Bigger, better Burton
New middle school to open in time for school year
Burton School District continues to enjoy a period of growth and expansion, and perhaps the highlight of the upcoming 2018-19 school year will be the district’s latest addition to keep up with that growth— a brand new school site.
Summit Charter Intermediate Academy (SCIA), located directly across Thurman Ave. from Summit Charter Collegiate Academy in west Porterville, is on track to be ready for the new academic year, and will be a new home for the district’s sixth through eighth graders, who will later feed into SCCA across the street for high school.
“Our builders are telling us SCIA will be ready for the first day of school,” said Irene Ortega, BSD communication and community outreach officer. “We are keeping our fingers crossed it will be ready.”
Ortega also mentioned that if the new school is not ready by the first day of class, the new students will stay at their old schools.
“The students from Matthew and Lombardi campuses are the ones
on that campus until the new school is ready.”
BSD administration are working to have everything ready for students to learn. Staff will hold a professional development session the day before school starts with a welcome back breakfast and speaker.
Burton Middle School will host Bulldog Camp, which serves as an orientation for incoming seventh grade students. The camp will be Aug. 1 from 9-10 a.m., where students will be able to engage in activities, explore the campus and receive their class schedules.
SCCA will host Bear Camp Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. for incoming ninth grade students to learn about school expectations, receive their class schedules and meet with teachers.
SCIA is also scheduled to host Bear Camp Aug. 3 from 11-11:30 a.m., but Ortega said if the school is not complete the orientation will be held at SCCA.
Burton district elementary schools will also have orientation for parents so they can familiarize with the dual program and what it consists of.
BSD will continue to have the same academic school year schedule as last year. Classes will begin Aug. 9 and every Wednesday will be a minimum day. The last day of school will be June 3.
School safety continues to be of growing concern both in Porterville and around the country, and Burton uses the latest technology to make sure their sites are as safe as possible.
Ortega said all of their sites have 21st century classrooms, and are equipped with new safety clip charts and evacuation maps, and each BSD school site has its own Facebook and Twitter account, which staff are always updating with information for parents.
“Our teachers love Twitter, they are always up to date by showing activities they are working on,” Ortega said.
BSD also offers a cellular device app they encourage parents to download and use.
“We tell our parents to acquire the app,” Ortega said. “Any time our schools go on lock down or anything like that it goes to our app.”
Ortega said BSD doesn't do robo-calls unless it's an emergency.
“Only if a school is on lockdown, intruders come on campus, or if there has been an earthquake we will use the robo-calls,” Ortega said.
The app also serves as a source for BSD safety updates, and parents and students can submit anonymous notes through the app as well.
“Students can use it to alert us if they're being bullied. They can take pictures of things happening and send it to us,” Ortega added.
BSD nurses are trained in CPR, and one of the things they are looking into bringing in this year is first aid training for staff.
“Let's say if there is a shooting on campus and a student gets hurt, they will be able to perform first aid,” Ortega said.
BSD acquired the Masonic Lodge on West Henderson Ave. near CVS Pharmacy last year, which they will be using as a training center and to relocate some administration.
The district plans to build their next new school at the location of the old drive-in theatre on Newcomb, which they purchased a few years ago.