School office hours:
7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Breakfast service: 7:35 a.m.

School hours: 8:00 a.m.–2:45 p.m.

Tardy bell: 7:55 a.m.

Daily announcements: 8:00 a.m.

Lunch times:

• Kindergarten: 12:15 p.m

• First grade: 12:00 p.m.

• Second grade: 11:30 a.m.

2024-2025 Elementary Student Handbook

Nestled among the rural farmlands of Hartford City and Montpelier, Blackford Primary School is privileged to offer a first-rate academic establishment to the current and prospective students of Blackford County. From Shamrock Lakes to Montpelier, Blackford Primary School is known for its high standards and small town hospitality. You’re sure to agree that BPS is a great choice for providing your child the best education imaginable.

We promote a spirit of encouragement on our campus through positive reinforcement and student recognition. Blackford Primary School is pleased to give parents a choice between a traditional classroom setting or—for our more advanced students—one of two multi-age sections, based on what will most benefit the individual student. Our multi-purpose gym/cafeteria, playground, working kitchen, media center, and classrooms are always bustling with the signs of young, inquisitive minds, eager to learn and experience the world at large. It is our absolute goal to cultivate good citizenship, positive leadership, and a life-long love of learning.

At Blackford Primary School, students benefit from a strong, relevant curriculum developed by our staff members who contribute expertise across various courses of study. BPS's top-notch language arts program integrates the comprehensive literacy model into its daily lesson plan, using strategies developed by the Reading Recovery Council of North America—the world’s most renowned authority on reading and writing instruction.

Our full-time literacy coach administers reading assignments in uninterrupted 90-minute blocks each day for all grade levels. Kindergarten through second graders receive an additional 30-minute period of intensive reading instruction via literacy groups. Our class and individual teaching methods allow our faculty to model and guide the students in critical thinking, reading comprehension, and overall fluency.

In addition to promoting literacy, Blackford Primary is a strong proponent of proficiency in math. We currently administer hour-long math blocks for all grade levels, and—for students struggling with their math skills—we have developed an effective intervention program utilizing the TouchMath and Do the Math programs. Excelling students may participate in the after school Math club.