Today, we had a special visit from Judy Main, a former 2nd grade teacher who returned to her old stomping grounds to share her love of books with Mrs. Dopp’s 2nd grade class. Mrs. Main brought along a delightful collection of books and matching Beanie Babies, creating a fun and engaging reading experience for the students. We are always thrilled when former teachers come back to share their passion and continue to inspire our kids. Thank you, Mrs. Main, for bringing your joy and generosity to BCEL today!
Mrs. Chappel has had a great start to Career Week!
So far, 1st graders at in her BCEL classroom have heard from:
-Patrick McElgunn: entrepreneur
-Sarah Owens: education consultant
-Matt Smith: realtor
-Cliff Coston: National Guard Supply Sergeant
-Sarah Pagano: airport manager (not pictured, oops!)
-Teresa Switala: mental health therapist
It's been so interesting hearing their questions and connections as they learn about all the different jobs.
🎉 A Fond Farewell to Three Incredible Educators 🎉
It’s with full hearts and deep gratitude that we celebrate the retirement of Mrs. Lacey, Mrs. Lombard, and Mrs. Gledhill, three extraordinary women who have dedicated their careers to shaping minds and touching lives here in the Bullock Creek School District.
These remarkable teachers have poured years of passion, wisdom, and unwavering commitment into their classrooms—leaving a lasting mark not only on their students, but also on families, fellow staff, and the entire school community. Whether it was a kind word, a creative lesson, or simply believing in a child when they needed it most, they made magic happen every day.
💛 Mrs. Lacey inspired curiosity and confidence in every student lucky enough to cross her path.
💛 Mrs. Lombard brought heart and humor to her teaching, building bonds that will never be forgotten.
💛 Mrs. Gledhill led with grace, compassion, and a fierce dedication to her students’ success.
Their impact goes far beyond the walls of the classroom—they have helped shape the spirit of Bullock Creek. Though we are heartbroken to see them go, we are so incredibly excited for all that awaits them in this next chapter.
You will be deeply missed, but your legacy will live on in every life you’ve touched. 🖤💛
Thank you, Mrs. Lacey, Mrs. Lombard, and Mrs. Gledhill. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement! 🥹✨
🌟 What an AMAZING day for our BCEL 2nd graders! 🌟
Today, BCEL's 2nd grade students had the incredible opportunity to visit our friends at Floyd Elementary, and it was truly one of our favorite days of the year! This special tradition brings the east and west sides of the district together to connect, explore, and celebrate the joy of learning side by side.
From laughing and dancing, to playing and sharing a meal, and even exploring a very large vernal pool in Floyd’s beautiful nature area — every moment was filled with curiosity, joy, and new friendships. 💚🌱
A HUGE thank you to the wonderful Floyd staff, Mrs. Moses, Mrs. Pretzer, and all the amazing teachers who poured so much time and heart into making this day a success. Your efforts created memories our students will never forget!
We LOVED our day at Floyd Elementary!
🌟 Thank You, Mrs. Pretzer & Ms. Mandy! 🌟
We want to give a huge shoutout to Mrs. Pretzer, our district’s incredible Nature Coordinator, and Ms. Mandy, the Midland County ESA's amazing Adaptive P.E. teacher, for organizing and leading the Peer 2 Peer group at BCEL this year!
This special lunchtime group brought together students from our 2nd grade classrooms and our ASD room—creating meaningful opportunities to connect, learn, and grow together. Through shared experiences, laughter, and friendship, these students showed us the true power of inclusion.
Without the thoughtful leadership and dedication of Mrs. Pretzer and Ms. Mandy, this group wouldn’t have been the success it was. Your impact on these students’ lives is immeasurable, and we are so grateful. 💛
At the heart of it all, we are reminded that what brings us together is our shared human need—to be accepted, to feel loved, and to find comfort in friendship. Here’s to continuing to build bridges, foster empathy, and celebrate what makes each of us beautifully unique.
✨ Today was a special day at BCEL! ✨
We were thrilled to welcome Mrs. Slabaugh and her incredible Peer 2 Peer high school students to our campus. They shared a powerful message about the importance of positive self-affirmations, and our students couldn’t get enough of it! 💬💖
From inspiring conversations about positive self-talk to creating colorful chalk messages and drawings on our playground sidewalk, our kids were truly uplifted by the “big kids” who spent time encouraging them.
A huge thank you to Mrs. Slabaugh and her amazing students for spreading kindness, confidence, and positivity. We loved every moment of your visit!
🌿🎨 What a wonderful afternoon at the BCEL/Pine River Nature Art Walk!
Today after school, families came together to celebrate our students’ amazing artwork displayed throughout our beautiful nature spaces. The weather couldn't have been more perfect — sunshine, fresh air, and creativity all around! ☀️🌳 (We didn't even notice the wind :) )
It was a joy to see so many smiling faces enjoying the outdoors, connecting with one another, and admiring the incredible creativity of our students. Thank you to everyone who came out to support and celebrate with us — what a fun and inspiring way to end the day! 💚✨
🐛🌱 Exciting news from BCEL! Our students met some very special new team members today—worms! These little composting champions are moving into our new vermicomposter, where they'll help turn our food waste into nutrient-rich soil. 🥕🍎
Instead of tossing scraps in the trash, we’re giving them new life—thanks to our hardworking worms. It’s hands-on science, sustainability, and environmental responsibility in action!
🌧️ Recess in the Rain! 🌧️
When you're a nature school, rain doesn't stop the fun — it adds to it!
Our BCEL students geared up in their trusty Oaki suits and headed outside to soak in the fresh air and splash in every puddle they could find. Slippery slides, muddy boots, and endless smiles — just another joyful day of learning and playing with nature.
We love our nature school! 💚🍃
We are so lucky to have an incredible partnership with the Chippewa Nature Center! 🌿 BCEL is privileged to welcome CNC naturalists into our classrooms to support our nature-based learning with hands-on lessons and amazing resources.
Last week, Mr. Ian brought some fascinating fossil specimens for our 2nd graders to explore—what an awesome way to bring science to life! 🦴🔍
Thank you, CNC, for caring about our kids and helping us nurture their curiosity and love for the natural world. 💚
BCEL and Pine River invite you to join us for our annual Nature Art Walk this Thursday!
The event will begin at 3:45 PM under the pavilion on the BCEL playground.
We’re looking forward to seeing everyone there for an afternoon of creativity and nature-inspired fun!
🌞 What an amazing start to our Friday!
At our school, mornings look a little different in every classroom — and that's what makes it so special. Some students kick off their day with breakfast and playtime to ease into the morning, while others dive into small group interventions or work 1:1 with staff on individual skills. Some enjoy a quiet moment with a good book, and others multitask with breakfast and work time together.
No matter how the day begins, one thing is always true: it's a great day to be here, learning and growing together! 💛📚✨
🌧️🌿 Field trip day fun! Our 1st graders had an unforgettable adventure at the Chippewa Nature Center today—even the rain couldn’t dampen their excitement! From splashing in puddles to exploring with naturalists, our students learned through play and curiosity in the great outdoors.
We’re so grateful for our amazing partnership with the Chippewa Nature Center. Days like today are what learning is all about! 🌱🐾
📚✨ Big things are happening at BCEL! We’re so excited to dive our brand new Literacy program next year: Bookworms! 🐛💚
The excitement hit a whole new level today when our shiny new materials arrived!! We recruited the big muscles to help unload all the boxes 💪📦 (thank you, helpers!!). The girls were thrilled to jump in and be part of the action! We are ready to dive into some serious reading fun next year!
Let the Bookworm adventures begin! 🥳📖 #BCELBookworms #LiteracyLove #ReadersAreLeaders
A heartfelt thank you to Studio 23 in Bay City for welcoming BCEL's 2nd grade to your Access-ABILITY exhibition, celebrating tactile, touchable artwork. We’re also grateful to local author and illustrator Kelsey Laskowski for sharing the joy of loving someone with Angelman Syndrome and for introducing us to your beautiful book, Good Morning, Gus.
Over the past two days, BCEL’s talented second-grade authors took center stage to proudly share their published writing with an enthusiastic audience of parents. Our young writers showed incredible courage as they read their pieces aloud, demonstrating just how much they’ve grown in their writing skills! We couldn’t be prouder of their hard work, creativity, and progress.
A huge congratulations to our second graders—you were amazing on stage! It was truly a joy to watch you shine. Author’s Share is such a special event!
A heartfelt thank you also goes out to our dedicated second-grade teachers for their time, effort, and dedication in planning and organizing this incredible experience for our students and their families. Your hard work made this event unforgettable!
BCEL students were welcomed with a festive St. Patrick’s Day surprise this morning! Our incredible PTO set up these fantastic inflatables to get our little leprechauns in the spirit. A huge thank you to the PTO for bringing extra fun and excitement to our school! 🍀💚
BCEL is incredibly fortunate to have the most amazing PTO! Today, they went above and beyond to spoil us with their thoughtful "Whoot Whoot Wagon," delivering drinks and gifts to all of our staff. We had the joy of choosing a favorite drink and a fun classroom supply, delivered right to us with smiles and kindness. We are truly grateful for our phenomenal PTO and all they do to support our staff, students, families, and the entire community. Your dedication and generosity make such a meaningful impact, and we can’t thank you enough. Thank you, BCEL/PR PTO — we appreciate you more than words can express!
Stack, Flip, Play: Ms. Evans Brings Cup Stacking Fun to BCEL!
BCEL students are flipping, stacking, and racing their way to excitement in PE class with Ms. Evans! She’s introduced a high-energy cup stacking unit that’s turning the gym into a hub of teamwork, coordination, and friendly competition. From building towering cup pyramids to mastering rapid-fire stacking sequences, students are not only sharpening their motor skills but also learning the power of patience and persistence.
Laughter fills the room as kids cheer each other on, hands flying as they try to beat their best times. Whether they’re working solo or in teams, every stack and collapse brings a new challenge to conquer — and plenty of smiles along the way. Thanks to Ms. Evans, PE at BCEL is stacking up to be a blast!
Exciting news at BCEL — we have a new addition to our school community! Meet Kleo, the bearded dragon, who joined us this week. Thanks to the dedication and initiative of Ms. Stacie, our wonderful nature paraprofessional, Kleo now has a comfortable, fully equipped habitat, made possible through a successful grant she wrote.
Kleo’s home is on a mobile cart, allowing Ms. Stacie to bring him to different classrooms throughout the day for special visits. He’s already settling in nicely and has been impressing everyone with his calm and friendly demeanor.
Welcome to BCEL, Kleo! We’re thrilled to have you as part of our family!
