BCSC Receives City Funding for Bulldog Ready

The funding will support the ongoing expansion of the community-connected Bulldog Ready initiative.

(Batesville, Ind.) - The Batesville Community School Corporation (BCSC) was recently awarded $132,000 by the Batesville Redevelopment Commission (RDC) for an additional year of support for the ongoing expansion of its community-connected Bulldog Ready initiative.

This award, the second installment from the RDC, comes as Batesville enters the last phase of its Ford Next Generation Learning (Ford NGL) process.

“Because one of the goals of our Bulldog Ready educational model is to produce graduates poised to meet local employment needs, this additional year of support from the RDC is appreciated,” said Paul Ketcham, BCSC superintendent. ”Four years ago, we embarked on this transformational journey with Ford NGL, and through community input and staff commitment, the systems and structures of how learning happens at BCSC have been reenvisioned. Teachers and students alike are getting out into the community more to see firsthand how classroom lessons apply to everyday life. In turn, community members are being integrated into our schools to share their knowledge with students. As hoped, the seven key attributes identified with successful Batesville Bulldogs—confidence, integrity, authenticity, drive, empathy, resilience, and leadership—are becoming a valued part of the culture at our schools and are even being embraced by the broader Batesville community to reflect the collective area’s values.”

The Ford NGL framework requires each participating school corporation to develop a master plan in consultation with its local community. Once the plan is launched, Ford NGL coaches serve as mentors for several years until the new processes are fully integrated. The financial commitment from the RDC will fund the fifth and final year of Ford NGL’s coaching at BCSC. Key goals for year five include expanding Bulldog Ready immersive career-focused experiences to additional grade levels, developing a pipeline of teachers and community ambassadors to keep the momentum going, and using data and expanded storytelling to celebrate successes and refine strategies.

“This last phase is focused on sustainability,” Ketcham added. “It ensures that the strategies, systems, and partnerships developed in earlier phases are fully integrated into the district’s operations and culture, driving long-term impact for students and the broader community. This last year will prove our ongoing commitment to preparing every student for life beyond high school. We look forward to moving this initiative from the learning and growing phase to one where it is a natural, seamless part of who we are at BCSC.”

For more information about Bulldog Ready, visit the BCSC website at https://batesvilleinschools.com/bulldog-ready/ or contact Ketcham at pketcham@batesville.k12.in.us.