Weekly Administrative Update

This week, during Staff Appreciation Week, we celebrated our incredible teachers, education support professionals, substitutes, school counselors, nurses, support staff, IT, custodians, and safety workers. Thank you for all you do!

BFA's amazing Science Department!

Happy Staff Appreciation Week to all.

Click here to view prom photos taken by Dino Patsouris: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18FJY7Ug_eS4Af_X7FSBgmh9JSoscpTBh?usp=sharing

The BFA Student Government has implemented a "Teacher of the Month" initiative and the Teacher of the Month of April 2025 is Mr. Adam Taft!

Congratulations Mr. Taft!

Congratulations April 2025 Business Students of the Month Isabelle Montage, Daniel Mojica, and Maddie Messier! The Business Department wants to congratulate and thank Isabelle, Daniel, and Maddie for their positive attitudes, being supportive of their classmates, and for demonstrating excellence in Business Management, Career Explorations, and Accounting.

The Vermont All State Music Festival is underway at Essex High School from May 8 to 10, 2025, bringing together top high school musicians from across the state for a weekend of exceptional music-making. Twelve talented students from Bellows Free Academy earned their spots through a rigorous audition process held in January. Now, they are collaborating with peers in band, orchestra, and chorus ensembles under the guidance of esteemed conductors.

After three days of intensive rehearsals, the festival will culminate in a series of public concerts on Saturday, May 10.These performances showcase the dedication and artistry of Vermont's young musicians and are open to the community. The Vermont All State Music Festival, supported by the Vermont Music Educators Association, offers students a unique opportunity to perform challenging repertoire and connect with fellow musicians from across the state.

Long time BFA educators Armand Messier and Eric Bushey are proud to sponsor this festival year after year. The All State Festival has been hosted by BFA four times, twice by Bushey and Messier in 2011 and 2023.

The following students are representing BFA at this year’s festival:

Chorus - Griffing Dueso, Owen Scott, Emma Gibson, Audrey Fountaine

Band - Julien Maes, Amani Yates, Mania Tibbits, Teddy Sawyer

Orchestra - Maddie Messier, Molly MacKenzie, Ethan Oszurek, Brody Chamberlain

Congratulations to the following students for having involvement in The Vermont Young Playwrights Festival. These students have had work chosen for the festival, which will take place on May 20th in Burlington at Main Street Landing.

Ares Young: Staged Reading

Emma Gibson: Cold Reading

Chloe Hargis: Honorable Mention

Ariana Marshal: Alternate

On May 6th, Mrs. Stinnett's class made ice cream in chemistry as a study of colligative properties and lowering freezing point temperatures.

May 5, 2025

Dear Parents, Caregivers, and our Staff:

As part of a new law, all schools that were constructed or renovated before 1980 are required to test for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in indoor air and address any issues when PCBs are found at or above the school action level. The intent of the law is to protect students and staff from the possible health effects of exposure to PCBs in the indoor air of schools.

The health and safety of the children in our care and of our employees is our priority, and we are working quickly to check our school for PCBs.

The indoor air at BFA will be tested for PCBs during May 27 and 28, 2025. We will work with an environmental consultant to collect samples of indoor air that will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. It can take up to four weeks for the samples to be processed at the laboratory, sent to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and reviewed by the Health Department.

What are PCBs?

PCBs are a group of human-made chemicals that were commonly used in building materials and electrical equipment before 1980. Lighting ballasts in older fluorescent lighting fixtures and caulk are the common sources of PCBs in school buildings.

Why are PCBs a concern?

PCBs can cause serious health problems. The potential for health effects from PCBs, as with other chemicals, depends on how much, how often, and how long someone is exposed to them.

Numerous studies in both humans and animals have shown that exposure to PCBs can affect the nervous, immune, reproductive and endocrine (hormone) systems. PCBs are also classified as probable human carcinogens. This means that exposure to PCBs can likely cause cancer in humans.

How are students and staff exposed to PCBs in a school building?

PCBs can be released into indoor air from building materials that contain PCBs. Students and staff may be exposed to PCBs by:

· Breathing in dust or vapors that contain PCBs.

· Getting dust containing PCBs on their hands and then swallowing it while eating or drinking.

· Skin contact with materials that contain PCBs.

What will happen if there are PCBs in the air of our school?

If levels of PCBs are below the school action level in all rooms tested, then changes in occupancy are not needed.

If levels of PCBs are at or above the school action level, then sources of PCBs are likely present. The State will work with school administrators to investigate and provide recommendations on how to reduce exposure.

We want PCB levels in indoor air to be as low as possible. Testing, identifying, removing, and mitigating sources of PCBs, as well as reducing the time spent in some rooms, are ways we can lower the levels of PCBs in the indoor air of our school.

How will I be notified of the results?

The results will be posted online within seven days after we receive the results from DEC and recommendations from the Health Department. We will also send you a letter that lists the results.

Where can I find more information?

• Visit:

  dec.vermont.gov/pcb-schools

To contact someone at BFA about the testing:

· Call SCHOOL at 802-527-6555

· Visit: https://www.maplerun.org/

Sincerely,

Len Smith, Director of Facilities, Bellows Free Academy

I've invited you to fill out a form to RSVP for the 2025 BFA Senior Athletic Banquet.

Please indicate if you plan on attending and how many will be in your group.

Banquet is set for Sunday, June 8th in the BFA Gymnasium at 11:30 AM.

PLEASE RESPOND ONLY ONCE (1 Time) FOR YOUR FAMILY AND/OR PARTY.

The Abbey has graciously donated food and beverages for the event and entry is free!

Link to RSVP form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcffI8YvqJCFvUXFTcfIbmnmpLGykvZAIMJ2KRLOaViOxaNA/viewform?usp=pp_url

Jordan O'Grady

Assistant Athletic Director

jogrady@maplerun.org