Superintendent Update

Dear Gibraltar Community,

In 2002 the generous residents of Gibraltar Schools approved a millage increase to remodel our buildings, add to our facilities, and bring technology as up-to-date as possible.  This effort on your part has not gone unnoticed.  People from all over visit our schools and marvel at the great facilities that we have to educate kids.  The “big ticket” items were done early in the project, but some equally important and less visible items have been done this year – specifically in the field of technology.  We are so grateful for the “SmartBoards” and the opportunities that they provide for our daily instruction.   A big THANK YOU goes out to each of you for your support of this. 

Each month I take a few days to visit classrooms within the district for two main purposes; first to better understand our curriculum, and second to see the instructional practices that we utilize to help students learn.  I use a “theme approach” each month and target my visits across all grade levels based on specific content areas.  So far this year, I’ve participated in science classes, arts classes, and have just begun to explore our social studies classes. We also coordinate these visits with month-long displays of student work in the Board Office.  The instruction has been very impressive and each of the teachers has used the new SmartBoard (picture a powerful electronic chalkboard) to help engage the students. 

During these classroom visits I’ve watched as SmartBoards have provided the link between students in Gibraltar and Southeast Asia.  A simple touch of the board can figuratively transport a room to Singapore or show students a live demonstration from a NASA lab.   I’ve seen Young-Fives students sing and dance to a You-Tube video as they learned the five senses of the body and I’ve watched high school lessons come alive as students interact on important AP Biology lessons.  I’ve seen artwork from the Louvre and watched a sign-language lesson.  None of which would have been possible without this technology. 

The recent SmartBoard installation in our classrooms has brought us full-circle on our bond projects.  From concept to implementation may have been a long time in the works, but we are here now and truly grateful for every opportunity you’ve provided. 

Sincerely,

Bruce S. Burger

Superintendent