Superintendent Conrad’s weekly message for October 14, 2022, focuses on a Parents Diversity Council Diwali Event; upcoming Bedford METCO and PDC tour at Nubian Square; National Bullying Prevention Month; COVID-19; Impact Aid Forms; Superintendent’s Blog, Davis School Fall Festival and an upcoming BY&FS community dinner.
Parent Diversity Council Diwali Event
Please join the Bedford Free Public Library and the Parents Diversity Council to celebrate and learn about the meaning of Diwali with a puppet show, dance demonstration, and crafts! The event will take place tomorrow, Saturday, October 15, 2022, from 3:00 until 4:00 pm at the Bedford Free Public Library which is located at 7 Mudge Way. This event is best for pre-K through 5th grade, but families with children of all ages are welcome! For more information please navigate to Diwali Celebration Bedford Free Public Library.
Bedford METCO and Bedford PDC Event
BPS families from Bedford, Boston, and Hanscom are invited to gather for lunch at METCO’s new headquarters at 11 Roxbury Street in Nubian Square. This will be followed by a special viewing of an in-depth exhibit on the history of educational activism in Boston on Saturday, October 22, 2022, from noon until 2:00 pm. Then, two METCO students (one of them from Bedford!) will lead a walking tour of historic Nubian Square highlighting stories of Black artistry, activism, and achievement. Space is limited for this FREE event. If you are interested please email [email protected] by Oct. 18 to register.
National Bullying Prevention Month
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. A time to focus on bullying prevention and to raise awareness about the effects of bullying. During this month, many groups across the country will release new resources, campaigns, and efforts aimed at bringing awareness to the issue of bullying. For more information go to National Bullying Prevention Month Information
Each of our schools takes a unique approach to bullying prevention. At the Davis School, we utilize Responsive Classroom to build classroom communities that teach communication and social problem-solving skills. We also share stories that help children determine when something is hurtful, unfair, and/or unsafe and how to take action to help the person or themselves. At the Lane School, we work with students so that they can understand, identify, and prevent bullying by understanding what bullying is or is not, the impact of bullying, the role of bystanders/upstanders, and how administrators handle reports of bullying. At JGMS we expect everyone to show Empathy and Acceptance every day and everywhere in our school. These values make up the E and A in HEART and are the core of our conversation when we work to prevent and address bullying. The entire acronym stands for Honor, Empathy, Acceptance, Responsibility, and Tenacity. At BHS we utilize our advisory curriculum to build strong relationships that help students understand that we are all in this together and that bullying has no place in our school. Through all of these efforts, we aspire to create a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environment where all students can realize their growth as a learner.
COVID-19
The Bedford Public School nursing staff is able to provide COVID-19 symptomatic testing at school. This testing service is optional and consent is required prior to testing. See the link below to sign up for your student. The school nurses will administer rapid antigen testing using Abbott BinaxNOW or iHealth tests on-site at each school health office.
2022-2023 Student Consent Form for Symptomatic COVID-19 Testing at School
This service is for students who develop symptoms while already at school. Please continue to screen your children each day before school and refer to the COVID-19 symptoms checklist on the BPS website. If your child has mild symptoms of illness, please test them at home with a rapid home antigen test before sending them to school.
We encourage all families to keep a supply of COVID-19 home rapid antigen tests on hand. Home test kits are available from the following town offices during normal business hours: Health Department, Council on Aging, Town Manager’s Office, or the Bedford Free Public Library. Students may attend school with mild symptoms as long as they are testing negative on an antigen test before coming to school.
Many families signed up for iHealth home tests last Spring and may still have them left over. The expiration date for this product has been extended. You can check the expiration dates with the lot # using this link: iHealth Expiration Date Extension
We encourage everyone to get vaccinated with the most recent booster.
For the latest information on COVID-19 cases within the school district please navigate to the Bedford COVID-19 Dashboard
2022 Impact Aid Survey Is Open
The 2022 Impact Aid Survey opened on October 3, 2022, and will remain open until October 31, 2022, we are asking parents, guardians, and caregivers to complete the annual Military Impact Aid Survey. Completing this survey allows us to meet the requirements of Public Law 874. Under the provisions of Public Law 874, The Bedford Public Schools must conduct an annual Military Impact Aid Survey. The Town of Bedford receives a substantial sum of money under this provision, which lowers the cost of education for ALL taxpayers.
Parents/Guardians/Caregivers received a unique email with a survey link for each student. It is very important that all surveys are completed and electronically signed for each student, as reimbursement is made for all eligible students on a per-pupil basis. This year the survey is fully electronic with e-signature – The district is using DocuSign for the survey. This survey is repeated annually.
If you have any questions, please contact the Business Office of the Bedford Public Schools at (781) 275-7708. We thank you very much for your assistance with this important annual survey.
Superintendent’s Blog
Please take a moment to review the latest news on the Superintendent’s Blog. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Tricia Clifford has outlined The Bedford Public Schools Curriculum Review Cycle. The cycle was introduced last fall when curriculum leaders from within the Bedford Public Schools collaborated on a review cycle for our curricula. This is an important endeavor for our Bedford Public Schools curricula.
Davis School Fall Festival
The Davis School will be holding its annual Fall Festival to celebrate the start of the year on Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 11 am until 1 pm. Davis School families are invited to join us for music, a petting zoo, fire trucks, a bounce house, a balloon artist, ice cream, and more! This event is for Davis School families only, please RSVP on the link sent out by Davis School (in the Davis Scribbles and flyer).
Bedford Youth and Family Services Event
Please join the Bedford Youth and Family Services (YFS) Department for a FREE Community Dinner and Discussion on Monday, October 24th, from 6 until 8:30 pm at the First Church of Christ Congregational, 25 Great Road, Bedford. Dinner will be served from 6 -7 PM with discussion to follow from 7:00 until 8:30 pm. The discussion will focus on QPR – how anyone can Question, Persuade and Refer Someone Considering Suicide. The discussion will feature Counselor Jon Mattleman. QPR is an evidence-based suicide prevention program based upon the following concepts: The person most in need of help in a suicidal crisis is the least likely to ask for it; the person most likely to prevent a person from dying by suicide is someone they know; and prior to making a suicide attempt, a person typically sends warning signs of distress and suicidal intent to those near them. Free transportation and childcare are available. Please email [email protected] with any questions. Registration is required and can be done at Community Dinner and Discussion Registration Form
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