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School Information Bernadine Sitts Community Opened in January, 1997, Bernadine Sitts Intermediate Center is one of two buildings in Garden City where fifth and sixth graders attend school. The school is located off Third Street about three-fourths of a mile south of the U.S. Highway 50 By-pass. The school population numbers between 525 to 550 students. Hispanic and White students represent the two majority ethnic groups. African-American, Asian and Native Americans are also represented in the student body. Due to the community's large transient population, the school experiences about a 10% turnover rate in the student population during the school year. Yet there is still an average attendance rate in the 90 percent range. A large number of students receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch. Facilities Bernadine Sitts is a modern school designed to accommodate a variety of educational formats. It has thirty-six classrooms with sixteen classrooms having a folding wall between them. The media center is spacious, with a balcony covering approximately a third of the main level. The balcony provides expanded floor space, which allows an area for students to research and teachers to hold class. A professional and parent library are also housed there. The multi-purpose room, at the heart of the school next to the gym, is home for the cafeteria, physical education classes and various other activities. We are fortunate to have a stage area for instrumental instruction and vocal and dramatic programs. This area also was designed with office space and instrument storage. Bernadine Sitts School History Bernadine Sitts Intermediate Center was designed by Gibson, Mancini, Carmichael & Nelson Architects and opened in January 1997. BSIC is the first school in USD 457 where only 5th and 6th graders have been housed in one building. Our school is named in honor of Bernadine Sitts, a long-time Garden City educator. Academic Opportunity In addition to Core subjects taught by teams of fifth or sixth grade teachers, students enroll in four, one-semester Encore classes - Keyboarding, Technology, Music, and Art - and one four-semester Encore class: Physical Education. Students have the opportunity to begin Band, Orchestra and Vocal Music. A half hour of Orchard tutoring is offered before school five days a week. This is individualized math and reading instruction on computers in which the students voluntarily participate. The program breaks down the particular skills the students need the most help in and then develop activities and tests to work on those areas. Academic Focus The students at BSIC have varying academic ability levels. In recent years throughout the school district, students have demonstrated increased math, reading and writing skills. In response, the Site Council, the staff and the Board of Education have committed their energies to improving students' reading abilities while they work to maintain and increase skills in the areas of math, reading and writing. Staff members use STAR (Standardized Test for Assessment of Reading) testing and Accelerated Reader to monitor student progress. Students may also receive assistance through the Houghton Mifflin Soar to Success reading comprehension program or Title I tutors working with fluency and decoding skills. Thirty minutes each school day is dedicated to independent reading, reading with a partner, or being read to. The students also receive 90 minutes of reading instruction through the District reading framework with the Houghton Mifflin reading series. The Parent/Teacher Organization and the Media Center have used large portions of their budgets to order books to support student achievement and learning in the classroom. Mascot During the fall of 1996, all the fifth graders from the six feeder schools and the one team of six graders from the country school who were moving to BSIC in January 1997, submitted nominations for the school's mascot. From the nominations, the field of possible mascots was narrowed. The students then voted by secret ballot to select the English Bulldog as the school's symbol. The students were not aware of this, but interestingly, the English Bullpup had been the McPherson High School's mascot during the years that Miss Bernadine Sitts was a high school student there. The bulldog has been described as, "mild and kind, a peaceful dog, showing goodwill and friendliness to everyone it encounters": fitting characteristics for the students at Bernadine Sitts Intermediate Center to hold in esteem. Bernadine Sitts was born October 24, 1913, on a farm in McPherson County. She earned money during high school by doing housework and grading papers for teachers for 25 cents an hour. She taught from 1933-36 at a rural school in McPherson County; from 1938-48 at Lincoln High School; and from 1948-82 at Garden City High School, where she was known to work long hours. During her tenure at Garden City High School, Bernadine served as advisor for the yearbook, was selected as a Honorary Chapter Farmer by Future Farmers of America students and as an Honorary member of Thespians. She has spent her lifetime helping students, giving her the distinction of "mothering" generations of Garden City children. Her list of former students who still reside in Garden City ranges from city commissioners to medical doctors, dentists, farmers, architects, bankers, lawyers, teachers, and more. Architect Mick Gibson, who helped design this facility, is one of Bernadine's former students. Bernadine has earned many other honors in recognition of her commitment to education. She received the Kansas Master Teacher Award in 1964 and was elected to the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame in 1996. Bernadine received a key to the city and a proclamation declaring October 23-30, 1995, as Bernadine Sitts Week. She retired from teaching in 1982, at which time she began a "second career" through volunteer work at church. At this job she also spends countless hours. About the decision to name the school after Bernadine, Board of Education member Bill Clement said, "The most outstanding thing about Bernadine is she continues to do everything she can for many people." Her response to the naming of the school in her honor was, " I received a tribute...when some of you former students, parents and the members of the Board of Education made the decision to name one of the new schools the Bernadine Sitts Intermediate School. My wish is that you may feel that you have had a part in this endeavor and that these facilities may provide opportunities for children/youth to receive an education for many years." Every year on Bernadine's birthday, she arrives at the school in various ways to celebrate her birthday with staff and students. She has arrived by horse and carriage, a fire truck, motorcycle, helicopter and more. Return to Top | Return to USD-457 Home
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