Back to School at NBC High School and Middle Schools

While students are enjoying their summer vacations, the work of school administration and staff from many different departments continues even when they are not in the building.

“It takes the summer and everyone working together to get it all accomplished – we have a great collective team at NBC,” Superintendent Todd Beatty said.

Northern Bedford County High School principal Shawn Cerully said the first portion of the summer is about analyzing data from the previous year which can include discipline, test scores and reflecting on initiatives.

“Some think if we have no students we have no work,” Northern Bedford County Middle School Principal Kendra Pritchett said. “We wrap up the previous school year by completing reports, analyzing data, and finish any documentation we may have gotten behind on since May is an extremely busy month.”

She said they also plan for the new year by finalizing the purchase of new materials, curriculum, furniture, and equipment.

They also attend a variety of meetings and trainings in the summers to get updated on new trends, mandates, or policies, and prepare for the new year’s in-service days.

All handbooks, safety and security materials, and building schedules are reviewed and revised as well.

“Everyone gets to work on summer tasks immediately after our students walk out the door in June,” Prichett said.

In addition to the duties of a principal, it is also a busy time for the maintenance department, business and transportation offices.

“Getting everything ready for August requires a well-coordinated effort from numerous groups within the school,” Northern Bedford County Elementary School Principal Trevor Replogle said. “The custodial staff plays a vital role in preparing the buildings and outdoor areas, ensuring they are clean, safe, and welcoming for the new school year.”

The maintenance crew members move furniture out of every classroom and office space so a thorough cleaning can take place.

This is also when facility projects are completed, repairs are made, closets are cleaned out and reorganized, the outside of campus is cleaned up, and all main purchases are made around July 1.

“Our counselors prepare our new students by holding individual enrollment meetings with every family that moves in, and the office staff transfers paperwork to other schools when students move out of the district,” she said.

Cerully said what it takes to get everything for by August involves a lot of communication and preparation with all community stakeholders.

“The summer is the time we can spend working on “big picture” items such as master schedules, school improvements, curriculum enhancements and changes,” he said. “Once school begins, our job transitions from the big picture to running the day to day items.”

Cerully said the NBC school district is currently building a new wellness center for the students, and improvements are being made to their Career and Technical Building and courtyard located inside middle/high school.

“These infrastructure additions and improvements will help to enhance our district for many years into the future,” he said.

Replogle said they have added picnic tables that teachers can use to hold classes outside, or offer an area for teachers to have lunch, and serve as a welcoming location for visitors to campus.

Air conditioning has also been installed in the multi-purpose room.

“This will make it much more comfortable during lunch, breakfast, gym class, and after-school athletic activities,” he said.

Other new additions to the campus are an updated office, kindergarten classrooms, new paint and carpeting in the library.

Cerully said he gets excited for the return of students in August.

“As much as I am often ready for a break come June, by August I miss seeing our students and their anticipated growth,” he said. “Each school year presents a new opportunity to work with our students, teachers, and school community to continue to build upon the previous year.”

His favorite part of the first day of school is eating lunch with the students.

“This gives me time to catch up with our returning students and to get to know our incoming freshmen,” Cerully said.

Arrival and dismissal are Prichett’s favorite parts of the day, but especially on the first day of school.

“I love greeting everyone as they come in on that first day — the excitement and anticipation of a new year is on each person’s face, and everyone seems wide awake that first morning,” she said. Dismissal is exciting because it means we made it through our first day successfully.”

He said the district was able to secure grant funding to welcome national speaker Jimmy Casas who will be talking with district employees in regard to building and sustaining a school culture that allows their students to thrive.

“Every year brings about unexpected joys,” Prichett said. “While I am not focused on one particular thing for this year, I can’t wait to see our students and staff back in the classrooms.”

Replogle said his favorite part of the first day is bus duty in the morning.

“It’s an enjoyable moment when I get to see all the students, full of excitement and energy, as they return to school,” he said. I particularly enjoy welcoming the new kindergarten and preschool students, witnessing their curiosity as they begin their first day of school. And, of course, getting lots of hugs and high fives from the students as they enter the building is a highlight—it’s a great reminder of the strong community we have and how much we all look forward to the beginning of a new school year.”