Superintendent of Schools Philip Conrad is starting a new academic year at the helm of the Bedford Public Schools for the third time. And many residents are quick to acknowledge that after grappling with the precautions against and consequences of Covid-19, this will be his first “normal” year.
But Conrad, while acknowledging that everything schools do will be a lot easier, doesn’t want to use the word “normal.”
“’Normal’ is challenging for some students, so we want to be careful saying we’re going back to normal,” Conrad observed during an interview in his office Thursday. “We’re back to in-person learning for sure, and we’re making sure our courses, our programs, are accessible to all students.”
Conrad noted that there are no major initiatives on the schools’ agendas for 2022-23. Rather, after two disrupted years, “we are continuing initiatives throughout the district, things that are here and continue to be here. The hope is that we will have a safe delivery of service.”
“We really want to maintain our in-person learning and help our students to really feel comfortable and confident and that they belong,” he declared. “For all or part of three years, we had all kinds of challenges to make sure kids feel connected to their teachers, their school, and each other.”
Some pandemic protocols remain, though most of them are out of sight. “We will continue to run HVAC at higher levels,” as well as enhanced air filtration. “We are continuing to disinfect, to offer masks, and we will have some kind of program for symptomatic testing at school.”
He cited some ongoing classroom priorities. “We are continuing social and emotional learning work, and at Davis School that means we are piloting a curriculum called Fly Five.”
The website for the product explains that Fly Five is based on “the core belief that, in order for students to be academically, socially, and behaviorally successful in, out of, and beyond school, they need to learn a set of social and emotional competencies, namely cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control (C.A.R.E.S.)”
Conrad said “teachers have been working all summer with counselors and principals” on the new product, which will be a pilot offering in some classrooms and connected to the Responsive Classroom teaching approach.
Similarly, he said, students and teachers at John Glenn Middle School will continue to expand their work with the RULER social-emotional learning program. “At the high school, we are continuing with flex time and advisory program. They have been very helpful the last two years when so many students were remote,” the superintendent said.
The schools’ literacy plan remains a priority at all levels, Conrad said, as “we gather information and data and use the data to make decisions about literacy at all levels.”
Conrad said there are two new educational leaders. Kelsey McCarthy is the program administrator, grades 6-12, in English, and Nicole Prince has the same title and responsibility in science. He said their teaching and office space are in the high school.
The superintendent acknowledged that “hiring has been difficult,” which is consistent among “all of my colleagues nationwide.” Although there are still some vacancies for teaching assistants and educational assistants, “we are almost fully staffed,” he said.
Enrollment numbers for 2022-23 won’t be official until Oct. 1, but school leaders will begin evaluating totals as soon as the second week of September “to see what’s here,” Conrad said. He added that there are no apparent grade-level spikes up or down, and student populations at METCO and Hanscom Air Force Base are stable.
Although there is always some movement, “We have had a relatively stable enrollment compared to many other districts,” said the superintendent.
“I think everyone is excited to be back in, and looking forward to seeing the kids,” declared Conrad.
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763
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