Dear Superintendent Halsey and Oswego City School District Board of Education,
Big Picture Learning has been engaged in support of the Buc school for the past two years and the Buc is a valued member of our network of schools. As the district contemplates changes in its support of the Buc and the way its program is implemented, we would like to iterate the successes we have borne witness to in our work with the school, and to communicate our support of the program.
The focus of the Buc school has been to engage at-risk young people in a learning environment that will ensure their academic success and emotional well-being.
To that end, the school has connected with families through a rigorous enrollment process, through community events, and through regular conferencing at the school.
The staff at the Buc has collaboratively created protocols for implementing individual learning plans for every student, where their interests have been connected to resources, projects and post-secondary plans. The school has partnered with SUNY Oswego to provide counseling resources and support for all students and families, in a model program for holistic education.
All students at the Buc have regularly participated in service learning experiences and real-world learning in the community, making personal connections and gaining 21st century skills.
Though the Buc is a small program and a new school, this community has posted incredible gains in building relationships and outcomes for students.
The outpouring of support at the recent hearing speaks to the value that students and families hold for this school community.
The students’ initial achievement on the Regents exam, especially considering the fact that many who tested were not even in their high school years yet, was quite encouraging.
Attendance for the Buc program is outstanding, and many students who had attendance issues prior to enrolling have made transformations around their commitment to school.
We hope that district administrators are considering the long-term benefits of supporting the Buc, in terms of the continued anticipated gains of this program, and the way it stands out as an exceptional school and a model for student-centered learning.
It is our fervent hope to continue supporting the exemplary work of the Buc well into the future.
Respectfully,
Carlos R. Moreno
National Director
Big Picture Learning
Jennifer Ghidiu
Regional Coordinator
Big Picture Learning
missing or outdated ad config
