The Bedford Buccaneer
June 13, 2022
IMPORTANT DATES
Wednesday, June 15-Last day of school-Students are released at 12:55pm
Thursday, June 16-Make-up days for 9-11th grade-By teacher appointment
Friday, June 17-Make-up days for 9-11th grade-By teacher appointment
BPS District Calendar 10-07-21
A Note from the Principal
Dear BHS Families,
The end of the school year is upon us. On behalf of our BHS faculty and staff, I want to thank you for your support throughout the year. The pandemic continued to test all of us but we have emerged as one community. Our students, your children, also made the hard work worth it and they continue to be a source of joy and energy for us.
I wanted to share a few items before your students exit for the summer.
The last day for most students at BHS will be on Wednesday, June 15. There are students who will return for Thursday and/or Friday to make up work, take tests, and meet with counselors. We did not have a traditional finals week this year. Instead, exams were embedded in the regular rotating schedule so that we could gain instructional time. We may return to a typical final exam schedule next year. This will be re-evaluated at the start of the 2022-2023 school year.
Classes for the 2022-2023 school year will be shared on Wednesday, June 15 @ 10:00 AM. Students may reach out to their counselor on Thursday or Friday for any immediate questions and/or changes. After Friday, June 17, students will have an opportunity to make any schedule changes during Arena Day, scheduled for August 30. Please reach out to the counseling office with any questions about schedules.
Our 9th grade and new student orientation will take place the evening of August 30. We are looking for Student Ambassadors to serve as mentors and tour guides. If interested, have your student fill out the form sent by Mr. Mangan.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the BHSPA and all parents/caregivers for their generosity this year and every year. The BHSPA will be sponsoring the end-of-year luncheon where we will honor retirees including Mr. Griffin (Science Program Administrator), Mr, Niven (ELA teacher) and Ms. Messenger (ELA Teacher). We wish them all the best.
Looking forward to welcoming all students to BHS on Tuesday, September 6. I will send out a summer communication with beginning of the year details in August. Have a wonderful summer!
With Gratitude,
Heather Galante
Principal
How to View/Print Reports in Aspen
Lists of next year classes - will be released on Wednesday, June 15, at 10:00 AM.
2) Published reports appear on the main “Pages” top tab under the “Published Reports” section. You'll see a filename, date uploaded, creator, and description.
Lost and Found
BHS Library News
SUMMER READING: Looking for summer reading suggestions? The MA Teen Choice Book Awards have nominated 21 Young Adult books, including recommendations for audiobooks as well as graphic novels. Teens are invited to read titles now through summer of 2022 and vote for their favorite books in September. The top choices will be announced in October 2022 at the MA Library Associations' Teen Book Summit. BHS students have FREE access to eBooks and audiobooks all summer through our Sora App. See QR code below.
Faces of Bedford
Want to be part of an exciting project sponsored by Bedford Embraces Diversity? Consider having your family photographed for the “Faces of Bedford” photo exhibit and possibly recorded in an interview. Designed to showcase the diversity of families that call Bedford home, the photo exhibit will include an 8 x 10 photo of your family and a one-page family description. If selected, the interview will take place on Bedford TV and will be based on your family writeup.
BED hopes to highlight families of all types. We would like to include people who have grown up in Bedford and chosen to raise their own families here, as well as more recent additions to our community. We plan to include members of our community who represent a variety of races, generations, educational and economic backgrounds, and belief systems. It is our intention to illustrate the diversity of Bedford. This project hopes to encompass some of the overlooked groups, as well as people who are driving forces within our community. We would like to celebrate this diversity, as it is part of what makes Bedford such a warm, welcoming, and accepting place to live. We would also like to highlight ways that Bedford could be even more welcoming.
This project was inspired by a similar project completed in 2006 by the Violence Prevention Coalition, Sue Baldauf (Youth & Family Services) and photographers Jan Van Steenwijk and Holly Bloomfield. That project looked at the diversity of people living in Bedford at the time and this current project is intended to be an updated look at our town.
We hope to begin showing the interviews on a regular basis this summer and plan to hold an exhibit and reception to celebrate the end of the project next winter.
If you are interested, have questions about the project, or if you would like to recommend someone else to participate, please contact Tricia Anderson at bedfordembracesdiversity@gmail.com.
Bedford Embraces Diversity
Rome and Sicily-February 2023
There is still room on the Italy trip! For those of you who have filled out the google interest form over the past 2 weeks, you still need to REGISTER on the EXPLORICA travel site. You received the link in your email. This is the ONLY way to secure your spot on the trip. Right now we have enough interested students to fill the trip. But, not all of you have registered.
As of Monday, I will open the trip to other students who have shown interest and filled out the form this week. Again, you will lose your spot if you have not REGISTERED ON EXPLORICA! and it will be open to other students.
Our trip to Rome and Sicily has just been approved by the School Committee for February 2023. This trip will focus on foods of the region with cooking classes, lots of food tastings, adventure and sightseeing; including a boat trip through the Blue Grotto in Capri; an overnight ferry from Italy to Sicily; and a cable car ride over Mt. Aetna in Sicily! For more detailed information on the trip and the itinerary, click on the link below.
If you are interested in coming on this trip, and have looked over the itinerary and discussed this with your parents, please fill out this google form Rome/Sicily Trip Interest Form . Since this trip is coming up soon, there isn't a lot of time to sign up and get everyone registered. We will review the forms by May 20 and registration will begin immediately. Cost of the trip is $4,020 plus $200 collected for tips. I would highly recommend that everyone purchase travel insurance, which is listed on the Explorica site and runs about $12/day. There is a $100 savings if you sign up by June 1. We will try to get everyone on the trip but space will be limited and we will be taking seniors first, so fill out your form as soon as possible.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Arena in C105 or at sandra_arena@bedfordps.org.
Costa Rica - February 2024
Thank you to all BHS students who submitted an application for Costa Rica. Students were notified on Friday, May 27th if they had been selected for the trip or placed on the waitlist. Caregivers who had students apply should check in with their student on information for next steps for both groups.
Travel to Costa Rica with BHS in February 2024! Explore some of Costa Rica's beautiful national parks, go zip lining, visit a local school, challenge yourself with whitewater rafting and more during this 10 day adventure. The cost per traveler is $2874 plus $150 for tips/incidentals just before the trip. A $200 discount is available for travelers that sign up by June 2nd. Check out the full itinerary and additional trip details!
Students who are interested should fill out our online application form. Applications will be accepted through May 25th, with priority being given to students in the Class of 2024 and Class of 2025. Students will be notified of their acceptance status via school email after review of the applications. Students accepted will receive an email on how to register for the trip on Explorica’s website.
If additional spaces are available after May 25th, applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until the trip is full! We are opening registration early to take advantage of the current discount.
Please reach out to Sarah Leshay at sarah_leshay@bedfordps.org with any questions.
BHS Library closed during lunch starting May 10th
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:
When reporting that your child has tested positive to COVID-19 to the school nurse, please include the following information:
Name of student
Grade of student
Date of symptom onset (if no symptoms were experienced, please note the date the test was taken) and what the symptoms are.
Date of testing, type of test performed (home, PCR or antigen)
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
College Counseling Resource from SCOIR
5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Summer - Elena Polin • June 1, 2022
Planning out summer can be stressful for students! In this blog, we talk about 5 ways students can make the most of their summers in high school, from volunteering to picking up a summer job
Parents/Guardians
I think everybody in my school struggles’: A closer look at mental health awareness for young people
CBS Chicago – May 24, 2022
CBS 2 is focusing on the mental health of children. What should parents look for in their kids? And how should they respond if a child shows signs of depression or anxiety?
College Matriculation
We are pleased to announce the list of colleges and programs our seniors will attend in the upcoming year. This list represents a culmination of four years. A more detailed College Matriculation Report will be available this fall.
University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
Northeastern University
Middlesex Community College
University of Connecticut
Endicott College
Tufts University
University of Massachusetts (Lowell)
University of New Hampshire (Main Campus)
University of Pittsburgh (Main Campus)
University of Vermont
Bentley University
Brandeis University
Bryant University
Colby College
Curry College
Emerson College
Emory University
McGill University
Merrimack College
Penn State University (University Park)
Purdue University (Main Campus)
Rochester Institute of Technology
Salem State University
Stonehill College
Syracuse University
University of Florida
University of Maine
University of Maryland (College Park)
University of Massachusetts (Dartmouth)
Villanova University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
American University
Anna Maria College
Auburn University at Montgomery
Bard College
Baylor University
Berklee College of Music
Boston College
Boston University
Case Western Reserve University
Champlain College
Clemson University
Cornell University
Fashion Institute of Technology
Framingham State University
Ithaca College
Lasell University
Loyola Marymount University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Miami University (Oxford)
New York University
Nichols College
North Carolina State University
Pace University (New York City)
Saint Michael's College
Saint Peter's University
Simmons University
Smith College
Southern New Hampshire University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stony Brook University
Suffolk University
Temple University
Texas A&M University
The University of Montana
Tulane University of Louisiana
United States Naval Academy
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Denver
University of Maine at Farmington
University of Massachusetts (Boston)
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of New England
University of New Orleans
University of Oklahoma
University of Oxford
University of Pennsylvania
University of Rhode Island
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
University of San Diego
University of South Florida (Main Campus)
University of Wisconsin (Madison)
University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
Ursinus College
Utah State University
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Washington University in St. Louis
Westfield State University
The Bedford High School Counseling Department wishes each student
and family a safe and healthy summer vacation!
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:
Challenge Success partners with schools, families, and communities to embrace a broad definition of success and to implement research-based strategies that promote student well-being and engagement with learning.
Keep an eye out this Fall for more information on how Bedford High School and Challenge Success plan to work together to transform the student experience.
Have a wonderful summer!!
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)
2021/2022 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
Senior Dates and Deadlines
October 10th- 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 10th- “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: bhs2023yearbook@gmail.com
October 28th- Senior Portraits-Please contact Mark Lawrence Photography to make your appointment.(603-882-0116)
December 12th- Business Ads- Anyone with 2 business ads will get a free yearbook.
December 12th- Parent Ads. The 2022/2023 forms will be sent to parents. They can also be found in the Buccaneer Weekly Newsletter.
January 27th- Yearbook orders. The cost is $85.00. Please make checks out to BHS 2022-2023 yearbook. After January 27th the cost will be $100.00
Important Information for the Class of 2023
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 picture. 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 call to make your 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 or use a different photographer please be aware of the size of the photo. It must be 2.5 X 3 with a DPI of 300. Vertical photos do work the best. Yearbook staff will contact you if your picture does not follow these guidelines. Please submit your picture to: www.hjeshare.com.
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