Welcome From Our Chief Executive Officer

On behalf of the board and faculty of Bridges Preparatory School, we would like to welcome you to the 2023–2024 school year. For our families that are new to Bridges, we welcome you to our Buccaneer family. I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing summer and are looking forward to an outstanding year. The BPS administrative team has been working hard over the summer to create an educational experience that will be engaging and memorable for each of our students this school year. This summer, many of our staff have participated in training and workshops that will bring an exciting approach to whole-child development and servicing our students socially, emotionally, and academically. We have also been busy hiring new staff, enhancing our facilities and grounds, as well as watching the progress of our new competition gym and Career and Technical Education classrooms that will open in the spring of 2024.

Our mission is to provide students equal access to a high-quality, K-12 whole child education that maximizes academic excellence and strength of character in a student-centered learning environment created by a faculty of lifelong learners. We have a top-rated staff that genuinely cares about every child that walks through our doors and wants to give each child the best education possible, ensuring our mission is instilled in our daily practices. As Chief Executive Officer, my goal is to create a culture where all stakeholders feel valued and can engage in a memorable educational experience. I will serve as your liaison for the day-to-day operations of the school, as well as curriculum and instruction. We have a policy-governing board that is responsible for all policies, as well as ensuring that financing, facilities, and structures align to our mission. I am confident that each family will enjoy an outstanding educational experience this school year!

Our charter is founded on the 12 principles of Paideia with a focus on S.T.E.M. education to prepare our students for college and career readiness upon graduation. With an emphasis on authentic, project-based learning, students apply their knowledge and skills to tackle real world problems which prepares them to compete in an ever-changing global society. In The Paideia Proposal, Mortimer Adler presented an idealistic and egalitarian vision of education. He wrote, “Here then are the three common callings to which all our children are destined: to earn a living in an intelligent and responsible fashion, to function as intelligent and responsible citizens, and to make both of these things serve the purpose of leading intelligent and responsible lives—to enjoy as fully as possible all the goods that make a human life as good as it can be.”

Further supporting our mission and vision, Bridges’ students can participate in a variety of year-round sports, clubs, and curriculum-supported field trips and activities. Students develop intrinsic understandings about interpersonal skills through an embedded approach to character education. One of the elements that make our school successful is the support of our parents and stakeholders. Two pivotal groups include the Bridges Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and the Athletics Booster Club. These groups are made up of parents, grandparents, teachers, and community members who give tirelessly for the support of our students. Whether you are a new or returning member to our school community, I urge you to join and to be actively engaged with one of these groups. I look forward to the new school year and all the celebrations and successes that it will bring.

We have enjoyed an amazing first 10 years in the Lowcountry. We have experienced highs and lows that have established our strength and perseverance of the long-lasting footprint that we promise to provide for many years to come.

As we venture into the next 10 years, our focus will shift to the power of “one.” This involves focusing on how each student grows and learns in a way that is right for them. This also means making the educational journey not just personal, but personalized. Our school will connect teachers, administrators, students, and the home, so we can give the time, care, and attention that every student deserves. We will all work together to reshape how students learn, thrive, and succeed. From that nervous first day of kindergarten to the buzz of planning for college or a career and beyond, we are here for that “one student, one dream, one future,” focus which we will do 1360+ times this school year.

Thank you for being a part of the power of “one.”

Together We Are….Bucs!

Gary S. McCulloch, Ed.S
Chief Executive Officer
Bridges Preparatory School
gmcculloch@bridgesprep.org