Superintendent Update

Dear Bedford Public School Community,

Cliff Chuang 莊 宏 毅

Superintendent, Bedford Public Schools

• November is Native American Heritage Month
• November 13-November 19, 2023: Transgender Awareness Week
• November 17-18, 2023: BHS presents Twelfth Night at 7:00 pm

• November 18, 2023: Coffee & Cocoa Chats with Cliff at 10:00am, Dudley Cafe (15 Warren St. Boston)
• November 20, 2023: Transgender Day of Remembrance
• November 20, 2023: Coffee & Cocoa Chats with Cliff at 7:00 pm, Superintendent's Office
• November 20, 2023: Bedford Youth and Families Services Vaping and Marijuana Presentation at 7:00 pm
• November 22, 2023: Early Dismissal
• November 23, 2023: No School - Thanksgiving
• November 24, 2023: No School - Thanksgiving Break
• November 28, 2023: School Committee Meeting at 7:00 pm
• November 29, 2023: Coffee & Cocoa Chats with Cliff at 10:00 am Zoom
• November 30, 2023: Coffee & Cocoa Chats with Cliff at 3:30 pm, Bedford High School
• December 4, 2023: HAFB Holiday Tree Lighting at 4:00 pm, HAFB Chapel (Building #1603 - 76 Arnold Street)

The school committee watched a video of the BHS Marching Band competing, along with a reflection from Drum Majors Evan Kelly and Shreyes Shivappa. They also voted to approve the naming of the Irene Parker Foyer at BHS and discussed a FY25 budget update focused on enrollment projections. I also shared a verbal update about upcoming updates related to literacy and our FY25 capital budget request, with more information forthcoming at the November 28 meeting. All materials are available at: Meeting Schedule & Supporting Documents | Bedford Public Schools (bedfordps.org)

Tribal Land Acknowledgements (TLA) are not just land acknowledgments. They need to name the tribal nations, and not just focus on the land. TLAs are about raising the visibility of Indigenous people and Indigenous knowledge. They are one step toward making visible the Indigenous nations that colonizers have made invisible.

We should do them to highlight our own learning process and to share important information about Indigenous nations. That information may be historical or current. They offer an opportunity to publicly recognize that we are on another nation’s land. Think of it like a “national anthem” that recognizes the original nation. They remind us that we owe a debt of gratitude to Indigenous Nations and that we can renew our commitment to learning more and being accountable. They are an opportunity to say aloud what actions we will take since we are on another nation’s land and consider the often fraught historical circumstances.

Colonizers made names invisible, so we can use a TLA as a moment to raise the visibility of names. Names have meaning and when they are removed, the original meanings disappear. Here are some names I want to share:

• Quinobequin (quin-o-be-quin): the original name for the Charles River means “meandering.” This river is now named after someone who never even saw it.
• Massa-adchu-es-et (Massachusett): Massachusetts is an Algonquin word that roughly translates to “large hill place” or “at the great hill.”
• Agawam: Agawam means “the other side of the marsh” or “low-lying lands.”
• Pawtucket: They are Algonquian-speaking and closely related to the Pentucket to their immediate north. Pentucket translates as “at the bend in the large tidal river.”
• Nipmuc: Nipmuc means “freshwater fishing place.”
• Wampanoag: means “People of the First Light.”

A TLA is a place to state how we will be accountable by adding a statement about our commitment. As someone whose ancestors are from Germany and the Caribbean, and not Indigenous to the lands where I work or live, I consider TLAs as one way to be a “good relative” and an ally to the local Indigenous communities.

As we approach the third Thursday in November, which is incredibly meaningful to our Wampanoag neighbors, what do we say? Some people, often Indigenous but also their allies, see this date as a “day of mourning.” Not everyone “celebrates” it. I think about this in the same way I think of cultures that honor days and events that I’m unfamiliar with. For example, one might say, “Happy Rosh Hashanah,” but not “Happy Yom Kipper” because that is a day of atonement. Similarly, “Happy Thanksgiving” isn’t “happy” for everyone. As an alternative that acknowledges an event with compassion, I suggest we use the words "meaningful" and "observance." So, we could say, "I hope you have a meaningful observance." This works across "holidays." For that long weekend, we can say, "I hope you have a meaningful long weekend" or "I hope you get to do something meaningful with the time off."

Each year between November 13 – 19, people and organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help increase understanding about transgender people and the issues members of the community face.

Trans Awareness Week takes place the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence that year.

For more about how GLAAD has observed Transgender Awareness Week this year and through the years, check out: https://glaad.org/tag/trans-awareness-week

I will be hosting a final series of community engagement events as I enter the last month of Phase 1 of my Entry Plan, which will be Coffee & Cocoa Chats with Cliff (CCCC). These will be both in-person (here in Bedford, in Boston, and at HAFB) as well as virtual (though you'll have to bring your own beverages for those...). For dates with full details, plus for communication purposes, please register here, though drop-ins are also welcome. Talk to you soon!

Please click here to review the Special Education Director's Update for November 2023.

On November 2nd, the Special Education Administrative team including Marianne Vines, Caitlyn Queenin, Jane DeGobbo and Andrea Edmunds attended the Association of Special Education Administrators conference at which Commissioner Riley gave the keynote address. Commissioner Riley’s address was about chronic absenteeism and its impact on student achievement. During his presentation, he shared this video clip that highlighted the importance of parents and their involvement in their students' education. Family involvement is crucial as it fosters a supportive environment that enhances academic success and overall well-being. Engaged families contribute to a child’s motivation, reinforces learning at home, and creates a strong foundation for a child’s educational journey. The active engagement ultimately leads to improved academic outcomes, increased self-confidence and a greater sense of belonging for a student. November 16 was National Parent Involvement Day. We honor and appreciate you as our partners in your child’s educational journey.

On 11/20/23 at 7 pm in the LGI at Bedford High School, Bedford Youth and Family Services is hosting a presentation on the impacts of vaping and marijuana use on adolescents and use prevention strategies will be offered. Additionally, the Hidden in Plain Sight display will be on hand. Please see flyer for details and registration.

Bedford and HAFB families, please be on the look out for a flier in your mail from the Bedford Dollars for Scholars

Mail-a-thon Donations Click Here or Scan the QR code.

The Bedford High School Performing Arts Department will present TWELFTH NIGHT, the classic Shakespearean comedy about love and mistaken identity, November 17 and 18 at 7:00pm in the BHS Auditorium with an Intermission. Tickets are available now through the Performing Arts Department website: https://bhschorusandtheater.weebly.com/tickets.html. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students.