The Weekly Update #4

BHS Baking & Pastry Arts and Business Professionals of America (BPA) students joined forces to help our neighbors and honor our veterans. They collected items that our local veterans need. (Cereal, Canned Fruit, Hostess-type Snacks, Shampoo, Dish soap, Laundry Detergent, Butter/Margarine, and Thanksgiving Pies.) The Baking & Pastry Arts students baked fresh rolls to go with their Thanksgiving meals.

The BJHS Veterans' Day Assembly honored veterans with student essays and musical performances by the choir, orchestra and band. A trumpet duet did an excellent job on Echo Taps. Our elementary buildings honored those who served in the armed forces by making cards and gifts that were presented to our veteran heroes throughout the community.

Principal Weber receives a pie in the face from members of the Penny War's winning class! I believe that his facial expression just about sums up his excitement to help out the cause!

FOOD DRIVES

Douglas Road Elementary (pictured) and Monroe Road Elementary held food drives this month to help support members of the community that are in need.

Jingle the Elf is bringing back the Canned Food Challenge at Jackman Road Elementary. Their food drive is December 5th through the 9th.

Bedford Junior High School is collecting non-perishable food items through December 9th. On December 1st, Mr. Lopinski will be camped out overnight in front of the school to accept donations at any time during his Camp Out to Stamp Out Hunger. He, along with some very dedicated students, will also be hosting family fun activities in the afternoon and early evening. We are all so glad that this activity can once again be held! Stop by and have some fun while supporting members of our community!

TOY DRIVE

Additionally, Bedford High School will be holding a Toy Drive now through December 2nd. Please consider donating a new unwrapped toy to this great cause to ensure that families in need can celebrate this holiday season.

The weekend before Thanksgiving was a flurry of action as 36 junior high robotics teams converged on Bedford High School for a FTC qualifying tournament of FIRST's PowerPlay season. Bedford Junior High School had 5 teams in the event: #5237 Loose Screws, #6079 Bionic Broncos, #7085 F.L.A.G. (Fight Like a Girl), #7215 Turning Gears, and #8579 Classical Engineers. The Bionic Broncos were the 2nd pick on the winning alliance. The Turning Gears picked up the Design Award and were in the running for a couple of other ones as well. They were a Think Award Finalist and were in 2nd Place for the Inspire Award, too. The Loose Screws were also in contention for the Design Award. The Classical Engineers were a finalist for the Collins Aerospace Innovate Award. So far this season, the Bionic Broncos and the Turning Gears have qualified for the Michigan State Championship-SE Tournament in December. Good luck to the teams still competing in the qualifying tournaments and for those already state-bound!

Our Fall Sports had a great season! I mentioned the Tennis team's first trip to state in 20 years in my last update. Other fall programs also sent athletes to state competitions!

Cross Country

Athletes from Bedford’s Cross Country Program made the trip to the Michigan International Speedway for the State Meet!

Rebekah A., Mya O., Emma B., Chloe W., Izabella L., Aubrey M., and Samantha S. ran for Bedford's girls team. The ladies were led by Rebekah who crossed the finish line at the 20:25.71 mark. Her teammates joined he over the next 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Reese O. and Maya M. went as alternates.

Gabe B. qualified for states as an individual to compete in the Men's State Cross Country Meet! The clock read 18:07.61 when he ran across the finish line.

Golf

Bedford’s Girls Golf had a good year! They were extremely close to qualifying for States as a team…just 3 shots shy. Elaina S. qualified individually for the State Golf Tournament and was also named Girls Monroe County Golfer of the Year!

Both Elaina, and her teammate, Lauren W., qualified for Academic All-State, too! Congratulations!

Swim

Senior Hannah S. finished 27th in the 500 Freestyle and 35th in the 200 Freestyle at the 2022 D2 State Meet in her final races as a Mule.

Football

The football team advanced further in postseason play after a win at home but a 27-7 loss to Livonia Franklin on the road ended their season at the District game. It was a great season that included a stunning upset of Saline.

Volleyball

Coach Manore led the team to the District Finals this year. Coach Manore was also recognized with a WeCOACH Lifetime Achievement Award. She will join two collegiate level coaches in being so recognized at the 2022 Break Through Summit on Friday, December 16 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Congratulations to all of our athletes and coaches for a phenomenal fall season at Bedford! We are proud of you!

State Cross Country Athletes

Our BPS Educational Technology Coordinator, Mrs. Kim Welch, has formed Student Tech Teams at the elementary schools to start supporting teachers and students. Some of the activities for the teams will be to assist new students with becoming acclimated to our district's technology, serving as an extra pair of hands for teachers in Kindergarten and first grade classrooms as they continue to incorporate Chromebooks and other technology into their classrooms, and to help create tutorials to help out with classroom projects. Team members will meet monthly with Mrs. Welch to learn a new ways help to support their buildings.

Auditions for the upcoming BHS Spring Musical "Seussical" will on November 30th and December 2nd for students in grades 6-12.

Mark your calendars for the show dates: February 24, 25, and 26, 2023!

The talented musicians at Bedford will be sure to get you in the Holiday Spirit! Make plans to attend one of their upcoming concerts:

Dec. 6: Choir

Dec. 8: Orchestra

Dec. 13: BHS Band Concert

Dec. 14: BJHS Band Concert

All will begin at 7 pm in the high school auditorium and are free and open to the public.

Art students from five local Monroe County School District's (including Bedford High School) and the Monroe's Community Center participated in a snow plow blade painting competition held by the Monroe County Road Commission. The plow blade that is chosen as the winner will be featured in the road commission's entry in this year's Ida Christmas Parade. Mr. Sanderson’s 2-D Art and Design Class completed Bedford High School's plow entry pictured above.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break and that you are ready for the sprint toward the upcoming Christmas break. As a reminder, BPS will begin our break on Friday, December 23, 2022 (no school this day) and return for our first day of classes on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

I would like to thank all of you that took the time to vote in this past month's election. I am pleased to be able to share that our great community has once again elected two current members for another 4-year term. Mrs. Lisa McCaig (Current Board President) and Mr. Griffin Kirsch (Current Board Secretary) were re-elected and will be remaining on the BPS Board of Education. In addition, I am pleased to welcome Mrs. Amy Bissell who was also elected to a 4-year term to serve our community as a BPS Board of Education Member.

I have stated many times that Board of Education Members across our state do not get the recognition that they deserve. These individuals serve our communities for very little compensation, while putting in hours of preparation and meeting time each month. This is especially true in districts such as BPS where we are constantly working to create new and improved opportunities for students. Serving as a Board of Education Member is more difficult than most elected positions because in order to do it well, you need to truly be able to put partisan politics aside and make decisions that are best for ALL STUDENTS regardless if it aligns with your own personal beliefs. I believe that our BPS Board does this about as well as any that I have seen and we are lucky to have them. On behalf of our district students and staff, thank you current and incoming members!

Have a great December and I'll be back with another update in January!

Bedford Public Schools

Email: carl.shultz@mybedford.us
Website: bedford.k12.mi.us
Facebook: facebook.com/bedford.public.schools
Twitter: @BedfordSupt