By HOLLY GASKILL
Bluffton-Harrison schools celebrated the official opening of its new Our Town Safety Village with a ribbon cutting on Friday morning.
The “safety village” at Bluffton-Harrison Elementary School offers students an opportunity to learn community safety lessons through a play model of a city. The mock community includes sidewalks, intersections, miniature buildings and traffic signs, bikes, and children’s motorized cars. Similar models exist in Fort Wayne and Decatur.
The project was made possible through a grant from the Indiana Department of Education, which the district received in the spring of 2022.
“BHMSD is excited to offer another opportunity for our students to engage in interactive learning,” Superintendent Brad Yates said. “Our staff have been instrumental in developing curriculum to coincide with this project, and we know Our Town will be a great addition for our youngest learners to be more aware of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety as well as the various career opportunities within our community.”
BHMSD also worked with several local partners, Meyer Building and Minnich Excavating, as well as the construction trades class at Southern Wells Jr.-Sr. High School. Students in the course pitched, designed and built a miniature version of Bluffton’s City Hall in hopes of bringing real-world context to the mock community.
Other buildings represent both residential and commercial settings and include three buildings available for community partnerships.
The safety village also provides teachers another opportunity to address Indiana Academic Standards. Beginning in pre-K, students will interact with the town in lessons about helping others and community workers, Assistant Superintendent Julie Meitzler explained. Future lessons will address pedestrian safety, traffic signs, fire safety, directions, school and community history, careers and work ethic.
Some students exhibited these lessons during the ribbon cutting Friday, with teachers and School Resource Officer Phil Kurut guiding students in their vehicles in a lap around the safety village. The group talked about wearing seat belts, stopping at stop signs, looking both ways, and being mindful of their surroundings.
BHES students will continue to test the safety village this school year. The district anticipates students from neighboring schools in the county will be able to use the facility next school year.
“Our Town Safety Village will enhance the work we are doing at BHES in our study of student safety, our community, and careers,” said Meitzler. “With the work of a group of teachers, we have developed a curriculum that will continue to evolve as we utilize the space. We are also excited to be able to provide this opportunity to our Wells County schools to allow our neighbors to have these experiences with their students as well.”
holly@news-banner.com
