Middle School set for new year

-- Photo courtesy Returning students to Bonner County Middle School will find a freshly refinished gymnasium floor.

-- Photo courtesy The custodial crew at the middle school have worked hard to create a welcoming environment for returning students.

| August 18, 2016 1:00 AM

-- Photo courtesy The custodial crew at the middle school have worked hard to create a welcoming environment for returning students.

BONNERS FERRY — Boundary County Middle School is preparing for the best year yet, said David Miles II, school principal. Several new staffers will be greeting students in September, including a new math teacher, a new science teacher, a new computer technology teacher, an additional librarian and some paraprofessional educators. Miles is confident that these additions will help the school continue to build on its strong foundation and have a positive influence on the students.

BCMS will continue to focus on improving its academic standards and success. Many teachers have attended training seminars and conferences over the summer to enhance their teaching skills and further push students toward proficiency according to state standards. Still more teachers are planning to attend a late summer conference in order to get another boost before the school year begins. As a school team, the BCMS staff will focus on improving last year’s results. Last year, educators improved on most of the state standards of proficiency, including meeting the state average for science.

The staff will continue to provide appropriate behavioral training and support using the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support model although it will change schoolwide expectations to Safe, Civil and Productive to better coordinate with all schools in the district. Miles and his staff believe students who behave well also tend to perform well academically.

The district has made numerous cosmetic changes to the middle school over the summer. The custodial staff worked hard to create a building with a positive atmosphere where people want to be. The newly re-coated hallway floors look great, and a completely redone gym brightens that area significantly, Miles said. They have also added some energy-efficient privacy windows to the front of the school with the remaining classrooms to be retrofitted within the year.

Miles and his staff cannot wait for students and the community to come in and see what they are doing at Boundary County Middle School. They will excitedly open the doors for the community Tuesday, Aug. 30 for student registration. The school will host a Sixth Grade Transition Day Wednesday, Aug. 31 from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for incoming sixth-graders only. Thursday, Sept. 1 will be another registration day and school will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 8 a.m.