Newsletter

Hello Everyone.

This is an exciting time of year as everyone is getting ready to move on. Seniors are moving on to the next chapter of life, while Juniors are becoming the next senior class, and so on. As we talk with students, we hear about future plans, whether that is as immediate as a summer job or as forward-thinking as future careers. These paths can be very clear for some and unclear for others. If your path is unclear, please work with our counseling or flexible pathways team to help develop a clear picture.

Have a great weekend.

Polly Rico

The Business Department wants to congratulate and thank Taryn Dalley and Elijah Hazen for their positive attitudes, being supportive of their classmates, and for demonstrating excellence in Business Management and Personal Finance.

Congratulations, May 2026, Math Students of the Month: Kathryn Shippert, Deyaan Williams,

Joy Mcmahon, Sophia Mead, Sienna White, Emma Hellmuth, Logan Cuddy, Nora Grims, Kasen Morits, Zoey Dashnaw. (Pictured L to R and top to bottom.)

Congratulations to senior Ethan LaPlume on receiving a 2026 Martin H. Wennar, M.D. Health Professions Scholarship from Northwestern Medical Center!

Congratulations, Ethan!

Celebrating Excellence: The 33rd Annual Music Recognition Night

On Monday, June 1, the Bellows Free Academy community gathered to celebrate our incredibly talented student musicians at the 33rd Annual Music Recognition Night. It was an unforgettable evening dedicated to honoring the hard work, dedication, and artistic growth of our music students throughout the school year.

The evening kicked off with a warm welcome from Armand Messier, followed by the presentation of Participation Awards. We are immensely proud of the BFA students who represented our school this year at the District, Allstate, and All New England Music Festivals, as well as our District and All State Scholarship recipients.

A major highlight of the night was the presentation of the peer-voted Superlative Awards for Chorus I, Chorus II, and Instrumental Music. Across every grade level, students took the time to recognize their peers for Most Improved, Most Dedicated, and Best Musician. Seeing our students uplift and celebrate one another is a true testament to the supportive culture within our music department.

We also celebrated our seniors with several prestigious, long-standing honors presented by Mr. Bushey and Mr. Messier:

• The National School Orchestra Award * The Louis Armstrong Jazz Award

• The Verne Colburn Award: This special honor—voted on by peers across all music classes—was awarded to two exceptional students, each receiving a $150 scholarship to support their future musical endeavors.

Between the accolades, the audience was treated to spectacular, moving student performances. Norah Gates and Chris Leduc brought the house down with Billy Joel’s Vienna; the ensemble A-319 rocked the stage with Player’s Baby Come Back; and Jacob Ripley and Kael Madding delivered a beautiful rendition of Nick Drake’s Which Will.

Thank you to Eric Bushey, Armand Messier, parents, and community members. Your continued support is what allows the BFA Music Department to thrive. Congratulations to all of our award winners and seniors—thank you for filling our halls with music!

June 2nd was a special day for Team Adaley, BFA's Unified Sports Team, as we had the honor of joining the St. Albans Police Department in escorting the Olympic Torch through St. Albans. The torch is making its way to the 2026 Special Olympics Vermont Summer Games in Burlington this weekend, carrying with it a powerful message of inclusion, determination, and community.

Seniors & Families:

Below, please find graduation details. Next Thursday, I'll inform as to if graduation will be outdoors or indoors, and I'll include the links for photos and the live streaming of graduation.

Rehearsal

Date/Time: Friday, June 12, 2026, 1 - 3 pm MANDATORY FOR SENIORS

Location: Collins Perley Sports Complex

Details:

• Graduation rehearsal is mandatory! Please report to the rink at 1 pm.

• Seniors do NOT need to wear caps and gowns for rehearsal.

• Seniors will practice lining up, walking in, marching down the aisle, sitting and standing on cue, partial speeches and music for sound checks, etc.

• Seniors receive graduation tickets at the rehearsal. When seniors practice walking across the stage, they will be handed an envelope with their tickets.

Graduation

Date/Time: June 13, 2026, 2 pm

Location: Collins Perley Sports Complex

Details:

• On June 13th, seniors are to arrive at the Complex no later than 1 pm and promptly report to the rink to line up.

• Please dress comfortably for graduation, as it can be very warm regardless of whether the graduation is outdoors or indoors. If graduation is outdoors, seniors will be walking on turf and sitting on the bleachers, so ensure shoes are appropriate (i.e. high heels can get caught in the grass and on the bleachers). Seniors should arrive with their caps and gowns on.

• Please ride with your families to limit the number of vehicles for parking. Traffic in and around CPSC is congested. Carpooling is encouraged.

• Once families and guests have parked, they will be directed to the graduation entrance. Please have your (4) tickets ready to present, and you will keep your tickets with you. Seniors will each be given 4 tickets for reserved seating. Other family members/guests may sit in the open seating area. Families and/or guests will be ushered to the seating area(s).

• If you, a family member, or a guest has accessibility requirements (wheelchair, hearing impaired, etc.), please contact me. I’ll assist you with your needs and ensure that an usher assists you upon arrival at graduation.

• At 2 pm, the seniors will walk in and march down the middle aisle and the commencement begins.

• Whipple Photography will be at graduation. Photographs will include the presentation of the diploma, followed by a portrait holding the diploma. Images from graduation will be posted for graduates and families to view on the Monday after graduation. Here is the link: INSERT LINK

• Northwest Access TV will be live-streaming the graduation. BFA Graduation YouTube Link: INSERT LINK

  
  

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 802-527-6400 or email me at tcallan@maplerun.org.

Sincerely, Theresa Callan, Graduation Coordinator

Congratulations, Comet Softball Seniors: Molly Parah, Nora Tatro, Jillian Smith, Megan Gonyeau, Aubrey Marchessault, Ella Dunigan, Maggie Dunigan, and Natalie Mattas.

Congratulations to JV A on finishing their season undefeated, 12-0!

Well done team! The future is bright for our baseball program!

BFA Celebrated another incredible year of Theatre on Thursday night at their annual awards ceremony! With beautiful performances, speeches, photos and flowers, BFA closed out the year and sent the seniors off into the world with heart and joy!