Superintendent Update
January 24, 2025
Dear Bedford Public Schools Community,
As many in our community look ahead to celebrate the Lunar New Year and Black History Month, Martin Luther King’s advocacy for a Beloved Community continues to resonate. The Bedford Public Schools thrive because of our diversity, and our community is strengthened by the contributions, cultures, and perspectives of all who live here. As a town and a school district, Bedford has long been a place that values community, inclusivity, and empathy, with unwavering support for all who call our schools home. BPS leaders want to reassure our families that we remain steadfast in our commitment to embrace our unique diversity and to protect and support all members of our community, including those who are navigating the challenges of immigration, seeking safety, or building a brighter future here. The Attorney General’s Office just released this guidance regarding our obligations as a public school district to protect our students and their information. We remain in close touch with legal counsel and state officials and will provide additional guidance to staff and families as needed. Our schools are safe spaces where every child is valued, respected, and cared for, regardless of their background or circumstances. We will continue to advocate for the safety and wellbeing of all our families, and work to provide an environment where everyone feels secure and included. Together, we will continue to uphold the values that make Bedford a welcoming and inclusive community. Please do not hesitate to reach out to school staff if you need any support.
With care and solidarity,
Superintendent Cliff Chuang on behalf of the District Leadership Team
Pictured: Katie Noh, BHS Class of 2022 MPY award-winning image.
- January 25: 2:00pm - PDC & Bedford Free Library Lunar New Year Celebration at John Glenn Middle School
- January 28: 5:30pm - Davis Principal Selection Feedback Meeting in Davis Library. RSVP here.
- February: Black History Month
- February 3-7: National School Counseling Week
- February 4: 6:00pm - Davis Principal Selection Feedback Meeting via Zoom link. RSVP here.
- February 6: Bedford Integrated Preschool Screenings and Registration
- February 13: Early Dismissal for Lane & Davis Schools ONLY
- February 17: President's Day - No School
- February 18-21: Winter Break - No School
At the school committee meeting on Tuesday, January 28th, the full FY25 Quarter 2 report will be presented. The full agenda, schedule, and supporting materials can always be found at School Committee - Meeting Schedule & Supporting Documents.
We are currently seeking exceptional leaders to join our district leadership team, including an Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning. If you are passionate about shaping the future of education and making a positive impact in our schools, we encourage you to explore the opportunities available. Visit our Bedford Public Schools District Leadership Job Search Page for the latest updates on open positions, detailed application instructions, and more information about joining our Bedford community. Click here to learn more and apply.
We are excited to share that we have begun the search for an Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, and it is important to us to include stakeholders' voices in the work of selecting Bedford's school leaders. As part of the selection process, we are asking for community members to be part of a Screening Committee to help review application materials and assist with the interviewing of candidates. The role of a Screening Committee is to act in an advisory capacity to the Superintendent, who will ultimately select the final candidate. If you are interested in being considered for the Interview Screening Committee, please complete this Google Form by February 5, 2025, which contains additional information about the process, time commitment, and expectations: BPS Assistant Superintendent - Teaching & Learning Screening Committee Interest Form. If you have any questions about this process, please contact Gillian Chartier, Director of HR, gillian_chartier@bedfordps.org. Thank you for your support and engagement in this process.
We are seeking feedback from Davis School stakeholders as part of the selection process for the permanent principal. Your feedback is important to help determine the priorities for this important decision, and we sincerely appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. If you'd like to share feedback, please take a moment to complete the Davis Principal Selection Process Survey. Please note that email addresses are being collected to facilitate potential follow-up regarding the feedback provided. In addition to the survey, the following feedback focus group sessions have been scheduled for Davis parents and caregivers:
- Tuesday, January 28th at 5:30pm in the Library at Davis. Please register here.
- Tuesday, February 4th at 6:00pm via Zoom Link. Please register here.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Gillian Chartier, Director of Human Resources, at gillian_chartier@bedfordps.org. She will be facilitating this process. Thank you for your engagement and support.
by Christina Lee (BPS Parent & Graduate - Lane, JGMS, BHS Class of 2001)
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 will usher in the Lunar New Year, one of the oldest and most important holiday for many cultures, where people around the world will celebrate with festivities. Although this holiday is often historically called Chinese New Year in the United States, Lunar New Year is now the more inclusive and widely used term for this holiday, as the lunisolar calendar is used by many cultures. Lunar New Year is also referred to as Spring Festival (Chunjie) by the Chinese and some other cultures, which may span 16 days ending with Lantern Festival (Duanwujie). Many people in East and Southeast Asia will be celebrating this holiday, including but not limited to Indonesia (Nyepi), Japan (Kyu-Shogatsu or Shun-Setsu), Taiwan (Xinnian), Korea (Seollal), Singapore (Yuandan, also Yuanri, Yuanchen or Duanri), Thailand (Songkran), Tibet (Losar), the Philippines (Bagong Taon), Vietnam (Tet), Brunei and Malaysia (Tahun Baru). It is celebrated by over 2 billion people globally, due to cultural heritage or not! There is also often an emphasis on the year’s zodiac sign, and while 2025 is the year of the snake in most Asian cultures, some years there may be different zodiac signs for different cultures. For instance, the year of the rabbit for many cultures is replaced with a cat for Vietnam and Gurung (Central Nepal), while in the Malay zodiac it is a mouse deer. Lunar New Year celebrations may include public and/or private gatherings with a vast array of foods and drinks, parades, firecrackers, lion-dancing, special decor, festive clothing, and more!
On January 25th, please join the PDC & the Bedford Free Library for their Lunar New Year Celebration at John Glenn Middle School at 2:00pm. Click here for more information.
We are pleased to present you with the 2024 Annual Report Cards for the Bedford Public Schools. The federal legislation, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), requires all states, school districts, and schools to report student assessment results, drop-out rates, and teacher qualifications to the community on an annual basis. Bedford's Report Cards results are available to you here.