The Bedford Citizen - Community-supported news for Bedford, Massachusetts since 2012

Annual Town Meeting 2020 ~ Start Delayed One Hour, Until 10 am

By The Bedford Citizen | 13 hours ago

According to an announcement on the Town of Bedford’s website on Friday morning,

Tomorrow’s Town Meeting to Begin at 10:00 AM

Due to predicted overnight and morning rain, Bedford Town Meeting will be delayed one hour. Town Meeting will now begin tomorrow, Saturday, July 11th, at 10:00 AM, with registration opening at 9:00 AM.

An Open Letter from Philip Conrad, Bedford Superintendent of Schools

Hi Everyone,

I am looking forward to seeing you at the Town Meeting tomorrow morning. Please note that as I write this at 4:30 on Friday afternoon, the meeting is scheduled for Saturday, July 11, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. on Sabourin Field at BHS.

Jonathan Pierre ~ President of the BHS Class of 2020

Jonathan Pierre’s laundry list of extracurriculars could hardly be more extensive. Bedford High School Class President, member of the football team, student representative on Student Council, Challenge Success Committee, National Honor Society, The Calculus Project, founder of the Ground-Up Initiative, and stints with the track, lacrosse, and wrestling teams. The young man from South Boston’s resumé certainly stands out, but for Jonathan Pierre the road to success has not always been the most direct.

Reflections ~ A Student’s Perspective on Senior Year, 2020

Back in April, I was approached by my English teacher to contribute a piece of writing to what would eventually become a collection of Shawsheen-student perspectives on Covid-19 and its effect on our lives. Essentially, my words would be included in a published book that would be accessible to students in the future. As I reflect on this piece of writing now, over two months later, there was one line in particular that I feel embodies my entire experience.

My name is Grace Clark, and I can now officially say I am a graduate of Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School. A Bedford resident my whole life, my decision to go to Shawsheen wasn’t exactly what was expected of me back in middle school …

INTERFACE ~ New Outpatient Mental Health Resource and Referral Helpline Available to Residents

The Town of Bedford and the Bedford Public Schools are pleased to announce a new affiliation with the William James College INTERFACE Referral Service, an outpatient mental health resource and referral Helpline, open Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm, and available to Bedford residents and students of Bedford Public Schools. The Helpline can be reached at 888-244-6843 for resource information and/or outpatient mental health provider referrals from a trained resource and referral counselor.
Safe Routes to School Program Wins Award for the Town of Bedford

The Bedford Public Schools received recognition for their 2020 Safe Routes to School efforts at the annual award ceremony on June 8th at the Massachusetts State House. Like many ceremonies in 2020, this was delivered during a live Zoom event.

All Community News

Government

Everything You’ll Need to Know for Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, July 11

UPDATE ~ as of Friday, July 10: ATM is delayed by one hour, beginning now at 10 am https://www.thebedfordcitizen.org/2020/07/annual-town-meeting-2020-start-delayed-one-hour-until-10-am/ WHY ATTEND ANNUAL TOWN MEETING ON SATURDAY? Watch this Public Service Announcement prepared by Haley and Taevy Read about the importance of Annual Town Meeting - participatory democracy in action! IF YOU'RE INTERESTED BUT UNABLE TO ATTEND ATM Bedford TV plans to Live Stream the proceedings Click to continue reading!
Town of Bedford ~ Update on Covid-19 ~ Thursday, 9 July 2020

Editor’s Note: Current case update and information about Saturday’s Annual Town Meeting at Sabourin Field Click this link to read the Town’s full update for Thursday, July 9, 2020 The semi-weekly update is also available in the following places if you’d like to share with your friends: Website ~ www.BedfordMA.gov Facebook ~ @bedfordma Twitter ~ […]

All Government

Schools

New Superintendent of Schools Philip Conrad, Already Hard at Work

Bedford’s new superintendent of schools begins his second week on the job immersed in the pandemic-induced challenges of trying to plan for the resumption of classes in two months. “We are working really hard on how we are going to re-enter school. That’s the focus for the summer,” said Philip Conrad. “Together we are going into uncharted territory, and hopefully we will be flexible and safe and smart.” Conrad emphasized that he and his team are staying on top of requirements issued by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, including options for in-person, remote, and hybrid school experiences, “to keep everybody safe and healthy.” The transition in the central office of the Bedford Public Schools is unusual to begin with, as the last new superintendent from outside the district was Joseph Buckley in 1981. Conrad, most recently principal of Andover High School, was selected by the School Committee in March to succeed the retiring Superintendent Jon Sills. Now Conrad’s arrival is complicated by the exigencies of the coronavirus, but there is a silver lining: Sills is remaining on staff through the summer in the position of associate superintendent. “Jon and I have a lot of interactions, pretty much on a daily basis, through a lot of different media – in person, on the phone, on Zoom,” Conrad said. “Jon’s presence is an incredible luxury for us because of his institutional knowledge. It is a wonderful way to transition from his leadership to my leadership.” Conrad has met with, or scheduled conversations with, members of the central office leadership team, building principals and the president of the teachers’ union. Together with his predecessor he will connect with elected and appointed municipal officials. “It has been great to meet people – the welcome has been really wonderful.” “I really want to get to everybody I can,” Conrad said, and whenever possible in person. Later in the summer, he added, “I hope we can figure out a way to meet with students and parents, outside or virtually.” The Zoom platform, he observed, “is a great tool, and it has transformed the way we meet with people, the way we learn, maintain relationships, and the way to be able to continue to operate, whether school or businesses.”
‘Marquee Strong’ Videos Honor Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild’s 2020 Musicals

For nearly 100 years, the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild (METG) has supported drama and musical theatre in schools across the Commonwealth. As Executive Director Dennis Canty said that 2020 was about to be a banner year, until Covid-19 struck. Spring musicals were especially hard hit, some closing just hours before their opening performances, but since 'the show must go on' METG has arranged video celebrations in lieu of their annual in-person award presentations. Thanks to Katrina Faulstich at Bedford High School and Amy Budka at the John Glenn Middle School, here are METG's 2020 MARQUEE STRONG videos.

All Schools

Extra, Extra!

Rotary Club of Bedford Installs New Officers and Celebrates a Successful Year

As June, and Rotary's year, drew to an end, a Zoomed assemblage of 30 of Bedford Rotary's members and friends celebrated the club's annual leadership change. Marie Tremblay bid farewell to her 2019-20 year as president, a year distinguished by many accomplishments, not the least of which was guiding the club out of pre-Covid normalcy and into the new normal of distancing and meeting virtually. Highlights from the past year include hosting a barbecue for the Bedford Council on Aging, the first “Service Planning Project” sponsored by Enterprise Bank to bring local community partners together to strengthen our collective efforts in our community. The club also held annual fundraisers on Bedford Day, and Breakfast with Santa; funds raised at these events are distributed via grants through the Bedford Rotary Foundation.
Angela Carpenter ~ GRAMMY Music Educator Award 2021 Quarterfinalist

Angela Carpenter, Bedford resident and teacher at Harrington Elementary School in Lexington, is among the 216 quarterfinalists for the 2021 GRAMMY Music Educator Award, a list narrowed from the thousands of teachers nominated around the country. Carpenter has taught at Harrington Elementary for five years, after teaching in various towns around New York State for nine years upon graduating from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester.

More Extra, Extra!

Life Events

Life Events ~ July 10, 2020 ~ Awards for McCulloch, Clark, and Vakamalla; Holley Graduates from CSW

A compilation of recent news about local graduates in the Class of 2020: John McCulloch, Lauren Abraham, Grace Clark, Raaga Vakamalla, and Tatum Holley. Garden Club Awards Scholarships to Abraham, McCulloch, and Clark The Bedford Garden Club and the Bedford Garden Club Judith R. Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 scholarships.
Life Events ~ June 18, 2020 ~ The Pulliam Family Welcomes a New Addition and Honors for Raaga Vakamalla

Brown and Lois Pulliam Welcome Great-Grandchild Brown and Lois Pulliam of Bedford are happy to announce the birth of their great-grandson Elijah Maven Cottrell on May 8, 2020. His parents are Diane Lois Pulliam and Surpaul Cottrell.

More Life Events

Obituaries

An Obituary: Mary C. Cretella

Mary C. Cretella passed away on July 7, 2020. A resident of Bedford for more than 30 years, Ms. Cretella was a curious, bright, and impassioned scientist who brought energy and skill to all of her work settings. She attended MIT and graduated with a degree in Chemistry as one of two women in the Class of 1949. She enjoyed a long, invigorating, and respected professional career, holding several patents, working on Skylab and NASA's Indium Antimonide project where her work was recognized by President Ford in 1974.
An Obituary: Alfred F. ‘Fred’ McLaughlin

Alfred F. 'Fred' McLaughlin passed away on July 3 2020. Mr. McLaughlin grew up in Bedford and played football, hockey, and baseball before graduating from Bedford High School 1979.

All Deaths

Sports

We’re Outta Here!! – Summit Fitness Rolls Out Outside Fitness Classes

As Massachusetts begins its reopening plan, I had a chance to try one of the first businesses to return to the “new normal.” Summit Health and Fitness on Wiggins Avenue this week started rolling out outdoor group fitness classes. They converted their parking lot into a spin cycling “room” and a CrossFit workout space. The classes were limited to 10 people, all 12 feet apart. Masks are required and everything is wiped down with disinfectant before and after use. The owners, Jane Karpovsky and Denis Mezhertskiy, of Bedford bought Summit on January 23 of this year. They consulted with the Bedford Board of Health to make sure all the protocols were met.
Elise and Monique Lyons ~ Bedford Sisters are Austin Prep Hockey Stars

New England is at the forefront of developing woman hockey players, and two of the best are right here in Bedford. Elise Lyons, grade 11, and her sister Monique, grade 8, daughters of Pat Lyons and Therese Franks, played wing on the first line of the co-state champion Cougars of Austin Preparatory School in Reading. The team was two days away from a showdown at TD Garden with Woburn for the MIAA title when the Covid-19 threat took over, truncating the tournament.

All Sports

The Bedford Citizen - Community-supported news for Bedford, Massachusetts since 2012

Annual Town Meeting 2020 ~ Start Delayed One Hour, Until 10 am

By The Bedford Citizen | 13 hours ago

An Open Letter from Philip Conrad, Bedford Superintendent of Schools

Jonathan Pierre ~ President of the BHS Class of 2020

Reflections ~ A Student’s Perspective on Senior Year, 2020

More Headlines

Life Events ~ July 10, 2020 ~ Awards for McCulloch, Clark, and Vakamalla; Holley Graduates from CSW

Bedford Embraces Diversity’s Public Forum on Racial Injustice ~ July 21 at 7:30 via Zoom

Barrel House Z Coming to Bedford

Pin It on Pinterest

By The Bedford Citizen | 13 hours ago

Related: An Open Letter from Philip Conrad, Bedford Superintendent of Schools

More Headlines

Pin It on Pinterest