The Bedford Buccaneer

• Wednesday, November 13: AP Exam Registration Closes
• Thursday, November 14: Winter Sports Meeting for Students & Parents
• Thursday, November 14 - Saturday, November 16: Fall Play - The Play That Goes Wrong
• Tuesday, November 19 & Friday, November 22: Freshmen Seminars
• Wednesday, November 27: Community Day & Early Release
• Thursday, November 28 & Friday, November 29: No School (Thanksgiving)
• Tuesday, December 3: Conference Sign Ups Close
• Thursday, December 5: Teacher/Caregiver Conferences
• Tuesday, December 10: Instrumental Concert
• Thursday, December 12: Vocal Concert
• Tuesday, January 7: All Night Grad Party Planning Meeting

The full Bedford High School calendar can be found here.

The 2024-25 Bedford Public Schools district calendar can be found here.

The Lunch Menus for Bedford Public Schools can be found here.

The Bedford Public Schools Performing Arts calendar can be found here.

December 5, 2025 | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Conference Sign Ups Open: Monday, November 11, 2024 at 10:00am

https://www.myconferencetime.com/bedfordhs/

If you sign in before 10am you will not see anything and will have to refresh your page.

• You are able to sign up with 2 teachers for each student.
• Each conference is 10 minutes long.
• Do not sign them up back to back.
• You will need time to get to your second conference.

Some teachers do fill up quickly. If this happens please contact the teacher by email to arrange another time and date to meet. https://www.bedfordps.org/node/30/people-by-department

The signups will close on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 10:00 am.

Once it is closed, there is no access to it.

In addition, teachers will have their schedules hanging on their doors. If there are empty spots, you can sign up for that time slot.

Remember teachers may not be in their usual classroom so when you sign up please write down the classroom and time.

If you have any issues or questions after the opening of the sign up on November 11th please email brenda_sweetland@bedfordps.org. Please make sure to include your student's name.

Wednesday, November 13th, 2024 is the final day to register and pay for AP Exams. All registrations currently include an additional $40.00 late fee since the October 31st, 2024 regular registration deadline, bringing the total cost per exam to $145.00. After November 13th, no additional exams can be ordered.

Steps to Completing Registration:

1. Students should FIRST ensure they are registered with their class Join Codes in myAP. Please see your teacher for your specific class section Join Codes. Join Codes should not be shared between students as they are specific to each class section. Please visit https://myap.collegeboard.org/ to register with your class Join Code if you have not already.

2. AFTER you have registered in myAP, payments will be processed with Total Registration (www.TotalRegistration.net/AP/220112). Please be sure to register for your class specific section. You will receive a confirmation email once your registration is complete. If you or your student qualifies for financial assistance, please mark ‘yes’ when asked during the registration process.

Student ID numbers are now required in order to complete the steps in Total Registration. This number can be found in the student’s Aspen account under the “My Info” tab. The required ID number is labeled as “Local Identifier” followed by a number beginning with 5050…. Students will not be able to pay for their exams without this Student ID number.

As previously announced, the deadline to register for Self Study exams closed as of Thursday, October 31st. No further self study exams can be requested through Bedford High School at this time. Should you still be interested in Self Studying for an exam, you are encouraged to reach out to the surrounding school districts to see if they offer testing to out-of-district students; no contact lists can be provided.

Cancellations and Refunds

Should you or your student be interested in canceling an AP Exam, please note the last day to receive a full refund is Wednesday, November 13th, 2024, after which $40.00 will be collected from the refund as a cancellation fee. This partial refund is available until March 1st, at which point no refunds will be made available leading up to the exams. For more information regarding the refund policy, please see the confirmation email sent by Total Registration following your completed order.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please reach out to AP Coordinator Samantha Thyne (samantha_thyne@bedfordps.org).

Students can register for winter and spring sports on FinalForms. More information can be found here.

Thursday, November 14 | 6:00 pm | Cafeteria

November 14 - 16 | Auditorium | Tickets

The Bedford High School Performing Arts Department will present THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION, a madcap British farce by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields, on November 14 through 16 in the BHS Auditorium. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for students, and are available through the Performing Arts Department website: https://bhschorusandtheater.weebly.com/tickets.html.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION follows the hapless Cornley Drama Society as they attempt to perform a 1920s melodrama called The Murder at Haversham Manor. Things quickly go from bad to worse as the actors forget their lines, the set falls apart, and somewhere, a dog is loose in the auditorium.

The play is double-cast, with one group of actors performing Thursday at 7:00 pm and Saturday at 7:00 pm, and the other performing on Friday at 7:00 pm and Saturday at 1:00 pm. It runs approximately two hours with one intermission.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION is presented by arrangement with Dramatists Play Service under license from Mischief Worldwide Ltd. The Mischief Production of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG was originally produced on the West End Stage by Kenny Wax & Stage Presence and on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, J. J Abrams, Kenny Wax & Stage Presence.

Tuesday, January 7 | 7:00 - 8:30 pm | BHS Library

Please join us in the planning fun! All are welcome to attend! The committee meets monthly from January through June, culminating in the best event of the year for our graduating seniors!

Email Dawn Kociubes and Leah Walton at bedfordang@gmail.com with any questions and/or to get on the mailing list for future meetings.

Order your yearbook online (school code:13423). If you have difficulty making an online purchase, you can also order over the phone: 1-866-287-3096.

Deadline: 12/31/24

Space is still available for the February 2026 trip.

BHS students have the opportunity to travel to Panama & Costa Rica during February Vacation 2026. This trip will be open to current 9th, 10th and 11th grade BHS students with priority given to the Class of 2026 and the Class of 2027. Please read on for additional information.

Travel to Panama & Costa Rica with BHS in February 2026! In Panama, we’ll visit the Panama Canal, hike to a waterfall, visit a local indigenous village, go snorkeling and take a boat ride with dolphins. Then cross the border by foot into Costa Rica, where we’ll visit a sloth rescue center, zipline, relax in the hot springs, kayak, and take part in a folklore evening. The cost per traveler is $3938 (a discounted rate for accepted student travelers who enroll by December 19th) plus $200 for tips/incidentals paid just before the trip. Check out the full itinerary and additional trip details!

Students who are interested should fill out our online application form - you will need to use your BHS email to fill out this form. Applications will now be accepted on a rolling basis. The trip has a capacity of 32 students and is about half full at this time. Students will be notified of their acceptance status via school email after review of the applications. Students accepted will receive an email on how to register for the trip on Explorica’s website.

Please reach out to Ms. Leshay at sarah_leshay@bedfordps.org with any questions.

Check out the new books that the BHS Library has recently added to their collection.

The Lost & Found in the main office is getting full. Come find your sweatshirts, shoes, water bottles, backpacks or lunch boxes. We will be donating all unclaimed items in November.

We still need forms from a number of students. Please check the list below and ensure you've completed any online forms and submitted any paper forms. Contact information for each form is provided if you have questions. You can drop off Emergency and App Consent forms in the main office.

• Emergency Form (Nurse Annmarie Vaughan) - print & complete
• Medication Release (Nurse, Annmarie Vaughan) - complete online
• Student Agreement Form (Nina Tate) - complete online while on the BPS network.
• Parent Agreement Form (Nina Tate) - complete online
• App Consent for MobileServe (Brianna Creamer) print & complete

Reminder: Food delivery is not permitted at BHS. Students should not place orders for food to be delivered to the school, and we kindly ask parents and caregivers to refrain from ordering on behalf of their students. Any food deliveries will be turned away or confiscated, and students will not receive them. Thank you for your understanding!

We would like to remind students and parents/guardians of our Attendance Policies on, pg. 21-28 of the BHS Student Handbook.

• Caregivers must call the Bedford High School Automated Attendance Line by 8:30 AM to report an absence, dismissal, or tardy.
• Automated Attendance Line: 781-918-4561
• Email: kara_gallagher@bedfordps.org

Do you have printer toner cartridges around your house or work? Drop them off in the box near the drop off table or students can bring them to the office. We will recycle your used cartridges to help raise money for our student support fund, which is not funded by the school district. Questions, please contact Brenda Sweetland.

Friday, November 15

Football (V) vs. Melrose

Saturday, November 16

Football (JV) @ Westford Academy

The full Athletic Department schedule can be found here.

Tuesday, November 19; Friday, November 22

The Counseling Department will be running Freshman Seminars during Flex blocks on 11/19 & 11/22.

The Gilder Lehrman Institutute of American History has announced a pilot program for high school students called History School Book Club.

Book Club content is based on our popular weekly book talk series, Book Breaks, and focuses on topics of interest to high school history students. As a reward for providing feedback on our pilot program, participating students will be named Junior Research Assistants and receive a free book as a token of our appreciation.

We welcome participation from

1. Motivated high school students who sign up on their own
2. Teachers who integrate the Book Club into their classroom (all participating students will receive a free book)

Sign up for the History School Book Club

Signing up is as easy as 1-2-3.

Step 1: Try out Book Club.
Book Club consists of tailored Book Breaks videos. Each unit lasts approximately 30 minutes and features a renowned historian discussing their pivotal work. The units contain 4 or 5 multiple-choice questions as knowledge checks to ensure students learn as they go. Students can complete as few as two video units to move on to Step 2.

Step 2: Complete a brief survey to give feedback on the program.
Next, students need to take a brief survey. This is the part that’s most helpful for us as we work to develop History School Book Club. Completing the survey means that students become Junior Research Assistants for the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History—a boost for college applications or resumes.

Step 3: Fill out the request form to get a free book.
After completing Step 2, we will email students a Junior Research Assistant certificate, along with a request form to claim one of the following books (while supplies last):

The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For, by David McCullough
Ends of War: The Unfinished Fight of Lee’s Army after Appomattox, by Caroline E. Janney
Relentless: My Story of the Latino Spirit That Is Transforming America, by Luis Miranda

Any questions? Email us at bookbreaks@gilderlehrman.org.

Watch the November 6 episode below.

The October newsletter can be viewed here.

Attention Seniors: Please remember that you must be in school before the beginning of B block. If you arrive after the bell you will be tardy. Continued lateness may result in losing the privilege to sign in during Flex. Thank you for your cooperation!

through November 15

Visits will be held in the Counseling office unless otherwise noted. Sign up through Naviance and notify your teacher at least 24 hours in advance of the visit. If you are unable to attend due to an exam, presentation, etc. Please let your counselor know if you are interested in a visit, but are unable to attend so we can connect with the representative on your behalf.

Tuesday, November 12

The University of Alabama (8:00 am)

Friday, November 15

Salem State University

November/December 2024

Hearing/Vision Screening

10th grade students will begin having hearing and vision screenings in the health office. Parents will be notified if further evaluation is necessary by their physician. Heights and weights will also be done at this time.

Annual Height and Weight Screening

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health requires the annual height and weight screening protocols to include the calculation of a Body Mass Index (BMI) and percentile for grades 1, 4, 7, and 10. Each child’s height and weight will be used to calculate their BMI. The results will be kept confidential in each student’s school health record.

BMI Screening

BMS is a “weight for height for age” index that can be a useful tool in early identification of possible health risk factors among children and youth. Please feel free to call if you have any questions or concerns. If you do not want your child to participate in this screening, please contact the school nurse at Annmarie_Vaughan@bedfordps.org.

Additional information about children’s wellness and fitness is available at www.mass.gov/massinmotion/

Please keep your your student home from school if any one of the following occurs:

• Vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours.
• Temperature of 100 degrees F or higher within the last 24 hrs., without fever medication.
• Positive throat culture for strep. Students may return 24 hours after antibiotic treatment has begun.
• Any symptoms of acute illness, such as persistent cough, runny nose with body aches.

Detailed information regarding Covid/Respiratory illnesses: Respiratory Illness Protocol

REMEMBER: Hand washing is the most effective means of preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Please report all communicable illnesses to the absent line or contact the health office directly. Thank you.

Thank you to those who have already sent in the necessary paperwork, medication orders and epi-pens (if applicable) for their kids. For those who have not, please see below.

No Updates/Changes

If there are no medical changes/updates for your student and you prefer not to complete an updated emergency information form, please complete the permission form for the school nurse to be able to administer Ibuprofen/Tylenol this school year.

2024-2025 Permission for Ibuprofen/Tylenol

Emergency Forms

Please send in your student’s completed emergency form as soon as possible. Please reach out if there is a new medical diagnosis or health concern you would like to share with me.

Emergency Form

Epi-Pens

For those students with an epinephrine device, please be sure to send in an updated device along with the doctor’s order (Allergy Action Plan) for the current school year. *All students are also encouraged to carry an epinephrine device on their person, to have access to if needed after school hours.

Food and Insect Allergy Action Plan Bedford Public Schools

Annmarie_vaughan@bedfordps.org

781-275-1700 x4416

781-687-6141 (fax)

If there is a mental health emergency, please call: Advocates Psychiatric Emergency Services (available 24 hours) at (800) 640-5432, or Massachusetts Behavioral Health Helpline (available 24 hours) at 833-773-2445 (call or text), or Call 9-1-1.

If you are seeking counseling support for your child, please reach out to one of these resources:

• Your child’s pediatrician to ask for a counseling referral
• Bedford Youth and Family Services at 781-918-4328
• Eliot Community Human Services at 978-369-1113

Bedford Youth & Family Services

Check out the services available to BPS students and their families.

Over the years, BHS parents have created informal "parent groups" for each graduating class on Facebook. These private groups are not affiliated with the BHSPA, but we wanted to spread the word so that all parents in our school community could join them if they are interested. The groups are a good place to ask questions or share information with fellow parents. The links to the parent groups that exist are below.

Bedford High Class of 2028 Parent Facebook Group

Bedford High Class of 2027 Parent Facebook Group

Bedford High Class of 2026 Parent Facebook Group

Bedford High Class of 2025 Parent Facebook Group

School Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 7:45 am - 2:24 pm (bus loop closed to traffic @ 1:45 pm)

Wednesday 7:45 am - 12:55 pm (bus loop closed to traffic @ 12:00 pm)

9 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA 01730

Phone: 781-275-1700

Absence Line: 781-918-4561

Fax: 781-275-6664

Bedford High School