Buchanan High School 2020-2029

Board of Education

  • Katie Berry
  • Harvey Burnett
  • Scott Carlin
  • Chris Carlson
  • James DeVlaminck
  • Kelly Laesch
  • Chris Lee
  • Sandy Tobler
  • Dennis Wentworth
  • Ruth Writer

Superintendent

  • 2017—Timothy Donahue
  • 2020—Patricia Robinson with Assistant Mark Kurland

Principal

  • 2014—Stacey DeMaio with Brian Pruett, Assistant Principal
  • 2022–Brian Pruett with Mark Frey, Assistant

Timeline 2020s

  • March 16, 2020, would be the final day of in person learning for the school year.  Initially the break was seen as short term but Covid would dictate a far different remainder of the school year. Teachers and students all had to learn about remote learning techniques where zoom was the norm. 
  • In 2020, The Herd continued their success and enthusiasm by capturing the championship title of Michigan’s Battle of the Fans for the third time in seven years with honors in three other years.
  • A different graduation celebration resulted as a result of the Covid pandemic in 2020.  The Senior Cruise began where seniors visited 12 stations to pick up caps and gowns, receive their awards, honors, and scholarships plus fill out their college sign and take photos.  Then the actual graduation ceremony happened with a drive thru at Red Bud Motocross. Because it was live streamed, few family members were in person.  The community pulled together once again. 
  • Students joined a 2020 peaceful march from BHS to police station where police joined the community in support of justice. 
  • When students did return to Buchanan High School in 2020-2021, Covid 19 posed new dilemmas [masks, social distancing, and quarantine] for the BHS teachers, students, staff and yes the entire building when classes began again in person.
  • By 2021-2022 most traditional activities continued at pre-Covid levels.
  • The Herd continued with being named a semifinalist in Battle of the Fans X in 2022.
  • The Buchanan Community Schools and the Buchanan community at large supported MARCH FOR BAND for the entire month of March of 2022 for much needed support of the band students.
  • With the graduating class of 2022, the BUCHANAN PROMISE which began only five years before increased to $15,000 for post secondary educational scholarships for eligible students. The BUCHANAN PROMISE is a scholarship for eligible graduates. With the class of 2022, eligible graduates have an additional $5000 scholarship for post secondary education, at two year programs, four year programs, certification or degree programs in the trades. The BUCHANAN PROMISE was the result of a permanently endowed gift from the estate of Walter E. Schirmer, Jr., son of the Clark Equipment Company President. The Michigan Gateway Community Foundation assures graduates who meet certain requirements within their six eligible years this money will be there for their continued education. It must be noted that the Clark Equipment Company maintained a close relationship with Buchanan High School for many years with opportunities for students to enter the workforce at the company after graduation. Many employees of Clark Equipment continued their education through adult education courses during World War II and beyond.
  • Buchanan High School celebrated the centennial of the building constructed in 1922. For over a year a committee met to ensure the celebration would honor the building, students, staff and the entire community. The committee included Superintendent Patricia Robinson, Principal Stacey DeMaio, Assistant Principal Brian Pruett, Board Member Kelly Laesch, Board Member Ruth Writer, Community Member and Buckteen Representative Jerry Flenar, Community Member and Buckteen Representative Jeanne Harris, and Michigan Gateway Foundation Director, Michael Rowland.
  • The centennial event held on June 11, 2022, included many dignitaries or their representatives at the local, state and national level. Principal DeMaio recognized various honorees in attendance. Guests heard musical selections, the reading of a poem in honor of the centennial written by student Bricen Rudlaff, and speeches by graduates of Buchanan High School–Mr. Jay Town [class of 1991] and Dr. Bernice Clark Patterson [class of 2000]. Another event of the day included barnyard friends recognizing the fifty years of the school farm and the rich agricultural education of Buchanan Community Schools. Also guests saw the unveiling of two commemorative projects including new white pines donated by the family of Richard Dougherty and a new sign at the front entrance of the school. The final event of the celebration was a tour of the high school facilitated by current Buchanan High School students.
  • Since 1922, Buchanan High School delivered over 10,000 graduates to the Buchanan community and communities around the world. The district continues to push forward with its vision which is to “develop responsible, resilient, creative citizens capable of succeeding in a global society.”
  • Beginning in the fall of 2022, Buchanan High School welcomed BHS graduate, Brian Pruett, as the latest BHS principal. After more than 150 years of Buchanan High School and over a century in the same building, Buchanan High School was lead by the first “home grown” principal.

Classes Offered [partial list]

  • Algebra
  • Algebra II/Trig
  • Anatomy & Physiology H
  • AP Psychology
  • AP Psychology H
  • Art Studies
  • Automotive Trades
  • Band
  • Biology
  • Business Software Applications
  • Calculus
  • Ceramics
  • Chemistry
  • Choir
  • CISCO
  • Communications
  • CTE off campus classes
  • Culinary
  • Digital Media
  • Drama
  • Dual Enrollment
  • Early Middle College
  • Earth Science
  • Economics
  • English
  • English 10
  • English 11
  • English 9
  • Environmental Science
  • Film Studies
  • Geometry
  • Government
  • Health
  • Honors Algebra 2
  • Honors Biology
  • Honors Chemistry
  • Honors Geometry
  • Honors Senior English
  • Intro to Graphic Arts
  • Intro to Psychology
  • Life Fitness
  • LMC and SMC classes
  • Math Science Center
  • Mythology
  • Physical Science
  • Physics
  • Pre-Calculus H
  • Python—Intro to Computer Science
  • Reading Lab
  • Senior English
  • School to Work
  • Social and Political Issues
  • Spanish 2
  • Spanish 3 H
  • Spanish I
  • Sports Medicine
  • Statistics
  • Surviving with Social Studies
  • Team Sports
  • U.S. History and Geography
  • Virtual Classes [37 options]
  • Weightlifting
  • Wellness
  • World History and Geography
  • World Wars Thru Film
  • Yearbook

Student Activities

  • Academic Honors
  • Art Club
  • Battle of the Fans
  • Blood Drive
  • Board Game Club
  • Buchanan College Club dinner
  • Concert Band
  • Drive Thru Graduation at Red Bud in 2020
  • Homecoming
  • Leo Club [Leadership, Experience, Opportunity]
  • Marching Band
  • MegaHurtz Robotics
  • Miss Buchanan
  • National Honor Society—Food Packaging Event
  • Prom at McCoy Creek
  • Senior Cruise
  • Student Council
  • The Herd
  • Winterfest
  • Yearbook
  • Athletics
    • Baseball [2]—Regional Champs
    • Boys’ Soccer
    • Boys’ Tennis
    • Cross Country
    • Football
    • Girls’ Soccer
    • Girls’ Tennis
    • Golf
    • Softball—State Finalists
    • Track—Boys and Girls
    • Volleyball [2]—District Champs
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