For those of you who are new, welcome to the BCSD Buzz, an e-newsletter from the Bedford City School District.

Here you'll learn about all of the exciting things going on in our school district, from student accomplishments to upcoming events.

Thanks for being here! Please keep reading.

After eight months and six meetings, the BCSD Community Facilities Committee recommended a plan to build new Bedford City School District school buildings to provide students with modern schools equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

The Bedford Board of Education is expected to determine if it will place a bond issue on the November ballot to fund the project.

The estimated cost is about $161 million. The average age of BCSD school buildings is about 74 years and the estimated cost to maintain existing buildings over the next 10 years is roughly $174 million, more than the cost to build new.

The district hasn’t asked voters for new money since 2009.

Superintendent Dr. Cassandra Johnson said the students and community of the Bedford City School District have waited long enough for a state-of-the-art learning environment.

“For years, our students have watched as their counterparts in surrounding school districts have gotten new school buildings with all of the latest technology and updated amenities,” she said. “They’ve waited long enough. It’s their turn."

First, a new high school with a career-technical education area will be built at the current Bedford High School site, a new sixth through eighth-grade school will be constructed on the site of the former Chanel school; and a new pre-kindergarten through second grade school with additional classrooms to expand preschool will be built on the Heskett site. 

Offices of the Bedford Board of Education and Central Office will move into the building at the Chanel site. The existing high school, Central and Glendale Primary schools, Carylwood and Columbus Intermediate schools and the Central Office/BOE Offices will be demolished.

Later, a new third through fifth-grade school will be built on the Columbus Intermediate site and Heskett will be demolished.

If the Board of Education decides to place the bond issue on the ballot, the exact millage will be determined by the county auditor’s office, but the plan is estimated to cost less than $1 per day for each $100,000 in home market value.

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 21% of eligible costs.

Bedford High School students involved in the First Ring Student Leadership Institute presented the findings of the project they've been working on all year.

The BHS students joined their counterparts from other First Ring districts to present their findings at the Woodside Events Center at St. Michael's in Broadview Heights.

The students in the Year 1 group, Sierra Sledge, Sa'niyah Benton, Bosson Krah, and Fernando Bigsby Jr., examined the problem, "Lack of School Involvement at BHS."

They conducted student and staff surveys and interviewed classmates. For solutions, they recommend a 90s dance in the third quarter of the school year, a Back-to-School Bash/Week including introductions to school clubs, and more pep rallies.

BHS teacher Amy Hujarski and Columbus Intermediate School teacher Darnise Stephens are the group's district leaders.

The year 2 students, Rayhanah Niasse, William Handrich, LaTia Grimes, Lee Hammock and Kayla Butler began their work during the 2021-23 school year. They identified, "How Does School Atmosphere Affect Mental Health and Academic Performance?"

The First Ring Student Leadership Institute is a multi-year leadership program, aimed at inspiring high school students to understand the issues affecting them, give them a voice about those issues and work to help solve them.

FRSLI students are tapped by their teachers to participate in the program that runs through the school year.

The Bedford City School District recognized four Bedford City School District teachers who earned continuing contracts.

Superintendent Dr. Cassandra Johnson pointed out that teachers go through a rigorous process to earn tenure at BCSD.

The teachers who earned continuing contracts are Jamie Long, Heskett Middle School; Rosana Camargo, Glendale Primary; Brenna Dilyard, Bedford High School; and Katie Lovick, Integrated Technology Coach.

Congratulations!

The Heskett Middle School boys' and girls' track teams are Lake Erie League Champions.

All of our scholar-athletes performed exceptionally.

Some highlights:

* In the girls' 200-meter hurdles, Ja'niya C. and Shyann W. placed first and second, respectively.

* In the boys' 200-meter hurdles, Seth T. and William G. placed first and second, respectively.

* In the boys' 800-meter run, Josiah C. and Keon C. placed first and second, respectively.

* The girls' and boys' 4x200-meter relay teams each placed first.

* The girls' 4x100 meter relay team placed first and the boys' 4x100 meter relay team placed second.

* In the boys' 400 meter dash, Kameron H. and William B. placed first and second, respectively.

* Amiyah H. placed first in the girls' 200-meter dash and Seth T. placed second in the boys' high jump.

* Dakota J. placed first in the girls' high jump.

* The girls' 4x400 relay team placed second and the boys' 4x400 relay team placed first.

* Dakota J. placed second in the girls' long jump

* Aayana A. placed first and Nya M. placed first and second, respectively in the girls' discus throw.

* Caleb A. placed first in the boys' discus throw.

* Aayana A. placed first in girls' shotput.

* Kentsten S. placed second in the boys' 100 meter dash.

Congratulations to all of these dedicated scholar-athletes and their coaches!

The Heskett Girls' Softball team is the Lake Erie League Champion!

The girls capped off their undefeated season by besting Garfield.

Congratulations, ladies! BCSD is so proud of you!!

That means that all of Heskett's spring sports teams — softball, baseball, boys' track and field and girls' track and field — won the Lake Erie Championships in their respective sports. Wow!

On May 18, the Bedford City Schools Foundation honored Bedford High School, scholarship recipients at a Scholarship Breakfast at Catered Elegance in Oakwood.

The students are all members of the BHS Class of 2023.

The 2023 recipients:

* Ayanna Akins

* Cree Hall

* Imani Matthews, Hilary Taylor Scholarship

* Austin Luke, Automile Scholarship

* Luke Sanders, Roger Fuhrmeyer Art Scholarship

* Kaylee Coleman, Paul G. Ward Scholarship.

Hilary Taylor was a founding member of the foundation and served for more than 20 years as its president. He passed away in 2020.

Roger Fuhrmeyer was an art teacher at BHS who passed away last year.

Paul G. Ward was the principal of Carylwood Intermediate School who passed away in 2016.

The Bedford City Schools Foundation funds scholarships for Bedford students and mini grants for its teachers.

It hosts regular fundraisers to pay for those efforts. The next fundraiser is an Aug. 11 golf outing.

Thank you, Foundation, and congratulations, students!

Scholarship Breakfast attendees also got to hear from some scholarship recipients from previous years about their college journeys so far and their advice about being a college student.

The Bedford Board of Education has unanimously voted to appoint Mrs. Tabitha Armstrong as the district treasurer.

Mrs. Armstrong began her professional career with the Bedford City School District in 2016 in the treasurer’s office as the Accounting Manager. She left the district in 2020 to pursue an amazing opportunity to work for The Cleveland Orchestra. In June of 2022, Tabitha received an offer to return to the district as the Assistant Treasurer, obtained her Treasurer’s license in October of 2022 through OASBO’s ODE-approved pathway and has now accepted the offer to serve as the full-time treasurer.   

Tabitha earned her Associate of Arts degree from Cuyahoga Community College in 2011 and her Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Cleveland State University in 2014. She is an experienced accountant who brings a diverse, fresh perspective to the position. Tabitha not only has an accounting history in the education field, but also brings knowledge and best practices from working with two of the state's top hospitals, Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals. She also held a Manager of Analysis & Reporting role at the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra. 

Outside of work, Tabitha is passionate about the local arts communities, gardening and is an avid supporter of OROC (OutRun Ovarian Cancer). Most importantly, she values spending time with her family and enjoying the outdoors. Tabitha and her husband, Phillip, have resided in Bedford since 2006 with their three daughters. 

As a parent in the district she was a member of the Glendale PTA, serving in every officer's position for more than ten years and received the Helping Hand Award for her constant devotion and volunteer activities to the school. 

Tabitha’s ties to the district go back through her grandparents who were residents of Bedford Heights since 1987. Tabitha comes to the position with a passion and commitment to the Bedford City School District.

On May 17, the Bedford City School District honored long-serving district employees with an Employee Recognition Open House.

The event, at Catered Elegance in Oakwood, was for all district employees while those with five years or service or more, were recognized based on five-year increments of service.

Leigh Potapenko, an intervention specialist at Bedford High School, has been with the district for 45 years, making her the longest-serving staffer to earn the recognition.

Each of the honored employees received a commemorative pin listing their number of years with the district, a keychain made by BHS students, and other gifts.

The Bedford City Schools District selected a seasoned K-12 athletics veteran as its new athletic director.

J.C. Commander comes to Bedford after serving for two years as the assistant athletic director at South Euclid Lyndhurst Schools where he assisted in the organization and support of interscholastic athletics at the high school and oversaw junior high athletic programs.

Long-time BCSD Athletic Director Mark Zofka is stepping down from the position at the end of this school year.

Mr. Commander also played a crucial role in creating and implementing district-led athletic programs for students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

“I intend to build an athletic department at the Bedford City School District on the foundational values of organization, communication, accountability, and adaptibility,” he said. “It’s through these values that the Bearcats will ‘restore the roar’ and #CLIMB back to our rightful place as one of the top academic institutions with the most competitive athletic programs in northeast Ohio.”

Superintendent Dr. Cassandra Johnson welcomes Mr. Commander to the Bearcat family.

“We couldn’t be happier to have J.C. as a new Bearcat,” she said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as well as a track record of excellence to our district. We look forward to him bringing his passion and energy to benefit our students and community.”

During his tenure at South Euclid Lyndhurst Schools, the district saw growth in its athletic programs. Volleyball, football, tennis and soccer flourished in student participation. The junior high also added indoor track and competitive cheer. Other sports maintained strong performances.

Mr. Commander’s experience at the youth level has seen the addition of programs for flag/tackle football, travel basketball (boys and girls), wrestling, and track. All programs have enjoyed early success as well, posting league championships in football, tournament wins in basketball, and state-meet qualification in wrestling. 

Mr. Commander has also been an integral component of numerous athletic youth camps for basketball, football, and soccer while assisting in the planning and execution of showcases designed to promote our student-athletes at the collegiate level.   

Carylwood and Columbus Intermediate Schools celebrated Mother's Day by inviting moms and other special ladies in students' lives to Muffins with Mom.

Both schools saw impressive turnout of the events.

On Aug. 8, there will be a special election in Ohio.

Here are some resources if you need to register to vote, update your voter registration or request a vote by mail application:

Register to vote, update or check your voter registration online at

https://olvr.ohiosos.gov/

Request a vote by mail application at

https://boe.cuyahogacounty.gov/voters/Request-a-Vote-by-Mail-Application

Check out some of the happenings across our communities

The Cities of Bedford and Bedford Heights are planning the 38th annual Fourth of July Parade.

Applications to participate are due June 13.

The parade committee is looking for floats, marching units, elected officials, decorated and antique/classic vehicles, and other participants.

The parade will begin at Columbus Road and Washington Street in Bedford. It will travel east on Columbus to Perkins Road and end at Bedford Heights City Hall.