Our Kindergarten Pirates sure do! During the last week of school before winter break, our kindergarteners marched through the halls in their annual ABC Parade, proudly dressed head-to-toe in handmade, alphabet-themed outfits.
Students, teachers, and families lined the hallways to cheer them on, share high-fives, and admire their colorful creativity as they paraded through the school. What better way to learn the ABCs than to become them?
Let’s hear it for our amazing Kindergarten Pirates! 🎉
A big thank you to our respectful and enthusiastic young Pirates, Ms. Satterthwaite and our amazing 1st grade staff, and to our administration for spending time in classrooms connecting with students. Moments like these highlight the integrity of our Berea family and make lasting memories that our students won't soon forget.
Yesterday morning, Superintendent Dr. Neaves surprised our teachers and staff with a pop-up coffee station as they arrived to work! While our students have accomplished so many amazing things this fall, none of it would be possible without the daily support, dedication, and mentorship of our faculty.
We truly couldn’t imagine a more committed team. Inside their classrooms, our teachers shape students’ lives, spark curiosity and excitement, and prepare them for successful and rewarding futures every single day of the school year. This small gesture was just one way to say thank you for everything you do and all that you give to the Berea community.
We love our teachers!
Our classrooms welcomed two very special visitors today from the North Pole! Throughout our last day of school, Mr. and Mrs. Claus made their way all around the building, spreading Christmas cheer to students and staff one classroom at a time. They brought smiles, shared laughs, told jokes, and even offered students some meaningful words of wisdom..
We're so grateful for this special visit from our friends from the North Pole, their visit meant the world to our students. What a wonderful way to close out the semester!
From Berea Independent Schools, and from Santa himself, we wish you all a very happy Winter Break. Stay safe and warm, get lots of well-deserved rest, and we'll see you in January!
Yesterday afternoon, Conkin Gym was packed with excited students and teachers as we came together to recognize a long list of hard-working Pirates for their impressive i-Ready test scores and general outstanding behavior in the classroom.
We are so proud to celebrate these amazing students for the dedication and effort they’ve shown throughout the fall semester. Their commitment to safety, responsibility, and respect truly makes a difference every day in our classrooms and hallways.
Great work, Pirates! 🏴☠️
By 11:30, BCMS students were loading the bus and heading up the hill to cheer on Berea College as they faced off against Bluffton. The excitement was high, and the cheering was loud!
During breaks in the game, a few of our lucky students competed with other schools in a number of challenges on the court. There was even a special appearance from Kris Kringle himself!
Our students loved the opportunity to spend time with peers and teachers outside the classroom while supporting our local community. The Berea spirit was truly shining bright!
What a wonderful way to build community and celebrate these final days of the fall semester. We are so proud of our MS students and teachers for all they’ve accomplished so far this year. Let's go, Pirates!
At this month's MS/HS Faculty Meeting, teachers and staff came together for a festive holiday cookie swap. Safe to say, every bite was enjoyed thoroughly!
Between cookies and conversations, Middle School Teacher Mr. Guevara gave a wonderful presentation about the importance of ELL/ESL support in the classroom, and discussed ways teachers can ensure no students are left behind during lessons.
These meetings strengthen communication around school initiatives, curriculum, and student support, but moments like this go beyond the agenda. They give our staff the opportunity to connect outside the classroom, as teammates and as a Pirate family, for the shared mission of creating a safe, innovative learning environment where student success is inevitable.
We couldn't wish for a stronger team of educators to bring that mission to life!
Let's give it up for out amazing MS/HS Faculty and Staff! 👏
Staff Holiday Dinner!❄️✨
Last Thursday, Berea Community Schools came together to celebrate the season with a district-wide staff Holiday Dinner.
We'd like to send a huge thank-you to Natasha Johnson and Marilyn Benton from FRYSC, Lisa Caudill and her FCS classes, and the Green Dot Program for their incredible efforts in preparing food, baking delicious cookies, and sponsoring meals from Cracker Barrel. Your generosity and hard work means so much to us.
This family of educators and team members is truly something special. We're so fortunate to have such incredible leaders in our building who continue to pave innovative paths forward for our students and prove the strength and spirit of the Pirate family.
What a great way to head into this last week before Winter Break, let's close out the semester strong! 🎉
JAG Student State Leader Takes Washington, DC! 🇺🇸
Berea JAGKY Student State Leader, Jackie Stephens, was recently invited to attend the National Student Leadership Conference alongside JAG students from across the country. Jackie visited the White House and met with national leaders to advocate for JAG (Jobs for America's Graduates) programs.
We are incredibly proud to see our JAG leaders stepping up, speaking out, and showing firsthand the impact of investing in students’ confidence, communication, and leadership skills. These Pirates are the next generation of lawmakers and administrators, but they're already stepping up to be the difference they want to see!
It's clear how much of an impact our JAG programs have had on our students, thanks to the dedication and leadership of our amazing educators, Susie Harris and Nikki McHenry. Their classrooms are spaces where students build both soft and hard skills that prepare them for success beyond high school every single day.
We couldn’t be more proud of our outstanding teachers and student leaders for representing JAG at the national level and carrying their passion all the way to Capitol Hill!
Reminder, school WILL be in session Tuesday, Dec. 16th!
Be safe, see you in the morning Pirates!
After the first week of State Qualifying tournaments Claire Garrett is ranked 16th in the state and our Top Overall Male Archer, Austin King, is ranked 25th in the state. These are incredible achievements, we couldn't be more proud of these amazing Berea Archers.
What an outstanding accomplishment, way to go, Claire! Proud to be a Pirate! 🏴☠️
Ms. Cveticanin’s art students had their incredible work on full display last week during the Winter Concert! 🎨✨
From creative self-portraits to vibrant quilt squares and underwater scenes, these beautiful pieces truly lit up the gym and caught the eye of everyone who walked by.
The Winter Concert isn’t just a celebration of our talented musicians, it’s a celebration of our entire creative student body. Whether students are expressing themselves through song, an instrument, or a paintbrush, everyone has a place in Berea’s creative programs, and we are continually amazed by their hard work and talent.
What a special group of Pirates. It's amazing to see the work our talented students have put together so far this year, and we can't wait to see what they create next!
- MS Volleyball will celebrate 8th Grade night on Thursday Dec. 18. Come out and support them on this special night.
- Our HS Boys Basketball team will be hosting the Berea Holiday Classic in multiple gyms Dec. 19-21. Come out and support them in their annual fundraiser.
Due to winter weather, Berea Community Schools will be closed on Monday, Dec. 15th.
This will be our third NTI Day.
Students should complete their NTI assignments from home, and teachers will be available throughout the day to provide support as needed. For questions or updates, students and families can check Google Classroom or Class Dojo, or reach out directly to their teachers.
Families that utilize the FRYSC for food pickup can pickup from 10AM - 1 PM if needed at the white tent across from the football field and Berea city pool.
Stay warm and safe, Pirates! ☃️
Due to winter weather, Berea Community Schools will be closed on Friday, Dec. 12.
Tomorrow will be our second NTI Day.
Students should complete their NTI assignments from home, and teachers will be available throughout the day to provide support as needed. For questions or updates, students and families can check Google Classroom or Class Dojo, or reach out directly to their teachers.
Stay warm and safe, Pirates! ☃️
Kennedy Theater was packed on Tuesday night as excited families, alumni, and staff gathered to enjoy our Middle and High School Winter Choir performances.
From Fleet Foxes and Frozen II selections to timeless seasonal classics, our singers showcased an impressive range of material, with some standout solos that absolutely blew us away.
A huge round of applause for Mrs. Barnhill and all of her choir students, who continue to inspire us year after year. The strength and impact of this program is unmistakable to students past and present, who carry their love of choir with them far beyond the halls of our school. As a touching way to close out the night, Mrs. Barnhill invited alumni choir members in attendance to join the group on stage for their annual performance of Carol of the Bells, a truly full-circle experience, and a symbol of this program's legacy in our community.
The winter concert is a special tradition, one that brings our community together to celebrate the creativity, hard work, and growth our students have shown throughout the fall semester, we look forward to it every year. We couldn’t be more proud of these talented singers, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this spring!
Our bands brought the house down at this year’s Winter Concert! 🎺🎶
On Tuesday evening, students, staff, alumni, and community members filled Singleton Gym for a warm night of music and community, watching the outstanding performances from our 6th Grade, 7th & 8th Grade, and High School bands.
Directed by Mr. Barnhill, our musicians delivered a fantastic program featuring classic winter standards alongside bold, contemporary pieces, and the crowd loved every minute.
Many of these students from our 6th Grade band had never picked up an instrument before Mr. Barnhill's class began in August. In just a few short months, they learned the fundamentals and confidently wowed the crowd with a number of recognizable tunes. There's nothing quite like the aptitude of a Pirate!
For one lively section, seniors Felix Reyes and Cassi Wright jumped on electric guitar and bass, adding a splash of rock & roll to the evening. And as the band wrapped up the concert with the beloved annual performance of Sleigh Ride, Mr. Barnhill invited the youngest audience members to step up to the podium and conduct the band themselves. Looks like we might have some young conductors in our future!
The winter concert is a special tradition, one that brings our community together to celebrate the creativity, hard work, and growth our students have shown throughout the fall semester, we look forward to it every year. We couldn’t be more proud of these talented musicians, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this spring!
Our BCHS Academic Team completed their league season last Saturday at the Lake Cumberland Academic League, and our Pirates showed out!
🏅 Rose Ramsay - 2nd place in Arts & Humanities Assessment (JV)
🔬 Elliot Windland – 5th place in Science Assessment (JV)
⭐ JV Team MVP - Gage McClees
⭐ Varsity Team MVP - Brayden Morris
🌟 All-League Team Selection - Elaina Kirby (her first selection!)
Give it up for these increadible Pirates on the buzzer, showing everyone what Berea is made of.
The team will be back in action on Saturday at the inaugural Capital Academic Tournament (CAT) at Frankfort Christian Academy. Let's cheer them on!
We want to send a HUGE thank you to some amazing community partners for donating gift certificates and prizes to our Middle School and High School faculty, staff, and students this year:
Raising Cane’s – Richmond, KY
Texas Roadhouse – Richmond, KY
Domino’s – Berea, KY
Our MS/HS Culture Committee has worked closely with these local businesses to make this possible, helping us bring more recognition, celebrations, and positive moments to our schools.
These prizes will be used throughout the school year for award ceremonies, student recognition, and special staff shout-outs.
Thank you for investing in our kids, our staff, and our school community — we appreciate you! 💙🐻📚
Today, our High School and Middle School Choirs took over Kennedy Theater to rehearse for tomorrow night’s performances! If you listened closely, you could hear their voices filling the halls with holiday cheer. We're all very excited to sit back and watch the show, and we hope you're planning to join us!
Event Schedule:
MS/HS Choir – 6:00 PM | High School Theatre
Middle School Band – 7:00 PM | Singleton Gym
High School Band – 7:45 PM | Singleton Gym
Can’t make it in person? Don’t worry! The concert will be live-streamed on our official YouTube channel so everyone can enjoy the incredible work of these talented Pirates!
