Dear 9GC Families,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. As we conclude the Fall 2024 semester, I want to take a moment to reflect on the past 18-plus weeks. It has been an absolute pleasure having your students in our building. I am both humbled and proud to witness the achievements of our students and teachers this semester, and I am grateful to be a part of your child's educational journey. We deeply appreciate the trust you place in us.

On behalf of the entire 9GC staff, I want to extend our heartfelt thanks for your incredible generosity. The dinners, lunches, and treats you’ve provided for our staff have been immensely appreciated and have truly made a lasting impact. Your kindness has enriched the atmosphere at our school and made us feel valued in ways that words cannot fully express.

As we head into the holiday season, we wish you and your family a time filled with warmth, joy, and the same generosity you’ve shown us.

Sincerely,
Curtis Whiteley
Principal

December 23-January 3: Winter Break (No School)

January 6: Professional Development Day (No School)

January 7-10: Virtual Days (See below for more details)

2024-2025 BPS School Calendar

9GC Bell Schedule

As mentioned in the December 2 HS update as well as the December 16 HS update, students in grades 9-12 on 1/7/25 - 1/10/25 will be virtual.

• 1/7: Newsletter Update Edition 3 will be sent to families.

  • Returning to Campus instructions

  • Traffic, Parking, Entrances

  • Schedule release + walkthrough reminders for 1/8

• 1/7-1/10: Virtual Dates for all students grades 9-12

• 1/8: Student schedule release + walkthroughs

  • 8:30-9:30 Leadership Student Breakfast

  • 9:30-11:00 Seniors

  • 11:30-1:00 Juniors

  • 1:30-3:00 Sophomores

  • 3:00-4:00 Freshman (only for 9th-grade students who have a class at the high school)

• 1/13: First day in the New Building for HS/First day of in-person learning resumes for 9th grade.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

As we head into winter break, it’s a great time to recharge and set goals for the new year. Start by balancing relaxation and productivity, enjoy time with family and friends, but also carve out moments to review challenging subjects or read a book for fun. Stay organized by setting small goals, like cleaning out your backpack or creating a plan for the next semester. Reflect on what went well and what you could improve academically and personally. Lastly, nurture your well-being: get enough sleep, exercise, and enjoy hobbies. Winter break is a chance to refresh, refocus, and get ahead!

Great Expectations is having its GE student essay writing contest. The deadline for entries is February 14, 2025. Essays are to be between 250-500 words. This program is available to all students in elementary, middle schools, and high schools nationwide. The essay contest encourages students to reflect and write about the Life Principle that means the most to them - and why. The details and essay submission information can be found here.

Congratulations to our 9GC recipients of this year's BEEF (Bixby Educational Endowment Foundation) Grants. Our math department (Tiffany Desaulniers, Terri Sloan, and Annie Coffey) was awarded $1,296.30 for the purchase of Logitech Crayons Compatible with Student IPads for Math Classrooms. Our foreign language department (Michael Cox, Jasmine Nevills, and Jamie Rangel) was awarded $709.65 to purchase headphones for IPads for our Spanish program. Our 9GC media specialist (Jesse Sutmiller) was awarded $750.78 for her grant proposal of Makerspaces as Enrichment for the 9GC library.

We want to thank the BEEF committee and all who have donated to this tremendous foundation. The work and generous offerings make a significant impact on the education of our students at Bixby Public Schools.

The Math department - Terri Sloan, Annie Coffey, and Tiffany Desaulniers.

The Foreign Language Department - Micheal Cox, Jasmine Nevills, and Jamie Rangel.

9GC Media Specialist - Jesse Sutmiller

Mr. Davis (9GC English teacher) went into full character in the role of Handicapper General as his students prepared to read and analyze the short story "Harrison Bergeron."

Famous Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso, is known as one of the creators of the cubism art style. Señor Cox’s classes made collages using geometric shapes to create art in the cubism style.

Mrs. Manlun's English class recently attended the "Build My Future" event at Tulsa Tech. Students had the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities, operate heavy equipment, explore virtual simulations, and learn about various employment opportunities in different fields. Each student also received a free t-shirt and lunch. A special thank you to Kelly Rampey, our High School College and Career Readiness Coordinator for helping organize the trip.

Our 9GC leadership class has been helping at the Bixby Outreach Center (BOC) prepare for their holiday market. We greatly appreciate our student's help and the BOC for what they do for our community.

In November, the 9GC had a special guest, Oklahoma's Governor Kevin Stitt. He and his team sat down with students, teachers, and parents to discuss Bixby's newly implemented cellphone policy. The governor wanted to see how the new policy has been beneficial, and also to see where others could improve upon it.

Our 9GC Student Council had the opportunity to visit the Tulsa Hills Youth Ranch. Students helped with gardening, raking, limb collection, shoveling, manure, and much more! They were also able to interact with animals and learn about the incredible difference this organization makes.

Each Wednesday, the 9GC hosts college and career talks by various industry leaders during our 'Real World Wednesdays' sessions as part of Elevate. We use interest surveys to identify students who may be interested in specific career speakers. Below are a few pictures from our 'Real World Wednesdays' events the last few weeks.

Superintendent Miller talks about Education and Training with students.

Mr. Jeremy Cooper with Spartan College talks to students about Aviation with a focus on pilot aviation and aeronautic engineering.