Superintendent Update
April 5, 2024
Cliff's Notes
Dear Bedford Public Schools Community,
I am writing this after seeing the Thursday showing of the Newsies Junior JGMS Musical. The cast (pictured) and crew were amazing! One thing I love most about Bedford is our commitment to authentic and meaningful inclusion--this was the largest JGMS musical cast & crew ever (we don't cut students!). And I think this commitment only adds to the quality of the performance (the ensemble numbers were all show stoppers!) and the growth of our students, leading to even higher-caliber performances when they get to BHS. I was also so heartened to see high schoolers supporting the middle schoolers and parents of students of all ages attending the show. Thanks all of our wonderful staff and volunteers who made this experience possible for our community. You can still see the show on Friday and Saturday!
I am also hosting a spring series of Trail Walk & Talks (register here)for those who want to chat in-person about the strategic planning process underway (Strategic Planning Survery #2 is still open, too).
Sincerely,
Cliff Chuang 莊 宏 毅
Superintendent, Bedford Public Schools
Strategic Planning Survey #2 - Deadline: April 15th
I presented my entry plan findings at the March 27th school committee meeting. Please take Strategic Planning Survey #2 (which should take 3 to 5 minutes) to provide feedback as the Bedford Public Schools begins the 2024-2027 District Improvement Plan development process. Since we want to ensure feedback is as representative as possible across all of our stakeholders, I encourage you to identify your role/demographic characteristics to the maximal extent possible. Thank you in advance for your participation!
Bedford Trail Walk & Talks with the Superintendent - Spring 2024 Edition
I am looking forward to getting back on the trails this spring, revisiting some favorites from the fall and trying some new ones, guided by the Bedford Trail Guide. This is an opportunity for community members to provide additional feedback and ideas about the proposed framework for our 2024-2027 district improvement plan outlined in my Report of Entry Plan findings. Here are the dates and times for these Trail Walk & Talks, which will each last for roughly an hour. These are intended for adult caregivers and community members, though kids are welcome if accompanied by an adult. For planning and communication purposes, please register here where full details about where to park and meet are provided. Walks will be canceled in case of poor weather.
Upcoming Events
- April: Month of the Military Child
- April: Autism Awareness Month
- April 4-6: JGMS Musical - "Newsies Jr."
- April 6: 2-4pm - Eid-Al-Fitr Celebration at Lane School, Presented by the Parent's for Diversity Council
- April 8: Solar Eclipse
- April 9: 5:30-6:30pm - Trail Walk at Town Campus
- April 9: School Committee Meeting
- April 12: Military Child Breakfast at BHS - Please e-mail Brian DeChellis (brian_dechellis@bedfordps.org) with questions.
- April 12: GLSSEN's Day of (No) Silence
- April 15-19: NO SCHOOL - Spring Vacation
- April 22-30: Passover
- April 22: Earth Day
- April 23: School Committee Meeting at METCO HQ
- April 24: 5:30-6:30pm - Trail Walk at Buehler-Ponds Governor Winthrop Conservation Area
- April 26: Arbor Day
- April 30: 5:30-6:30pm - Trail Walk at Fawn Lake (meet at Lane Elementary School)
The next School Committee meeting is on Tuesday, April 9th at 7:00pm. Full supporting materials can be found here: School Committee - Meeting Schedule & Supporting Documents. Feel free to reach out with any questions.
Tickets are now on sale for Newsies Jr.! Shows are Thursday 4/4 at 7pm, Friday 4/5 at 7pm, and Saturday 4/6 at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are $10 per ticket plus fees with reserved seating. We will also be livestreaming the Friday 4/5 at 7pm show for people who are unable to physically attend.
Livestream Ticket Link
https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/81440
In-Person Ticket Link
Eid-Al-Fitr Celebration - Saturday April 6, 2-4 PM, Lane School
Eid-Al-Fitr Celebration, Saturday April 6, 2-4 PM, Lane School
Join the Parents Diversity Council and Bedford families to learn about Ramadan and celebrate Eid. We will have crafts, traditions for Ramadan and Eid, and henna for all! This event is open to anyone - crafts are best for K-5 children. No RSVP required.
On Monday, April 8th, Massachusetts will be experiencing a partial solar eclipse starting at 2:19pm with the maximum eclipse visible at 3:29 p.m. We believe it is important for students to understand the significance of this event and learn how to observe it safely. Our staff will review safety measures with the students, and we ask that you help reinforce this safety information. It is important for students to understand that it is never safe to look directly at the sun, and this applies even during an eclipse when it may appear darker. Please note:
- Davis and Lane schools sent out specific information regarding their plans, especially around dismissal time.
- The secondary science department shared information with JGMS and BHS students about an optional after school viewing party.
- All sports practice will not start until 4pm.
Bedford Public Schools will provide all K-8 students with a pair of Eclipse Glasses - Safe Solar Glasses - Eclipse Shades by Rainbow Symphony which are approved eclipse-viewing glasses. Regular sunglasses do NOT provide adequate eye protection, and without proper eclipse glasses, eye damage can occur. You can see Resources for the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse - Science, Technology/Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) (mass.edu) and also here that you might find helpful as you prepare for the eclipse. Let's hope for clear skies!
Life of the Military Family Reflection
By Kerri Alley, mother of Eli (Class of 2027) and Madelyn (Class of 2025)
Eight moves, 2 overseas assignments and 17 countries, over the course of our 20 year military experience. Our kids were born in Germany, one in a German hospital, the other in an American Army hospital. Now that my husband has retired and we’ve moved back to where we started, it’s given me time to reflect. Our kids now both in high school, I think about how this experience has influenced them. Their lens on life is different then their peers, yet they still yearn to belong and to fit into their world as it is now. These are some things I’ve learned about their experience.
The question, where did you grow up will always be a perplexing one for my kids to answer. As someone who spent my entire childhood and early adult life in Rhode Island, it’s an easy question for me. Not for my kids. When I answer, I have memories of family, childhood friends and a sense of pride of my roots. It gives me an overwhelming sense of comfort when I speak of my childhood home. My kids have a very different story. They have blocks of childhood memories in different spaces, childhood friends who have come and gone, exotic traveling and experiences, but also painful goodbyes. The only consistent people throughout their lives have been my husband and me. Our holidays were spent with just us, trying to fill the empty table with new friends, or traveling to new places.
What they’ve gained by the experience, is oh so much. They have lived in different countries, and different parts of the U.S. They have an innate understanding that there are different ways to live, that there is so much to learn from other people and places and most importantly there are good people everywhere. They have seen places in this world that some only dream of and never get to see. I’m grateful for their experiences. They also know how to start over. That you can reinvent yourself, try new things and meet new people. That’s what exciting and beautiful about life.
Although in high school, surrounded by kids who have known each other their whole lives, it’s been a realization that their experiences are so different from their Bedford peers. The Bedford kids have their established friends who’ve they’ve had forever. They don’t need other friends, and meeting new people can be uncomfortable. But I’m grateful to those Bedford kids who are willing to embrace their military peers. Because no matter what age we are, we all want to feel like we belong. We all want friends, and to to feel connected. That’s just human nature. And in my humble opinion, military kids have so much to offer a friendship.
This is some information shared with the Lane School community to celebrate neurodiversity: Google Slideshow of resources/lessons. Want a Lane School neurodiversity shirt? Fill out the Google form and we will get them ordered! Cost is dependent on the number ordered, but predict around $15!
School Newsletter Links
In an effort to support communication, here are the links the most recent newsletters from each school and our special education department.
- Lt. Eleazer Davis Elementary School - Scribbles - April 1 , 2024
- Lt. Job Lane Elementary School - Lane Notes - Week of April 1, 2024
- John Glenn Middle School - Buccaneer News Vol. #30 - April 1, 2024
- Bedford High School - The Bedford Buccaneer - April 1, 2024
- Special Education Director's Update - April 2024
- Assistant Superintendent's Blog - April 2024
- JGMS Student Newspaper: The John Glenn Journal - Spring Edition 2024
- BHS Student Newspaper: The Lookout Student Newspaper - February 2024