Editor’s Note: Topics covered in Supt. Conrad’s first message includes first day information for each of Bedford Schools; Athletics; 2022 – 2023 Bus Routes, Policies, and Information; Dial 988 the new Nationwide Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; Free Lunch for All; Election day on 9/6/2022; Parent Organizations for each of the schools; and COVID-19.
Welcome back! We all hope that you had a restful summer and that you are excited for the start of the school year ahead. As we begin the 2022-2023 school year I wanted to share some information with you including an autumn poem.
Fall, leaves, fall By Emily Bronte
Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.
I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night’s decay
Ushers in a drearier day.
First days of school
As we head toward Tuesday, September 6, 2022, the first day of school, you can expect to receive information from your child’s principal that will give you and them specific information about what to expect on the first few days of school. Below is a bit of information for planning purposes.
Lt. Eleazer Davis Elementary School (Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2)
At the Davis School all Kindergarten through Grade 2 students start school daily at 8:55 am (the doors open at 8:50 am) and all students are expected in their classrooms by 9:10 am. Dismissal at Davis School for Kindergarten through 2nd Grade dismisses at 3:20 pm with buses leaving the school first and car pick up beginning at 3:25 pm. On Wednesday, students Kindergarten through Grade 2 students are dismissed at 1:55 pm beginning with buses.
Davis School Integrated Preschool starts at 9:15 am daily with all students expected in their classroom by 9:30 am. Davis School Integrated Preschool dismissal begins at 12:15 pm with our vans and then car pick up is at 12:20 pm. Please pick up students by 12:30 pm.
Lt. Job Lane Elementary School (Grades 3 through 5)
Lane School students should plan to be in their classrooms no later than 8:25 am. The school day will end at 2:36 with students boarding buses and being picked up by parents and caregivers. Please be aware that the Lane School is in a residential area and it is important that we be respectful of our neighbors.
John Glenn Middle School (Grades 6 through 8)
At JGMS all students should plan to enter the building no later than 7:30 am. Grade 6 students will report to the auditorium where they will be met by their team of teachers and escorted to their advisory classroom to start their day and MS experience. Grade 7 and 8 students will report to the cafeteria where they will remain until they are dismissed to their advisory.
Bedford High School (Grades 9 through 12)
At BHS classes begin at 7;45. Students should plan to be in their classrooms by that time. Please be sure to leave extra time in the morning to account for traffic, buses, and new drivers. The high school will release at 2:24.
Athletics
The Fall Season for Bedford Athletics has begun! Football began on Friday, August 19, 2022, with Soccer, Cheerleading, Golf, Field Hockey, Cross Country, and Volleyball all beginning on Monday, August 22, 2022. For general athletic information please navigate to the Athletics Website The fall athletic calendar can be viewed here Athletic Calendar. As a reminder, please know that ALL student-athletes must be registered in Aspen, Have a Physical on file (valid for 13 months only), and complete a baseline test (valid for 2 years). Athletics at JGMS including Cross Country, Soccer, and Field Hockey will begin after school starts. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to [email protected]
2022 – 2023 Bus Routes, Policies, and Information
As our school buses return to ‘normal’ operations, we hope that student ridership returns to its previously high levels. Riding the school bus is a great benefit to families and directly results in less traffic and congestion on our roads and school campuses during school arrival and dismissal times. Registration and seat assignment for school buses, necessary during the past two years, are no longer required. Please visit the Bedford Public Schools Transportation web page for current information. Routes and bus stops will be posted here as soon as they are available, and by Thursday 9/1/22 at the latest. Bus stop policies are posted, as well as contact information for questions or concerns.
Dial 988 the new Nationwide Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – This summer saw the introduction of a nationwide suicide prevention and crisis lifeline toll-free number.
988 has been created as a resource for individuals in need of information or resources to strengthen suicide prevention and mental health crisis services for everyone. For more information please navigate to https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988
Free Lunch for All
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has decided to support another year of free lunch for all students! The state legislature recently approved funding for school districts to continue offering lunch to all students without charge. Districts will be reimbursed for all lunches served by the federal USDA program as well as by the state to reach the free lunch rate. Districts are required to use point-of-sale cashier systems to document lunches served. Additional a la carte items will be available at a cost. Free and Reduced applications will continue to be collected. For more information go to https://www.bedfordps.org/district/food-services-department
Election day on 9/6/2022
A reminder that Tuesday, September 6, 2022, is election day and the first day of school. JGMS will be a busy place that day. With that in mind, we ask that staff park at BHS and toward the tennis courts so that voters can park in the designated spots closer to the building. Voting will be from 7 am until 8 pm in the John Glenn Middle School gymnasium at 99 McMahon Road. Voters are encouraged to avoid voting during high traffic and student movement times such as drop off (7:15-7:45 am), lunch (11:15 am-12:30 pm), and pickup (2:00-2:30 pm), if possible. Thank you for your cooperation. For more information about election day please navigate to https://www.bedfordma.gov/home/news/fall-2022-election-information
Bedford High School Parents Association (BHSPA)
The BHSPA is a volunteer group of parents and guardians serving the students at Bedford High School. We use donations and sponsorships to organize and support the high school students, faculty, staff, and the Bedford High School community, which includes and embraces Bedford residents, Hanscom residents, and METCO students and their families. The BHSPA can be reached at https://bhspa.org/ or by email at [email protected] To sign up for the BHSPA newsletter click here: https://www.bedfordps.org/district/links/pages/ptobef-mailing-lists
Middle School Parents Association (MSPA)
The MSPA is a volunteer group of parents and guardians serving the students at John Glenn Middle School. The purpose of the MSPA is to facilitate communication and act as a liaison between the Middle School Parent Community and JGMS. We also raise and distribute funds to support programs for the JGMS community. The MSPA can be reached at https://bedfordmspa.wordpress.com/ or by email at [email protected] To sign up for the MSPA newsletter click here https://www.bedfordps.org/district/links/pages/ptobef-mailing-lists
BEST(Bedford Elementary Schools Together) PTO
Please JOIN the BEST PTO 2022-2023 school year! The BEST PTO is excited to start announcing all of the wonderful events planned for Davis and Lane Families! With a new school year ahead of us, the BEST PTO needs your help. In the past, BEST PTO has offered a printed student directory for students in Preschool through 5th grade. Moving forward, BEST will be using Membership Toolkit. This service offers so much for our families such as online classroom directories, PTO newsletters, and a calendar loaded with spectacular events. Plus, you can access Membership Toolkit through an app on your phone as well as a desktop computer!
Within the coming weeks, the BEST PTO will be sending out information on how to join the Membership Toolkit. Be on the lookout for instructions!
On average, BEST PTO spends more than $50 per student through classroom supplies (teacher reimbursements), field trips, playground and sports equipment, staff appreciation, community events, diversity materials, and more. By joining the Membership Toolkit, BEST can better communicate with you the needs of our teachers and schools. Whether you need to contact BEST, access a directory or make a donation, we all really appreciate your membership support! BEST aims to have as close to 100% family participation in the BEST PTO Membership Toolkit to better serve the schools and community.
COVID-19
On August 15, 2022, DESE Commissioner Riley and DPH Commissioner Margaret Cooke sent an Update on COVID-19 Matters in K-12 Schools for Fall 2022 in a memo which can be found at https://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/on-desktop.html. The guidance outlines the state’s recommendation for everyone to be fully vaccinated, that masks are no longer required, and that surveillance testing, contact tracing, and test-to-stay are no longer recommended. It also outlines that no asymptomatic individual should be excluded from school activities as a result of exposure, regardless of vaccination status or exposure setting. The nursing department will be considering their options for symptomatic testing and more information will be available soon. Additional information regarding those individuals who test positive for COVID-19 can be found at COVID-19 Isolation and Exposure Guidance for K-12 and others
As a district, we will continue to disinfect all classroom spaces on a regular basis, operate our HVAC system at increased volume, provide HEPA filtration in all occupied spaces, increase outside air wherever and whenever possible (in school buildings and on buses). We will also be providing hand sanitizer and KN95, N95, and paper surgical masks for anyone who needs these supplies. Our positive case counts will continue to be reported directly to the Bedford COVID-19 Dashboard
As always, thank you for your patience, your participation, and your continued commitment to our schools.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and we look forward to seeing you soon.
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