Welcome to Bowen Elementary

We, the staff of Bowen Elementary School, will be responsible for educating all children in a safe and caring environment. We will teach children to be confident, responsible, problem solvers through a clearly defined sequential program. The essence of our mission will be to work with the Bowen community to nurture the whole child.

From The Principal

Bowen Elementary School staff has high expectations and standards for our students. The students have performed well above expectations when compared to our children in similar demographics. They are supported by a staff who have maintained their ‘Highly Qualified" status by earning Master Degrees and have participated in on-going staff development.

Grand Valley State University's Building Science Leaders and Urban Teachers Academy collaborated with our staff to develop Science Inquiry lessons, with emphasis on higher level thinking skills and interactive cooperative learning groups.

Bowen is the recipient of a Nonfiction Guided Writing in Science Project Grant, approved by the Wilson H. Craig, Jr., Private Foundation from Citizens Bank Wealth Management, NA. Best practices in the areas of Reading, Mathematics, Gifted and Talented strategies in the regular classroom, are instilled to create an environment conducive to maximum performance.

Required computer literacy competencies are integrated into the curriculum through our teacher directed FutureKids Computer Laboratory in grades K-5. We have also integrated the Fast ForWord and Study Island computer programs throughout the school in grades K-5.

Individual instruction skills programs, which reinforce reading and mathematics, are addressed in the SuccessMaker Laboratory and in the classrooms. Lindamood Bell intervention groups were established last school year to work on fluency, visualizing and verbalizing, and comprehension skills.

Major investments in our students' academic future comes from our Parent Teacher Council (PTC), Home Intervention Program's, Chess Club , Junior Achievement, and DARE instruction. Our staff realizes "It takes a village to raise one child", therefore the combined efforts of staff, parents, community neighbors and business partners are essential.

The Artist in Residency Program through the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra affords our student a format for music appreciation. All of the students were exposed to a wide variety of presentations: The Performing Arts including Grand Rapids Symphony, Detroit Opera, Diversity Circus as well as our district high school performers and two additional Science programs were presented.

Kent Intermediate School District's Aeronautic Educational Laboratory collaborates with the Bowen teachers to allow students to explore the field of aeronautics as an extension of their scientific experience. The school counselor presented several intervention lessons in social problem solving skills to each class, in addition to small group specific social skill focus.

Bowen students leave prepared to meet the daily academic challenges required for lifelong learning.