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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response Information

The safety of our students, staff, families and community is our top priority, and we are grateful for your partnership as we work to keep our community safe. We are closely monitoring the situation; please check this page regularly for updates.
Photo of Mr. Kevin Vos

Mr. Kevin Vos

Principal/Administrator

Hometown: Wisconsin Rapids, WI Joined the BCS staff in 2013 BA – Elementar...

August 12, 2020

Back to School Plan Update

BCS Families should check their email for a message including the updated School Reopening Plan. Please take a moment to read through it and familiarize yourself with the plan. Here is the latest message from Mr. Vos:

Greetings to all of you. I look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks. The BCS Board met Monday evening. As communicated previously, we are committed to reviewing our Reopening Plan and protocols on a regular basis. Please take a moment to review the updated document and familiarize yourself with it. Updates have been made in the following areas:

  • assumptions of the plan
  • clarification of symptoms
  • updated the protocols to reflect current CDC guidelines
  • face coverings
  • social distancing
  • classroom setting
  • music/band
  • library
  • athletics

We will only offer in person education as we do not have the capacity to offer alternative hybrid or virtual options simultaneously. However, we remain flexible and prepared to adapt to an ever-changing educational context.

We have revised the 2020-21 school calendar. The main changes include:

  • We will now have a full day of school on October 2 instead of a half-day.
  • We will have off on October 12 for teacher in-service.
  • We will have school on October 21-23 since there is no CEA Convention.

Finally, as a school board, we fully acknowledge the multiple perspectives within our school community. Please know that we have done our best to draft a plan that balances the many viewpoints expressed and honors the desire of our community to meet in person while providing as safe a learning environment as possible. We recognize that education will look different in the short-term but find comfort in knowing it will not be this way forever. Although COVID has caused fractures and divisions within our society at large, our hope and prayer is that we will remain united as a Christian school community, knowing that God is greater and will remain faithful.

Sincerely,
Kevin Vos
Principal/Administrator

July 21, 2020

Back to School Plan

BCS Families should check their email for a message including the School Reopening Plan. Please take a moment to read through it and familiarize yourself with the plan. Also, please note the following items:

The middle school retreat will not be taking place on August 24. Middle school students should plan to start school on August 25.

Due to the Christian Educators Association Convention shifting to a virtual format for the upcoming year, the teachers will not be attending. For that reason, we will adjust the school calendar and incorporate those professional development days elsewhere during the upcoming school year. Most likely we will now have school either some, or all of those days on Oct. 21-23. We understand if you have already made travel plans during that time. Look for a revised calendar to be released in a couple of weeks.

As a board, we appreciate the many prayers lifted up on our behalf and the words of encouragement that we have received during these challenging times. We are grateful for your continued support as we look ahead to the start of school.

June 16, 2020

Summer Tours

We are once again offering in-person tours for prospecive families. Contact us to schedule a time to visit our campus. We ask that at this time tours are limited to the prospective student(s) and their parents or guardians to help promote social distancing.  Masks are encouraged but not required, and will be available in the office if you do not have one.  We will continue to offer a virtual tour option via Zoom - contact us to schedule a time if you would be interested in learning more!

April 24, 2020

Update from Mr. Vos

With school closed for the remainder of the school year, you may have some questions about logistics as we move toward the end of the year. We have provided information on several of the frequently asked questions below.  Please contact us if you need further assistance. 

Will we get Progress Reports?

No, you will not see the traditional progress report in grades 3-8 that is typically sent out at every mid-trimester. With the Distance Learning dynamic, many of you already have a good grasp of your child’s progress. We are also providing feedback through Google Classroom and SeeSaw. Additionally, parents of students in grades 3-8 can use FACTS/RenWeb to check how students are doing. As always, if you have questions or concerns, you can contact your child’s teacher.
 

Will we have a day off for in-service on May 4?

No, Monday, May 4, will be used as an instructional day. 
 

When will the school year end?

The last day of school was scheduled to be a half-day on Friday, June 5. However, we recognize that 10 weeks of Distance Learning has added a different dynamic to the calendar and that it is in the best interest of everyone to complete the school year early. The rationale for this decision is based on the fact that Distance Learning has placed a different level of stress and expectation on everyone involved: students, teachers, and families. We see an early finish as yet another way to support the well-being of all, to maintain our current momentum, and to provide a sustainable and realistic timeframe. Furthermore, in terms of hours of instruction, we have numerous extra days/hours accrued due to the shift to Distance Learning. Due to these extra days and hours of instruction, we are confident that we will accomplish our curricular goals by Friday, May 29. We will communicate more specifically what the last week, May 26-29, will look like in upcoming weeks. The week of June 1-5 will be used for teacher meetings and to prepare student report cards. 
 

How will we hold the State of the School Society Meeting?

The current plan is to hold a virtual meeting to approve a budget for 2020-21 and vote for new board members. More details will be provided in upcoming weeks. 

What will happen to graduation?

We are still committed, if at all possible, to holding an in-person graduation. If able, we will have it on the currently scheduled date of June 5, 2020, pending social distancing guidelines. If not, we are considering an alternate date in mid-July. 

What will report cards like?

As mentioned previously, we will move to pass/fail reporting for students in 3rd-8th grades. We will also do the same for students in grades K-2. For students in preschool, we hope to hold in-person “readiness assessments” when social distancing guidelines allow. 

What if I owe for hot lunch?

What happens if I have extra money in my student’s lunch account? If you owe money for hot lunch, we will invoice you in early May with payment due at the same time as the final tuition payment on May 15. A reminder email will be sent at the beginning of May if you have an outstanding hot lunch balance. For those of you who are returning next year and have money left in your hot lunch account, that money will roll over to next year. For those not returning, we will apply it as a credit to the final May tuition payment. If no tuition is owed, we will contact you regarding a refund. 

How do I return school materials and pick up my child(ren)’s belongings?

We will schedule a day, most likely the week of June 1, for you to stop by school to return textbooks, library books, and any other school materials in your possession and pick up personal belongings. Look for more information at a later date.

April 16, 2020

Update from Mr. Vos

As many of you are aware by now, the Safer at Home order has been extended to May 26, 2020, and Wisconsin public and private schools are closed for the rest of the year.  I am certain this is not the news any of us wanted to hear for many reasons.  

As faculty and staff, the BCS team will continue to provide a Christian education in the format we have utilized during the past five weeks.  The school board and I have already had conversations about the implications of this new reality in terms of its impact on the remainder of the school year.  We plan to meet again early next week to further discuss now that the decision that we will not return to school in person this school year has been made.  We know you have many questions.  We will provide information to you soon regarding the following items:

  • The State of the School Society Meeting (voting for board members, presentation of the 2020-21 budget, etc.)
  • Graduation
  • The logistics of the end of the school year
  • Facilitating the return of school materials and picking up student items
  • Other items as necessary

We recognize once again the key role that you, as families, are playing in this dynamic and are grateful.  We will support one another and work through this together, trusting God to lead and guide us all.

March 30, 2020

Update from Mr. Vos

Welcome back to school! I hope you all had a restful Spring Break.  I just have a couple of quick items to note as we start the week: 

We have a full week of distance learning this week before a shortened week next week due to Easter. As explained in my communication before Spring Break, we will transition to the Core 4+1 schedule this week in K-5.  Middle School will be going with that same schedule as well starting Wednesday. Monday and Tuesday will look a bit different for them as communicated to students by their homeroom teacher via Google Classroom today.

During the break, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) provided guidance on the issue of tracking attendance.  You do not need to enter attendance at this time. 

Going forward, you'll find the daily video messages on our Facebook page and you can follow our school on Vimeo where the messages are posted. 

March 29, 2020

Educational Resources for Families

Click on the links below for access to some helpful resources for families during this time. We hope you'll find it to be useful!

Art

Science

Stay active
Local Resources

We'll update the list from time to time so check back!

March 18, 2020

Midweek Update

Yesterday Gov. Evers announced that schools are closed indefinitely until the public health emergency is lifted.  It is a challenge to maintain a sense of routine and normalcy in the midst of everything going on around us.  We have to think about being in groups of less than 10 people and staying 6 feet apart.  It adds to the disruption we already feel.  

Initially, we planned to be closed for two weeks of instruction (not including Spring Break).  During the last few days, I figured it would extend longer, but now we know that is a reality.  I cannot say how long school will be closed.  I don't know either way if we will have face to face instruction again this year.  I know you have many questions, and right now, I don't have a lot of answers for you.  What I can promise is that we will be working hard to maintain consistency and educational quality and engagement.  Faced with a longer time frame of distance learning, we may need to pivot and adjust our lesson plans from a two-week plan of continuity to a long-term plan of achieving big picture goals.  We are actively engaging in conversations of how to do that well and will continue to communicate with you.

I do want to reiterate that all school sponsored events will not be held during the closure.  We will attempt to postpone some events (like the Auction and Fellowship Dinner and the State of the School Society Meeting). Watch for communication with more information on those events and others coming soon. 

We appreciate your prayers and patience as we navigate the ever-changing dynamics put before us.  Thank you again for your ongoing support.

March 16, 2020

Office Hours & Upcoming Events

With school being closed, we will not have regular office hours after today.  Phone calls will go to voicemail but will be monitored by Mrs. Reis as will the office email.  If you still need to pick up books and materials, please call or email the office so we can make necessary arrangements.

Just a reminder that any events held at school will not take place between now and April 6.  As far as what will happen with upcoming events like The Fellowship Dinner and Auction (April 17) and the State of the School Society Meeting (April 30), nothing has been decided at this point.  Things are obviously changing on a daily basis.  The board is monitoring the situation and will consider how to move forward with events like these based on current and future information.  Any changes or decisions will be communicated to you.

Thank you once again for your patience and understanding as we navigate this ever changing dynamic and its impact on our school community.

March 15, 2020

Middle School Update

Hi Middle School Parents,

As we begin on this new learning adventure, we wanted to share this information with you and your student.  We know students and parents may have a lot of questions about what to expect and what virtual learning will look like.  Here is some information that we will have posted in our Google Classrooms tomorrow as students begin to work.  

Your student's learning experience matters to us. So, one way  we hope to have some fun with these virtual learning days is with “Virtual Learning Dress-Down Days.” 

●  Monday: Pajama Day (of course!) OR Señora Rose Day (her birthday was Sunday)

●  Tuesday: St. Patrick’s Day OR Mr. Dekker Day (it’s his birthday)

●  Wednesday: NCAA, NBA, MLB Day (since we can’t watch it right now!) or Fan Day

●  Thursday: Crazy Sock Day

●  Friday: BCS Spirit Day OR “Vacation” Day (since Spring Break starts at 3pm!)

Students can snap a dress-down day picture of themselves while they are doing their school work.  For those that wish to share on social media (hashtag #virtuallearningday), make sure to tag the school’s social media accounts.

Our team continues to pray for all of our students and families as we walk this journey together.

In Christ,
The Middle School Team

March 13, 2020

Distance Learning Plan

Thank you to everyone who stopped by today to pick up books and materials.  I appreciate the effort you made to support us in continuing to educate your kids during the upcoming week.  As we head into the weekend, I wanted to communicate our Distance Learning Plan for next week so you know what to expect.  Please see your email for the attached document for more information.

For students in grades PreK-5, an email will arrive in your inbox by 8:30 a.m. Monday morning with plans for the day or week.  If daily plans are shared, you will receive another email each morning by 8:30 a.m. with that day's plans.  If weekly plans are shared, you can use the same document as a reference to use all week.  Please help your child access the videos and instructional materials as necessary. For middle school students, assignments will be shared through Google Classroom directly with the students by 8:30 a.m. on a daily basis.

It is important that you understand that we are not viewing next week as vacation.  It is a week of instruction, and the teachers have spent all day today preparing lessons for your students and will continue to do so throughout next week.  In addition to writing plans, they are making instructional videos, uploading pictures of anchor charts for reference, and learning new ways to actively engage your kids to provide continuity in their learning.  In other words, they are investing a lot of time and effort to make sure that your child has meaningful learning experiences next week.

I am proud of the work of our BCS team.  The teachers and I are being stretched by this situation/opportunity.  It has brought us closer together as colleagues and grown us as professionals.  It is no small effort to plan for distance learning in just a few short days.  I'm sure we will make some mistakes, but I'm positive our commitment to you and your kids will shine through as always.

One final note: I'm sure you assume this already, but all school events for next week are canceled, including the PreK conferences.

Thank you for your grace and patience as we begin a new learning adventure with you!

March 13, 2020

Distance Learning Plan Update

With Gov. Evers directing the state Department of Health Services to issue an order mandating statewide closure of all public and private schools until at least April 6, we will continue to implement our Distance Learning Plan as necessary.  For now, we will use the following schedule for instruction:

  • March 16-20 - Distance Learning week
  • March 23-27 - Spring Break (No assignments)
  • March 30-April 3 - Distance Learning week
  • April 6 - TBD 

As I mentioned in my previous email regarding our Distance Learning Plan, we will do our best to provide continuity of education during this unprecedented time. Thank you once again for your support of both your students and our faculty.

March 12, 2020

Virtual Learning to Begin March 16

In light of the coronavirus and Governor Evers declaring a Public Health Emergency for the State of Wisconsin, local area school districts have decided to close next week and implement virtual learning from March 16-20 prior to the start of Spring Break on March 21.  Brookfield Christian will do the same.  Although we will not be in session next week, teachers will have lessons prepared and students will still be expected to do daily work and assignments.  More information on what that will look like will be sent home tomorrow.  

However, in preparation for virtual learning next week, please plan to stop by school between 8:00-9:00 AM tomorrow morning to pick up your child's books.  Teachers will be present to provide guidance on what materials to take.

March 12, 2020

Water Park Day & Other BCS Events

In light of recent events, the BCS Board and I want to provide active and transparent communication regarding coronavirus and its potential impact on our school. At this time, the Wisconsin health department states that the risk is still very low in our area. This is a very fluid situation, however.  

Our school staff and Board continues preparing to respond if cases of coronavirus go up in our area. Until we are directed otherwise by local authorities, school will remain in session and events will still go forward as planned. Elmbrook school district has indicated the same. However, we respect your parental decision in regards to these upcoming events like Water Park Day.  Please stay home if you have any symptoms at all.  Parents can decide individually on attendance for healthy children. If you choose not to attend Water Park Day, we are unfortunately unable to process refunds as this is a non-refundable, prepay event.

Some have asked about the BCS Auction & Fellowship Dinner on April 17.  The planning, preparations, and prayer continue as we look forward with hopeful anticipation to this years “Seek The Good” event.  Follow along on social media (Facebook and Instagram) for the latest news and updates.

From the Health Department:

Currently, the risk of COVID-19 to the general public in Wisconsin is very low. That said, public health authorities at the federal, state, and local levels are working around the clock to reduce the risk to the public. We are working to quickly identify and test anyone who may be infected to ensure they receive the appropriate level of care, and are isolated to prevent any additional transmission. We are also coordinating with CDC to identify travelers from affected areas of the world and ensure they are screened for symptoms and are monitored appropriately in case they develop. 

March 11, 2020

Coronavirus Information

We continue to monitor the spread of coronavirus and its potential impact on us as a school community. We will follow the health department guidelines and stay informed as to what other local area school districts are doing as well.

With Spring Break approaching, please let us know if you plan to travel to any country severely affected by the virus. Currently, those countries are China, France, Germany, Italy, Iran, Japan, South Korea and Spain. If you plan to travel anywhere else, we ask that you self-monitor for symptoms upon your return and to have your student(s) stay home if they exhibit any signs of illness. Please take a moment to read through the information about coronavirus and the precautions to take to reduce the possibility of contracting it and/or spreading it.

We will keep you updated as necessary.  Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we navigate this unique and changing dynamic.

We ask that all community members follow the CDC best practices by taking these simple measures to prevent the spread of germs: 

  • Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially before eating.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
  • Stay home when you are sick. Per our student and parent handbook, individuals must be fever-free (without the use of fever-reducing medications) for at least 24 hours before returning to school.
  • If you have a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, seek medical care and share recent travel history with your healthcare provider.

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