Lane Notes

Wednesday, September 2 - First Day of School (3/4 day)

Friday, September 4 - No School

Monday, September 7 - Labor Day - No School

September 22 - Back to School Night for Grade 3 parents, 6 - 7 pm

September 23 - Back to School Night for Grade 4 parents, 6 - 7 pm

September 24 - Back to School Night for Grade 5 parents, 6 - 7 pm

September 28 - School Pictures (more details to come)

We hope everyone had a good summer and we look forward to greeting your children next week at the Meet and Greets or on their first day of school.

This newsletter will be emailed out to parents/caregivers at the start of each week, usually on Mondays (or Tuesday in the case of a Monday holiday). In addition, Superintendent Chuang will include a link to the newsletters, for your reference, in his newsletters.

ALL absences and late arrivals must be reported to the office, by 9 am on the day of. If it is a planned absence/late arrival, you can let us know ahead of time so you don’t have to remember the day of.

New this year, we have a dedicated email address for reporting your child's absence or late arrival, mailto:lane_attendance@bedfordps.org. Your email should include your full name, your child’s full name & teacher, and the reason for the absence or late arrival.

All office staff have access to this email account.

If a phone call is more convenient, you may still call the main number and leave a message on the Absence Line at any time of day or night, 781-275-7606. Your message should include your name and a call back number, your child’s name & teacher, and the reason for the absence or late arrival.

The state of Massachusetts has afforded all schools in the state to serve all students a free breakfast and lunch each school day. Massachusetts is one of 8 states in the country to do this.

However, we still request/need applications for Free or Reduced Meals

Why?

Applications are requested because the state receives reimbursement funds from the federal government based on the Free, Reduced or Paid rates. All three of these rates are different.

The state receives more reimbursement funds for Free meals served than it does for Reduced or Paid meal qualified students.

The more Free and Reduced meals served directly impacts the amount of funds the state receives from the USDA. The state pays the difference so student's families do not have to.

What does all of this mean?

The more documented students who receive free meals will allow the state to receive more funds from the USDA which in turn is used to reimburse schools for the meals served.

The remainder of the paid and reduced meals served is paid for by the state of Massachusetts.

If a family knows for sure they will not qualify (based on eligibility requirements) because they make too much money or do not receive SNAP benefits or the children are not foster children or homeless, there is no need to fill out the application.

If they are not sure if they will qualify, they should take a minute to fill out the application and return it to the child's school or directly to the Food & Nutrition office at 97 McMahon Road, Bedford, MA 01730.

Please see the attached letter, instructions, and application form for more information. Any questions should be directed to Bedford Public School Nutrition Department at 781-275-7588

Printed copies of these forms are available in the Lane School Office.

Bus routes for 2026-2027 can be found on the Transportation web page. During your Meet & Greet parents were able to fill out a yellow Lane Transportation Plan form, to let us know about your child's daily plan. No worries if you were not here - a copy will be sent home with your child on the first day of school. Please complete it and return it to your child's teacher as soon as possible.

For the 2026–2027 school year, BPS is introducing a single, unified Student & Family District Handbook. The new handbook replaces four separate school handbooks totaling more than 400 pages with one consistent resource while preserving important school-specific information. Key changes include:

• A consistent, developmentally appropriate PK–12 Code of Conduct that uses a shared framework and emphasizes restorative responses.

• Updated guidance for the responsible use of school-issued technology.

• A new districtwide 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.

We encourage families to review the handbook and discuss the sections most relevant to their children.

Emergency Contact Forms

School Nurse Emergency Contact forms will be sent home this week by classroom teachers ... be on the lookout for them and please complete and return them to school with your child.

School Menus and Allergies

Please be aware that the online school menus do list the ingredients and allergens for foods offered on the monthly calendars. Just hover over the menu choices and you can see the ingredients and allergens listed. For special menu requests or questions, please contact Andrea Donnellan/Cafeteria Manager at andrea_donnellan@bedfordps.org

If your student orders a school lunch, please be sure to check over the choices for each day to ensure your student does not order something they are allergic to. Here is the link to our lunch menu at Lane:

https://bedfordpsmanutrition.org/index.php?sid=1598992805232&page=menus

Stay Connected with BEST PTO (Bedford Elementary Schools Together PTO)

Whether you're a new family joining the school or a seasoned one who’s been with us for years, staying connected with BEST PTO is the easiest way to keep up with everything happening in our community.

Creating your free Membership Toolkit account takes just a minute. Once you’re in, you’ll have quick access to PTO newsletters, event sign‑ups, volunteer opportunities, school calendars, and important updates throughout the year. It’s also the best way to stay in the loop about school traditions, community events, and ways to get involved. For quick reminders, photos, and announcements, don’t forget to follow BEST PTO on social media!

Follow the steps below:

Click here to create your free account on Membership Toolkit (MTK)

After opening the link:

1. Click "Login” to create an account

2. Once logged in, go to Home Page and Click on the newsletter image

3. Choose your Newsletters and save your preferences

Connect with us on Facebook: BEST PTO (Bedford Elementary Schools Together)

Connect with us on Instagram: @best.pto.bedford

Questions? Email us at best.pto.bedford@gmail.com

Help Our Educators Clear the List

BEST PTO invites you to take part in a special community effort — supporting our educators through their Clear the List wishlists.

Clear the List is a community effort to help teachers get the extra items that make classrooms more comfortable, creative, and engaging — the kinds of things educators often purchase out of their own pockets. These lists go beyond the standard school supplies, and every contribution, big or small, truly makes a difference.

You’re welcome to support any teacher or staff member, not just your child’s classroom. Our educators deeply appreciate the generosity this community shows year after year.

Click here to see the lists: Clear the List Wishlists

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.
Email: bedfordmasepac@gmail.com
Facebook group: https://www.facebook. com/groups/BEDFORDMASEPAC/

• All adults (over 18 years of age) that are volunteering and/or visiting the school for programming must have a valid CORI, SORI, and signed confidentiality agreement on file before volunteering/visiting.
• Starting 9/20/24, the district adopted a 3-year expiration for the CORI/SORI. If your last CORI/SORI was processed on 9/20/24 or after, it is valid for 3 years. If you submitted your most recent CORI/SORI before that date, you will need to fill out new forms, and they will be valid for 3 years. You may call the Lane Office or email us to check if you have a valid CORI/SORI on file.
• We strongly suggest that anyone interested in volunteering at any time during the school year, complete this process in September.

To be in full compliance with our HR Department and the State, all CORI/SORI forms MUST BE SUBMITTED in person, with a valid picture ID, ONLY by the person whose name appears on the form. Forms will not be accepted via kid mail, email, or spouse, etc.

Please plan ahead and allow at least 1 week for processing, so that you don’t get stuck and are prohibited from volunteering.

Forms are applicable for all 4 schools in the district, so you only need to fill out forms at one school (i.e. if you fill out forms at Davis, you do not need to fill out forms at Lane).