Dear BHS Community,

It was a busy and energetic first day back with students. We know that they will be adjusting to their early days but they brought their vibrancy today. Our students were very helpful and attentive to those around them.

Tomorrow, we have a school wide virtual assembly during advisory for all students where we will frame the year and review logistics. We start the day in flex block tomorrow and seniors only are allowed to arrive after flex block. This is a senior privilege that was in place pre-pandemic and the Class of 2023 is excited that we have made a return to this practice. All students, including seniors, must report to advisory and attendance will be taken.

We hope that all students have something positive to report after the first full week of school. Looking forward to getting to know all of the students as we continue to build community. Check out instagram for some first day photos!

Warmly,

Heather Galante, Tom Casey & Dan Hudder

Please fill out the Emergency Information Form and return it to the Student/Main office or email to bhsforms@bedfordps.org. Every student needs to have an updated Emergency Information Form which includes permission for the nurse to give Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen.

When calling the absence line please state if your student is ill or not ill.

Absence Line: (781)918-4561

or select #1 from the main menu of (781)275-1700

Bedford Public Schools will be following the recommendations of MA DPH and DESE guidelines.

We encourage families to:

• Keep home rapid antigen tests on hand. Pick up a free at-home test kit, available for Bedford residents from one of the following town offices during normal business hours: Health Department, Council on Aging, Town Manager’s Office or the Bedford Free Public Library. Order your free at-home test kit from the Federal Government- https://www.covidtests.gov/

• Continue to screen daily for symptoms before sending your child to school.

• Stay up to date with vaccinations/boosters

• Keep masks on hand to be used as indicated for those returning to school after testing positive for COVID-19.

Students and staff who are sick should stay home.

Monitor for the following symptoms each morning before school:

COVID- 19 Symptoms list:

• Fever (100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• New loss of taste or smell

• Muscle aches or body aches

• Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)

• sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms

• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea when in combination with other symptoms

• Headache when in combination with other symptoms

• Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms

• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms

Anyone who is sick, and has multiple symptoms on the checklist should stay home and can return when:

• they have tested negative using a home rapid antigen test and have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of a fever reducing medication

• their symptoms are resolving

• or if a medical professional makes an alternative diagnosis.

Students with MILD symptoms (for example, a single symptom of a runny nose) should test negative with a home rapid antigen test before coming to school.

Per MA DPH it is recommended to test with a home rapid antigen test a second time within 48 hours if the initial COVID-19 test is negative.

Returning to school after testing positive for COVID-19

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will still need to isolate for 5 days at home. Those individuals may return to school after Day 5 wearing a mask through day 10, as long as they are asymptomatic or symptoms are resolving and fever free without the use of fever-reducing medication for 24 hours.

• Day 0 - is the date of the positive test/symptom onset- whichever came first

• Day 5- isolate through this date

• Day 6- return to school if symptoms have significantly improved or resolved AND fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication.

• Day 10- wear a well fitting mask at all times (except when eating or drinking or outside) through day 10.

Always report positive cases of COVID-19 to your child’s primary care provider. Students should get cardiac clearance for sports either in person visit or phone triage by their provider after testing positive for COVID-19.

Please report all cases of COVID-19 (both home tests and tests from a healthcare provider) to your child’s school COVID email:

bhscovid@bedfordps.org or call your school nurse.

Nancy Thorsen, BSN, RN

Nancy_Thorsen@bedfordps.org

Nurse Office: 781-918-4416

Nurse Office Fax: 781-687-6141

1) Interested in our extracurricular theater opportunities? We are having a meet and greet party after school on Friday, September 9 from 2:30-3 in D105. Snacks will be provided. After the party, we will be cleaning up and organizing our theater materials and need help from students! Please consider staying and helping us organize. There will be posters up around the school with a QR code where you can RSVP, or you can RSVP here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfahEQhn7RVmDDdDR7tjpAEuiztR16-2lGm0PCx5wjIOz8vsw/viewform?usp=sf_link

We will continue to keep all external doors locked this year. Cars may not be idle or parked directly in front of the main entrance as it needs to be cleared for emergency vehicles and for busses. Please know that you are subject to ticketing by the Bedford Police Department if you park in the restricted lane.

Students with vehicles should park in designated student parking spots and need to have a valid BHS parking sticker by October 1. The Parking Sticker application may be found here.

If you are dropping off your student, please do so at the front of the building in the student lot or at the side near the public library. Do not enter the bus loop at the front of the school as it causes safety issues for students unloading.

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students,

This school year the Bedford School Lunch Program will revert to our pre-pandemic cafeteria process with one big change. All meals at all schools will be free for all students the entire school year. Funding to support school meals was approved during the summer by the state legislature. State funds will supplement the federal USDA funding that reimburses school districts for nutritious meals provided.

The process: All students will pick up a meal at the cafeteria service line (no more online ordering) and proceed to the point of sale register station. Students in grade 3-12 will enter their 4-digit pin number and our staff member will record the free meal. Students in grade K-2 will have a pre-printed card available to them, which our staff member will swipe to record the meal.

Again, there will be no charge to the student for meals.

The State Department of Education is requiring us to verify all daily meal counts and our point of sale registers are used for this purpose. For this reason, each student is required to use their pin number or card in the cafeteria when picking up a meal.

Student pin numbers for those that have them are still active, students without pin numbers will be assigned numbers and all students will receive a reminder email with their pin number before the beginning of school. We suggest students memorize their pin number to ensure our service lines move efficiently. Cards for Davis students will be placed in a holder outside of the cafeteria and students will pick up their card on the way to the service line.

We plan to offer some separate food items for sale in our cafeterias in the near future. These extra items (above and beyond the lunch meal) will require payment from the student account and are separate from the free meals offered through the state.

Please let us know if you have any questions

Sincerely,

Ken Whittier

Food Service Director

Free and reduced lunch application can be found here or printed copies in the main office.

Please click here for the application directions

Please click here for FAQ

Educational and Health Awareness Dates:

September 2022 Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Children’s Good Manners Month

Deaf Awareness Month

Hispanic Heritage Month

Library Card Sign-up Month

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Self-Improvement Month

Sexual Health Awareness Month

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Teen Health

Social exclusion’ is the most common form of school bullying — not violence

StudyFinds – August 29, 2022

The stereotypical bully usually threatens smaller classmates with physical violence, but researchers from the University of Missouri find the most common variety of bullying is actually much more subtle— “relational aggression” bullying is a much more common issue. This variety of bullying usually involves socially excluding peers from group activities and/or spreading harmful rumors and can wreak havoc on a young psyche, both emotionally and socially.

41% Of Teenagers Can’t Tell the Difference Between True and Fake Online Health Messages

Neuroscience News – August 29, 2022

The results highlight a need for better training of teenagers to navigate a world where fake health news is so widespread. Health mis-and disinformation are a serious public health concern, with an increased spread of fake health news on social media platforms in the last few years. Fake health news can lead to poor health choices, risk-taking behavior, and loss of trust in health authorities.

2022/2023 SEPAC Monthly Meeting dates

Meetings begin at 7 PM

*Location and/or Zoom to be shared 2 weeks prior to meetings on SEPAC Facebook and webpage

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? We encourage you to try to meet your student after school for the items but in the event that does not work please leave items on the table right inside the vestibule. (Parents/Guardians, please label item your dropping with name) Please note; we do not interrupt classes for drop offs. Students can check for the item dropped off in between classes and at lunch.

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)