Bald Creek Elementary School - Burnsville, NC

Bald Creek Elementary is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina in a small rural community of Yancey County. Our Title I school serves approximately 175 students. We have a small minority student population, and approximately 60% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunches.

The greatest challenge has been overcoming a decade of overall low performance. This low standard was conquered by making a commitment to hiring ethical, dedicated, and highly qualified professionals. Our school began to take on a like-minded vision for excellence and adopt outstanding resources implemented with fidelity. Each little piece of success became a stepping stone to greater success. Both personal and professional expectations became higher each year. A true team emerged and the result became excellence.

Our school also established a master schedule and school-wide procedures dedicated to protecting instructional time. Both literacy and math blocks are implemented daily. Technology is integrated into all subject areas.

Over the past three years, our school has gone from very limited technology to a one to one school. All K-2 students have iPads, and all 3-5 students have Chromebooks. All classrooms are equipped with Mimio projectors. All teachers have iPads for planning and instruction. National Title I Reward grants have made this possible.

The main thing our school has learned to do well is hire outstanding people who are great educators and to put really good resources in their hands. We listen to our teachers and build them up as experts in their field.