The Bedford Buccaneer
June 8, 2020
IMPORTANT DATES
Tuesday, June 9 - Ask the Expert: Parenting During Coronavirus Webinar 7-8:00pm link
Wednesday, June 10 - Grade 11 Class Meeting 12:00-12:45 link
Wednesday, June 10 - Grade 9/10 Class Meeting 12:45-1:30 link
Wednesday, June 10 - Parenting Lessons from the Pandemic 11:00 AM PDT/2:00 PM EDT
Wednesday, June 10 - College Q&A Panel Hosted by Seniors June 10th at 6pm link
Friday, June 12 - Bedford Food Pantry 1-3:00pm For more details, please click link
Saturday, June 13 - Evening of Spoken Word Poetry 7:00pm link
June 15, June 16 or June 17 - Senior Yearbook pick up at the front of BHS 9:00-11:00am
Tuesday, June 16 - Parent meeting 6:00pm link
Thursday, June 18 - Last day of school for underclassmen
Friday, June 19 - (tentative) locker clean out/yearbook pick up event 9, 10, 11th grades
Friday, June 26 - Bedford Food Pantry 1-3:00pm For more details, please click link
Sunday, July 19 - * NEW DATE* Graduation at Bedford High School Turf at 10:00am
(pending approval) with a rain date of Wednesday, July 22nd
Saturday, November 28 - * NEW DATE* Prom/Reunion, please stay tuned for details
Dear Bedford High School Families,
I hope this bulletin finds you and your family safe and in good health. I know that recent events involving both the pandemic and recent acts of brutality are making for a difficult end of the school year. The faculty and staff at BHS know that it is challenging for students to learn when faced with trauma. As a nation, the isolation and COVID19 pandemic has been exacerbated by the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmed Aubrey (to name a few). We know that many students are showing up to your classes with heavy hearts, frustration and confusion. None of this is easy.
Committed to addressing recent events, five educators from our Social Studies Department conducted a moderated discussion. I very much applaud their willingness to record and share with our BHS community. Ms. Goetschius, Mr. Donnelly, Mr. Boschetto, Mr. Wysokowski and Mr. Culhane recorded a discussion for students about Protests, Pandemic and Economics. This was shared with students in the Monday Memo .
You may ask, why are teachers talking about these events when they should be teaching their content? As part of our mission statement, we also have social and civic expectations that we embrace. We have also heard from students over and over again that ignoring the issue or avoiding the conversation does not help. Our students have access to information through multiple types of media. They are exposed multiple times per day and look to the adults in their lives to listen and help process that information in a constructive manner. The adults for our students are parents and also educators. However, processing this virtually with our students adds additional complexities. Therefore, if you have questions please reach out to your student’s teacher or counselor. The counseling team remains as a support for all students especially during these confusing and highly emotional times.
This week in our Counseling Corner, almost all of the information and resources are new. Ms. Linsey would like to highlight two program initiatives:
College Q&A Panel Hosted by Seniors June 10th at 6pm
Virtual College Visits June 9, 10, 11
The virtual college visit is a pilot to prepare for next year. All juniors and their parents received this post-secondary planning information and more in a separate email last week from Ms. Linsey, our K-12 Director of Counseling.
Also, the main office team will be holding class meetings this week. Additionally, there is a parent meeting next week scheduled for Tuesday, June 16 at 6:00pm. We will review end of year procedures and answer questions that you may have.
Thank you for your continued support as this unique school year comes to close. While the guidelines have not been released by the state for reopening schools just yet, we will plan on communicating during the summer once the district plan is complete.
Best,
Heather
PARENTING LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC
Date: June 10 | Time 11:00 AM PDT/2:00 PM EDT
Audience: K-12 Parents
Price: Free
Save the date for an inspiring and informative webinar with Challenge Success Co-founders Dr. Denise Pope and Dr. Madeline Levine. They will share perspectives from their expertise in the fields of education and psychology and offer practical tips and strategies to help families stay balanced and healthy during these uncertain times.
LEARN MORE
YEARBOOKS ARE IN!
Seniors may pick them up at the front of BHS next week on 6/15, 6/16 or 6/17 from 9:00-11:00am. Please put your name in your windshield again and do not leave your car. Ms. Santos and other volunteers will bring your yearbook to your car and place it in the backseat or trunk. Volunteers will wear masks and gloves. This event has been approved. Please reach out to Ms. Santos at karen_santos@bedfordps.org with any and all yearbook related questions.
GRADUATION AND PROM UPDATE
Currently, we are rescheduling graduation to meet the new guidelines issued by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In order for us to hold an in-person ceremony, it must be outside, with limited guests and all in attendance must abide by certain safety requirements. The ceremony will now take place on the BHS turf and is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, July 19 @ 10:00am (pending approval) with a rain date of Wednesday, July 22. Complete details will be shared soon. We are thrilled that we can honor having an in-person graduation. Even though it will look a bit different, we will still make it special for the Class of 2020.
Also, prom has been cancelled. However, the senior class officers with the help of your class advisors, Ms. Flora and Ms. Goetschius, are planning an awesome reunion scheduled for November 28, 2020. Please stay tuned for details.
Please check out a Class of 2020 Tribute Video
with an original song written and performed by Mr. Felker for our seniors. Special thanks to the BHS faculty who submitted videos and to Mrs. Santos for putting this together.
Class of 2020 Post Grad Email Collection
Please use this Google Form to fill out some post graduation contact information. The Class of 2020 would like to be able to keep you informed after graduation. Prom or an event in place of Prom WILL be held for you at a later date. Please fill out this brief form so we can keep you updated. Your school email will no longer work at some point after graduation. Post grad email collection form link .
So proud of all of you!
Ms G & Ms. F
Community Service Update (from Ms. Faulstich)
Community Service status in Aspen will be updated at the end of the year. If you've turned in hours that you haven't seen show up in Aspen yet, they should be there by June 18th.
Senior Google Accounts & Naviance
For seniors, google accounts are typically disabled a week after graduation. Our technology department is able to allow continued access through July 1st. If you would like to preserve or keep any of the documents on your google drive, start transferring those to a new account or download them. After Jul 1, 2020, you will no longer be able to retrieve your documents from your school accounts. Your Naviance will be available and able to be accessed until September.
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*SAVE THE DATES*
BHS Graduation
Sunday, July 19, 2020
Bedford High School Turf
10:00AM
(Wednesday, July 22, 2020 Raindate)
Senior Prom/Reunion
Saturday, November 28, 2020
(details to follow)
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Please Consider a Donation to the Reunion Party & Class of 2020 Fund:
The All Night Graduation (“ANG”) Party has been cancelled and the Class of 2020 is planning a Reunion Party for November 28, 2020. The cost for the party is steep and the class has not been able to fundraise since classes were cancelled. The Class of 2020 is in need of donations to make their reunion possible. Normally, at this time of year, the ANG team would be requesting money donations and donations of food and time. Instead, this year, the 2020 Senior Parents Committee of the BHSPA is focused solely on monetary donations from all BHS families to enable the Class of 2020 to hold their Reunion Party. All donations will go directly to the Class of 2020’s Reunion Party.
Please donate to the Class of 2020 Fund: http://tiny.cc/Classof2020fund
Bedford Masks are here!
Buy a facial mask and support the Class of 2020 Fund.
Order deadline: 11:59 pm, June 10. Orders will arrive by July 16.
The 2020 Senior Parents Committee is selling customized Bedford masks as a fundraiser. $14.95 price includes shipping and proceeds from each sale will go to the Class of 2020 Fund. The reusable cotton mask (not medical grade) will be Bedford blue with a Bedford “B” logo on it and shipped directly to your home. NOTE: We must sell a minimum number of 72 masks for the vendor to fulfill the order. If 72 orders are not received, all orders will be cancelled and refunded to the card that was submitted for payment.
Please be advised that different masks will be gifted and distributed to seniors at graduation (more information to come soon.) If family members, friends, and anyone in the Bedford community would like a Bedford mask, buy one here.
Buy a Bedford mask: https://bedfordmasks.itemorder.com/
In case you have not seen the photos taken at 5/27 Senior Pick-up Day, see these:
Photos by Shannon Dillon of Creative Images Boston: https://creativeimagesboston1.shootproof.com/gallery/BHS2020/
Photos by Jeff Hoyland: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3143016659088669&type=3
Photos by Ann Ringwood of the Bedford Minuteman: https://bedford.wickedlocal.com/photogallery/WL/20200527/ENTERTAINMENTLIFE/527009982/PH/1
Grades 9, 10 and 11 Presentation
If you missed the 9, 10 and 11th grade class meeting here is the link to view the slides. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1U9sCswJyNglCvax_KslYN9qa8dFA5KvT0gIFo-2uOLQ/edit?usp=sharing
Please visit the BHS website to view the T3/T4 and GPA proposal that was passed by the School Committee on 5/19/2020.
BHS Students! Our evening of spoken word poetry, hosted by Willa Potter last Saturday evening, was so inspiring that many of those who attended wanted an encore. Therefore, there will be a second open mic evening. This time your host will be Kai Etringer. We will not have a guest poet this time, but your voices will fill the air. Come read or listen!
Date: Saturday June 13th
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Kai Etringer is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89303007487?pwd=MFFZYzl5ZmhkVFIvNEJZbUE2MWFvdz09
Meeting ID: 893 0300 7487
Password: 4sTcsJ
Email Kai at kai_etringer-2022@bedfordps.org if you have any questions.
Counseling Corner
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
TEEN SUMMER EXPOS
Teen Summer Expos has comprehensive and up-to-date information on new virtual teen programs for summer 2020 as well as details on each program's plans for safely running existing in-person programs. There are many meaningful enrichment options to keep teens engaged and connected this summer - and new unique opportunities are constantly being created and added. To learn more go to Explore Virtual Summer Programs and COVID-19 modifications
STRESS AND COVID-19: A COURSE FOR TEENS
Dr. Jennifer Greif Green, an Associate Professor in Special Education and a child clinical psychologist partnered with Medway Public Schools to develop an online COVID-19 stress and anxiety educational course for students. The course module is available and free to anyone through her website. http://www.jenniferggreen.com/stress/#/
As the school year comes to a close students may find that the pandemic is also disrupting their summer plans. Many traditional summer programs and activities—camps, athletics, travel, on-campus courses—are being cancelled, while internships and job opportunities are limited. Fortunately, there are still plenty of ways to have an enriching summer. We often encourage students to “think outside the box” when it comes to summer activities; this year, current circumstances demand creative thinking. This presents a great opportunity for kids to pursue their passions while demonstrating their ability to hustle and be proactive. As students plan for summer activities here is a list that they can pursue from home. These activities fall into three major categories: online programming, virtual volunteering and independent projects.
SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS - Click Here for more information
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POST-SECONDARY PLANNING
College Q & A Panel hosted by BHS 2020 Graduates:
Wednesday, June 10th at 6pm
A group of seniors, led by Nicole Hebert, have planned a student-to-student College Q and A to answer questions and share personal experiences about the college application process on June 10th, at 6pm via Zoom. This panel will include students attending private and public schools, MA and non-MA schools, and small, medium, and large schools. Students will cover topics such as athletic recruitment, early applications, campus visits and the reasoning behind final decisions. Join us!
Click this link to sign up: https://forms.gle/HtZXjkQFCarUfZZ47
College Visits:
We are piloting Virtual College visits! The virtual visits will take place on Zoom. To register, login to your SCOIR account. Watch a video on how to register in SCOIR here.
Tuesday, June 9th
12:15pm-12:45pm
University of Vermont
Wednesday, June 10th
12:15pm-12:45pm
Middlesex Community College
Thursday, June 11th
12:15pm-12:45pm
Tufts University
Verto Education Virtual College Fair:
Verto Education is excited to announce a Virtual College Fair on June 11th from 3 pm to 7 pm ET. You are invited to attend. Verto offers the only first-year abroad experience that partners with some of the nation’s top colleges and universities to guarantee admission and to ensure students are on track to graduate in four years.
Verto is expecting to have over 40 colleges and universities attending the virtual fair, from William & Mary, Temple, University of Tennessee, Clark University, University of Oregon, and Case Western and Butler to Rhodes, Goucher, Lewis & Clark, Purdue, Saint Louis University, Gettysburg College, Arizona State University, Northern Michigan University, Loyola Marymount University, and many many more!
Come check out some colleges you are familiar with, and learn about some new ones. We ask you to come with an open mind and willingness to learn - as there may be colleges that you would otherwise not come in contact with at this event, but may end up being that perfect next step!
Verto Education Virtual College Fair
When: June 11th, 2020
Time: 3 pm to 7 pm ET / 12 pm to 4 pm PT
Location: Please RSVP for the event: https://vertoeducation.org/college-fair/
Virtual College Tours:
It IS possible to tour campuses online and colleges do a really good job at this. Check college websites or official college Youtube channels. Also use these websites: YouVisit, CampusTours, YOUniversity, CollegeWeekLive and CampusReel.
CollegeWeek Live - ongoing
Here is a document to find virtual college tours by state!
Standardized Testing
Fair Test1,200+ Accredited, Four-Year Colleges and Universities with ACT/SAT-Optional Policies
(Fall 2021 Admission)
Within the past two months, more colleges have decided to adopt a test-optional admissions policy whereby undergraduate applicants will not be required to submit standardized test scores such as the ACT or SAT to be admitted. These decisions show that the test-optional movement continues to pick up steam. A comprehensive list of test optional schools is available at fairtest.org.
Standardized Testing Companies
SAT Information and Registration
ACT Information and Registration
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FINANCIAL AID WEBINARS and INFORMATION
Sallie Mae Live Webinar: How to Pay for College
How to Pay the Remaining Balance: Many students and families will consider financing a portion of their college education. The focus of this session will be on encouraging responsible borrowing and what students and families can do to find the right solution for their borrowing needs.
Wednesday, June 10: 1pm-2pm EST Register here
Thursday, June 11: 7pm-8pm EST Register here
Understanding the Cost of Student Loan Borrowing: This presentation covers financial literacy topics such as the relative cost of a student loan repayment, tools, and tips on managing student loans. It identifies important things students should know about their loan portfolio, identifying their servicers and understanding the cost of their student loan.
Wednesday, June 17: 2pm-3pm EST Register here
Thursday, June 18: 8pm-9pm EST Register here
MEFA, the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, is also providing free "After the College Acceptance" webinars to provide guidance on understanding financial aid letters, making the college decision, and putting together a plan to pay for college. RecordingS are available here. Please see https://www.mefa.org/collegebound2020/ for additional information.
FINANCIAL AID ASSISTANCE
MEFA, the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, is offering FREE one-on-one appointments with our College Planning Team. High school seniors and their families can request an appointment to review their financial aid offers and talk about different options to pay the college bill. Request an appointment here: https://www.mefa.org/appointment-request/
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Counseling Communications and Resources
Join Us on Twitter: @BedfordCounsel1
BPS Mental Health Resource link is here
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Online Summer Reading Book Fair: June 1 through June 14
Here is a terrific selection of high school-level books suggested for summer reading.
Please visit the web site: https://fantasticbookfairs.com/pages/bedford
Home Delivery Bedford $3
Boston Delivery Free
Delivery Outside Bedford $5
Or get your order in by June 7th 2 pm for touchless car line pickup at Davis School on June 8th 11 am to 12 pm
Contact the BHS Librarian with any questions: christine_magoon@bedfordps.org
Work Permits
We know that many of you are trying to secure summer employment and there are new guidelines in place so that we can help you during this departure. You can download the application. Once you have the employer sign it, you must have a parent sign as well and submit a physical if under 16. Once all of the above is complete, send the completed information and application to Mrs. Powell and she will prepare the work permit. The link to the application is below and you can reach Mrs. Powell at nancy_powell@bedfordps.org . Feel free to reach out to her with any questions.
Link to Youth employment permit application
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/youth-employment-permit-information
Board of Health-Social Distancing
As you know, Bedford is adhering to the social distancing guidelines put forth by the Governor. Our BOH shared the following PSA and informational videos for students and families.
https://www.mass.gov/doc/how-young-people-can-prevent-covid-19-with-social-distancing/download
Bedford Food Bank open at John Glenn Middle School
The town of Bedford will offer a temporary food bank at John Glenn Middle School on Fridays.
1:00-3:00 - open to the public
For all the details, check this link.
We expect the Bedford Food Bank to operate for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. The food pantry and community dinners will resume when the food bank closes down and it is safe to reopen.
Help with Digital Access
Have Unwanted Textiles Piling Up? Put Them in Our Bin For The Win & Turn Trash to Cash!
You can now recycle your used textiles through drop bins at the back right corner of the high school parking lot! By doing so, help the schools green initiatives earn some CASH! It's also environmentally friendly. 95% of textiles are recyclable and it diverts TONS of textiles from the trash. Unwanted clothes, towels, sheets, shoes, stuffed animals and more. Learn more about what can be donated and what actually happens to the textiles here Thanks for your support!
**Please make sure your items are bagged & tied (not loose), and are put IN the bins, not left outside**
Bedford High School
Phone: 781-275-1700
Absence Line: 781-918-4561
Fax: 781-275-6664