News & Events

Franklin Kindergarten Class Receives an American Flag from Troops in Afghanistan

 For a Veterans Day project Mrs. Huntley’s Kindergarten class at Franklin Elementary School sent hand drawn pictures and letters to American troops in Afghanistan thanking them for their service to our country.  

flown over the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan for a day from sun up to sun down. 

 After presenting the flag to the class, Mrs. Huntley had students look at the globe.  The students pointed out Battle Creek’s location on the globe and where Afghanistan is on the globe.  The class was excited and impressed that they received a flag from that far away.  The flag will be placed in the all-purpose room at Franklin for the entire school to enjoy. 

Coburn Student Service Project

All City Choir 

The All-City Elementary Choir, a long standing tradition of pride in the Battle Creek Public Schools, is now booking performance engagements for the upcoming holiday season as well as next spring.    The choir is comprised of third, fourth and fifth graders from throughout our district.  Choir members must audition and are selected by their teachers.  They represent each of our nine elementary buildings.  The choir began rehearsals in November, and will continue through mid May.  There are over 100 young students in the All-City Choir each year.  They rehearse each Tuesday from 2:30-4:30 at Ann J. Kellogg, and then perform in concerts throughout the community.  Last year the choir visited the VA Medical Center and sang for the patients.  They also sang for the Rotary at Burnham Brook and the folks from CentraCare.  The choir performed at two local churches that were having dinner events and they were the entertainment.  They also sang twice at the W.K. Kellogg Auditorium.   If you belong to an organization and would like to have the choir perform for an event, please contact the director, Lucy Lower. School email:  llower@battle-creek.k12.mi.usCell number:  269-830-8708 

Pennies for Harley

When Austin Tackett a Valley View 4th grader told his classmates that his16 year old   sister Harley was gravely ill with a type of cancer called Metastasizing Osteosarcoma, the students asked their school if they could do something for the family.  Mrs. Terri Osborn, Parent Facilitator for Valley View suggested they hold a fund raiser to help the family take a fun vacation with Harley. 

     Classes soon had signs made to place on five gallon jugs for “penny” donations for the trip for Harley.   Of course they made it into a contest between grade levels for those who donated the most money.  The school is also collecting returnable bottles to be redeemed for more pennies.  The school hopes to raise enough money to send Harley and her family for a weekend trip.     

     Sanye Sickinga and Austin Tackett have been working hard at Valley View to raise awareness of the tragedy of cancer and encouraging students and adults alike to save and donate their pennies for Harley.  However, more than pennies are being dropped in the jars, dollar bills and checks large and small are also appearing.   

Update:  Valley View Elementary has raised $5,325 to date for Harley and her family.  The family used some of the funds for a trip to Boyne Mountain for several days.  The very generous people at Boyne Mountain comped all the activities the family participated in and charged the equivalent of one night's stay for the entire visit.  Harley has also been able to participate in other activities with her family from the donated funds.

 "Futures" Office Battle Creek Central High School

     There is a new office at Battle Creek Central High School where students can go to do research on life career paths and work on college applications and financial aid applications.  The office holds literature about colleges, armed services and other technical schools.  Students have access to computers and can do college/technical school searches.  The center is manned by Mr. Roy Tooke, Promise Zone Coordinator. The Futures Office is open five days a week and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. or by appointment before and after school and at lunch time. 

Administrators, students, teaching staff, military representatives and the Chamber of Commerce were all on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony, Thursday, February 2, 2012.  Seniors who have already finished their college applications and submitted financial aid forms were treated to a celebration with pizza and games in the Commons Area of the high school.

Coburn Students "Feed the Streets"

Just prior to the holiday break the first grade students in Mrs. Tammy Mackey’s class at Coburn Elementary undertook a service project called “Feed the Streets.”  The students had planned the event for several weeks and voluntarily forfeited a scheduled field trip in order to help their community by giving back. Students donned plastic gloves and prepared sack lunches of sandwiches, chips and drinks for clients at Café Can Do in downtown Battle Creek.  The students then served the lunches and mingled with the Café’s clients while performing specially rehearsed songs.  The clients at Café Can Do were very impressed and appreciative with the Coburn first graders.