Bushnell-Prairie City CUSD #170

About B-PC

The Bushnell-Prairie City School District #170 will facilitate and challenge every student to be college and career-ready by achieving his or her highest academic, social, and emotional potential.

Our rural school district prioritizes people, values learning, and takes pride in the surrounding communities.

A large bell sits in front of a stone archway inscribed with 'Bushnell High School'.

The B-PC School District is located in the town of Bushnell in west-central Illinois; an area with a rich history in manufacturing and agriculture.

Formed as a unit district in 1948, it continues to offer a wide range of academic and extracurricular programs to students in pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade. The district boundaries encompass over 120 square miles, and yet it retains the culture of a small community; taking great pride in its teachers, staff, students, families, and community members.

Committed to Growth

The Bushnell-Prairie City School District Board of Education, administration, and staff are committed to seeking continuous improvement in order to provide better experiences and outcomes for students. Our district framework is a visual representation of a purposeful plan to provide personalized student learning. The design illustrates balance among its parts, the need for a comprehensive infrastructure, and the importance of active and ongoing improvement.

A circular diagram illustrating the five key components of personalized student learning: Analyze, Assess, Implement, Plan, and Refine.

Programs, Services, & Values

For over 75 years, Bushnell-Prairie City School District has focused its efforts on student-centered, personalized programs with the goal of helping every student reach his or her fullest potential. As a public and recognized school district in Illinois, we utilize the established framework of the Illinois Learning Standards to plan teaching and learning opportunities and to guide the selection of instructional materials and student resources.

B-PC is proud of all we pour into our students from preschool through 12^th grade, and we are committed to helping each one of them develop the key characteristics that will make them successful as they progress through grade levels and beyond B-PC.

K-12 Programs

Core curricula align directly with established state standards
In-district benchmark assessments help teachers inform instruction
Dual-credit courses are offered through collaboration with local community colleges and universities
Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs provide students with job-related skills
The county CEO program provides a chance to exercise entrepreneurial skills and concepts

Extracurriculars

Athletics teams provide opportunities for students of all interests and abilities
Visual and performing arts programs are available including band, choir, flags, and theater
Clubs and organizations cater to various interests including academics, athletics, student government, culture, and hobbies

Preschool

Half-day sessions allow young learners to thrive through hands-on experiences and social interaction
Creative play, collaborative projects, and guided activities promote essential skills
Speech and language services support children’s growth as needed
Skill check-ins take place multiple times a year to monitor children’s growth

Student Support Services

Multi-tiered systems of support provide help to students who need extra support to meet goals
Professional staff assess and address students' mental health needs
Social workers connect students and families with community resources
Speech-language pathologists help students with language or communication challenges

Portrait of a Graduate

An illustration depicting the skills developed by graduates, including empathy, perseverance, and communication.

Portrait of a Graduate

A Bushnell-Prairie City CUSD #170 graduate possesses:

Empathy: A B-PC graduate demonstrates awareness, sensitivity, concern, and respect for others' feelings, opinions, experiences, culture, and differences through connection and understanding.

Perseverance: A B-PC graduate exhibits determination in achieving one's goals, regardless of difficulties, opposing viewpoints, or potential barriers. A B-PC graduate identifies failure as an opportunity for learning, and a foundation for growth perspective.

Flexibility and adaptability: A B-PC graduate responds productively to change and feedback in various roles and situations.

Problem-solving and critical-thinking skills: A B-PC graduate collects, questions, assesses, analyzes, and interprets relevant and reliable information to reason effectively. Collaborate with others to consider different perspectives, test ideas, evaluate solutions, and reflect upon outcomes.

Initiative: A B-PC graduate takes charge of their own learning, finds ways to be helpful, and makes the best use of their time.

Openness: A B-PC graduate values and embraces diverse cultures & perspectives through mutual respect and open dialogue.

Collaboration: A B-PC graduate demonstrates the ability to work interdependently within a group to promote learning, increase productivity, achieve common goals, and build trust.

Creativity: A B-PC graduate is an innovator who takes risks to cultivate possibilities that may be useful or bring joy.

Reflection: A B-PC graduate finds value in reflection and asking high quality questions to achieve individual improvement and advocacy.

Communication skills: A B-PC graduate expresses thoughts and ideas collaboratively in a variety of forms and contexts to inform, instruct, motivate, and persuade. A B-PC graduate actively listens to advance understanding with clarity and purpose.

Hear From Our Staff

Brittini Chapman; 2nd Grade Teacher

"B-PC has a special place in my heart, both during my time as a student and now in my role as an educator. Engaging with students is undoubtedly the most rewarding profession!"

Octavian Pierce; Full-time Substitute Teacher / Coach

“Being a substitute teacher at B-PC has been one of the best career experiences I have ever had. I have a great staff that I work with, and even better, amazing students all the way from preschool through 12th grade that I get to see. I love that my position is flexible and something different every day! Overall my experience substituting for B-PC has been positive and absolutely incredible.”

Sarah Shepard; Coordinator of Student Programs & Services

"I enjoy working at B-PC because I feel supported in my role and appreciate the collaborative environment with parents, staff, and students. The strong sense of community and teamwork makes every day rewarding and impactful."

Brandon Nott; 1st Grade Teacher

"Teaching at Bushnell-Prairie City has been a life changing experience. I love this little community and the colleagues that I get to work with. Making the change to teaching was a great decision, and I couldn't have picked a better place to begin my career. My students bring a smile to my face every day and I'm glad I get to be a little part of their lives."

Hailee Zachman; Junior High Math Teacher

"As a new teacher at B-PC, I enjoy being part of such a welcoming and supportive community. The seamless transition from student teaching to having my own classroom is all thanks to the support from staff and the amazing students I work with and learn from daily."

Becky Hobson; Social Worker

"My favorite part of working at B-PC is getting to know the students that I work with. I enjoy helping them get to know themselves better and seek the relationships and futures they desire. The teachers and staff here are professional and kind to one another and that makes for a pleasant work environment. I think the administration and staff communicate well together, and ultimately this improves the education we provide to the students here."

Ashley Douglas; Technology Support Technician

"Managing all the student and staff devices at B-PC is very rewarding. It has been a great learning experience for me. Technology is such a huge part of education and I learn something new every day."

Ruth Owusu-Ansah; High School Learning Specialist & Theo Antah; Junior High Learning Specialist

“We are thrilled to be part of the B-PC CUSD. Originally from Ghana, we bring passion and commitment to positively impact this amazing school district. It has been an incredible experience and we are honored to be part of such a supportive and inspiring community. The support from the district and colleagues has been phenomenal, allowing us to connect with each student positively in this close-knit community.”

Curt Rigg; Bus Driver

"I was fortunate enough to be hired on as a B-PC bus driver back in 2006 and have enjoyed getting the students picked up and delivered safely to school and back home. It’s been fun to watch these kids grow up from pre-k to 12th grade and hear their daily stories and what they did over the weekend. B-PC has been good to me and my family."