The Bedford Buccaneer

Previous Issue of the Bedford Buccaneer

📨 Please note the new office email address: bhsstudentoffice@bedfordps.org 📨

• Monday, November 3: School Picture Retakes (Students)
• Tuesday, November 4: No School (Teacher Professional Development Day)
• Tuesday, November 11: No School (Veteran's Day)
• Friday, November 21, and Saturday, November 22: Fall Play (All Welcome)
• Tuesday, November 25: Homecoming Dance (Students) NEW DATE
• Wednesday, November 26: Community Day & Early Release (Students)
• Thursday, December 4: Teacher/Caregiver Conferences (Parents)

The Lunch Menu can be found here.

The full Bedford High School calendar can be found here.

The Athletic Department schedules can be found here.

The Bedford Public School District calendar can be found here.

Class of 2029 parents and students are invited to view the presentation from our recent class assembly: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hB312A85vWYGH_QrV6re0yEdGamQHe4QjiNo-uFDVpc/edit?usp=sharing

Bedford Dollars for Scholars awards scholarships, based on the success of their annual fundraising campaigns, to graduating seniors from Bedford and Hanscom Air Force Base.

CSF of Bedford Dollars for Scholars has helped 3,770 students by awarding $3.7 million since their inception in 1965. In 2025, they awarded $197,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors from Bedford High School, as well as residents graduating from other high school programs. Thank you for helping them continue this tradition!

🌐MAKE A DONATION or send a check to: Bedford Scholars for Dollars, PO Box 585, Bedford, MA 01730. Please write "Fall Appeal" on the memo line.

Other upcoming events to support Bedford Dollars for Scholars are:

• Ken's NY Deli & Brick Oven Pizzeria Fundraiser - Tuesday, November 25, 2025 | 4 pm - 9 pm
• Trivia Night - February 7, 2026
• Mail-A-Thon - March & April 2026

Retakes / Absences

If your student was absent for picture day, or would like a retake, photos will be taken on Monday, November 3 (note the new day) during Flex block.

Retake photos automatically replace original photos. If a student chooses to retake their photo, please have them return the original picture package to the photographer on picture day. We will replace it at no additional cost.

If this is the first time being photographed, students will go directly to the camera for their picture. A proof with ordering instructions will be delivered to the school approximately 4 weeks after retake day.

Order Support & Questions

📞 800-948-1120, ext. 1

📧 service@wearegeskus.com

🌐 www.geskusprint.com (school code: 2308)

Last week, an email from Bedford Public Schools and Superintendent Chuang via DocuSign was sent to parents. This message included your 2025–2026 Federal Impact Aid Survey form.

We are asking for parent/guardian cooperation in filling out a survey form to meet the requirements of Public Law 874. Under the provisions of Public Law 874, Bedford Public Schools must conduct an annual Federal Military Impact Aid Survey. The Town of Bedford receives a substantial sum of money under this provision, which lowers the cost of education to the taxpayers.

Please help us identify all federally connected students whose families are Active Duty Military, live on Hanscom AFB, OR work on federal facilities including Hanscom AFB, Bedford VA, Boston VA, Lincoln Public School on HAFB, Lincoln Labs, Mitre, and more!

The survey is fully electronic with e-signature. Parents/Guardians received a unique survey for each enrolled child. It is very important that all surveys are completed and electronically signed for each student, as reimbursement is made for all eligible students on a per-pupil basis. You may request a paper survey copy.

We thank you very much for your assistance with this important annual survey. For all questions regarding this matter, please contact the Business Office at 781-275-7708 for assistance.

For more information, please visit our website: 2025–2026 Annual Federal Impact Aid Survey

Registration open until October 31 | Cost: $105

After Friday, October 31, 2025, registrations will include a $40 late fee.

The AP Exam Registration and Payment window is still open. Friday, October 31st, 2025 is the deadline to register and pay for their exams without a late fee ($40.00). The current cost per BHS class based exam is $105.00.

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. Confirm 'Yes' to say you plan to take your exam.

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.

3. 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 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.

Self Study Exams: DEADLINE TO REQUEST OCT. 31***

Bedford High School does not offer Self Study Exams coinciding with classes offered as part of the BHS Program of Studies. For these exams, students should plan to enroll in the desired AP class so that it may be reflected on your transcript. If you or your student is interested in taking one of these exams, 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. Classes not associated with a BHS AP course are available for self study.

This year there will be an additional test administration fee for Self Study exams in order to offset the cost of proctors for small group test administration. The cost per Self Study Exam will be $150.00.

If you are interested in taking a Self Study Exam, first must complete this form (Self Study Registration Form 2026) BEFORE you will be able to pay for your exam in Total Registration. This form must be completed before October 31, 2025, at which time the form will stop receiving responses and no further self study exams may be requested. This deadline is different from the late registration timeline to allow for course sections to be created. This form may only be completed by students (i.e. not parents/caregivers), and students will be emailed the next steps of the Self Study registration process by the AP Coordinator.

Please note Self Study exams will NOT show up on student transcripts or impact GPAs as the subject has not been formally instructed by a teacher at BHS. Colleges will know a Self Study exam has been taken if and when the student chooses to send the final AP score directly to the college through the College Board website. BHS does not send any AP Scores to colleges regardless of whether or not a student has Self Studied. It is strongly recommended that students have a conversation with their caregivers regarding whether or not self-studying an exam makes sense for the student’s school/life balance. It is also encouraged for students to review the AP Score usage policies to see if AP credits are accepted by potential colleges.

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

Order Deadline: December 31, 2025

Order your yearbook online (school code:13423) or by phone 1-866-287-3096.

The Homecoming Dance has been rescheduled to Tuesday, November 25, 2025. This new date falls the evening before Community Day, the Pep Rally, and the Powderpuff Game, making it a great kickoff to the festivities. More information will be shared by Mrs. Duffy as the event approaches.

ends Monday, November 3, 2025 | Order Here

Attention class of 2029! Class t-shirts are available for purchase until November 3rd.Show your school spirit and wear your class shirt during Community Day and the Pep Rally! Order yours today to support the class!

Ends October 27

The Indoor Track and Field team store through Tricon Ink is now live, and we have included some Bedford Merch (without "Track and Field") in our selection for anyone interested in buying a basic Bedford hoodie, vest, long sleeve, or t-shirt.

A portion of the proceeds will support the Track & Field teams.

Tuesday, October 28 | 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Ken's NY Deli & Brick Oven Pizzeria

Come support the BHS XC Team. A portion of the night's sales will be donated to the team! Order online or in person - no code needed.

The Cornell Chapter of Society of Women Engineers is committed to inspiring the next generation of engineers and providing them with meaningful experiences to explore engineering.

Students interested in engineering or learning more are invited to participate in a virtual panel. This event will provide you with a deeper understanding of the exciting opportunities that engineering education can offer. The event will be held on November 16th, from 3-5 pm EST, virtually (link will be sent out later). The event will be split into two sections:

• 3-4:30 pm: general panel with engineers of diverse backgrounds, years, and experiences for any questions
• 4:30-5 pm: break-out rooms where students can pick choose to ask individual panelists specific questions

If any BHS students are interested in participating and hearing from engineers, please RSVP at this form by November 9th.

Apply by March 1, 2026

The Bedford School District is proud to be offering the State Seal of Biliteracy again this year. Participating in this program indicates to students and their families that their language(s) and culture(s) are valued in Massachusetts. This program affirms that all students and all languages are valid and valuable. Students of all language backgrounds, including English learners, former English learners, heritage speakers/signers of world languages, and students from monolingual English-speaking homes who have acquired world languages at school or in the community, are eligible for the State Seal of Biliteracy and the State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction.

The State Seal of Biliteracy and the State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction recognize all dialects of world languages and do not elevate any one expression of a world language over another. The State Seal of Biliteracy thus supports academic achievement for all, providing representation for all students of all languages and cultures, and recognizing students for the essential, multilingual skills that they possess.

To qualify for the State Seal of Biliteracy and the State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction, students must meet all graduation requirements and the English language and world language criteria described below:

Student Criteria for the State Seal of Biliteracy

1. Meet all graduation requirements
2. 472 or higher on Grade 10 ELA MCAS*
3. A score equivalent to or higher than Intermediate High on an approved world language assessment

Student Criteria for the State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction

1. Meet all graduation requirements
2. 501 or higher on Grade 10 ELA MCAS
3. A score equivalent to or higher than Advanced Low on an approved world language assessment

Upon graduation, students who earn the Seal of Biliteracy will have it affixed on their high school diploma. The students will also be recognized on BHS awards night. To apply for the Seal of Biliteracy, students must complete this form: Seal of Biliteracy application by March 1, 2026. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Adam Bailey, World Languages Program Director, at 📧adam_bailey@bedfordps.org or call 📞(781) 275-1700, x4522.

Reminder: The Library is currently closed. Students may only enter if they are with a teacher. No individual passes will be issued for the Library at this time. Thank you.

Here are the prompts from the STYLUS team for the month.

• Choose a Halloween symbol and write about it or from its perspective to illuminate the spookiness of the season.

• Write about fear and how it moves through individuals or groups.

As always, we welcome submissions of creative writing or visual art on any topic at any time.

Here's the link to submit.

Monday, October 27

Field Hockey (V) @ North Andover

Unified Coed Basketball vs. Lincoln-Sudbury

Tuesday, October 28

Soccer, boys (V/JV) vs. Boston Latin

Soccer, girls (V/JV) @ Boston Latin

Wednesday, October 29

Soccer, girls (V/JV) @ Methuen

Thursday, October 30

Soccer, boys (V) vs. Waltham

Friday, October 31

Football (V) @ Waltham

Saturday, November 1

Football (JV) vs. Waltham

Sunday, November 2

Cheerleading Competition (V) @ Concord-Carlisle

Register for Winter / Spring sports

Yearbook Orders

Order your yearbook online by going to YearbookOrderCenter.com and using the school code 13423 or call 1-866-287-3096.

Deadline: December 31

Please check your Naviance account to see which schools are sending representatives to BHS each week from mid-September to mid-November, and register online (Colleges tab --> Research Colleges --> College Visits).

Be mindful of what obligations you are missing to attend. And be sure to check-in with your teacher, showing your registration information, prior to attending the visit in the Counseling Office.

College Visits This Week

See Naviance App | See BHS Calendar for Details

Monday, October 27

Drew University

Southern New Hampshire University

The George Washington University

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Tuesday, October 28

Western New England University

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

Wednesday, October 29

University of Maine - Fort Kent

Keene State College

Thursday, October 30

University of Rochester

Emerson College

Friday, October 31

St. Michael's College

Lesley University

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 📞911.

Bedford Youth & Family Services

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

Cartwheel

Families can now raise their hand directly for mental health support with Cartwheel – we’re here when you need us. Whether your child is struggling with anxiety, having a hard time with back-to-school transitions, or needs someone to talk to, Cartwheel is here to help.

🌐https://www.cartwheel.org/district/bedford-public-schools

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

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

Respiratory / COVID Guidelines

If Your Student Gets Sick at School, they should come to the health office to see the nurse. If your student calls a parent/guardian to be picked up and the student has not been evaluated in the health office, it will be considered a parent dismissal.

Reporting Communicable Illnesses: Please report all communicable illnesses to the attendance line or contact the health office directly at 📞781-918-4416.

Questions? Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Reach out to Nurse Vaughan at: 📞781-275-1700-4416, or email 📧bhsnurse@bedfordps.org

The Bedford High School Parents Association has announced that the BHSPA/ MSPA online directory for grades 6-12 is now live. Their hope is that this directory will help families to connect with each other, creating a stronger sense of community in our schools.

Please visit 🌐https://www.bedfordpco.org to review your listing and ensure it is correct.

The directory is populated with your family's information as it appears in ASPEN. (For those who opted out of participating in the directory, your information was not included.) Once you create a Membership Toolkit Account, you will have access to change how your family's information appears in the directory, including removing some, or all of the information, if desired. This website is also where you can sign up for the BHSPA or MSPA newsletter if you are not already signed up.

Here's what you need to do to create an account:

1. Go to https://www.bedfordpco.org.
2. Click on the Register/Login button.
3. If you already have an account with us, or another organization that uses Membership Toolkit (such as BEST PTO) you can use the same email and password to login. You can then proceed to the numbered steps below.
4. Select "Create Account" and fill in the name, email, and password information.
5. Click "verify my email" and then check your email for a link to complete the process. The link expires in 2 hours. If you do not receive the email, check your spam or junk folders.
6. Once you have verified your email address, log back in and finish the registration process.

• Verify your Parent/Family and Student Information.
• Check to make sure you have selected to receive your school's newsletter if you want to receive it.
• Complete the Directory/Publish Preferences.

Some students may be appearing twice if your student's name was listed differently in ASPEN than you had listed in our database before. Please delete one of the entries so that each student appears once.

Once the Primary Account is set up, the Primary User can "invite" other email addresses to access his/her account. This allows the Secondary User to have their own login information, but still have access to the family account. Families with two households can have two accounts and log-ins connected to the same student.

Questions? - Please don't hesitate to contact us at 📧bhsbucsparents@gmail.com

Help us to provide support to our faculty, staff, and students all year long! We can't do it with you!

The Fall Appeal is our biggest fundraiser of the year!

Donations are accepted all year on our website. A donation of $25/family is suggested, but any amount is appreciated.

The BHSPA is a parent volunteer organization which raises and distributes funds to support the various initiatives, programs, and events for BHS. All caregivers are members of the BHSPA. We collect no dues, rather, we solely rely on donations and fundraising.

Thank you for supporting BHSPA!