Welcome to Bridges Preparatory School! It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2022-2023 school year!
We have enjoyed tremendous growth and success over the past 3 years. Our enrollment has increased by over 600 families, and our goal of bringing our K-12 population to one site became a reality on August 23rd, 2021. Our students performed very well on our academic assessments, as well as setting a standard for learning that will prove to be our foundation of excellence for years to come. We were voted The Best Charter School in the Lowcountry, and I am confident that our accolades will grow to state and national levels. I am committed to providing your children with an environment that challenges, motivates, and supports all learners academically, socially, and emotionally. Our children deserve no less! We believe that we are all partners at Bridges Preparatory School and share a common goal of: Providing a safe, positive and engaging learning experience for each of our children.
As adults, we greatly influence our children’s attitude and feelings as they progress in their school career. They do listen carefully to our language, and they are either greatly comforted or affected by it. It is important to stay in close communication with your child’s teacher to ensure academic success.
As we begin this year, I am excited about our commitment to fostering a safe and caring environment through the responsive classroom approach. All of our teachers will be trained in school practices of building positive community, effective management, and engaging academics. Our teachers will be able to explore the responsive classroom teaching practices of Morning Meeting, Academic Choice, Rule Creation, Interactive Modeling, Positive Teacher Language, and responding to misbehavior.
We will focus on literacy at all levels and embrace writing across the curriculum. I am very excited about our focus on Marzano’s acquisition of academic vocabulary at every grade level, as well as our differentiated instruction that ensures all students are provided enrichment and remediation opportunities. Our STEM learning has been a priority through Project Lead The Way Launch for grades K-5, PLTW’s Gateway to Technology for grades 6-8, and our PLTW Career and Technical Education for grades 9-12. This year we will introduce new AP courses that will provide an extensive layer of academic rigor that our students will be excited about.
We also promote self-agency and strong character through academic supports in Paideia Learning where every child is supported and given the tools to add to meaningful discussion in our seminar approach to learning. We will promote PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) in our classroom and school-wide practices and will have many incentives for our students who exemplify our targeted positive vision.
Our drop off begins at 7 am, and pick-up for grades K-5 will be at (2:30), and grades 6-12 (3:00). Our Lobby-Guard is enhanced to ensure school security. Please be advised that you will need a picture ID to enter the school.
I am passionate about your child’s education. We have been able to hire outstanding teachers that share a common vision of providing an environment of positive relationships, meaningful connections, rigorous curriculum, and the fostering of a safe and caring environment that promotes social, emotional, and academic development of positive citizens.
We are thrilled to have you as a member of the Bridges Preparatory School family, and I look forward to meeting you and your child! Together We Are………Bucs!
See you soon,
Gary S. McCulloch, Ed.S
Chief Executive Officer
Bridges Preparatory School
gmcculloch@bridgesprep.org