Superintendent’s Update – September 8

Superintendent Chuang’s update for the week of September 8, 2023.

It was wonderful to welcome your children to school this week. I observed so much excitement to spend time with friends–old and new–and eagerness for learning, despite the heat. I appreciate everyone’s flexibility and cooperation with the various bumps in the road (figurative and literal!) as we get back into the swing of the school year. Please don’t hesitate to provide feedback to me, school principals, and other district leaders on how we can improve our operations (noting that we unfortunately cannot control the weather!). If you missed it, here is a back-to-school video greeting from the staff. And here are some scenes from the first week.

Family Training Event: Prepare the Child for the Road, Not the Road for the Child: Building Resilience to Emotional Distress, Alex Hirshberg, Psy.D., Monday, September 18, 2023, 7:00 – 8:30 pm. The research is clear: rates of anxiety and depression are increasing in children and adolescents. What is less clear is why this is happening. At this evening training event geared to parents and guardians and other adults who support children and youth, Dr. Hirshberg will outline some of the factors contributing to the current mental health crisis and provide practical strategies to support parents/families in raising children who are resilient to emotional discomfort, so that they can achieve at high levels. District staff have also been working with Dr. Hirshberg, so this event is designed to strengthen the partnership between educators and families

Congratulations to Bedford Education Foundation Grantees. The Bedford Education Foundation recently announced the funding of three grants in their Summer 2023 grant cycle. Congratulations to Science teacher Nadine Coletta at JGMS, who is launching a student garden club; Vincent McGrath and Betsy Wilson who will improve technology for producing “Wake Up JGMS,” the middle school’s weekly staff-generated morning news broadcast; and Jennifer Ferrari who will enhance the visual arts program at Lane School.

Upcoming September Observances

Rosh Hashanah (September 15-17) and Yom Kippur (September 24-25). I had the chance to visit our neighbors at Temple Isaiah in Lexington that serves many Bedford families, and Rabbi Amy Hertz has graciously shared some information about these High Holy Days for our edification. I ask that we all adhere to our Religious and Cultural Holidays Policy and that educators avoid significant introduction of new ideas, important assignments, and tests on the Jewish High Holy Days. Please note that Youth and adults may spend significant time in synagogue during the High Holy Days and there is no additional time to do make-up work during the actual holidays. 

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities in the United States. The event, which spans from September 15 to October 15, commemorates how those communities have influenced and contributed to American society at large. For more information on this topic please see National Hispanic American Heritage Month 2022 (hispanicheritagemonth.gov).

Suicide Prevention Month is observed during September. All month long mental health advocates, prevention organizations, schools, and community groups will be highlighting ways we can unite and promote suicide prevention awareness. For more information please see Promote National Suicide Prevention Month : Lifeline (988lifeline.org)