Superintendent Update

Dear Bedford Public Schools Community,

On January 27th, the School Committee approved a FY27 school budget that represents a 3.08% increase over the FY26 budget. This budget balances the preservation of core student programming with fiscal responsibility. The budget was also presented to the Finance Committee on January 29th, whose members offered support. We look forward to the community's approval at Annual Town Meeting in March. You can watch a video overview of the budget here.

In addition, I am aware of the active interest regarding the options recommended by the Healthy School Hours Working Group related to a potential shift in school hours. The survey deadline has been extended (see below), but please note that this is only one source of information that will be considered by the working group. I will be sharing additional opportunities for feedback and problem-solving shortly. In the meantime, community members can contact any member of the working group, and I will share any feedback I receive with the working group. I anticipate providing an update at the next school committee meeting on February 10th. Throughout this process, we are committed to honoring our core value of Inclusivity, though which we appropriately challenge, support, and value every member of our learning community as a contributing participant and seek multiple perspectives.

Best,

Cliff Chuang 莊 宏 毅

Superintendent, Bedford Public Schools

• February: Black History Month
• February 1-5: National School Counseling Week
• February 10: School Committee Meeting
• February 16: President's Day
• February 16-20: No School - February Break
• February 17: Lunar New Year
• February 18: Ash Wednesday, Ramadan

At their January 27 meeting, the School Committee held the FY27 Open Budget and approved the FY27 budget. The next School Committee meeting is scheduled for February 10. Meeting agendas, schedules, and supporting documents are always available at School Committee - Meeting Schedule & Supporting Documents.

We are extending the deadline to complete the Healthy School Hours survey to February 4, 2026. Input from parents/caregivers, staff, and students in grades 5–12 is one source of data that will help inform next steps. Additional details are available in the original newsletter here. Thank you for sharing your feedback.

Yesterday, Bedford High School Principal Galante shared with the high school community that she is on family medical leave and will not be returning to her role as Principal of Bedford High School. We are grateful for Ms. Galante’s dedicated service to the Bedford High School community over the past decade and extend our best wishes to her and her family. Effective immediately, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kelly Williamson is serving as Acting Principal of Bedford High School for the remainder of the 2025–2026 school year. Dr. Williamson has worked closely with the high school administrative team since the start of the school year, and we are confident that Bedford High School will continue to be well supported under her leadership, alongside Assistant Principals Maurin O’Grady and Dennis Kohut. After gathering input from relevant stakeholders, we anticipate beginning a search for a permanent principal later this school year.

To help families stay connected, below are links to each school’s newsletter page, where you can find the most recent and past editions, along with assorted district department newsletters.

• Lt. Eleazer Davis Elementary School - Scribbles
• Lt. Job Lane Elementary School - Lane Notes
• JGMS Buccaneer News
• Bedford High School - The Bedford Buccaneer
• METCO News
• Student Services Spotlight
• The Bedford Lookout