District Leadership welcomed State Representative, Brad Paquette, to speak with him this week regarding school academics, finances, free school lunches and our school farm. We thank Mr. Paquette for his visit!

The Food Service Department served 1,216 free meals to students across the district yesterday during its annual Thanksgiving Feast.

BUCHANAN, MI - Buchanan Community Schools is excited to announce the launch of its new podcast, Bucks Blast Podcast, aimed at providing an engaging platform for students, staff, parents, and the broader community to stay informed, celebrate achievements, and connect with the school district in new and innovative ways.

The Bucks Blast Podcast will feature episodes that highlight a variety of topics, from the latest district news and educational initiatives to student and teacher spotlights, community events, and more. This podcast will provide listeners with behind-the-scenes insight into the happenings at Buchanan schools, fostering a sense of pride and unity within the community.

“We’re thrilled to launch this new podcast as a way to connect more directly with our community,” said Patricia Robinson, Superintendent of Buchanan Community Schools. “The Bucks Blast Podcast is an exciting opportunity to share our stories, highlight the incredible work happening in our classrooms, and give a voice to our students, staff, and families. We’re looking forward to creating an ongoing dialogue and celebrating all the great things happening in Buchanan.”

The first episode, which highlights the exchange student program at Buchanan High School, is available for download on popular platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and the Buchanan Community Schools website.

For more information about Buchanan Community Schools or to subscribe to the Bucks Blast Podcast, visit www.buchananschools.com

Nominees included:

Abby Cantu, Administrative Assistant to BHS Principal

Andrea Wilgus, Moccasin Behavioral Specialist

Anna Smith, Administrative Assistant to Assistant Principal & Athletics and Pupil Accounting

Dale Groves, 5th Grade Teacher

Elizabeth Johnson, Ottawa Administrative Assistant

Hailey Kline, Moccasin Media Assistant

Jacqueline Tidey, BHS Special Education Teacher

Jared Huttenstine, Outdoor Education Coordinator

Katie Persak, BMS & BHS Choir Director

Kristine Rettig, 2nd Grade Teacher

Melissa Calvillo, Kindergarten Teacher

Miranda Capron, BHS Interventionist

Monica Luke, 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher

Nicole Teshka, 3rd Grade Teacher

Trinity Young, BMS Media Assistant

Congratulations to all!

Did you know you can nominate a staff member at Buchanan Community Schools for our Buck Staff Appreciation staff member of the month? You can! We value the passion and efforts of our staff members in all departments who strive to make our district a great place to learn and work! Make your nomination here! https://forms.gle/LQuBE2HLfGQsxQqq6

Early On

Early On® is an early intervention system that provides services for children ages 0-3 years of age with developmental delays and/or disabilities. The first years of a child's life are very important, but children grow and learn at different rates. If that little voice inside your head is telling you that something isn't "quite right" with your baby or toddler, don't wait to reach out for help. Don't wait to see if your little one "outgrows" your concern. Put your mind at ease, and get your child the help he or she may need by calling today!

Program Details

How can Early On® help?

Early On® is a system of services for families of children 0-3 years, who have a health condition or a developmental delay. The system includes a collection of activities, supports, services and resources provided by many different agencies and programs including schools, public health, mental health, social services and more. Early On® helps you find the individualized support that your child and family needs. If an evaluation shows that your child needs help, we'll tell you how and where to get it at no cost.

Who can receive Early On® services?

Early On® is available to any Berrien County family with a child from age 0-3 who has a developmental delay or an established medical condition.

What is a developmental delay?

A developmental delay is seen when a child’s rate of growth and learning is different from that of most children the same age.

A developmental delay may be in one of the following areas:

· Thinking

· Talking

· Hearing

· Seeing

· Moving

· Taking care of basic needs

· Responding to others

Developmental Milestones

Each baby goes through developmental stages but remember, no two children develop and grow at exactly the same pace.

The guide below lists a few things you can look for as you watch your child's growth and development. If you have questions or concerns about how your child is growing or developing, you may want to talk to your child's doctor or complete an online referral.

By 2 months your baby should...

· Hold head erect, bobbing when supported in sitting position

· Imitate or respond with occasional smile to smiling person

· Follows a moving person with their eyes

· Vocalize

· Move both legs and arms equally well

By 4 months your baby should...

· Have good head control

· Roll from side to side

· Begin reaching

· Laugh aloud

· Take objects, such as a rattle, when held near hand

· Follow moving objects when held in sitting position

· Enjoy play

By 6 months your baby should...

· Sit with a little help

· Roll from back to stomach

· Support weight; bounce activity

· Babble - more than 2 sounds

· Hold 1 toy and reach for another

By 9 months your baby should...

· Sit alone - change position without falling

· Creep or crawl on all fours

· Express affection

· Hold 2 objects at the same time

· Say mama/dada

· Show fear of strangers

By 12 months your baby should...

· Pull self up to standing - may take steps with support

· Pick things up with thumb and 1 finger

· Put toy in another

· Give toy on request

· Give affection

· Follow simple directions accompanied by gestures

· Say 2 or 3 words

By 2 years your toddler should...

· Kick a large ball

· Turn pages of a book

· Imitate housework

· Ask for items by name

· Recognize familiar pictures and know if it is upside down

· Use 2 or 3 words together, such as "more juice"

By 3 years your toddler should...

· Walk up stairs

· Stand momentarily on 1 foot

· Jump up with both feet

· Feed themselves

· Put on a coat with help

· Verbalize toilet needs

Questions?

Contact Patrick Conley

Supervisor of Birth to Three Services for Berrien County at Berrien RESA

269-471-7725 ext. 3384

Fax: 269-473-1113

The purpose of the Buchanan Community Schools Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) is to guide the district and its employees in effectively identifying and responding to incidents. The plan clearly outlines the responsibilities and duties of staff, empowering them to act swiftly and knowledgeably during emergencies. Additionally, the EOP serves to educate students, staff, and other key stakeholders about their roles and responsibilities before, during, and after an incident.

To ensure preparedness, Buchanan Community Schools conducts regular trainings and drills for staff and students each year.

Staff Training: School staff participate in annual emergency training to strengthen their readiness.

Student and Staff Drills: Fire Drills: Five fire safety drills are conducted annually, with at least three completed by December 1st.

Tornado Drills: Two tornado safety drills are held each year, with at least one occurring in March.

Lockdown Drills: Three lockdown drills are conducted yearly, including one during a lunch-recess period or another time when many students are gathered outside the classroom. At least one drill takes place by December 1, and another after January 1.

These activities ensure that everyone in the school community is prepared to respond appropriately during emergencies.

Ottawa Elementary
Moccasin Elementary

Buchanan Middle School

Buchanan High School

We pledge our best efforts to make Buchanan Community Schools a premier school district, and we strive to create safe, welcoming, engaging, and innovative schools that develop all students’ academic, athletic, artistic, and social growth. We take pride in our community and we appreciate the support of our stakeholders! Thank you!

But we do realize that sometimes something might not go right, or you might have a question about what we do or how we do it. We welcome that communication, and we will work to solve your issue for you as efficiently as we can.

In order to do that, we ask that you follow our Chain of Command process shown in the diagram. On the left side of the process chart, you will see the common areas of district programming, and then following to the right would be the next step(s) in the Chain of Command for that district program area. Please start by contacting the staff member listed in the second box of each program area. The contact information for our leadership staff members with responsibility for addressing concerns is listed at the top of the diagram. Other contact information for building staff is available on our website in the “Staff Directory” section of each building’s web page. It is expected that most issues should be able to be resolved at these initial steps in the Chain of Command.

Buchanan Community Schools is a school district located in Buchanan, Michigan. In 2020, Buchanan was named the Nicest City in America and is known for its community concerts and parades. Buchanan Community Schools has over 1500 students and over 200 employees. The school district has four schools based on grade bands, Ottawa- PreK-1, Moccasin-2-4, Buchanan Middle School 5-7, and Buchanan High School 8-12.

Email: probinson@buchananschools.com
Website: https://www.buchananschools.com/
Location: 401 West Chicago Street, Buchanan, MI, USA
Phone: 269-695-8401
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065665262514

To develop responsible, resilient, creative citizens capable of succeeding in a global society.