Center of village's universe is an all-inclusive school

Life in Bement revolves around activities in a school building complex that houses grades kindergarten through 12 under one roof.

"Everyone comes here," Superintendent Darrell Stevens said. "We're the center of the universe."

Elaine Day, elementary school principal, attended the school herself.

"This school is family," she said. "We've all worked at that."

About 400 children attend Bement's elementary, middle and high schools, all housed in the same 108-year-old building. And Stevens said that's an asset.

"It's common for seniors to walk through the halls to see elementary students and teachers," he said. "That promotes a sense of community. We have small, middle and older students all in the same place, and older students have the sense of being observed by teachers and other youngsters so they act in a family friendly way.

"You walk through the halls and see your little brothers and sisters. Your kindergarten teacher asks you how your day is going. We're very connected."

Residents like Harry Porter volunteer in the schools, listening to youngsters read. Others get involved in sports. Stevens said board member Mike Walsh, for example, also coached sports, built equipment and supervised other projects. Walsh died in 2003, and the district named the school gym for him.

Bement was one of the first schools in the country to give students access via the local cable network to classes like marine biology, psychology and sociology, classes a small school can't afford to teach in house. Stevens said he had to discontinue those services several years ago when cost became an issue.

But Bement High students can take Parkland College classes for dual credit, and the school's technical preparation program has been recognized for its excellence. Stevens said partnerships with businesses let students try career paths before college, something about 80 percent of graduates do.

"We keep kids other schools shuffle," Day said. "We look over our kids' shoulders. We do a lot of interventions for academics and behavior."

Stevens said teachers give students additional challenges.

"One first-grader learned to read and write very quickly, so we started a newspaper for him," he said.

Stevens said Bement is squarely facing its challenges as a rural district where enrollment is stable or declining.

"If it's not possible for children to thrive here because of technology and state support, we need to reorganize, especially at the high school level," he said.

Stevens meets regularly with superintendents from neighboring districts to review state legislation offering incentives for cooperative high schools.

"We have to look at every option available to continue as viable districts, and we think this is a logical step," he said.

Meanwhile, his staff continues to meet educational needs by being flexible.

"Everyone has to be flexible," Stevens said. "If I see paper in the hall, I pick it up. If an employee doesn't come to work, I serve meals. It makes me proud when I see what happens when teachers bring us ideas. We make them happen."

ANNE COOK