in Centreville, Michigan. After staying home with her daughters for ten years, she returned to the classroom as a middle school mathematics teacher at St. Augustine Elementary in Kalamazoo.

Eventually, Mrs. Williamson transferred to Hackett Catholic Prep, teaching Algebra and Geometry and serving as the school's special needs coordinator. During her tenure, she received Hackett's Pillar of Excellence Award and earned the Excellence in Education Award for work with a student battling cancer.

Why take a job in another town?

“I was ready to work with new challenges and to grow as an educator,” Mrs. Williamson said, who will continue residing in Kalamazoo with her husband. “God led me to St. Joe to serve this school community and I am humbled daily by His response to my prayers.”

Plus, this new position involved an old love.

“I have always enjoyed the energy and creative thinking middle school students bring to the classroom, and I embraced the opportunity to return to teaching middle school students,” Mrs. Williamson said.

“Philosophically, I believe that learning should always be the constant and time should be the variable, rather than learning be the variable and time the constant,” Mrs. Williamson said. “It always amazes me how much a student can learn and/or improve when given just a little extra time after school.

Already, our students are seeking that extra time, making their new teacher proud.

“I just love it,” Mrs. Williamson said. “The students are kind, respectful, and truly engaged in the learning process.”

And so God begins another chapter in our BCACS story.

Comments, questions, have a few suggestions? Write us at BCACS.Blog@gmail.com.

Sitting, Swaying and Sacrifice

Chairs with "wiggle" room

Before we moved to Battle Creek, my kids attended the public school by our home. The building was new and the principal was wonderful, but the school was overpopulated. My son's kindergarten class had over 30 kids, a first-year teacher, and no aide. My son was a quiet wanderer, which made him nearly invisible.

Unless he was in a chair. He tipped over a lot of chairs. It wasn’t intentional. Sitting always involved a little swaying.

His teacher spoke to him about this. She spoke to me about it. I spoke to him about it, but he just couldn’t help it.

We came to BCACS halfway through his kindergarten year. I was nervous for my quiet wanderer, but there was no need. His invisibility days were over. His teacher, Miss Judy Rohr, had him in her sights and he bloomed under her care. The wandering stopped, but the swaying remained.

Miss Judy didn't seem to mind, assuring me young kids just need to move.

Current kindergarten teacher Ms. Devin Dubois agrees. Instead of trying to change the kids, she decided to change the chairs.

Her research into flexible seating revealed that movement increases airflow to the brain, which enhances a child's focus.

“This made total sense to me,” Ms. Dubois wrote me in an email. “In order to meet the needs of all my students, I have to differentiate my instructions. So why not differentiate what we sit on!”

Ms. Dubois applied for a “Kinesthetic in Kinder” grant, which the Guido A and Elizabeth H Binda Foundation in coordination with the Calhoun Intermediate School District awarded her. Now our kindergarteners can choose how they sit and sway.

Each day her students select from five different seating choices, which include yoga balls, yoga mats, bouncy bands, and yoga seat discs. Each item enables a little “wiggle” room while sitting for instruction.

“Students can bounce, wobble, tap their foot on the bouncy band, all without bothering or getting in the way of other students’ learning,” Ms. Dubois wrote. “They are constantly moving, which means good air flow is getting to their brains, allowing them to focus more on their learning, which in turn, I hope, enhances their learning experience for them.”

Basically, kids like my son can wobble but not fall down.

Seeing photos of students using these creative chairs made me miss my little wobbler – now a senior in high school. I also felt a surge of gratitude.

 

It took time to write that grant. Personal, outside-of-school time. Our teachers are generous like that.

Catholic schools depend on sacrifice. As parents, we sacrifice our treasure to send our kids to the BCACS. Sometimes we forget our teachers sacrifice right alongside us.

Comments, questions, have a few suggestions? Write us at BCACS.Blog@gmail.com.