The Community Committee is close to making a recommendation to the Board of Education regarding our district’s facilities future. Our committee of dedicated parents, business leaders, elected officials and staff have been studying our facilities and potential options to ensure our children learn in buildings that meet today’s educational needs.

The Committee began meeting in October and tackled important topics:

·        Values that must be reflected in our final facilities plan

·        Career tech options

·        Local partnership possibilities

·        Enrollment trends and projections

·        Possible building configurations

·        Grade-level banding

·        Locally funded initiatives

·        Bond and debt ceilings

The result from community input and perspectives are critical for the Board of Education in their final deliberations. 

At the most recent meeting, committee members learned that because of the district’s bonding capacity, determined by state law, the project would likely have to be phased to ensure the best path forward that is cost-effective for our taxpayers.

A bond issue is expected to come before BCSD voters this fall. 

The district is working through an Ohio Facilities Construction Commission program, called the Expedited Local Partnership Program (ELPP), that would pay for part of the building project costs within certain guidelines. The District hasn’t determined if participation in the ELPP program is the best path. If the District participates, the state of Ohio will reimburse the district for 22% of eligible costs. 

We anticipate that our Community Committee will make final recommendations at the next meeting. Once a recommendation is made, the community will have the opportunity to provide input and feedback about the recommendation.

The first week of March is Read Across America Week and all over the Bedford City School District, people were reading.

Members of the Bedford High School National Honor Society visited Glendale and Central Primary Schools and Carylwood and Columbus Intermediate Schools to read to younger students. They also distributed a book to each student to take home.

At BHS, people all over the building were exercising their brains by reading.

Superintendent Dr. Cassandra Johnson and the BCSD School and Community Relations Department invited members of the senior citizen community to a brunch with musical entertainment by the Madrigals and A Capella Choir from Bedford High School.

The jazz brunches will be quarterly with different BCSD student musical groups performing at each event. It's a way to stay connected and engaged with all district stakeholders.

The brunch was catered by Chef Lorie Turner and it was delicious.

BCSD Superintendent Dr. Cassandra Johnson was awarded the 2023 Friend of School Social Work Award from the Ohio School Social Work Association.

The award, announced Feb. 24 in Columbus, was presented with "appreciation and gratitude" for her "dedication to the advancement of school social work services in Ohio."

Congratulations, Dr. Johnson!

The Bedford High School Cheerleaders earned seventh place in their division at the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators Cheer State Championships the weekend of March 4.

The squad is coached by Michaela Brown, Jasmine McCalister and Nina Littlejohn.

This marked the second consecutive year the team earned entry to the state competition.

Congratulations, ladies!

The Heskett Boys' Seventh-Grade Basketball team captured the Lake Erie League Championship on March 1.

The championship, sealed with a 46-28 victory over Shaker Heights, capped off a tremendous season. The team won their last 12 games, finishing the season 12-1.

For the second year, Bedford High School wrestler Trent Thomas is competing in the State Wrestling Tournament.

The tournament starts March 10 and runs through March 12.

Bedford High School staged a clap out for Trent March 9 to cheer him on and let him know that everyone is rooting for him.

Congratulations, Trent, and good luck! Adam Hoon is BHS's wrestling coach.

Students from Howard University spent their spring break week at BCSD.

About 30 students from the historically-Black university in Washington, D.C., visited classrooms and talked to the younger students during their stay.

Their visit also coincided with BCSD's Unity Week.

At Central Primary School for example, two Howard students discussed their backgrounds and majors, why they chose Howard and what college life is like.

The BCSD Nutrition Services Department recognized National School Breakfast Week with visits to schools and prizes.

The Bearcat mascot that spectators see dancing and rallying the crowd at BHS sporting events visited Carylwood and Columbus Intermediate Schools, fist bumping students, checking out their breakfasts, reviewing their work, leading them in dance, signing autographs and distributing ROAR Bucks for good work.

Glendale and Central Primary School students randomly got stuffed fruit and vegetable toys to celebrate the week.

The National School Nutrition Association's National School Breakfast Week celebrates the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in student success.

Central Primary School celebrated St. Patrick's Day with Irish dance.

Two dancers from the Brady-Campbell School of Irish Dance wowed students and staff with their fancy footwork during a school assembly.

One of the dancers is the daughter of Alison Duiker, an interventional specialist at Central

March Into Kindergarten

It's time to register for kindergarten at BCSD!

March 6 through March 10 was Unity Week at BCSD and schools competed to see which classes could bring in the most pennies for charity, saw visits from Howard University students and decorated key chains.

On March 9, students and staff donned orange, the color of unity, for the occasion. The week culminated March 10 with a pep rally at Bedford High School.

Check out some of the happenings across our communities

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