Superintendent Conrad’s weekly message for May 12, 2023.
Teacher Appreciation Week
Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week this week! Thank you to BEST, MSPA, and the BHSPA for the wonderful meals and gifts. I know that our staff very much appreciated the special attention. We are so fortunate to have extraordinary educators who work tirelessly for our students and families with flexibility, resilience, and care.
May is Better Speech and Hearing Month
Begun in May of 1927, Better Speech and Hearing Month is sponsored by the American Speech Language Hearing Association https://www.asha.org/bhsm/. The goal of the month is to increase awareness about communication disorders and hearing health. In the Bedford Public Schools, we have five ASHA-certified Speech/Language Pathologists and two Speech/Language Pathology Assistants who work to identify, diagnose, and provide therapy to students in the Bedford Public Schools. Please join me in celebrating Better Speech and Hearing Month by saluting our Speech/Language Professionals.
Special Education
Our Special Education Director Marianne Vines recently published the next installment of the Director’s Update which can be viewed at Director’s Update Spring 2023. The update is full of wonderful information about our Special Education Department and Programs.
Special Olympics
Today was an amazing day at the 17th Annual Special Olympics Lexington School Day games! As a member of the LABBB Collaborative, our students participated in a whole host of events at the Special Olympics at Lexington High School. The Opening Ceremony was amazing and got the day off to an incredible start. Thank you to all of the Olympians, parents, and peers who made the day such an awesome event. Thanks to Lexington Public Schools, Special Olympics Massachusetts, LABBB Collaborative, and Best Buddies for sponsoring this event. Special thanks to our thirty Bedford High School Best Buddy peers for supporting our athletes!
Community Inclusion Summit
You are invited to attend a Community Inclusion Summit that The Arc of Massachusetts is hosting on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, from 10 am until 2 pm at the Lexington Community Center. The goal of this event is to assist community organizations with concrete strategies and techniques for including people with disabilities within their own programs and to provide an opportunity for like-minded organizations to connect. There will be representation from various recreational, cultural, educational, enrichment, and faith-based organizations that are committed to creating a culture of inclusion. For more information please email the Bedford Special Education Parent Association (SEPAC) at [email protected] To register please use this Link
Performing Arts Department Events
As we enter the last quarter of the school year please be aware that the performing arts department in conjunction with POMS (Patrons of Music Students) is preparing a number of music events for May and June. We hope you will be able to join us for some or all of these events that showcase our talented musical performers of all ages.
- The BHS Instrumental Concert on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at 7:00 PM at the BHS Auditorium
- The Lane School Concert on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at 7:00 PM at the BHS Auditorium
- The Grade Six Concert on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at 7:00 PM at the JGMS Auditorium
- The Grades 7 and 8 Concert on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at 7:00 PM at the BHS Auditorium
Lane School Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
The Lane School recently had a fantastic assembly to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The event was a resounding success, with students showing great enthusiasm and appreciation for the rich cultural traditions of AAPI communities. The assembly featured a dazzling Bollywood-inspired dance performance, which had staff talking the rest of the day. Additionally, students were treated to the unique and beautiful sounds of traditional Chinese instruments, as well as impressive karate and taekwondo demonstrations. We are grateful to all of the students who participated in making this assembly such a wonderful experience for our school community.
Please Support the Class of 2023 All Night Graduation Party!
For 33 years, from 1988 to 2022, the BHS All Night Graduation Celebration Committee held a safe, substance-free overnight party for the graduating class. Throughout the night, the Class of 2023 graduates will enjoy live entertainment, games, trivia, music, prizes, food, and more, at Bedford High School from 10:30 PM – 5:30 AM. Families, friends, and local businesses are encouraged to make a tax-deductible monetary donation or prize donation to support the celebration. To learn more, read our parent/caregiver letter here.
Friends can also support the All Night Graduation Celebration by dining at Bamboo Restaurant, 213 Burlington Road, Bedford on Thursday, May 18th anytime from 11:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. A generous 20% of all dine-in and take-out orders will be donated to the Class of 2023 ANG party from Bamboo Restaurant, but be sure to mention All-Night Graduation when you pay!
Link to Bamboo Restaurant flyer: Bamboo Fundraiser
Parents can learn more about the All Night Graduation Celebration by visiting our website: All Night Grad Party – BHSPA
Sign up for the BEST/PTO Color Run
The BEST/PTO Color Run will take place on Saturday, September 9th from 4:00 PM to 6:00 pm and is the largest fundraiser for Davis and Lane Schools. Register to support enrichment programs and other educational improvements at our schools. Since 2016, this event has raised over $100,000! Run, walk, stroll, or roll as volunteers blast powder onto the race course. Or just come to enjoy the food, face painting, raffles, music, and more!
Register here (https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Bedford/VirtualColorRun2021) by May 6th to get the early bird registration discount. Each registration includes (1) a t-shirt & (2) food tickets. Additional shirts & food tickets may be purchased on the event registration website. Early bird pricing is $25 per individual and $75 per household. Beginning May 7th, regular prices are $30 per individual or $90 per household. (Registrations received after June 30th are not guaranteed a participant t-shirt and bag).
Dollars for Scholars Fundraiser
The Citizens Scholarship of Bedford is proud to announce the 58th Annual Dollars for Scholars Fundraising Campaign. The campaign is now underway. Bedford High students have recently prepared the Mail-a-thon letters. The letters have recently been mailed to Bedford neighbors in hopes that we will all support the Mail-a-thon as we have in the past. Please continue your wonderful support to help make this year’s scholarships for the Class of 2023 the largest awards yet. In May 2022, CSF of Bedford Dollars for Scholars awarded almost $165,000 to graduating seniors. Thank you to everyone at CSF of Bedford for all that they do to support our students! For additional information, please see their website, bedfordma.dollarsforscholars.org
Waste Sorting at JGMS
I’m pleased to share that in May, John Glenn Middle School will be the first school in our district to roll out a waste sorting station for students in the cafeteria. Waste sorting separates Liquids, Compostable, and Recyclables from Trash. This program will allow us to reduce what ultimately goes to incineration as “trash”. Having been part of a waste sorting program, I’m confident we will succeed here in Bedford! This will allow us to comply with the Massachusetts State Waste Bans, reduce the amount of waste we produce, and protect the environment our students will inherit. More information will be available soon!
FREE Adult Mental Health First Aid Training
The Town of Bedford Health and Human Services Department in conjunction with their regional partner, the Great Meadows Public Health Collaborative, is pleased to offer a FREE Adult Mental Health First Aid Training at Bedford Town Hall on Tuesday, May 23rd from 10 am – 4 pm. Registration is required. This training is open to those who live and work in Bedford. Information about the training content and details for registration can be found at https://www.bedfordma.gov/…/Bedford-Mental-Health-First.
The Last Day of the School Year
On Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at the School Committee meeting the last day of school for the school year was set as Wednesday, June 21, 2023.
As always, thank you for your patience, your participation, and your continued commitment to our schools.
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