The Bedford Buccaneer
April 25, 2022
IMPORTANT DATES
Thursday, April 28-SEPAC Meeting-7pm on Zoom
Friday, April 29-Grades 9/10 Semi-7-9:30pm in BHS Cafeteria
Saturday, April 30-Tenacity Challenge-7:30am-3:00pm-BHS
Friday, May 6-BEF May Soiree-7:30-10:30pm-Tuscan Kitchen in Burlington
Friday, May 6-K-12 Art Show opening-6-9pm-BHS
Saturday, May 7-K-12 Art Show-10am-4pm-BHS
Sunday, May 8-K-12 Art Show-11am-3pm-BHS
Wednesday, May 11-Seniors Awards Night-7:00-8:30pm-BHS Auditorium
Thursday, May 12-BHS Vocal Concert-7:00pm
Friday, May 13-Junior Prom-7:00-10:00pm-Westin in Waltham
Tuesday, May 17-BHS Instrumental Concert-7:00pm
Tuesday, May 17-Wednesday, May 18-10th Grade Math MCAS Testing
Thursday, May 19- 42nd AFJROTC Annual Awards Night-6:00-7:30 pm-BHS Auditorium
Friday, May 20-Last day for seniors
Wednesday, May 25-Senior Prom-7:00-10:00pm-Tewksbury Country Club
Thursday, June 2 - Graduation at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell at 6:15pm
Tuesday, June 7-Wednesday, June 8-Grade 9 Physics MCAS
Friday, June 17-Anticipated last day of school
Volunteers needed for Art Show
The Art department is in need of several volunteers to be present at the K-12 Art show (May 6th-8th) to welcome visitors and accept donations. Please click on the link below if you are willing and able to volunteer!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080445A9AB2EA4FC1-k121
Friday, May 6th: K-12 Art Show opening, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Bedford High School
Saturday, May 7th: K-12 Art Show, 10am-4pm, Bedford High School
Sunday, May 8th: K-12 Art Show, 11am-3pm, Bedford High School
Tickets for the BEF May Soirée are on sale NOW!
This year, the BEF will once again be offering a special sponsorship, for individuals and families only, who would like to give additional support. With a donation of $250, you can become a “Soirée Supporter”. This sponsorship includes two tickets to the event, recognition at the soirée, as well as a special souvenir just for Soirée Supporters. The link for both options is below! Any questions, please reach out to the BEF via email at president@bedfordeducation.org. More info coming soon, can't wait to see you there!
bedfordeducation.org/2022/04/12/may-soiree-tickets-now-on-sale/
Bedford Dollar for Scholars
CSF of Bedford Dollars for Scholars Scholarship Application - CAF Form - STUDENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY APPLIED
Students that have already submitted an application need to complete the attached form which can also be downloaded at Dollars For Scholars - CSF of Bedford Dollars for Scholarsand return it by 5/4. The form can be emailed to bedfordma@dollarsforscholars.org or mailed to CSF of Bedford Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 585, Bedford, MA 01730.
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
Next week, all sophomore students will have hearing and vision screening during health class. Parents will be notified if further evaluation is necessary by their physician. Heights and weights will also be done at this time.
Annual Height and Weight Screening
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health requires the annual height and weight screening protocols to include the calculation of a Body Mass Index (BMI) and percentile for grades 1,4,7, and 10. Each child’s height and weight will be used to calculate their BMI. The results will be kept confidential in each student’s school health record.
BMI is a “weight for height for age” index that can be a useful tool in early identification of possible health risk factors among children and youth. Please contact Nancy_Thorsen@bedfordps.org with any questions and if you do not want your child to participate in the screening.
Thank you,
Nancy Thorsen, RN
Students who are sick should stay home.
Please be advised that symptoms may be VERY MILD and any symptom of a head cold, sore throat or headache, should not be ignored and should be tested.
Symptomatic Individuals may return to school after they:
Have improvement in symptoms
Have been without fever for at least 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medications.
Have received a negative PCR or antigen test result for COVID-19. An antigen test may be self administered and does not need to be proctored or administered by a healthcare professional.
If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, they may return to schools as long as:
Been without fever for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medications
Have improvement of symptoms
Following the day 5 isolation period, individuals must mask for 5 additional days when around others, other than eating, drinking or outside.
Please be sure to call your child’s pediatrician to report the positive result.
Student athletes need a phone triage and/or in person evaluation by their primary care provider prior to returning to sports.
Please report all cases of COVID-19 (both home tests and tests from a healthcare provider) to your child’s school COVID email:
Please email Nancy_Thorsen@bedfordps.org with any questions.
Nancy Thorsen BSN,RN
781-275-1700 ext. 4416
Absence Line: (781)918-4561
or select #1 from the main menu of (781)275-1700
School Lunch
BHSPA News
The BHSPA meets monthly over Zoom on the 4th Thursday of the month at 8am. If you are interested in attending the meeting or learning more about what the BHSPA does, please email: bhsbucsparents@gmail.com Every donation made to the BHSPA goes directly to our BHS community through programs, enrichment and activities.
Recent BHSPA Funding:
- Funding of 10 new picnic tables accommodating outdoor lunches, classrooms, meetings, etc.
- Ice cream socials for each class to re-connect upon returning to in-person classes in 2021. It was the first time the classes were together as a whole in over a year!
- Teacher/Student grants to fund school projects including technology equipment for BHS NOW, funding grade specific initiatives and club requests.
- Preparation and distribution of Student Directories (this year it will include a teacher directory with email addresses!) - coming soon!
- Sponsorship of Teacher/Staff Appreciation events
and so much more
Please check out BHSPA.org for more information!
Counseling Corner
Notice for Upcoming AP Exams
AP Exams are approaching and will run from May 2nd through 13th. Morning exams will start at 8am and afternoon exams will start at 12pm.
If you are taking AP Exams, please be sure to review the Exam Policy and Guidelines posted by the College Board in preparation for your test dates.
By Tuesday, April 26th, all students who registered for exams will receive an email from Total Registration with their exam schedule. Please be sure to review this exam schedule for accuracy.
If you have any additional questions regarding AP Exams, please reach out to the AP Coordinator, Samantha Thyne, at samantha_thyne@bedfordps.org.
Seniors:
TIPS FOR THE WAITLIST DECISION
Waitlisted? Colleges as a rule do not divulge the length of their waitlist or your place on it.
Therefore it is nearly impossible to predict whether you will get off the waitlist and when.
Carefully consider your other options and whether it is important to you to stay on a waitlist. If you do decide to stay on, be sure to make a deposit at another college by May 1 and be prepared to attend that college. It is not unheard of for students to get off of a waitlist in late August- just days before the start of freshman year.
Compare offers of admission and financial aid from each school
Notify the financial aid office of the school you choose to attend that you accept their offer for assistance. Failure to do so may result in the loss of financial assistance.
Send communications to the colleges you choose not to attend informing them of your decision. Remember to thank them for their consideration
2022 Diversity STEM Scholarship
Massport’s Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion/Compliance will once again award two $3,000 Diversity STEM Scholarships to graduating high school seniors of color with a minimum 3.0 GPA who reside or attend school in the city of Boston, Chelsea, Winthrop, Revere, Worcester, Bedford, Concord, Lexington, or Lincoln. Students must be involved in community service and interested in pursuing a degree that could be utilized in the Transportation Industry. Areas of study may include but are not limited to Aviation, Maritime, Real Estate, Business Administration, Accounting, Architecture, Engineering, Finance, or Human Resources.
Submission information and essays must be received by Magda Plumb in Massport’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion/Compliance Department no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 29, 2022.
For more information please call 617-568-3125 or visit https://www.massport.com/massport/community/initiatives/internship-scholarships/.
Students
Testing Supports
College Board and the Jed Foundation co-created a resource on strategies to help students calm their nerves before, during, and after a test. Check out this new resource How to cope with test anxiety
SAT Registration Deadlines
Did you know that most students increase their score when they retake the SAT? Encourage your students to take the SAT a second time and send their best score to colleges. For fee waiver–eligible students, there's no additional charge or late fee for registering between the regular and late registration deadlines.
Remaining Spring 2022 Test Dates
SAT Test Date-May 7th
Registration Deadline- April 8
Late Registration Deadline -April 26
SAT Test Date- June 4th
Registration Deadline- May 5th
Late Registration Deadline-May 25th
Parents/Guardians
Summer Enrichment Classes
A friendly reminder that courses taken over the summer at post-secondary institutions, for credit or enrichment, are not transferable to the Bedford High School transcript.
Know Your Rights As a College Student
The Community Engagement Division at the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is excited to announce the launch of our Consumer Rights for College Students Webinar! Help us to ensure all students are aware of the rights and resources available to them by the Attorney General’s office.
As part of the AGOs mission to support all residents of Massachusetts, we have created a program focused on encouraging and empowering students to understand their rights as a tenant, the importance of financial literacy, their student loans, and helping them learn what kind of resources and support are available.
Join us, This presentation will be offered online via Zoom Thursday, April 28th at 3:00 PM
From the College Board
If you’ve checked your inbox today, you’ve probably already received the email we sent your teen about the SAT. In case you missed it, your teen’s counselor has got you covered too.
The SAT is designed to support the choices juniors will make about their life beyond high school. In fact, millions of students take the test each year as a step on their path to college. It's a globally recognized test that's the best way to show off the skills and knowledge colleges care about.
To get ready for test day, your teen can use the free, personalized SAT prep of Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy®.
June is open, and seats are available.
Real Talk: Paying for College Edition is this Wednesday and Thursday!
Is paying for college a top concern? During this two-night Real Talk event for Black students and families, we'll be answering top questions about college affordability.
Night 1 is all about scholarships. You won't want to miss our live Q&A with scholarship experts Normandie Cormier and Lo Easton! Combined, they've been able to earn over $9 million in scholarships.
Night 2 will focus on how to evaluate financial aid packages. We'll also talk about the FAFSA®, types of loans, merit versus need-based aid, and so much more.
Students and their families are encouraged to attend Real Talk: Paying for College Edition on Wednesday, April 20, and Thursday, April 21, at 7 p.m. ET.
Career Pathways Program at Bedford High School
Bedford High School is partnering with the local business community to expose our students to a variety of career paths. Students become motivated and self-directed when they discover a potential career field of interest. Hands-on exposure and information to careers help students make informed post high school plans.
There are three aspects to our Career Pathways and Planning Program:
Career Speakers: We host two Career Speakers per month. They will be held via ZOOM during the student's Flex Block Period (10:22am-11:30am). Interested students sign up ahead of time. Sessions are approximately 40 minutes in length. Topics our speakers cover include, but are not limited to: a day in the life, the personal journey (what was your path like), necessary education, advice for high school students, what you enjoy most, and then questions.
- Job Shadow Program: Provide students with a half-day immersive experience on a job site, allowing students to observe, interact, and learn from experts in the field. Students can be placed individually or in small groups depending on the business/occupation. Prior to being placed students take a Career Aptitude Test to help them determine a particular area of interest. The Job Shadow Program would happen once a year for our sophomore class in early spring.
- Internships: Would only be offered to seniors who have a demonstrated interest in a particular field. The internships would provide real world experience and responsibility, students must complete an interview with the participating company. Students would be placed based on company approval. Internships can occur during or after the school day. (More information to follow on our Internship Program).
If you would like to participate in our Career Program, please complete the following GOOGLE form or contact Brian DeChellis at 781 275-1700 ext. 4414 or brian_dechellis@bedfordps.org
Google Form Link:
When You Realize Your “Worst Case Scenario College” is Actually Your Dream School
"When I talk to friends who went off to school, whether an Ivy or a nearby community college, they all say the same thing, they’re making lots of friends, they’re taking classes they love, and they can’t wait to go back to school. Happiness in college has nothing to do with your school’s ranking and everything to do with what you make of the experience."
To read the full article click HERE.
Join our Bedford Challenge Success community on social media!
Twitter: @chalsuccessbhs
Instagram: @challengesuccessbhs
Facebook: Challenge Success Bedford High School (this is a closed group)
For more information about BHS-Challenge Success please contact Cynthia Vitti (cynhere@comcast.net) or Lori Popkewitz Alper (lorialper@gmail.com)
BEDFORD SEPAC (Special Education Parental Advisory Council)
All parents & guardians of Bedford special education welcome!
Bedford Public Schools and SEPAC are hosting Special Education transition meetings for parents who have children transitioning to Lane, JGMS and BHS. We hope you are able to join us!
Transition meeting (Special Education) - Incoming Lane Students (grade 2 transitioning to grade 3)
June 1 from 2-3 PM at the Lane School
Transition meeting (Special Education) - Incoming JGMS Students (grade 5 transitioning to grade 6)
May 18 from 1:15 - 2:15 PM at JGMS
Transition meeting (Special Education) - Incoming BHS Students (grade 8 transitioning to grade 9)
April 27 from 8-9 am at BHS
April SEPAC Meeting
Thursday, April 28, 2022, at 7:30 PM on zoom
General meeting updates. Also, we will have meet & greet with guest speaker Jon Hartunian, JGMS principal.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85779135543?pwd=ejYwMExzdU5qUTZSTkhZcmF1VVpkQT09
Meeting ID: 857 7913 5543
Passcode: 139972
May SEPAC Coffee Chat
Monday, May 9, 2022, at 9:30 AM at Starbucks
Please join us for a coffee chat at Starbucks. All parents and guardians of special education students welcome.
Not mandatory but please RSVP if possible to coreenita@yahoo.com.
May SEPAC Meeting
Thursday, May 19, 2022, at 7 PM on zoom
General meeting updates. Also, guest speaker James McLernon, Lane School Bridge Teacher, Bedford district trainer in Safety Care, will share de-escalation
strategies and how they can be adjusted to the home setting. Please submit any questions prior to coreenita@yahoo.com.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85181609086?pwd=aUwvcDJDWSsrc1c4WXlQMXRqRnB3UT09
Meeting ID: 851 8160 9086
Passcode: 462289
June End of Year SEPAC Outing
Thursday, June 9, 2022, at 7 PM at Red Heat Tavern
Please join us to celebrate the year end at Red Heat Tavern. All parents and guardians of special education students welcome.
Not mandatory but please RSVP if possible to coreenita@yahoo.com.
BEDFORD SEPAC (Special Education Parental Advisory Council)
All parents & guardians of Bedford special education welcome!
Web: bedfordsepac.com
Facebook group: https://www.facebook. com/groups/BEDFORDMASEPAC/
2021/2022 SEPAC Monthly Meeting dates
April 28
May 19
June 9
Meetings begin at 7 PM
*Location and/or Zoom to be shared 2 weeks prior to meetings on SEPAC Facebook and webpage
Senior Dates and Deadlines
Grad signs are on SALE NOW. The deadline to Order is FRIDAY, APRIL 15th. Signs will be delivered in May. Click here: https://bit.ly/3LidVMU
Note: If you experience challenges with the link, please try again in a few days as the company that services the link nationwide has been having issues.
Yearbook Orders: After January 21 the cost will be $100.00.
You may place your order here
Please make checks out to BHS 2021/2022 yearbook.
Important Information for the Class of 2022
Please help us to have a successful yearbook by getting an early start.
Send all pictures that you would like to be considered for the yearbook to www.hjeshare.com. Enter the school code: Bedford (capital B). Please identify who the students are in the pictures. Please use full names not nicknames when you submit your baby picture. Please only submit one baby picture. If you do not identify your baby picture you run the risk of not being in the yearbook.
The official photographer for the senior portraits is Mark Lawrence Photographers. Their phone number is 603-882-0116. Please contact them for an appointment. If you have any questions in regards to any of the information. Please contact Mrs. Santos. Her email is karen_santos@bedfordps.org
If you decide to take your own pictures. Please be aware of the size. It must be 2.5 X 3 with a DPI of 300. Yearbook staff will contact you if your picture does not follow these guidelines.
If you have any questions in regards to any of the information. Please contact Mrs. Santos. at karen_santos@bedfordps.org
Past Due Dates
October 22nd- Senior Portraits-Please contact Mark Lawrence Photography @603-882-0116 to make your appointment.
October 8th- Senior Class Photo
The senior class photo will be taken on the football field. The picture will take place during flex block that day. (10:22-11:32) It will not take the whole time. Seniors please listen for the announcement on that day. Let Mrs Santos know if you have any questions.
October 8th- Individual baby pictures/Elementary photos. Please make sure when you upload your baby picture to include your name, first and last. If there is no name you run the risk of not being in the yearbook. Send to: www.hjeshare.com
Enter the code: Bedford(capital letter “B”)
October 8th- “Senior Thanks” (limit of 175 words) Please note: Text slang and most abbreviations are not acceptable. Drug or alcohol references are not acceptable. Send your “senior thanks” in a word document to: bhs2022yearbook@gmail.com
December 10th- Business Ads- Anyone with 2 business ads gets a free yearbook.
December 10th- Parent Ads. The 2021-2022 forms will be sent to the parents.
It's that time of year...
Senior students, please complete the form with the Cap and Gown order link above to order your cap & gown for graduation by December 21, 2021!
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Thanks,
Nicole Myles M.Ed
Class of 2022 Advisor
Graduation is Thursday, June 2, 2022
Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell
6:15pm
There are no tickets for the event as there is ample seating for all friends and family members. Mark your calendars. It will be here sooner than you think!
Need a student parking sticker?
How do I...
Get dismissed? Please bring a note to the main office in the morning. (or call 781-275-1700) Students will be given a dismissal pass to show the teacher and head right out of class at the dismissal time. This helps us to reduce the number of class disruptions.
Get a locker? Your Advisor will supply you with a lock. You will select a locker, then your Advisor will record your locker number and combination just in case you forget it. It happens!
Get my Aspen ID? If you need your ID or are having trouble logging in please contact tech_support@bedfordps.org
Find my lost items? The lost and found bin can be found in the student office.
Pick up a dropped off item? Please stop by the student office and look for the student drop off area sign. (Parents/Guardians, please label item your dropping with name) Please note; we do not interrupt classes for drop offs. Please stop by between classes to check for your item.
Find out more about grading and courses? You may find this and many other helpful pieces of information in your Program of Studies found here
Know who to contact for help? (please see page 6)
Get a parking sticker? You will not need a sticker until the end of September. Please fill out the Google Form here and your Assistant Principal will deliver it to your lunch or Advisory. There is no fee for parking at Bedford High School.
Bedford High School
Bedford High School Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 7:45am - 2:24pm
Wednesday 7:45 am - 12:55 pm
9 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA 01730
Phone: 781-275-1700
Absence Line: 781-918-4561
Fax: 781-275-6664