September 2025

Dear Bedford Families,

As we begin a new school year, I want to extend a warm welcome to each of you. The start of the year brings excitement, energy, and new opportunities to support the growth and well-being of every student in our schools.

I am pleased to introduce two new leaders who will be working closely with our students, families, and staff this year:

• Nicole Shadeed has joined us as our new Counseling Program Director for grades 6–12. Nicole brings deep experience and a strong commitment to ensuring our students have the social, emotional, and academic supports they need to thrive. This year, she will be working with our middle and high school teams to strengthen connections between counseling services, academics, and family engagement.
  
  

• Jessica Kirby is stepping into the role of Special Education Program Director for grades K–2. Jessica’s passion for early childhood education and supporting our youngest learners with specialized needs will help us continue building strong foundations for student success.

At the same time, I want to share that Amy Gagnon, our Special Education Program Director at JGMS, is currently on leave. We wish her well and look forward to her return. In her absence, our leadership team will continue to ensure that programs run smoothly and that students and families feel supported.

This year, our focus in Student Services is on breaking down walls between departments, programs, and schools so that every student experiences seamless, coordinated support. We will continue to strengthen our work in inclusive practices, mental health and wellness, and family engagement, always keeping students at the center of our decisions. Our goal is to work together as one team to make sure every child belongs, learns, and succeeds.

Thank you for your continued partnership. I look forward to working with you and your children in the year ahead.

Warmly,
Marianne Vines

This past year, Bedford Public Schools participated in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Integrated Monitoring Review (IMR), a process that takes place every three years to ensure districts are meeting state and federal requirements for special education and civil rights. The review included staff and parent interviews, record reviews, classroom observations, and a parent survey. In total, 52 criteria were reviewed (49 in special education and 3 in civil rights), and we are pleased to share that the vast majority were found to be fully implemented. Two areas were identified as needing improvement, both based on two individual student records: (1) documentation when required members are excused from IEP Team meetings, and (2) ensuring progress reports consistently provide clear updates on student progress toward annual IEP goals. We have already put corrective actions in place, including updated procedures, staff training, and monitoring systems, to address these findings. The full report is publicly available on the District website and DESE website, and we are committed to using this process as an opportunity to strengthen our practices and communication with families.

Section 504 is a federal civil rights law that makes sure students with disabilities have the same opportunities to learn and participate in school as their peers.

• A student may qualify for a 504 Plan if they have a physical or mental health condition that substantially limits a major life activity, such as learning, concentrating, or breathing.
  

• A 504 Plan provides accommodations (for example, extended time, seating changes, or health supports) that help remove barriers so students can succeed in school.
  

• Families are part of the process: we work together with you and your child’s teachers to determine eligibility, develop a plan, and review it each year.
  

• Students with 504 Plans are protected from discrimination, bullying, and harassment.
  
  

If you have questions or think your child may need a 504 Plan, please reach out to the 504 Coordinator at your school.

Who to Contact

If you have questions about Section 504 or believe your child may need a 504 Plan, please reach out to the 504 Coordinator at your child’s school:

• Davis Elementary School (Grades K–2)- Erica Fontaine, Assistant Principal
  

• Lane Elementary School (Grades 3–5)- Kevin Smaldone, Assistant Principal
  

• John Glenn Middle School (Grades 6–8)- Your child’s school counselor
  

• Bedford High School (Grades 9–12)- Your child’s school counselor

For district-level questions, you may also contact:
Marianne Vines, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services

Our Counseling Department is here to support students not only with academics and planning for the future, but also with their social and emotional well-being. This year, we are especially excited to share some new ways we will be working alongside students and families.

Under the leadership of Nicole Shadeed, Counseling Program Director for grades 6–12, and Paula Francis-Springer, K–5 Counseling Coordinator, our counselors will continue to provide guidance, encouragement, and care as students grow. We are also expanding our work with Cartwheel, a trusted mental health partner, so that families have quicker access to high-quality mental health care when it is needed.

In addition, Bedford is beginning to introduce student wellness screenings and check-ins. These are simple tools that help us better understand how students are feeling and identify early supports if needed. One of these tools is Closegap, a student-friendly check-in platform that helps students reflect on their emotions and build healthy coping skills.

We will roll out Closegap gradually, starting with small groups of students before expanding to the full student population. Families will always receive information ahead of time and will have the opportunity to ask questions before any screening or check-in takes place. Our goal is to use these tools to strengthen connections, not to label or judge. We want every student to feel seen, supported, and ready to succeed, both in and out of the classroom.

What is a wellness screening?

A short questionnaire that gives us a snapshot of student well-being, similar in spirit to academic assessments but focused on social and emotional health.

Why are we doing this?
To identify early supports so students can thrive, and to improve our programs based on real student needs.

What is Closegap?

Closegap is an interactive check-in tool that lets students share how they are feeling in a simple, student-friendly way while building self-awareness and coping skills.

How will the information be used?
Counselors and school staff use results to better support students at school. Information is kept private and is not shared outside the school team unless families are contacted directly.

How will it be introduced?
We will start with subsets of students and expand slowly. Families will always be notified before their child participates in a screening or check-in.

Who do I contact with questions?

• K–5: Your school counselor or Paula Francis-Springer, K–5 Counseling Coordinator

• Grades 6–12: Your school counselor or Nicole Shadeed, Counseling Program Director

Our English Learners (EL) Department is dedicated to ensuring every multilingual student has the support they need to grow in English and in all academic subjects. We believe multilingualism is a strength, and we celebrate the many cultures and languages represented in our schools.

Hilary Nichols, K–12 Director of English Learner Education, leads this work across the district. Under Hilary’s leadership, our team will continue to:

• Provide high-quality, WIDA-aligned instruction (e.g., CKLA Language Studio and English 3D at the elementary level and Language Launch and English 3D at the secondary level).
  

• Partner with classroom teachers so EL students have full access to grade-level learning.

• Use Ellevation to monitor progress and strengthen communication with families.

• Support students with unique needs, including SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education), so every learner feels included and prepared.
  

• Celebrate our students’ growth and accomplishments at our annual EL Award Ceremonies in May and June.

What is an ELPAC?

The English Learner Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC) is a group where parents of English Learners come together with school staff to share experiences, learn more about programs and services, and provide input that strengthens our work. ELPAC meetings are open to all EL families, and interpretation and childcare are provided.

This year’s ELPAC meetings will be held at 6:00 PM on the following dates:

• Tuesday, October 7

• Tuesday, December 16

• Tuesday, April 7

We warmly encourage families to attend these events. They are wonderful opportunities to connect with other parents, share ideas, and celebrate our students together.

🌍 Did You Know?
More than 35 languages are spoken by students and families in Bedford! Being multilingual builds problem-solving skills, creativity, and global awareness — and our classrooms are richer because of it.

Adult English Classes at Bedford High School

In addition to her work with students, Hilary Nichols, K–12 Director of English Learner Education, also leads our FREE Adult English as a Second Language (ESL) Program for families and community members. This program is designed to support adults at all stages of learning English, from beginner to advanced, and even includes preparation for the U.S. Citizenship test.

When & Where
📍 Bedford High School, Room B203
📅 September 11 – December 18, 2025
🕕 Thursdays, 6:00–8:00 PM

How to Join

• Register by emailing Hilary at hilary_nichols@bedfordps.org

• Attend the in-person registration class on September 11 at BHS, Room B203

Class Options

• Beginner: Essential vocabulary, greetings, introductions, and everyday conversations.

• Intermediate: Build grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and writing through real-life topics.

• Advanced: Practice discussions, debates, and presentations while strengthening academic and professional writing.

• U.S. Citizenship Test Prep: Learn everything you need to know to prepare for and pass the citizenship test.

This program is free and open to the Bedford community. We encourage families to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to learn and grow together.

The Academic Achievement (Skills) Center, overseen at the middle and high school level by Kristen Tracy, is focused on making sure every student has the right support at the right time. Whether a student needs extra help catching up, support with organization and study skill development, or reinforcement of course content, our goal is to make sure all students have a trusted adult working with them to make this happen.

Our work includes:

• MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports): Collaborating with teachers and counselors to identify student needs early and provide interventions that help students succeed before challenges grow.

• Skill-Building and Content Reinforcement: Delivering curriculum, reinforcing content, and teaching student skills to close gaps and increase student independence.

• Partnership with Families: Inviting parents to be part of the process so we can work together to meet each student’s needs.

At its heart, the Academic Achievement (Skills) Center is about breaking down barriers to learning. By coordinating with classroom teachers, counselors, special educators, and families, we aim to create a system where every student feels confident, capable, and successful.

A few quick items of interest:

1. Health Updates: Please complete the annual School Nurse Emergency Form at the start of the school year. For grades K-8, this form will be sent home on the first days of school, and for grades 9-12, it was sent electronically. This form will be filed in your child’s school health record and gives the nurse quick access to emergency contacts and health updates. Please also feel free to call or email with any health concerns that you would like to discuss further.

1. Over-the-Counter Medications: Permission for your student to be able to receive acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen during the school day needs to be updated each school year. Please complete this at the bottom of the School Nurse Emergency Form so we have it on file for the school year. For all other over-the-counter medications, a signed medication order is required along with written parent/guardian consent.

1. Prescription Medications: If your child requires prescription medication at school, please see our medication procedure and required paperwork on our Bedford School Nurse webpage. In order to give prescription medication at school, a written medication order must be signed by both the medical provider and the parent. This includes scheduled daily medications as well as inhalers, seizure rescue, and diabetes medications.

1. Epipens/Severe Allergies: For students with life-threatening allergies and who have an epinephrine device, please send in the device along with the updated allergy action plan asap at the start of the school year. The Allergy Anaphylaxis Plan is required to be completed each year signed by the medical provider (PCP, allergist).

Need to reach your school nurse?

Davis Elementary School:

Jennifer Capece, RN, BSN, MS

jennifer_capece@bedfordps.org

781-918-4906

Lane Elementary School:

Lorene Simoneau, BSN, RN, NCSN

lorene_simoneau@bedfordps.org

781-275-7623

John Glenn Middle School:

Tracy Fernald Nurse Leader MSN, RN

tracy_fernald@bedfordps.org

781-275-3165

Bedford High School:

Annmarie Vaughan, BSN, RN

annmarie_vaughan@bedfordps.org

781-275-1700 x 4416

District-Wide School Nurses:

Leah Devereaux, BSN, RN NCSN

leah_devereaux@bedfordps.org

Maureen Dugan, MSN, RN

Maureen_Dugan@bedfordps.org

Please do not hesitate to reach out to your school nurse with any questions/concerns or updates. Looking forward to a great, healthy start to the school year!

The Bedford Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) extends a warm welcome to you for the 2025-2026 school year. Bedford SEPAC is an all parent volunteer group that strives to create a welcoming and engaging space for parents and caregivers of children with special education needs and to provide opportunities to share information, support, provide resources and discuss important topics.

We do that in a variety of ways, general meetings (share information, ask questions), topic specific meetings or presentations, and parent/caregiver meet ups. If you would like to plan (or have an idea) for a particular topic, let us know! At times throughout the year, our individual family needs ebb and flow, which correlates with the meetings and events we have the bandwidth to coordinate and offer. Please consider volunteering to help support SEPAC this school year (whether it’s 15 minutes or more, we appreciate it!). We need a volunteer to add upcoming events to our website. We also encourage you to lead a small group meet-up or topic specific meeting. For potential speakers, reach out to bedfordmasepac@gmail.com so that we can support the event within our budget.

Our first SEPAC sponsored event of the school year will be a SEPAC Welcome on Friday September 26th at Red Heat Bedford from 6:30-8:00. Drinks and appetizers provided. Monthly meetings October through April will alternate between evening and daytime as well as virtual and in person. In May we will wrap up the year with a SEPAC Parent and Caregiver Night out. All updates will be shared in future communications such as this newsletter, Bedford MA SEPAC Facebook page and each school’s newsletters.

SEPAC would also like to highlight an upcoming Caregiver event. The Purple Pencil, 99 Great Road is offering an Art Journaling for Caregivers workshop on Friday September 12th from 6:00-8:00pm. Materials are provided.This program is supported in part by a grant from the Bedford Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

BEDFORD SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council)

SEPAC is a group of parents & caregivers of children receiving special education support and/or children with disabilities. All parents & caregivers welcome! We meet for support, education, networking, and resource sharing.

Bedford SEPAC General Meetings: Virtual

Come and discuss special education programming in Bedford and how we can best support our children.

Thursday, October 16 @ 7:00 PM with Marianne Vines, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services

Join Zoom Meeting: https://bedfordps-org.zoom.us/j/2922114144

Email: bedfordmasepac@gmail.com

Web: bedfordmasepac.org

Facebook group: https://www.facebook. com/groups/BEDFORDMASEPAC/

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is please to announce that our free Parenting Solutions Library is now available in Spanish. MYP is offering this valuable resource in partnership with Peace at Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit organization located in Mansfield Connecticut.

Peace aT Home Parenting Solutions is a dynamic hub of trusted knowledge and compassionate support that inspires parents to create positive change for their children, their families and themselves. Through this new partnership, MYP is pleased to offer proven resources to help students' families thrive. The video training are presented by experts with advanced degrees and present easy-to-use strategies for long-lasting change.