Dear METCO Families,
Happy Black History Month!
As we step into February, we proudly celebrate Black History Month—a time to honor the achievements, resilience, and contributions of African Americans throughout history. This month is a powerful reminder of the strength, perseverance, and brilliance that have shaped our country and continue to inspire future generations. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, *"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education."*
Welcoming the Start of Term 3!
The third term has officially begun for our high school and middle school students! This is a fresh start and an opportunity to set new goals, build positive habits, and stay focused on academic success. We encourage all students to make the most of this term by staying engaged, seeking support when needed, and putting forth their best effort. Let’s make this a strong and successful term!
Thank You, METCO Parents!
A huge *thank you* to all the parents who took the time to respond to our recent Possip question! Your feedback is invaluable in helping us support our students and families. If you haven’t had the chance to respond yet, we encourage you to do so. Your voice matters, and we appreciate your input.
Late Bus Schedule & Support
As always, we have our late bus schedule available for the week to ensure that students participating in after-school activities can get home safely. If you have any questions about the schedule or need any support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here for you!
Closing Thoughts
As we celebrate Black History Month and embrace the opportunities that come with a new term, let’s continue to uplift and support one another. We are proud to be part of a community that values education, equity, and excellence.
If you have any questions, concerns, or need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out. We are here to support you!
With gratitude,
The Bedford METCO Team
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly."– Langston Hughes
Teen Ambassador Program (TAP) 2025
METCO HQ's Teen Ambassadors Program (TAP) is a youth organizing and engagement program designed to create an affinity space for METCO high school students from our 33 districts. Students will build leadership skills, while working on meaningful projects like community service, new student enrollment support, event planning, spokesmanship and racial equity advocacy.
Complete the interest form and join our **mandatory** virtual information session on Thursday, February 6th from 5:30 to 6:30 pm to learn more about this fantastic opportunity.
For further details or if you have any questions, please contact Nia Simpson, Community Organizer & Engagement Coordinator, at nsimpson@metcoinc.org
- February 7: K-2 Progress Reports Posted to Aspen
- February 13: Early Dismissal K-2 Students at 12:05pm
- February 17-21: No School - February Break
- February 25: Black History Month Celebration 6:00-8:30pm @ BHS
- March 8: BEST PTO Winter Social for Davis @ BHS 4:00-5:30pm
- March 14: No School for Students - Teacher Professional Development Day
- May 3: BEST PTO Color Run 4:00pm @ JGMS Fields
- February 4: ZERO Trash Day
- February 7: Term 1 Report Cards available for viewing in Aspen
- February 12: Vocal Vertical Concert (Grade 5 Chorus) 7:00pm @ Bedford High School
- February 13: Early Dismissal at 11:30am (NO Lunch served)
- February 14: Pajama Day & The Trashin' Show (more info to come)
- February 17-21: No School - February Break
- March 7: Grade 3 Movie Day
- March 8: BEST PTO Winter Social for Lane @ BHS 6:00-7:30pm
- March 14: No School for Students - Teacher Professional Development Day
- March 18: Strings Vertical Concert (Grade 4 & 5 Strings) 7:00pm BHS or JGMS (TBD)
- March 19: Parent-Teacher Conferences 1:30-7:00pm
- March 20: Band Vertical Concert (Grade 5 Band) 7:00pm BHS or JGMS (TBD)
- March 21: Grade 4 Movie Day
- March 26: Parent-Teacher Conferences 1:30-4:00pm
- May 3: BEST PTO Color Run 4:00pm @ JGMS Fields
- February 3: Boys Lacrosse Interest Meeting in Cafe 2:30pm
- February 12: Choral Concert
- February 17-21: No School - February Break
- March 12: through Sunday, March 16: Mean Girls Musical
- March 14: No School for Students - Teacher Professional Development Day
- March 18: Strings Vertical Concert
- March 20: Band Vertical Concert
- March 22: High School Tenacity Challenge
- April 12: Women of Science Competition @ JGMS
- May 3: BEST PTO Color Run 4:00pm @ JGMS Fields
BEST PTO Winter Social
Saturday, March 8th | BHS Cafeteria
Davis School Students | 4:00PM - 5:30PM
Lane School Students | 6:00PM - 7:30PM
Get ready for the Bedford Beach Party! This is our annual winter Davis/Lane family social. Tickets will go on sale February 3rd and a link to purchase tickets will be made public on that date. For any questions, please reach out to julies31@gmail.com.
BEST PTO Color Run
Saturday, May 3rd | 4:00PM | JGMS Fields
Early Bird Registration | $15 | Through January 31st
Regular Registration | $20
Join BEST PTO for a fun, family-friendly event full of vibrant color, community, and energy! This year’s Color Run will be more affordable than ever to ensure more families can join the fun! While we’ve simplified some offerings, our goal remains the same: to bring joy to our community and raise funds for our schools. Register here: https://runsignup.com/bestptocolorrun2025
METCO Office: 781-275-1700 x4435
Akil Mondesir, METCO Director
Chauncey Williams, METCO Coordinator Davis & Lane
Chauncey_Williams@bedfordps.org
Jonathan Brome, METCO Coordinator JGMS
Davis Main Office# 781-275-6804
Lane Main Office# 781-275-7606
JGMS Main Office# 781-275-3201
BHS Main Office# 781-275-1700
Parents Diversity Council Board
pdcbedford@gmail.com
President - Kelly Korenak
Vice President - Stacy Chandler
Treasurer - Allison C. John
Secretary - Anne Caron
Davis Chair - OPEN
Lane Chair - Roopa Bhusnurmath
JGMS Chair - OPEN
BHS Chair - Heather Leavell, seeking co-chair from Hanscom or METCO
Fundraising Chair - Mark Mullins
- Lt. Eleazer Davis Elementary School - Scribbles - January 30, 2025
- Lt. Job Lane Elementary School - Lane Notes - Week of January 27, 2025
- John Glenn Middle School - Buccaneer News - Vol. #21/22 - 2/3/2025
- Bedford High School - The Bedford Buccaneer - February 3, 2025
- Special Education Director's Update - January 6, 2025
- Superintendent Update - January 31, 2025
METCO HQ & Boston University Future Leaders Program (High School Students)
The program will meet Tuesdays & Thursdays, January 7th to February 27th 2025 at METCO HQ (11 Roxbury St., Roxbury, MA 02119)
- Students will be paid $15 an hour for their time in the program, and will be paid to complete surveys and interviews
- Total compensation can be up to $599
- Students will learn about Civic Engagement & Mindfulness or College & Career Readiness.
- This internship is a part of a research study conducted by Boston University faculty that will require students to provide feedback via surveys and interviews.
Complete Interest Form to Learn More
Apply HERE
View Flyer HERE
In-person sessions take place at METCO HQ:
11 Roxbury Street, Boston, MA 02119For more information, contact Karli Janssen at kjanssen@metcoinc.org
FREE SAT Prep for Juniors!
METCO juniors: sign up for this six-week SAT course to prepare for your spring test date!
Program Schedule
Saturday, January 18th to March 5th (no classes on February 19th or 22nd due to Winter Break)
Classes are twice a week:
Wednesdays (virtual) from 6:30 to 7:30 pm
AND
Saturdays (in person):
10 am to 12 pm (with an optional hour of individual support following)
OR
1:30 to 3:30 pm (with an optional hour of individual support following)
Important dates:
- January 8th: Parent and Student Orientation (Virtual)
- January 18th: Start of Program
Official SAT target test date: Saturday April 8th 2025
All in-person sessions will be at METCO HQ (11 Roxbury St. Roxbury MA 02119)
For more information: contact Karli Jannsen, College and Career Coordinator, at kjanssen@metcoinc.org
METCO HEADQUARTERS PROGRAMMING & RESOURCES
New MassHousing Affordable Apartments
FREE RESOURCE│Database
MassHousing finances the construction and preservation of affordable rental housing throughout MA. Property Managers are responsible for the placement of tenants into available apartments at each development.
View Database HERE
Explore resources to meet your family’s basic needs.
Students are much more likely to succeed in school with stable access to basic needs. If you or anyone you know needs help meeting those needs, check out these Resources for Basic Needs.
Scholarship Database
METCO HQ has created a scholarship database for ALL students to use. Scholarships are broken down into categories to make it easier for students to navigate.
To view click HERE
College and Career Database
METCO HQ has created a College and Career Database for current high school students AND recent alumni including:
-College Access and Retention Programs
-Jobs and Internships
To view entire database click HERE
Considering HBCU’s Tip Sheet
You may have heard/read about HBCUs, but how do you know if this type of school is right for you? This tip sheet will provide a more comprehensive look into considering HBCUs
View Tip Sheet HERE
Snowport
EVENT|Open from Nov 8-Feb 25 │ Seaport Blvd & Boston Wharf Rd
The Holiday Market at Snowport features over 120 businesses and 17 food and beverage options for the whole family to enjoy this winter season.
Learn More HERE
Soca Sundays
FREE EVENT │All Ages│ Sundays 1-3pm @ Community Art Center Cambridge, MA
Join for an afternoon of Soca! Dance, feel the Caribbean vibes, and bring the whole family—these classes are for everyone!
Learn More & Register HERE
Hate & Bias in K-12 Schools Resources
RESOURCES │ all ages
Governor Maura T. Healey and Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell released updated guidance to K-12 schools on addressing hate and bias incidents in line with legal obligations.
Learn More HERE
Bullying Prevention Resources
RESOURCES │ all ages
Includes general bullying prevention resources, cyberbullying and internet safety as well as articles, books and videos.
Learn More HERE
Watch Video HERE
Summer STEM Program Scholarship Opportunity from BBI and WPI
Through the generous Mark Thomas Memorial Fund established by one of our board members, BBI has partnered with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) to fund scholarships for their Frontier summer program. This residential two-week STEM program takes place on campus at WPI and is a fabulous opportunity for students with an interest in STEM who may have financial need.
Please review and share the attached flyer for more about this amazing program and the application process. When you share the information, please also be aware of the following criteria:
- Applicants should be rising 10th, 11th, 12th grade students in the summer of 2025.
- A high school transcript is required, and the application is considered incomplete without it.
- Students should be academically admissible to Frontiers (high achieving in math and science and have a demonstrated interest in STEM)
- Under Additional Information: “If you are applying through a college access program ....” students must choose Mark Thomas/BBI from the drop-down menu to indicate they are applying for this scholarship.
- Scholarship applicants must complete the Tuition Assistance portion of the application.
- The deadline to apply and be considered for the scholarship is March 15.
- WPI offers virtual information sessions every 2 weeks that students/families can register for, and there is an on-demand info session on our website. This can be found on the program's website here.
School Year Youth Job Applications Are Now Live!
The SuccessLink School Year Youth Job applications are now live! Boston youth and young adults ages 14 - 24 can apply for school year job opportunities on FutureBOS, the youth jobs catalog created to help young people find and secure jobs.
Click here to access futureBOS, the best place to go to find jobs that offer opportunities to grow, explore new experiences, and get paid.
Save the Date: Youth Jobs and Resource Fair!
The City of Boston Youth Jobs & Resource Fair will take place on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Complex! Each year, the City of Boston partners with hundreds of city agencies and community-based organizations across all Boston neighborhoods to provide meaningful employment opportunities for thousands of the city’s youth. The City of Boston Youth Jobs & Resource Fair equips Boston’s youth with unique job opportunities and essential workforce readiness skills. This free event offers young people the chance to connect directly with employers, access on-site application support, participate in free career development workshops, receive wrap-around youth services, and more!
Senior Deadlines
Yearbook Orders
Order your yearbook online by going to YearbookOrderCenter.com and using the school code 13423. All sales will be correctly priced online. If you have difficulty making an online purchase, you can also order over the phone: 1-866-287-3096.
Deadline: December 31
2025 Eleanor W Morton Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria:
Black Female Students (or those that identify as female) who are seniors in High School. Must demonstrate a high degree of scholarship, leadership, and community service. Applicants must have a 2.8 or higher-grade point average based on a 4.0 scale. The applicant must be a resident of and/or attend school in Norfolk, Plymouth, Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes or Nantucket Counties in Massachusetts and be a U.S. Citizen.
About the Scholarship:
The Norfolk-Plymouth County Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, will award two $2,500 scholarships.
Application Process:
Complete the online application https://bit.ly/3W5min1
For questions, contact: scholarship.npcaac@gmail.com