Middle School Farewell:  Class of 2025 Heads to High School

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On a picture-perfect summer evening on Wednesday, eighth-graders at the John Glenn Middle School (JGMS) bid farewell to outgoing principal Kevin Tracy and set their sights on the high school as the Class of 2025.  A slowly setting sun and a cool breeze accompanied the ceremony as families arrayed their blankets across Sabourin Field in a colorful display.  A Hawaiian theme was chosen for the occasion and kids and parents responded with shirts and dresses dotted with palm trees and hibiscus and accented their outfits with cheerful plastic leis.  A post-Covid euphoria was in the air as hugs and greetings were warmly exchanged.

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MIAA Tournament Results ~ Updated on Saturday, June 19

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Editor’s Note: Updated on Saturday, June 19

Top-seeded Bedford High School’s softball team hosts Dracut in the first round of the MIAA Division 2 North tournament Monday at 5:30 p.m.

And the Buccaneers had better be ready.

More good news — the Buccaneer boys’ tennis team traveled to Lawrence and vanquished Central Catholic High School, 4-1. The quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday either at Marblehead or in Bedford vs. Reading.

Coach Nicole Lespasio’s lax team spread the wealth – all 18 girls on the roster got playing time, and there were 11 different scorers, led by Abby Morrissey (four goals); Allie Zorn (three), and Astrid Yerardi (three). Notable defenders were Katherine Vaughn and Julia Dearing; each caused multiple turnovers. 

Reading and Writing Top Priority as Schools Emphasize Literacy Skills

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Considering the challenges of the past academic year, the Bedford Public Schools’ three-year literacy plan has begun in good shape.

That’s the assessment of Assistant Superintendent of Schools Tricia Clifford, who told the School Committee last week, “We were able to move forward during a pandemic with all hands on deck. I’m really excited and happy with all of the work folks have done.”

Clifford, who oversees execution of the plan by faculty and staff, outlined progress toward aligning the literacy goals.

Twelve Bedford Students earn Fourth Quarter Honors and High Honors at Shawsheen Tech

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At Shawsheen Tech, to be eligible for high honors a student must receive no grade lower than an “A” (90) for every course in which he/she is enrolled.  To be eligible for the Honor Roll, a student must receive a minimum grade of “B” for every course in which he/she is enrolled.

Twelve Bedford students were listed on Shawsheen Tech’s fourth-quarter High Honors and Honors lists:

Moving On ~ With More to Come

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Eighth-grade students from the John Glenn Middle School celebrated their traditional Moving On ceremony on Thursday evening and became the BHS Class of 2025.  The Citizen will have additional coverage later this week, but in the meantime, Congratulations, each and all!

The Citizen will have additional coverage later this week, but in the meantime, Congratulations, each and all!

The 2021 Bedford Public Schools K-12 Art Show is Online

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A message from Sean Hagan, K-12 Director of Visual Art for the Bedford Public Schools:

Welcome to the 27th annual (and 2nd and hopefully final virtual!) Bedford Public Schools K-12 Art exhibit.

This was a year of resourcefulness and adaptability. Our curriculum was turned on its head and much had to be reinvented. Remote and hybrid learning added layers of complexity, especially when trying to build classroom community.

Schools

MIAA Tournament ~ BHS Spring Post-Season was Never Like This

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There never has been a spring post-season like this one in the history of Bedford High School athletics. And it all gets rolling on Friday.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, planning its first post-season competition since the winter of 2020 (which was truncated by Covid-19 restrictions), has opened its tournaments to all teams, regardless of record.

There never has been a spring post-season like this one in the history of Bedford High School athletics. And it all gets rolling on Friday.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, planning its first post-season competition since the winter of 2020 (which was truncated by Covid-19 restrictions), has opened its tournaments to all teams, regardless of record.

Here is a breakdown of the next week of contests and possibilities for the six BHS spring teams:

The Bedford Citizen features School Department Leadership in a Community Forum

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Bedford education leaders are relieved that the schools navigated the Covid-19 pandemic with reasonable success. And they are excited, albeit cautious, about the prospects for 2021-22.

These sentiments were apparent during last week’s community forum sponsored by The Bedford Citizen. The program, entitled “The Academic Impact of the Pandemic and How the Schools Will Respond,” was presented as a webinar on the Zoom platform.

Panelists were Assistant Superintendent of Schools Tricia Clifford, Special Education Director Marianne Vines, Davis School Principal Beth Benoit, Lane School Principal Rob Ackerman, and Bedford High School Principal Heather Galante. John Glenn Middle School is between principals.

Superintendent of Schools Philip Conrad, serving as panel moderator, acknowledged that “The pandemic was difficult for everybody. We need to figure out where everybody is so we can figure out how to support our students and families.”

Schools are focused on the question, “How we are going to help kids get and stay on track for the fall?” he said. “As we begin to think about the next school year, we want to make sure we have an umbrella to cover kids, making sure that teachers and students can make connections when they come back.”

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DCL Championship Title ~ After a 4-0 Week, Bedford Baseball hosts Weston ~ ‘A’ Field at 4 pm Monday

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After sweeping a three-game series against Weston last week, and with their emphatic 10-4 victory over Cambridge Rindge and Latin on Friday in the DCL semifinal, Bedford will be hosting Weston on A Field on Monday at 4:00 with the DCL East championship on the line.

The Bucs will face a confident Weston team fresh from road wins at #4 seed Wayland on Friday and #1 seed Boston Latin on Sunday. But the Bucs, winners of 9 of their last 10 games, will be coming in with plenty of confidence as well, and will have home-field advantage. If you don’t have plans yet, don’t make any, and make sure to come down to cheer on the Bucs tomorrow.

Extra, Extra!

The BHS Class of 2021 ~ A Very Special Senior Send-Off

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The Bedford High School Class of 2021 finally had a sweet ending to a bitter year on Monday night, June 7, 2021. 

For the past 15 months, they watched on the sidelines through their computer screens as celebratory event after event was canceled due to the pandemic—Junior prom and cookout, Awards nights, Senior Fashion Show, Banquets, the All-Night Graduation Celebration. . .  The list of disappointments went on and on. 

A dedicated group of Senior parents got together and rallied the town of Bedford to help them hold an amalgam Prom/All Night Grad celebration.  With the help of Town Manager Sarah Stanton and Middlesex Community College Chief Administration Officer Colleen Cox, their dream became a reality.

Shawsheen Tech ~ Class of 2021 Graduation

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Congratulations to the four Bedford students who graduated from Shawsheen Tech with the Class of 2021: Jonn Durfee, Culinary Arts; Kaylee Liang, Cosmetology; Antavious Nordquist, Drafting; and Chloey Pereira, Culinary Arts.

The school’s commencement took place on June 3, 2021.  Click this link to watch a video of the ceremony.

Click the following link to read Shawsheen Tech Class of 2021 by the Numbers

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Jonathan A. Harutunian Named John Glenn Middle School Principal

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Jonathan A. Hartunian, lower school assistant principal at Chenery Middle School in Belmont, will officially become principal of Bedford’s John Glenn Middle School on July 1. He succeeds Kevin Tracey, who will become principal of Reading Memorial High School.

Bedford Superintendent of Schools Philip Conrad made the announcement Friday morning. Hartunian was Conrad’s choice from a pool of four finalists.
Bedford Superintendent of Schools Philip Conrad made the announcement Friday morning. Hartunian was Conrad’s choice from a pool of four finalists.

Hartunian is a 1996 graduate of Belmont High School and was a math teacher at Chenery for 13 years before being named an assistant principal for the fifth and sixth grades there in  2015.

His tenure overlapped with that of former Bedford School Committee member Michel McAlister when he was Chenery principal. Hartunian was a finalist to succeed McAllister when he moved to a job in the central office.

The new JGMS principal coached varsity wrestling and freshman football at Belmont and also worked for several years as a middle school math teacher in Revere.

He holds an undergraduate degree in physics from Syracuse University, a master’s degree in mathematics education from Cambridge College, and an education specialist degree in administration, planning, and policy from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, which he received in 2014.

Back to School 2020

Students Step up for Summer School Sessions

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Half of the elementary school students invited to participate in summer classes have accepted, Superintendent of Schools Philip Conrad reported to the School Committee Tuesday.

The morning sessions, concentrating on reading, writing, and math, were arranged to help students who struggled during the past year of educational limitations and exigencies.

Conrad said 43 of the 88 Davis School students will participate. There were 150 children from  Lane School invited to the sessions, Conrad said, and 75 accepted.

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown ~ Watch the JGMS Musical on Friday, or Saturday, or Both!

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Don’t miss out! The John Glenn Middle School Performing Arts Department will present YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, streaming online at 4:00pm and 7:00pm on June 11 and 12. Tickets are $15 per device, via https://jgmsmusical.wordpress.com/tickets/.. Donations are encouraged to cover the cost of additional viewers on a particular device. Note: This show has two casts!

Early Dismissal on June 8 Due to Excessive Heat

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Please be aware that due to the excessive heat today, Monday, June 7, 2021 and the expectation that the heat will continue this evening and not give the buildings an opportunity to cool off the Bedford Public School will have a half day tomorrow Tuesday, June 8, 2021. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Back to School 2020

How Has the Pandemic Affected Learning in Bedford Schools? Bedford’s Top Educators Respond ~ Webinar at 7 PM on June 9

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hat has been the impact of the Covid-19 virus on students? How has the Pandemic Affected Academic Learning in the Classroom? And what are the Bedford schools planning in response?

These and related questions will be addressed in detail by a panel of local experts at a virtual community forum Wednesday evening, June 9, sponsored by The Bedford Citizen.

“The Impact of the Pandemic on Academic Learning: How Schools Will Respond” will be presented as a Zoom webinar. Registration is quick, easy, and free. A Zoom link will be sent to registrants upon registration.

Monday Afternoon’s B.E.S.T. Color Run Festivities at Lane School

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Classrooms at Davis and Lane schools competed for the chance to spray their principal with Color Run powder by collecting loose change. The four classrooms that collected the most money at each school sprayed their principal with multi-colored powder.

Commencement 2021 in Pictures

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Bedford High School Commencement 2021 began with a long parade of graduates, with Principal Heather Galante, Superintendent of Schools Philip Conrad, School Committee Chair Dan Brosgol, and the full School Committee leading the way.

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Commencement, 2021 ~ An Evening to Remember

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Do you remember what happens in “The Wizard of Oz” when Dorothy steps outside into the Land of Oz? Everything turns to color.

It was kind of like that.

The Bedford High School community celebrated the end of the 15-month Covid-19 pandemic at commencement ceremonies Friday evening on the synthetic turf of Armand Sabourin Field. About 185 graduates joined the ranks of BHS alumni.

Extra, Extra!

A Bedford Citizen Community Forum ~ The Impact of the Pandemic on Academic Learning: How Schools Will Respond

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What has been the impact of the Covid-19 virus on students? How has the Pandemic Affected Academic Learning in the Classroom? And what are the Bedford schools planning in response?

These and related questions will be addressed in detail by a panel of local experts at a virtual community forum Wednesday evening, June 9, sponsored by The Bedford Citizen.