The Bedford Buccaneer

📰View last week's issue here.

• Tuesday, September 29: Financial Aid Information Night (Seniors/Caregivers)
• Thursday, October 8: Back to School Night (Caregivers)
• Monday, October 12: No School (Indigenous Peoples Day)
• Wednesday, October 14: Chamber Orchestra Concert
• Tuesday, November 3: No School (Staff Professional Development)
• Monday, November 9: End Term 1
• Wednesday, November 11: No School (Veteran's Day)
• Friday, November 13 - Saturday, November 14: Fall Play
• Wednesday, November 25: Early Dismissal
• Thursday, November 26 - Friday, November 27: No School (Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend)
• Thursday, December 3: Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Wednesday, December 9: Instrumental Concert
• Thursday, December 10: Choral Concert
• Wednesday, December 23: Early Dismissal
• Thursday, December 24 - Friday, January 1: No School (Winter Break)

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.

The Administrative Team would like to thank everyone who applied to be part of one of our advisory councils this year. Putting yourself out there and volunteering to share your ideas takes courage, and we appreciate everyone who was willing to take that step.

The schedule change request period is through September 29, 2026.

Schedule Change Requests:

1. Email your counselor with details about the requested changes.

• If you are missing a class from your schedule (there is a "hole" in your schedule), send your top three choices, in order of preference
• If you would like to change a class that you are currently enrolled in, include the course you would like to drop and why, plus your top three choices, in order of preference, to take its place
• Counselors will respond to email requests within 2 school days

2.Use the link below to schedule a 15-minute appointment with your counselor. Please be mindful of the class you are missing for this appointment. Students who are missing a class are encouraged to schedule during that period.

• If you received a requested or alternate course and would like to request a change, please book an appointment beginning Monday, September 14.

• Requests for schedule changes will be considered based on the individual student’s needs and the space available in the schedule.
• If a student withdraws from a course prior to the 18th day (September 29), the course will not appear on the student’s transcript.
• If a student withdraws from a course, including changing a course level, after the above deadline, a W (Withdrawal) will appear on the student’s transcript for the course that was dropped.
• Requests for schedule changes after September 29 will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the teacher, content-area Program Administrator, and Director of Counseling.

• Mr. Brian DeChellis: email booking link
• Ms. Janel Halupowski: email booking link
• Ms. Julia Richards: email booking link
• Ms. Khunravy Say: email booking link
• Ms. Sam Thyne: email booking link

Tuesday, September 29 | 6:30 pm | LGI

As a reminder, beginning October 1, 2026, only students with a valid 2026-27 Student Parking Permit may park on campus.

Students with permits will be assigned a parking space, and only cars with a valid 2026-27 Student Parking Permit will be permitted to park on campus.

If you received a parking permit lottery notification, please make sure you complete all required steps by October 1, 2026, to secure your Parking Permit. Detailed emails were resent last week.

BHS Community Input Request - Please respond by Friday, Oct. 2, 2026

The purpose of this survey is to gather input from across our community as we bring together the thoughts, experiences, and ideas of BHS staff, students, and families. Your feedback will help us identify our strengths, opportunities for growth, and priorities as we develop the 2026–28 BHS School Improvement Plan.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your perspective. Your voice is an important part of shaping the future of Bedford High School.

Thursday, October 8 | 6:30 pm

Registration Deadline: Wednesday, October 14, 2026 @ 8:00 am

Test Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026

Cost: $30

The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a tool for students considering college. The PSAT/NMSQT measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills, and writing skills.

Bedford High School recommends that students take the PSAT/NMSQT to receive feedback about strengths and weaknesses, enter the competition for National Merit Scholar scholarships (11th graders only), and help prepare for the SAT.

The PSAT is administered electronically. There is no paper and pencil option available. All students must bring their fully charged SCHOOL-ISSUED iPad on the day of the test. Bedford High School will NOT provide iPads, charging devices, or any other technical support on the day of the test. If you arrive without your iPad or your iPad shuts down because it is not fully charged, your exam will be canceled. Make sure you have the BlueBook App downloaded onto your iPad ahead of time.

To register, students should use the following link: https://user.totalregistration.net/PSAT/220112

• Wednesday, October 14 at 8:00 AM - Registration closes

• Thursday, October 15 - Registrations that have not been paid for will be canceled and exams will not be ordered.

The cost of the PSAT is $30. You can pay exam fees online at the time of registration. Please be sure to have a debit or credit card available before beginning registration. Paying online is a great way to make sure that payment has been made while avoiding mailing payment.

Please contact Lisa Taub, lisa_white@bedfordps.org, if you have questions or require financial assistance.

Due: October 15, 2026

As in previous years, both student and parent/guardians must complete an acknowledgement. Students will not be able to participate in school functions until this is complete. The Bedford Public Schools unified Student & Family District Handbook replaces individual school handbooks and combines district-wide policies and resources, along with school-specific information.

Key Updates Include:

• A consistent district-wide Code of Conduct.

• Updated information on the responsible use of school-issued technology.

• A new district-wide safety rule requiring students to dismount and walk e-bikes, electric scooters, and similar motorized devices while on school property.

• An updated Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan and incorporation of the district’s Bias Incident Response Protocol.

• Information specific to Bedford High School begins on page 73.

​​​​​​​

Students and parents/guardians are expected to acknowledge that they have received and read the new Bedford Public School District Handbook.

1. Review the Handbook

2. Students: Complete the Student Handbook Acknowledgment form (you must be logged into the BPS network in order to access the form)

3. Parents/Guardians: Complete the Parent Handbook Acknowledgment (you'll be able to include multiple students, so you only need to fill it out once per family)

Registration for AP Class Exams

Deadline: October 15, 2026

Registration for AP Class Exams (for students enrolled in AP classes at Bedford High School) opened at 6:00 am on Thursday, September 24, 2026. This year, the cost per BHS class based (not self study) AP exam is $105.00.

The deadline to register and pay for AP exams is Thursday, October 15th, 2026.

After October 15th, a late fee of $40.00 is added to each exam.

Steps for Completing Registration for AP Class Exams:

1. Join class in myAP using Join Code provided by your AP Teacher.

1. Join Codes should not be shared between students as they are specific to each class section.

2. In your myAP account, select ‘Yes’ if you intend to order/take this exam.

1. You can update this selection until October 15th, 2026.

3. Register and pay for AP Exams in Total Registration.

1. Please be sure to register for your class specific section.

2. 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.

3. If you or your student qualifies for financial assistance, please mark ‘yes’ when asked during the registration process.

4. You will receive a confirmation email once your registration is complete.

Registration for Self Study AP Exams

Deadline: October 15, 2026

If you are interested in taking a Self Study AP Exam for a course NOT offered at Bedford High School, you must complete ALL of the following steps by Thursday, October 15th.

Steps for Completing Registration for Self Study AP Exams:

1. Complete the Self Study AP Exam Request Form using your school email.

1. This Request Form must be completed by students (i.e. not parents/caregivers), and students will be emailed directly with the next steps of the Self Study registration process by the AP Coordinator.

2. This Request Form will stop receiving responses on Wednesday, October 15th and no further self study exams may be requested.

2. Receive your Join Code and register with myAP.

1. Within two school days of completing the Request Form, you will receive an email from the AP Coordinator that includes your join code and instructions and links for registering with myAP (College Board) and in Total Registration.

2. You need this code to register with myAP. You should use your personal email (not school email) when you register with myAP.

3. Register and pay for Self Study AP Exam(s) by Thursday, October 15th.

1. Using your join code, register and pay for the AP exam(s) in Total Registration by October 15th.

2. You can not order the AP exam(s) in Total Registration until you receive your join code from the AP Coordinator.

3. 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.

4. If you or your student qualifies for financial assistance, please mark ‘yes’ when asked during the registration process.

5. You will receive a confirmation email once your registration is complete.

Self Study AP Exams for Courses Offered At Bedford High School

• Bedford High School does not offer Self Study Exams for classes offered at BHS.

• If you are 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.

The following information applies to ALL Self Study AP Exams, including Self Study AP exams taken at Bedford High School and Self Study AP exams taken at other schools:

• Self Study exams will NOT show up on student transcripts or impact a student’s GPAs as the subject has not been formally taught by a teacher at Bedford High School.

• Bedford High School does not send any AP Scores to colleges regardless of whether or not a student has Self Studied.

• Colleges will know a Self Study AP exam has been taken if and when the student chooses to send the final AP exam score directly to the college through the College Board website.

• Students should have a conversation with their caregiver(s) regarding whether or not self-studying for an AP exam makes sense for the student’s school/life balance.

• Students should review the AP Score usage policies to see if AP credits are accepted by potential colleges.

Google Additional Services Opt-Out

Bedford Public Schools uses Google Workspace for Education, which includes essential educational tools, such as Classroom, Docs, and Drive. In addition, we provide access to additional Google Services that support teaching and learning.

Google now requires parental consent for students under 18 to use any of their Additional Services independently. Bedford students currently have access to the following nine Additional Services, supporting differentiation, communication, collaboration, and creativity while helping students develop research, critical thinking, literacy, digital literacy, and information literacy skills.

• Google Translate
• Google Earth
• Google Maps
• Google My Maps
• Google Books
• Google Arts and Culture
• YouTube
• Google News
• Google Applied Digital Skills

Students use these tools to support various learning styles and needs; supplement and/or expand upon lessons and prior knowledge; deepen understanding of content; make real-world connections to learning; and provide personalized, self-paced learning opportunities. Teachers will continue to utilize these tools in their instruction and can provide students with access to some content for educational purposes.

Please note that it is not possible to pick and choose among the additional Google services, so you will need to decide whether to opt out of all of the Google services or none.

Information Opt-Out

Families may also choose to withhold their student’s name, address, and/or telephone number from being shared with:

• Media
• Social media
• Military recruitment

As with Google Services, it is not possible to opt out of only one category; you will need to decide whether to opt out of sharing with all or none.

How to Opt-Out

Parents who wish to opt out must notify their school principal in writing by October 26, 2026. You must indicate if you do not want:

1. Your child to access the nine Google Additional Services independently.
2. Your child's information shared with the media, social media, or military recruitment.
3. You do not want your child's image shared with media or social media.

Please send a written request to Principal Comeiro at kim_comeiro@bedfordps.org.

Deadline: October 26, 2026. Be sure to clearly state your request in the email

Travel to Ecuador with BHS in April 2028! We'll explore the city of Quito before heading out to explore both the Andes and the Amazon. We'll soak in hot springs, visit a local school, take a hike in the jungle, visit an Indigenous Kichwa community, whitewater raft down the Napo River, and more. Check out the full itinerary and our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

This trip will be open to freshman, sophomore and junior students. The total cost is $3645 with an additional $150 collected prior to the trip for tips.

Interested in finding out more? We're hosting a Trip Overview Meeting at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, September 29th for students and caregivers on Google Meet. Please use the following link to join: meet.google.com/zam-fxup-txh

Students who are interested should fill out our online application form. The first round of applications will be accepted through October 2, 2026. The trip has a max capacity of 25 students with 11 open spaces - if we have more applications than spaces, a lottery will be used to select students. 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 World Stride's website.

If additional spaces are available after October 2nd, applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until the trip is full.

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

Tuesday, October 6 | Flex Block | Jenks Trail

Check out the Athletic Calendar for details.

More information can be found on our website.

Senior Thanks: due October 4

Baby Photos: due October 4

Senior Portraits: due October 25

Senior Siblings: due October 25

Congratulatory Ads: October 31

Yearbook Orders: December 31

Upcoming College Visits

Register in Naviance | See BHS Calendar for Details

Monday, September 28

Merrimack College

University of Rochester

Tuesday, September 29

Northwestern University

Boston University

Wednesday, September 30

University of South Carolina, Columbia

Thursday, October 1

Union College

University of New Haven

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Friday, October 2

Denison University

Simmons 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 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

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 just needs someone to talk to, Cartwheel is here to help.

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

Guidelines for When Your Child Is Sick

Keep your child at home if any one of the following occurs:

• Vomiting within the last 24 hours

• Diarrhea within the last 24 hours

• Temperature of 100 degrees F or higher within the last 24 hours without anti-fever medication

• Strep is suspected, but results of the culture have not been confirmed

• Positive throat culture for strep

• Student may return 24 hours after antibiotic treatment has begun

• Any symptoms of acute illness such as persistent cough, runny nose with body aches

• Your child should be able to control nasal secretions with proper use of tissues.

• If there is a cough, it should be infrequent and not likely to be disruptive to the class.

• Your child should feel that they could get through the planned school day without exclusion from outdoor recess or gym.

• Your child should look and behave like him/herself for 24 hours before returning to school.

To help prevent the spread of communicable diseases at school, please report all communicable

illnesses (i.e. strep throat, bacterial infections, Fifth disease, etc.) to the Attendance Line or contact the school nurse directly.

Please call your child’s school nurse if you have any questions or you need help determining whether your child is well enough to attend school.

Please review the Massachusetts DPH respiratory virus guidelines link - MA DPH Respiratory Virus Guidance update

Questions?
Reach out to Nurse Vaughan at:

• 781-275-1700, x4416, or
• email annmarie_vaughan@bedfordps.org