Young Artists Showcase at SCCOE

For the second year in a row, BCS has two students whose work were selected by the Santa Clara County Office of Education to be displayed as a part of their permanent collection at their offices in Santa Clara!

Please join me in congratulating kindergarten students Alyssa and Aaron on this great achievement!  Alyssa and Aaron are two of only 30 students countywide whose pieces will join the largest collection of adjudicated student artwork in California.  

Aaron’s artwork, titled “Get the Bad Guys” shows a police car rushing to arrest some bank robbers.  When asked about his inspiration for this piece, he said, “I like police officers, and I love cars.  I would like to catch bad guys such as robbers and thieves.”

Alyssa wanted everyone to see a smiling panda in her winning piece titled, “Playing Panda” that she painted because she and her sister both like pandas. Alyssa added feet to her panda to make him look like he is walking. She is most proud of the mouth she drew on the panda.

Sharing Best Practices at the CCSA Conference

In March, several representatives from BCS presented at the annual California Charter School Association Conference in Sacramento. 

Jessica Lura, BCS Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, and Kristina Plattner, 6th grade teacher, presented a session entitled “Deeper Learning Through Project-Based Learning and S.T.E.A.M.”, sharing examples from the BCS program and how these innovative, rigorous units facilitate a deeper conceptual understanding of content for our students. 

Seventh grade humanities teacher, Lisa Stone, who was one of only 200 teachers from throughout the country selected by LearnZillion to write curricula for the new common core state standards, introduced this free high quality resource to other California educators. 

Wanny Hersey, Superintendent/Founding Principal and Emily Nelson, BCS Communications Director, presented a session entitled, “Making Your Data Come Alive”, sharing what data are collected at BCS, and how these can be desegregated/analyzed, used to improve instruction and student outcomes, and can paint a vivid picture of a school’s success. 

Middle School Pops Concert at BCS!

Last week, we had a standing room only crowd during the first annual BCS Middle School Pops Concert - it was one of the most fun musical events we have hosted at BCS!  Mr. Belles put together this short montage from the performances - definitely a must watch!

BCS Middle School Choir Pops Concert - February 2015 from Bullis Charter School on Vimeo.

Have You Googled Tom Hanks Lately?

If so, then you would see all the coverage from when a few BCS students sold Girl Scout cookies to him in downtown Los Altos last week!

Check out the all the stories that have been published this week, and see the original post on our Facebook page!

Los Altos Town Crier
CNN
Time Magazine
People
Huffington Post
Today.com

Wanny's Words: Global Innovation Summit

By Wanny Hersey
Superintendent/Principal at Bullis Charter School

In February, I was invited to serve on a panel at the Global Innovation Summit in Silicon Valley, where I joined leaders from around the world who were also committed to building ecosystems where entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation can thrive.

During the panel discussion I was asked how BCS is able to create ecosystems within the public education model that foster creative confidence and inspire students.  

I have always believed that the secret to our success is in hiring great teachers and continually providing the necessary support systems so that they can model the very skills we hope to instill in our students.

Therefore, at BCS I ensure that our teachers also inhabit an environment in which to model and inspire students by providing them dedicated time to collaborate and innovate.  

Unlike school systems where teachers only meet with those within their own departments, BCS teachers are encouraged to work with their peers across disciplines to create units that integrate all subject areas.  

In addition to providing the time and the opportunity to collaborate, I shared the extensive training all staff members receive before the school year begins as well as the professional learning communities that they are a part of throughout the year with mentors, boot camps, and extra support in areas they seek to improve on individually and within grade level teams.

A graphic representation from the panel discussion
"Educated Insight: The Reinvention of Learning" at the 

Global Innovation Summit in Silicon Valley, February 2015

BCS Receives Digital Citizenship Recognition

From Jessica Lura, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships: I am pleased to announce that BCS has been recognized by Common Sense, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in a world of digital media and technology, as a Common Sense Digital Citizenship: Certified School for educating our students to be safe, smart, and ethical digital citizens.   BCS is one of only three schools in the state to meet all the criteria for the recognition. At BCS, we strive to empower all students to become digital citizens; students who think critically, behave safely and ethically, and participate responsibility in the digital world.  We’re excited to be recognized by Common Sense for our on-going commitment to educate our staff, students, and families about the importance of digital citizenship in every grade, K-8.   You can read more about the certification here, as well as on the Common Sense website.

Sharing Project Based Learning Units at the Bay Area S.T.E.A.M. Colloquium

In January, five BCS staff members presented at the Contra Costa County Office of Education’s STEAM Colloquium, which is designed to inspire and equip educators with tools and ideas needed to develop robust S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curricula at their own school sites.  

Two of our 4th grade teachers, Amanda Marino and Jeri Chi, presented their Project Based Learning (PBL) and Design Thinking Unit “Ethical Zoo Habitat Design” in which students strategically apply their knowledge of ecosystems, organisms, and ethics to create an ethical zoo habitat that would meet the needs of two different animals assigned to the same space. 

Mrs. Marino and Ms. Chi shared how students utilized technology in the MakerSpace as well as vector-based drawing software and the laser cutter in the BCS FabLab to create their designs.

Lynn Reed, MakerSpace Director, showed attending educators on how engineering can be integrated into the elementary science curriculum. She showcased how students work in small groups in the MakerSpace to construct detailed models using basic household items and recyclable materials. 

Additionally, art specialist Andrew Lipson shared examples of the many wonderful projects that integrate the visuals arts into K-8 program at BCS. From prosthetic hands to the muscular clay & wire sculptures, robot turtles, and vector-based logos, his displays inspired many conference attendees.

Teachers presenting about PBL and integrated learning units
at the Bay Area S.T.E.A.M. Colloquium