BB 02-07-25

BRADFORD BULLETIN

VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 28

FEB 07, 2025

 

FROM THE OFFICE

FOR ALL: 
  • SPECIAL REQUEST:  The Bradford Academy senior guys are working on putting together a gym for the school. They are looking for donations of equipment like barbells, weight plates, dumbbells, squat racks, cable racks, and anything other than cardio machines, or large machines. If you have anything to donate please contact Levi Hedgecock at (336) 988-3978 or at levihedgecock11@gmail.com.  They can arrange to pick up larger items if needed.
  • ENROLLMENT TASKS:
    • NC Opportunity Scholarship:  
      • NEW applicants:  Start now!  You can submit new applications until March 6th.
      • RENEWALS:  The deadline to renew your application for 25/26 is April 15th.
    • If your student is not returning, send notice in writing to office@bradfordacademy.org by February 15th to avoid the contract opt-out fee of $500.  

 

LOWER SCHOOL- IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • We need tissues!  If you have not brought in your extra (required) supplies yet, please consider donating boxes of tissues.  We can always use bandaids and black or white cardstock.  (Please note:  we do not need soap or paper towels, thanks to many generous donations).  
  • 2nd – 3rd Grades:  Spring Running Club will start March 4th, so keep your eyes open for more information coming soon.  
  • 3rd Grade Field Trip:  Morehead Planetarium:  Please be sure to fill out the permission slip and submit payment!
  • 4th Grade Field Trip:  Old Salem:  Watch for an email from the teacher with information and a link to the permission slip.  This is time sensitive!

 

UPPER  SCHOOL- IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • Calling all Archers!  Our Varsity Spring sports season is scheduled to begin during the week of February 18-21. 
    • Varsity Girls soccer will be offering tryouts for 7th-12th grade girls.  Their first practice is scheduled for Tuesday, February 18th. Their practices and games will follow a M/Tu/Th/F schedule, with Wednesday afternoons always off. 
    • Varsity Boys tennis will be offering tryout opportunities for 7th-12th grade boys.. Their first practice is scheduled for Thursday, February 20th. Their practices will follow a M/Th rhythm with tennis matches mixed throughout the week. 
HOT LUNCH on Thursdays: 
  • The weekly menu locks at midnight on Sunday night – so be sure to place your orders and check out in time. Once your account is set up, it should be easy for the rest of the year! ORDER HERE  
FROM MRS. MITCHELL:  

Last week we mentioned how classical education focuses on rich vocabulary.  In the same way, we encourage students to be cognizant of their use of words in conversation.  Unfortunately, slang and idioms are sprinkled liberally throughout the average American’s vocabulary.  As a community, let’s be aware.  One phrase in particular is banned on our campus:  “What the …” just does not have a redeeming word that can be filled in.  Let’s challenge our children and ourselves to elevate our language and follow the encouragement of Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

UPCOMING
NEXT WEEK:
  • Sat, 2/8: Girls Soccer preseason practice at MACC baseball fields *if raining, we will not practice
  • Sun, 2/9: NCISAA 1A State Playoff Basketball Brackets Announced
  • Mon, 2/10: Varsity Girls and/or Boys teams will practice at Old Rec Center *if in the playoffs* (3-5pm)
  • Tues, 2/11: Varsity Girls and/or Boys teams will play First Round state playoff games *if applicable*
    • If the girls win their first round game, they would play in the quarterfinals on Friday (2/14).
    • If the boys win their first round game, they would play a second round game on Thurs (2/13).
  • Wed, 2/12:  9th grade CLT10 standardized test
  • Fri, 2/14:  Teacher Workday, no school
  • Sat, 2/15:  Contract Opt-Out deadline
    • Girls Soccer preseason practice at MACC baseball fields

IN THE NEAR FUTURE:

  •  Mon, 2/17:  Presidents Day observed, no school
  • Tues, 2/18: Varsity Girls Soccer Season begins – first practice at MACC soccer fields (3-5pm)
  • Thurs, 2/20:  
    • 3rd field trip to Morehead Planetarium
    • 11th grade: CLT standardized test
    • 7pm – Patriotic Program for 5th – 6th grades
    • Varsity Boys Tennis Season begins – first practice at 2nd St/McKinley Tennis Courts (3-4:15pm)
  • Wed 2/26 – Fri 2/28:  10th – 11th grade to Washington DC
  • Thurs 3/6:  Coffee and Conversation with Mr. Johnston
  • Week of March 9th:  Senior trip!
  • Fri, 3/14:  Reading day, Pi Day, end of 3rd quarter
  • Week of 3/17:  SPRING BREAK!

FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK

 

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

 

Transitional Kindergarten (Mrs. Grubb and Mrs. Weber)

  • Our TK students enjoyed a full week of new concepts and activities. We began reading Dr. Seuss books this week in preparation for Dr. Seuss Day in early March. Students were introduced to dimes and learned to count by 10’s this week. Ask your child to demonstrate for you! Our letter this week was A. We focused on the proper formation for letter A and reviewed previous letters of the week. A few of our centers included: matching rhyming words, shopping at the TK store, lowercase letter limbo, a letter hunt, matching capital and lowercase letters, and a recycling game to go along with our vocabulary words. We read in the Bible this week about Jesus feeding thousands of people with just 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread. On Tuesday students were able to enjoy 2 gummy fish and 5 crackers to help represent our story. This week students began learning Proverbs 17:17 and discussed what it means to be a good friend. 

Lower School P.E. (Mrs. Bennington)

K – 4th
  •  Students worked on various relay races and hand-eye-coordination activities in PE this week!

Lower School Music (Mrs. Bennington)

K-4th 
  • Students worked on the first and second verse of “Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing” this week. Please encourage your child to sing this for you or with you at home this week!

 

Kindergarten (Mrs. Rivera and Miss Burdeshaw)

This Week
  • Our kindergarten scholars are almost halfway through the third quarter! It is amazing to see how much they have grown since the beginning of the school year. In math, we learned how to add by twos, how to compare and order objects by length, how to measure length by using nonstandard units, how to write the number words for 0-10, and how to identify pairs. In phonics, we started our new reader, “The Rig Ran On,” and introduced our new ten word spelling list. In history, we discussed Justinian I, who was a Roman emperor from 527 to 565. He was known for being a legislator and codifier. He put together a code of laws known as the Code of Justinian, which aimed to organize and clarify the vast amount of Roman laws. In art, we discussed our artist of the quarter, N.C. Wyeth, who was an American painter and illustrator in the twentieth century. In science, we continued our section on the moon, stars, and planets, and learned a new song about the phases of the moon. 
Memory Work:   
  •  Romans 11:33-36 and review

1st Grade (Mrs. Cantaffa & Mrs. Smith)

This Week
  • This week in math, we practiced the sums of 13 and 14 and reinforced measurement skills by making Apple Jacks Cookies—a hands-on way to apply what we’ve learned! In reading, we read Howard Saves a Hound, and the students have enjoyed working through Explode the Code, strengthening their phonics and grammar skills. In cursive, we practiced writing complete sentences while identifying nouns and verbs. In science and art, we continued our animal classification project, deepening our understanding of God’s design in creation. In history, we delved further into Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Robert Bulla, gaining insight into the providential hand of God in Squanto’s life and his role in aiding the Pilgrims. It has been a wonderful week of learning and growth!
Memory Work:  
  • James 1:19-20
 

2nd Grade (Mrs. Hedgecock & Mrs. Eng)

This Week
  •  It has been a full week of adventures in second grade.  In history we have arrived at the New Kingdom in Egypt full of prosperity and exciting pharaohs.  We have traveled to the Hundred Acre Woods to experience adventures with Winnie the Pooh and his friends in our newest book.  While reading Mr. Poppers Penguins and learning about Antarctica we had a guest speaker who has actually been to Antarctica!  She had many pictures and adventures to share.  The students started another two-point paragraph and it is a joy to see their progress in writing paragraphs.  In math we have been experimenting with fractions and using pattern blocks to compare fractions.  God’s world is so big and wonderful with so much for our students to discover.  

3rd Grade (Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Meredith)

This Week
  • Students learned that by 146 B.C., Rome had risen to a world power. Greek culture and influence had spread throughout the known world, thus allowing commonalities in culture, religion, and government. Relying heavily on Greek innovations, the Romans built upon these advancements and continued to spread their rule over surrounding areas. During the three Punic Wars, the Romans destroyed its biggest rival, Carthage, allowing them to become a superpower and expand their empire into Northern Africa. Students are beginning to learn about the culture in which Christ lived, died, and was resurrected conquering sin and death once and for all! In math, we continued working with fractions by finding equivalent fractions in shapes, on number a line (such as a ruler), and in  word problems. In science, students continued  working on their Planet Packets in preparation for their presentations in a few weeks. Students finished the week by writing their very first reference paragraphs about beavers’ homes. Learning how to write a reference paper is an essential skill, which will help them as they move up through the grades at Bradford.
Upcoming 
  • Field Trip Permission Slip:  Due 2/12 
  • Field Trip: Morehead Planetarium – 2/20
  • Planet Projects:  Due 2/20

4th Grade (Mrs. McDorman and Mrs. Rankin) 

This Week
  •  This week in fourth grade, we dove into the life of Marco Polo, learning about his incredible travels and adventures. Born in Venice in 1254, Marco Polo grew up in a family of merchants. He first set out on a journey with his father and uncle to Asia when he was just 17 years old, traveling through dangerous territories to reach China. Along the way, Marco gained knowledge of cultures and lands far beyond his own. One of the most surprising parts of his life is that he didn’t meet his father until he was 15 years old after his father had been away on business for many years. We discussed how some people question whether the tales of his journey are true since not many witnessed them, and compared that to just how many historical texts and witnesses there were to corroborate the events of scripture. We then wrote a five-paragraph essay detailing Marco Polo’s life, focusing on his journey and his impact on the world. In science, we identified and recorded the different states of matter in our notebooks, exploring solids, liquids, and gases. We also started learning the rest of the Periodic Table song—get ready to hear it at home! In language arts, we introduced similes and metaphors into our writing, making our descriptions more vivid, and we practiced classifying linking verbs, predicate adjectives, and predicate nominatives. We are almost halfway through the third quarter!
Upcoming 
  • Field Trip Permission Slip (Old Salem):  Due 2/20 

 

LOGIC SCHOOL

 

Mrs. Bennington

5th-10th Band
  • Introductory Band-  We spent a lot of time this week reviewing and practicing how to play two contrasting dynamic levels, forte-loud and piano-soft. Students took two tests on 2.9 to demonstrate their ability to correctly play those two dynamic levels.. Please encourage your student to practice at least 4-5 times during the week for 15-20 mins. Students will reap the rewards of consistent practice. 
  • Intermediate Band – We focused heavily on our ability to play various articulations and dynamics as indicated in the book exercises. We spent a lot of time on our Concert Bb scale and exercises that helped reinforce our ability to play our Concert Bb scale with various articulation patterns. Students did a great job on their Concert Bb Scale Pattern #1 articulation test. Please encourage your student to practice at least 4-5 times during the week for 15-20 mins. Students will reap the rewards of consistent practice. 
  • Advanced Band-  We focused heavily on applying key signatures and accidentals to our warm-ups. We also spent time on our Concert Bb scale and exercises that helped reinforce our ability to play our Concert Bb scale. Students worked hard on applying various articulation patterns to their Concert Bb scale and other book exercises. Students did a great job on their Concert Bb Scale Pattern #1 articulation test. Please encourage your student to practice at least 4-5 times during the week for 15-20 mins. Students will reap the rewards of consistent practice. 

Mrs. Johnston

5th – 8th Chorus, Bradford Chorale
  • 5th-8th Chorus – we spent time this week assessing individual comprehension of Solfeggio and counting. 6th-8th Chorus also continued working on O Sacred Head Now Wounded.
  • Bradford Chorale – we continued reading Sovereign Lord, putting together harmonies.

5th Grade (Mrs. LaTour and Miss Johnston) 

This Week
  • It has been a great week in 5th grade! We had much catching up to do with so many absences due to sickness last week but we enjoyed having full classes this week! We studied the Battle of Bunker Hill in history and completed a fun “escape room” activity in class where they decoded ciphers. They were able to practice the technique that was commonly used during historical times, including the American Revolution, to keep messages secret from enemies. Our writing is lining up rather well with our history curriculum as we are writing about “The Shot Heard ‘Round The World”. We are continuing through our 9th Math chapter, working on dividing fractions, and have our test for this chapter next Tuesday. We are preparing for the Patriotic program and look forward to seeing the fruits of their preparation efforts in the songs, recitations, and wax museum they will share with us and all who can come! 
Memory Work:  
  • Philippians 2:7-8

6th Grade (Miss Stevenson)

6th Reading and Literature
  • We finished reading Something Greater Than Gold this week. We watched Chariots of Fire in class on Wednesday and began reading The Hiding Place  by Corrie ten Boom on Friday.
6th Grammar and Writing
  • Since students submitted their fictional stories last week, we took a break from writing this week and focused on reviewing the comma and capitalization rules that we have learned so far this year. 
6th Bible
  • This week we finished up the gospel of John and began reading the book of Acts. 
6th History
  •  Due to the number of absences last week, we took a bit of a break from our normal History schedule to get everyone caught up on tests and assignments from last week. 
6th Science
  • In Science this week we finished taking notes on the organelles found in plant and animal cells. We are now ready to start thinking about our 3D cell project that I will be assigning next week.
6th Logic
  • This week in Logic we looked at the fallacies of Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc in Statistics and Proof by Lack of Evidence. I plan to give the Statistical Fallacies test next Wednesday. 
6th Latin
  • We started looking at Chapter 6 of our Latin book this week. Chapter 6 reviews the second declension chart and takes a closer look at indirect objects. 

Mrs. Crotts

6th Math
  • 6th Graders completed the mid-chapter review entitled “Check Your Progress” and continued in chapter 8 work with fractions and multiplication, division and order of operations.

Mrs. Palmer 

6th Art
  • We continued to work on watercolor landscapes this week.  Our focus was on trying to obtain the correct water to paint ratio all while aiming to be detailed.  These are coming along nicely. 

Dr. Wright

7th Composition 
  • We are building our vocabulary, focusing on terms that occur in Julius Caesar. 
7th Omnibus – Literature, History, Bible
  • We have read Livy’s account of Cincinnatus, and noted that George Washington was seen as the American Cincinnatus.  We continue through 2 Samuel, with 1-2 Kings in view.
7th Logic
  • We have moved onto the red herring fallacies.

Mrs. Frueh

7th Science
  • We have started our long-anticipated unit on astronomy. We focused this week on the revolution in thought that came with the movement from a geocentric model of the universe to a heliocentric model. We focused this week on the work and writings of Plato, Aristotle, Ptolemy, Nicolas Copernicus, and Tycho Brahe. As we continue next week with the work of Johannes Kepler, we will be able to see that, individually, none of these men had all the knowledge needed to draw definitive conclusions about the universe. By building on the work of each of these individuals, Galileo Galilei was able to provide definitive confirmation of the heliocentric model. This reiterates the fact that science is a collective endeavor conducted globally over centuries of time.
7th Pre-Algebra
  • Various lessons were practiced this week including multiplying with scientific notation, making calculations with percentages greater than 100%, and multiplying numbers with multiple negative signs.

Mrs. Palmer 

7th Art
  • Students worked hard this week to use hatching, cross hatching and stippling in their pen and ink eye drawings.  They learned that accuracy is tricky but obtainable with this medium. 

Miss Johnston

7th Latin
  • We started our new chapter this week! They also worked on some translations.

Dr. Wright

8th Omnibus 
  • History:   We have begun the high middle ages (H.M.A.).  Ask your student about upcoming Medieval Day – help from parents will make it a very special event!
  • Literature:   We continue through Tolkien’s Two Towers. 
  • Composition:  We are expanding our vocabulary with regular infusions of terms from Two Towers. 

Miss Johnston

8th Latin
  • We ended up pushing back the test to next week because of so many absences last week due to sickness and games. This week we continued to study and prepare for the test!

Mrs. Frueh

8th Science
  • We began our final physics unit: calculating speed and acceleration. We started by distinguishing between scalar and vector quantities. We then looked at specific scalar quantities, such as distance and speed, as compared to their vector counterparts of displacement and velocity. These skills will be applied practically when analyzing the motion of our self-propelled vehicles.
  • Vehicle race day is February 28th.
8th Algebra I
  • Last week, we learned to solve systems of equations using graphing. This week we learned to solve these same types of problems using the methods of substitution & elimination. The students are learning to discern when each method is best applied. 

Mrs. Palmer 

8th Art
  • We began working on our Lord of the Rings cross curricular oil pastel drawings this week.  Students recently read LOTR (and are continuing on with it as well) and are now recreating several places found throughout the books in oil pastels.  I am excited to see how these turn out. 

Mr. Crotts

8th Logic
  • We had a “Ron Movie Marathon” this week. Ron is the nickname given by the class of 2026  to the video professor for our Logic lessons. We have drawn our squares of opposition on large paper and now have heard several lessons from Ron explaining the parts and purposes.

RHETORIC SCHOOL

 

From the COLLEGE COUNSELING Office:

9th-12th: 

  • As students and parents begin thinking about college, in addition to academics and career focus, great conversations should include hobbies and other special interests.  Does your son or daughter play a musical instrument?  Does he or she excel in a particular  sport?  Do they flourish in the arts?  Researching colleges and universities that specialize in their talents and then communicating with those schools helps in the college search and scholarship process.  Begin making a portfolio or recruiting collection of lists, programs and even video of events that he or she has participated in to showcase their events and gifts will prove beneficial as the college decision approaches.
  • CLT is the Classical Learning Test.  Students will take this test online during school hours  this semester as an assessment of subject matter more closely related to our stream of subject matter.  This is a good addition to the SAT and ACT as classical students.
    • CLT 7 (7th Grade)-May 5
    • CLT 8 (8th Grade)-May 6
    • CLT 10 (9th Grade)-February 12
    • CLT 10 (10th Grade)-April 15
    • CLT (11th Grade) -February 20
    • CLT (12th)-April 10

 

Mrs. Palmer 

9th Spanish 
  • This week students learned about using the verb “estar” with emotions and conditions.  We talked about gender/noun agreement within this grammar topic.  Students took a vocabulary quiz and also learned a new tense: present progressive. 

Mrs. Frueh

9th Geometry
  • We have continued our study of triangles with a focus on special right triangles. First, we studied the special cases of 30-60-90 triangles and 45-45-90 triangles. Then we learned how to use trigonometric ratios to calculate unknown measures for any right triangle.

Mr. Crotts

9th Logic
  • We are wrapping up our trip into the “twilight zone” of formal proofs for validity.

Dr. and Mrs. James

9th Biology
  • This week the students learned about lipids, amino acids and proteins, and nucleic acids.   They were also introduced to DNA replication, transcription, and translation.
  • Next week they will review these concepts further and will prepare for their presentations regarding symbiotic relationships.

Mrs. Crotts

9th Literature
  • 9th Graders concluded rewriting a chapter for Little Women.  Students also received copies of the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  In addition to reading the work, they will produce a newspaper reflecting politics and culture during the setting.

Dr. Byrd 

9th Bible 
  • We have covered all of the Old Testament through Ezekiel. We will begin the Daniel and the Minor Prophets next week. 
  • Scripture Memory: Isaiah 40:31
  • Test has been rescheduled. 

  • Coach Johnston

9th History
  • We have completed our overview of the American Civil War and students took their unit test on Friday. Our study has introduced the students to logistical and leadership advantages and disadvantages that both sides faced, the modern technological developments that changed the way wars would be fought in the future, and the major battles and the important leaders whose failures and successes wrote large portions of that season of American history. We concluded the unit by very briefly identifying the complex motives and objectives of Reconstruction (1865-1877), and we will dig into that material more deeply when they are seniors.

Coach Johnston

10th Ancient History
  • We have completed our overview of Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War, and learned a lot about human nature in the fears, frustrations, pressures and decisions that caused and sustained that thirty year conflict between Sparta and Athens. While reading the book, we have also been looking at the social and political structure of Athens and Sparta, and students are preparing for a cumulative test on that material next week. Next up is a brief glance at Alexander the Great, and the Wars of the Diadochi that followed him, as we move towards the Roman Republic.

 

Coach Johnston

9th/10th Advanced PE
  • Students have enjoyed a month of indoor sports. We have played basketball, handball, hockey, indoor soccer (futsal), dodgeball and this week we played two variations of kickball. You should ask your student how to play two-base kickball or mat-ball kickball, and perhaps they’ll tell you the strategic differences and a highlight story or two of how the teams learned and competed this week.

Dr. James

10th Chemistry
  • This week the students learned various gas laws and practiced solving problems applying those laws.
  • Next week the students will continue learning about properties of gases.

Mrs. Palmer 

10th Spanish
  • Students focused on reading and writing this week.  We read and listened to a descriptive article in the target language.  Students then had to recreate a similar article/paragraphs based on their own likes and dislikes. 

Mrs. Byrd

10th Algebra II
  • We spent the week learning properties of rational exponents, combinations of functions – including composition, a new combination, and how to determine  the inverse of a function

Mrs. Crotts

10th Literature
  • 10th Graders are concluding Edith Hamilton’s Mythology.  They will present a summary of Greek and Roman gods next week.  We will venture through Ovid’s Metamorphoses next.

Miss Oldham

10th Rhetoric I
  •   We have observed Senior Thesis Prepanels this week. It has been a great opportunity for the students to see what the next few years has in store for them. 

Dr. Smith

10th Historical Theology
  • Students have been learning about some of the features of the Renaissance time period that paved the way for the Protestant Reformation.

Mrs. Palmer

11th Spanish III
  • We spent this week working on reading and writing in the target language.  We also reviewed for an upcoming test on 2/11.  Students also had to talk about an image they were given entirely in Spanish while aiming to use correct grammar and pronunciation. 

Mrs. Byrd

11th Precalculus
  • Students have now learned to graph all six trig functions.  We can also use inverse trig functions to solve for needed angles, and apply trig functions to various real world problems.
11th Physics
  • We concluded our unit on momentum.  This unit included topics such as impulse force (force of impact), recoil velocity, and conservation of linear and angular momentum.  Ask your student how a rocket works and why a cat always lands on its feat.

Miss Oldham

11th Literature
  • Students have begun Shakespeare’s Othello. It is one of my favorites!

Dr. Smith

11th NT Greek
  • Students have been working on expanding their vocabulary, and learning about the present middle and passive verbs as well as the future active and middle verbs.

Mrs. Fairchild

12th Art History
  • We took a bit of a detour this week because I lost my voice and could not speak.. It did, however,  provide a fun opportunity to show a documentary on the stolen art of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. This documentary highlighted 13 paintings that were stolen in the 90’s and the shocking details around it. Specifically, it focused on Rembrandt’s painting Christ and the Sea of Galilee. This has been a favorite painting of the students which they began studying in 9th grade and have come back to frequently in their high school years. The paintings are still missing, but the FBI is getting closer. This documentary has, perhaps, inspired a few students to pursue Art Crime Team. Be sure to ask your student what their theory of this crime is.

Miss Oldham

12th Literature
  • Students wrapped up To Kill a Mockingbird. 
12th Rhetoric II
  •   Senior Thesis prepanels went beautifully this week! Each senior did a wonderful job and my prayer is that they see the wisdom and benefit of this exercise. Please keep them in prayer as they work on refining their speeches for their final defenses in April. Please let me know if you did not receive an invitation to your senior’s final defense. 

Coach Johnston

12th History
  • Students are completing their study of the Civil War. Each student was particularly assigned to focus on researching one of five key battles from either a Union or Confederate point of view (capabilities, objectives, events, decisions, and outcomes), and they delivered their research very well to their classmates. In addition to learning about the people, battles and strategies of the opposing sides, we are about to take up the more complicated nature of Reconstruction and students will learn next week about the successes and failures of that effort towards reunion, recovery and reform.

Mrs. Byrd

12th Calculus
  • We concluded our study of Basic Integration.  Next we will be learning how to solve some basic differential equations as well as some various applications.