Editor’s Note: In his weekly message for May 20, Superintendent Conrad focused on Covid testing, case counts; and protocols; Mathematics Curriculum Review; 2nd Annual English Learner Award Night 2022: Celebrating Multilingualism; LABBB Collaborative Special Olympics; METCO Students Lead Tours of Nubian Square; Sign up for the BEST/PTO Color Run; and BHS All Night Graduation.
COVID-19
With an increase in cases, we urge everyone to take extra precautions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 particularly since we want everyone to be able to participate in the many end of year activities.
As a school district we continue to disinfect our classrooms each evening, we have our HVAC system operating for longer hours and with MERV-13 filtration, and we continue to run HEPA filtration air purifiers in each occupied space.
We recommend that each family continue to have conversations about mask-wearing indoors including while at school. For those individuals who need masks, please note that N95, KN95, and surgical-style masks are available at all schools in adult and child sizes.
Testing continues to be an option and is available at all schools through our At-Home Antigen Test Option and our Pooled PCR Testing Option. Please use these links to sign up for testing. To review the current number of cases please follow this link to the Bedford COVID-19 Dashboard.
COVID-19 Testing
We continue to offer free COVID-19 testing via pooled testing (PCR tests) at each school every week, and free home test kits are distributed every other week.
If you would like your child to resume weekly pooled testing after they have been off the roster for 90 days after testing positive for COVID-19, please notify your child’s school nurse. You do not need to sign up again.
Want to be part of our FREE at-home testing program or our pooled testing program?
- Click Here to opt-in to the At-Home Antigen Test Opt-In Google Form
- Click here to view a video on How to use the iHealth COVID 19 Test
- Click here for instructions on how to use the iHealth COVID 19 Test in multiple languages
- Click here to consent to the ongoing Pooled Testing Pooled-Testing Consent Form
COVID-19 Email Addresses
All cases of COVID-19 (both home tests and tests from a medical provider) should be reported to your child’s school nurse using the following email addresses:
- For the Davis School please email: [email protected]
- For the Lane School please email [email protected]
- For JGMS please email [email protected]
- For BHS please email [email protected]
Masks for those who test positive for COVID-19
Please keep in mind that for infected individuals the current guidelines require masks to be worn within the ten-day infection period.
- Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will need to wear a mask after a 5-day isolation and/or quarantine period when around others for an additional five days, except when eating, drinking, or outdoors.
- Individuals who experience COVID-19 symptoms should stay home and obtain testing. If they receive a negative result and their symptoms improve (including remaining fever-free for a 24-hour period without fever-reducing medication), they can return to school but should continue to wear a mask until their symptoms fully resolve.
- Unvaccinated individuals should continue to wear a mask in school settings.
COVID-19 Case Updates
The Town of Bedford COVID-19 Dashboard is up-to-date and can be accessed here:
Link to COVID-19 Cases in the Bedford Public Schools This Week
Pooled Testing Results Week of May 16, 2022
- BHS 25 students, 16 staff, 1 positive case
- JGMS 211 students, 37 staff, 10 positive cases
- Lane 188 students, 35 staff 9 positive cases
- Davis 205 students, 32 staff, 2 positive cases
For weekly pooled testing we are using the single swab collection, placing 2 – 3 swabs in a “pool” to be processed by the lab, and if the pool detects a positive result, the school nurses will retest those individuals with rapid antigen tests, and if positive, families will be notified and instructed on isolation procedures. If the rapid test is negative and the individual is symptom-free, they can resume weekly COVID-19 testing the following week.
Cases Reported This Week Since May 13, 2022
- BHS 18
- JGMS 71
- Lane 68
- Davis 39
Mathematics Curriculum Review
At the May 10, 2022, meeting of the Bedford School Committee, we discussed a change to 6th-grade math. We discussed the idea of unleveling math at grade 6. After further review, the proposal to unlevel 6th-grade math is being withdrawn at this time. Instead, the district will include the topic of unleveling sixth-grade math into a larger discussion and examination of the entire PreK- 12 Math curriculum as a part of a multi-year K-12 curriculum review. At the May 24th meeting of the school committee, the curriculum review process and guidelines will be reviewed. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to let us know your thoughts on the mathematics curriculum.
2nd Annual English Learner Award Night 2022: Celebrating Multilingualism
The 2nd Annual English Learner Award Night was held on Wednesday, May 18th at JGMS. The event celebrated multilingualism. Students in PreK-12 received awards honoring the languages they speak at home and the languages they speak in school. Collens Jumelle, BHS Senior, hosted the evening. The Davis school English Learners greeted the audience. Students from BHS and JGMS presented their personal experiences and the benefits of being multilingual. Lane School English learners performed the finale and sang, “A Little Bit of Love” The EL Department is thankful to all of the families who attended the event. It was a special evening honoring the languages spoken by the English Learners in the Bedford.Public Schools
LABBB Collaborative Special Olympics
On Monday, May 16, 2022, the LABBB (Lexington, Arlington, Bedford, and Burlington) Educational Collaborative held their 15th Annual Best Buddies Special Olympics event at Lexington High School. The event brought athletes from all five towns together for a day of comradery and competition. Former Executive Director Patrick Barbieri, for whom the event is named, Interim Executive Director Bill Lupini, and incoming Executive Director Pam Girouard were all in attendance at this wonderful event. Congratulations to all of the athletes, buddies, and families!
METCO Students Lead Tours of Nubian Square
Please join Bedford METCO students and others to discover the historic treasures of Nubian Square in Boston. The tours feature information gathered by our young METCO scholars. Join students from METCO’s suburban high schools on a walking tour highlighting stories of Black artistry, activism, and achievement you might not have learned before. The FREE tour culminates at METCO’s brand new headquarters with an in-depth exhibit on the history of educational activism in Boston. The tours are being held most Saturdays now through summer at 10 am and 1 pm. For tickets please follow this link METCO Nubian Sq Walking Tours
Sign up for the BEST/PTO Color Run
BEST/PTO is excited to announce the in-person return of their Spring fundraiser, the 6th Annual Color Run on Saturday, June 11, 2022, from 4 pm to 6 pm at the JGMS fields. The event features a racecourse with color powder sprayed by teachers and administrators, raffles, music, food, bounce houses, face painting, and more. Families are invited to Walk, Run, Roll, or Stroll as little or as much as they want. This event has raised over $85,000 for the Davis and Lane Elementary Schools since 2016. Please sign up today to help BEST reach $100,000 this year! Registration is $30 per individual or $90 per household and includes bags, t-shirts, and food tickets. Registrations after May 3rd will only include bags and t-shirts while supplies last. More details and sign up at BEST Color Run.
BHS All Night Graduation
The All Night Graduation Celebration is looking for volunteers to chaperone the event. The All Night Graduation Celebration will be held from Thursday, June 2, 10:30 PM to Friday, June 3, 5:30 AM. This annual event is only able to happen with the support of all BHS families! Thank you in advance for your support of this event. Please follow the links if you’d like to volunteer.
- Chaperone during the event (non-senior parents), set up and/or clean up (all parents, especially parents of seniors): ANGVolunteers2022
- Pickup and donate food items: ANGFood2022
- Purchase door prize donations: ANGPrizes2022
- Make a financial donation: https://bhspa.org/all-night-grad-party/
As always, thank you for your patience, your participation, and your continued commitment to our schools.
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