BB 02-12-26
BRADFORD BULLETIN
VOLUME XVIII, ISSUE 28
Feb 12, 2026
FROM THE OFFICE
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- On behalf of the Senior class, thank you for your support last week at the Bradford Bowling and BBQ. We were blown away by the number of people who came out for food and games. Buffaloe Lanes was taken by surprise too! If we get to do this again, everyone involved will be more prepared now that they know what a “Bradford” crowd looks like. We hope you all had a great time! And again, thank you.
- Some folks are not able to order hot lunches or come out for bowling, but they want to support the Seniors as they head to Rome. Donations are welcome! (Cash or check can be submitted to the school office.)
ENROLLMENT REMINDERS:
- Applications for new students are open! If you have other children you want to enroll at Bradford, please complete an application ASAP!
- Students returning for 26/27 school year:
- For rising Kindergarten students or any student who has not received the NC Opportunity Scholarship: Mark your calendars to complete an application in February.
- FACTS: We are beginning the transition from TADS and Educate to FACTS. Updates and instructions will be sent in emails dedicated to that topic.
- Updated Immunization Record Requirement: Students who will be in Kindergarten, 7th grade or 12th grade for the 26/27 school year are required to get updated immunizations. Please schedule a doctor’s appointment. You can upload them to TADS or send them to the office. This will be due before the first day of school. Plan ahead!
- Students who will not be returning for the 26/27 school year:
- Submit a letter in writing to the office no later than February 15th.
- Notices that come after February 15th are subject to a $500 contract opt-out fee.
LOWER SCHOOL IMPORTANT NOTES:
- FROM MRS. MITCHELL: 100 days of school at Bradford is an accomplishment worth celebrating. Transitional Kindergarten enjoyed many 100-themed activities as well as a 100th Day parade down the hallway. Older students cheered them on, remembering with fondness that great experience. Also…the Rodeo Roundup 100th Day results are in from the K-1st celebration. Congratulations to Plymouth for coming in first place! They were followed by Leiden, Austerfield, and Scrooby.
UPPER SCHOOL IMPORTANT NOTES:
- FROM DR. SMITH: It has been a rather chaotic few weeks as a result of the snow and ice. As a result, it may be that some classes do not have nearly the number of posted grades as they normally would at this point in a quarter. Thanks for your patience as we seek to “get caught up” in both grading and the posting of grades. Above all, this is perhaps a good time to remind your son and/or daughter that the ultimate goal of our learning is not for grades, but rather the glory of God as we seek to use the abilities he has given us in order to learn and be of service in his kingdom.
- SPRING ATHLETICS: Mark your calendars for the important start dates of upcoming Spring Athletic teams and an important shopping discount weekend
-
- Feb 20-23: Dick’s Sporting Goods partners with our state association, and this weekend they are offering a 20% sale on in-store purchases state-wide.
- February 23: first tryout practices of the Varsity Girls Soccer team (7th-12th students may join, 5th-6th students may ask to train with the team). The regular rhythm for the Girls Soccer team will be to practice or play every weekday afternoon except Wednesdays (M/T/Th/F from 3-5pm at the MACC grass fields, 633 Corregidor St. Mebane, NC). If you have any questions about potentially joining the team, please reach out to Nathaniel Johnston (nathanieljohnston@bradfordacademy.org).
- March 3: first tryout practices of the Varsity Boys Tennis team (7th-12th students may join, 5th-6th students may ask to train with the team). The regular rhythm for the Boys Tennis team will be to practice every Tuesday/Thursday from 3-4:15pm at the Mebane Tennis Courts (406 S Second St. Mebane, NC). If you have any questions about potentially joining the team, please reach out to Ken James (kjames@bradfordacademy.org).
UPCOMING
NEXT WEEK:
- Sun, 2/15: Opt-out deadline for families not returning to Bradford for the 26/27 school year
- Mon, 2/16: Presidents Day – no school
- Thurs, 2/19:
- 8:00 CLT for 11th
- 10:15 CLT for 12th
IN THE NEAR FUTURE:
- Thurs 2/26: Upper School Career Day
- Thurs, 3/5: Coffee and Conversation
- NEW Fri 3/6: 1:00 5th Grade Wax Museum
- Mon 3/9 – Thurs 3/19: SENIOR TRIP TO ROME
- Wed 3/11: Soccer Tournament lower school
- Thurs, 3/12: Upper School Performing Arts Night
- Fri, 3/13: Last day of Q3.
- Week of 3/16: SPRING BREAK
FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK
GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Transitional Kindergarten (Mrs. Grubb and Mrs. Weber)
The highlight of the week in TK was our 100th day celebration! Students had a wonderful day dressing up, counting to 100 in various ways, reading 100 themed books, a 100 day themed journal, 100 exercises, a parade and show & tell. It was a great day! In math this week students practiced paying for items using dimes up to 50 cents and also played a game and matched the number of dots on a dot cube to a number card. Our letters of the week were M and N. We only have a few letters of the week remaining! A few of our centers included: 2 math games with dot cubes and teddy bears, a journal about showing love, comparing and contrasting 2 stories, and building letters with wood pieces. Our vocabulary words this week pertained to weather and we did an experiment with clouds by adding water to a sponge to see if we could get it to “rain” in the cup. We read about Jesus and His love for children this week. Students sang Jesus Loves Me with the sign language motions. Mrs. Bennington began teaching students Non Nobis (our school song) and a hymn called “I Belong to Jesus.”
Lower School Art (Mrs. Knight)
3rd
- It was great to see my third graders after several weeks off due to the weather. Dovetailing with their history studies, this week’s project was a sketch of a Roman aqueduct that uses perspective and shading to create the appearance of depth.
4th
- Fourth graders began a Byzantine-inspired landscape mosaic we are calling The Silk Road. We will return to our Winslow Homer ocean painting soon.
Lower School P.E. (Mrs. Bennington)
K-4th
- Students worked on soccer skills, drills, and scrimmages in P.E. this week.
Lower School Music (Mrs. Bennington)
K-4th
- Students did not have music this week due to the teacher workday on Friday.
Kindergarten (Mrs. Rivera and Miss Burdeshaw)
This Week:
Our kindergarten scholars had yet another short but wonderful week of learning! In math, we reviewed how to break apart the numbers 1-10 and how to draw a picture to solve a problem. In phonics, we introduced the new phonograms, “ay, ai, ea, and ui” and a new ten word spelling list. In history, we discussed Justinian the Great, who was a Roman emperor of the Byzantine Empire. He is best known for creating a set of laws called The Code of Justinian. In art, we learned how to make mosaics. The students had the opportunity to glue small pieces of paper together on a picture of Justinian. In science, we introduced our unit on the phases of the moon. On Thursday, we celebrated an early Valentine’s Day by sharing small gifts with one another. The students were then reminded of the most important love of all: Agape love! God’s love for us is far greater than we can even fathom.
Memory Work:
Romans 11:33-36 and review
1st Grade (Mrs. Cantaffa & Mrs. Smith)
This Week:
- After starting the week with tests in math on Monday and Tuesday, we got going with chapter 8 by learning to use the “make a 10” strategy to add and find sums to 11 and 12. We finished our time with our reader Howard Saves a Hound. In history, we stepped back in time and journeyed with Sarah Noble as she endeavored to keep her courage up while living with Indians. The students also learned about the courage of Valentinus and what Valentine’s Day is really about. We learned about different kinds of precipitation in science and started our booklets. The students are nearly done learning all their capital letters. Just another week or so and it will be all review and fine tuning! In art, the students learned about our artist of the quarter, Winslow Homer. They colored a sheet that depicts Homer’s “Fog Warning” painting. Our hearts were full on Thursday as we celebrated Valentine’s Day by placing cards and goodies in paper bags the students decorated.
Memory Work:
- Psalm 67:1-7
Upcoming:
- No School Friday February 13 – Teacher Work Day
- No School Monday February 16 – Presidents’ Day
2nd Grade (Miss Verroi & Mrs. Eng)
This Week:
It has been another great week in second grade. The students have been busy writing another two point paragraph about ways they are going to try to be more loving as modeled in 1 Corinthians 13. We hope that will be a blessing to you! After studying Egyptian history the past few weeks, we learned about Moses this week. We reviewed how the Israelites started out in Egypt with just 70 people, but after 400 + years have multiplied in number greatly. Seeing God’s plan unfolding for the Hebrews is an encouragement that His plan is also unfolding in each of our lives. Our memory verse in Hebrews 11:23 fits with our story of Moses perfectly. The students have done well in math as we have worked on subtraction – the use of the cubes has allowed them to “see” how to regroup one ten stick into ten tiny cubes. Once they understand this concept, subtracting with regrouping will become understandable and some of the students will even enjoy the challenge of regrouping. For some students this concept takes awhile to grasp and the best way to help them is to do many subtraction problems with regrouping. A study of the origins of Valentine’s Day and sharing tokens of love with our classmates was a perfect ending to the week.
3rd Grade (Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Meredith)
This Week
We discovered that being a fair leader does not always mean being popular with everyone. One example of such a leader was Julius Caesar. He established fair laws, such as banning the sale of people into slavery due to debt, and worked to make taxes more equitable between the nobility and the common people. However, his efforts to eliminate corruption angered many wealthy senators. In a plot to assassinate him, his own friend Brutus delivered a fatal blow, bringing an end to Caesar’s life. Third grade learned a new Latin phrase, “Et tu, Brute?” (“And you, Brutus?”), which was popularized by Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and expresses Caesar’s shock at being betrayed by his close friend. In math, students learned how to find equivalent fractions. In Latin, they studied future-tense verb endings, which paired well with grammar lessons emphasizing the importance of maintaining consistent verb tense in writing. Students also learned how to write a summary of a reference, a skill that will support them as they progress through the grades. Although we are more than halfway through the third quarter, there is still so much more to learn this year!
Upcoming:
- Psalm 19:13
4th Grade (Mrs. Graham and Mrs. Rankin)
This Week
It was wonderful to have a relatively normal week again! Despite no school tomorrow, we were able to enjoy four full academic days together, which was such a gift.
This week, we delved into the life of Joan of Arc and her pivotal role in the Hundred Years’ War. We examined the origins of the conflict, discussing how it began and how it ultimately came to an end. We also studied the devastating impact of the Black Death, which wiped out nearly half of Europe’s population. This catastrophe had profound social and economic consequences, notably contributing to the collapse of the feudal system and a shift in power dynamics. Be sure to ask your children about the origin of the nursery rhyme “Ring Around the Rosie.”
Our math lessons continued with fractions as students practiced adding and subtracting fractions, as well as decomposing them. In science, they learned about the anatomy of an atom and were very excited to receive the details for their elements project.
Language arts centered on constructing a well-organized three-point paragraph titled “My Favorite.” Students worked to include three clear reasons with support while incorporating various dress-ups to strengthen their writing. We also began reading The Shakespeare Stealer, and the class is already thoroughly engaged. Be sure to ask them to use their narrative skills to tell you what we have read so far!
We ended the week by handing out small Valentine’s Day gifts. As we did, students were reminded that there is no greater love than that which was displayed on the cross of Jesus Christ.
Upcoming
3/13: Old Salem Field Trip
LOGIC SCHOOL
Mrs. Bennington
5th-6th Band
-
Fifth grade students did a great job this week on their Concert Bb scale and arpeggio test. Students continued to work on new notes and rhythms in the book.
- Sixth grade students did a great job on their Concert Bb scale, arpeggio, and scale in thirds test. The percussionist did a great job on their flam test in exercise 2.3. Students continued to work hard reviewing material learned this year in their book.
7th-8th Band
- Seventh and Eighth grade students did a great job reviewing material in their method book this week. They focused on making good sounds, playing together, and playing dynamics. Big improvements are being made.
Mrs. Johnston
5th – 8th Choir
- Choirs worked this week on worksheets focused on strengthening sight reading skills as rhythm skills. They also learned harmony parts for the hymn I Belong to Jesus.
Miss Pugsley
5th-8th Girls’ PE
- This week in PE, we played basketball, ran a mile, and played capture the flag!
5th Grade (Mrs. LaTour and Miss Johnston)
This Week
- It has been a wonderful week in 5th grade! Aside from it being a four-day week, we are thankful to be back in our normal routine. In math, we wrapped up Chapter 9 and have officially transitioned from multiplying fractions to dividing fractions. In reading, we are halfway through Duel in the Wilderness, which follows George Washington’s early military leadership during the French and Indian War. Students are learning about the challenges of wilderness warfare, the tensions between the British and French, and how these early conflicts helped shape Washington’s character and America’s future. We hope to finish the book by the end of next week! In writing, students completed their compositions on the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which aligned perfectly with our recent history card focusing on the beginning of the Revolutionary War. We are excited to continue diving deeply into the history of our nation’s founding, especially as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence this year! Wax Museum preparations are in full force, and students should be studying daily, both at school and at home, to memorize their speeches and prepare their costumes. We are grateful for their hard work! Parents, please be on the lookout for an email with additional details about the Wax Museum (March 6th at 1:00 PM), and soon we will share information about our 4th quarter field trip to Monticello (April 23rd).
Memory Work:
Philippians 2:12-13
Upcoming:
Wax Museum: March 6th @ 1pm
Mrs. Knight
5th Art
- Fifth graders continued to cheerfully and diligently work on their SAR posters depicting Revolutionary War events.
6th Grade (Mrs. McDorman and Miss Pugsley)
6th Reading and Literature
- We have finished Eric Liddell and will begin our new book next week.
6th Grammar and Writing
- Students have begun researching their selected topics as we work through the process of writing a research paper.
6th Bible
- We are continuing our study of the Gospels by comparing and contrasting the four accounts. Students are gathering information to support their next major writing assignment.
6th History
- In our study of Cowboys and the West, we learned what life was really like—and that it was not quite the way movies portray it.
6th Science
- This week in Science, we reviewed Hierarchical Organization and took a quiz.
6th Logic
- This week in Logic we explored the Slippery Slope fallacy!
Mrs. Crotts
6th Math
- This week students dove into Chapter 9–integers on a number line. They awoke from the snow break and learned about comparing negative and positive integers and the absolute value of integers.
Mrs. Wright
6th Latin
- 6th grade Latin students moved into the humorous Cap. VII where we are introduced to the indirect object.
Mrs. Palmer
6th Art
- We spent time this week working on our Winslow Homer inspired watercolor paintings. Our focus was to use the medium correctly, obtain the proper water to paint ratio and to aim for detail where possible. These will be displayed at the upper campus.
Dr. Wright
7th Omnibus
- We are in Athens, after the Peloponnesian Wars, with Socrates and Plato. We had a thorough discussion about aspects of Socrates’ thought that are Scriptural or not Scriptural. This week we reenacted Plato’s cave (trumpet flourish). Ask your student!
Mrs. Frueh
7th Science
- In our study of volcanoes this week, we discussed recent eruptions in Iceland, Hawaii, and the Canary Islands to compare the different types of volcanoes present in those regions. We also looked at the difference between the lava released by a less explosive volcano like Kilauea and the ash and gases released by a more explosive volcano like Mt. St. Helens.
7th Pre-Algebra
- Various skills were practiced this week including multiplying with scientific notation, making calculations with percentages greater than 100%, and multiplying numbers with multiple negative signs. We ended the week with a cumulative unit test.
Mrs. Palmer
7th Art
- We spent time this week working on our Winslow Homer inspired watercolor paintings. Our focus was to use the medium correctly, obtain the proper water to paint ratio and to aim for detail where possible. These will be displayed at the upper campus.
Mrs. Wright
7th Latin
- 7th grade Latin students moved into the humorous Cap. VII where we are introduced to the indirect object.
7th Logic
- 7th grade Logic students are working through the fallacies of moderation and the is-ought fallacy.
Dr. Wright
8th Omnibus
- We are studying the Carolingian renaissance under Charlemagne and Alcuin. We have learned that Alcuin’s standardization of lettering contributed the the explosion of copying and publishing, particularly of books (codexes) of Scripture. We’ve learned the process of making parchment from animal skins, and the process of making a codex from parchment. Ask your student!
Mrs. Wright
8th Latin
- 8th grade Latin students moved into the humorous Cap. VII where we are introduced to the indirect object.
Mrs. Frueh
8th Science
- It has been a fun week of final testing for our mousetrap cars. This project required the students to employ the engineering design process, including building a prototype, troubleshooting, redesigning, and testing at each step in the process. I have enjoyed seeing their teamwork, diligence, and ingenuity throughout the process. Analysis reports for this project will be due next week.
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
- Students finished their Winslow Homer inspired oil pastel small studies this week. We then jumped into our cross curricular Lord of the Rings oil pastel drawings. We are working to use the medium correctly, build up layers, use several oil pastel techniques and complete a cohesive overall finished project.
Mr. Crotts
8th Logic
- We have perfected our understanding of the Square of Opposition and Standard Categorical Statements.
RHETORIC SCHOOL
From the COLLEGE COUNSELING Office:
9th-12th:
- The Scholarship Hunt has begun. Three students have already shared results from their research. 9th-12th graders are challenged to find as many legitimate scholarship opportunities as possible inclusive of instructions/contact information. The winner will receive a free t-shirt that celebrates America’s 250th!
- Career Day is fast approaching–Thursday, February 26 from 12:30 PM-2:30 PM! This is a great opportunity for Upper School 9th-12th grade students to hear about various careers and the pathway to those. There will be representatives in the science, medical, business, academic, and public safety fields. Students will each have a folder with a name tag, question prompts to ask each presenter as well as pen and paper for note taking.
Seniors
- Seniors take the CLT on Thursday, February 19 at 8:00 AM in Room 301.
- I will meet briefly at the end of Forum on Mondays and Fridays with each Senior to hear about what his or her current plans are for what is next following high school graduation.
Juniors
- Juniors take the CLT on Thursday, February 19 at 10:15 AM, barring no delays from the morning session, in Room 301.
- Juniors are taking The College Match Mini Class on Tuesdays and Thursdays during study hall. There are two sessions left–Tuesday, February 12 & Thursday, February 17.
- Juniors and their parents should discuss elective choices for the next year. Students will have a variety of courses to choose from offered at Bradford or may take classes through a college such as Alamance Community College, Grove City College, Liberty University or Colorado Christian.
- I will meet briefly at the end of Forum on Mondays and Fridays with each Junior 1) to review his or her Graduation Requirement Worksheet and elective plans for next year and 2) to hear about what his or her current plans are for what is next following high school graduation.
Sophomores
- Sophomores and their parents should discuss elective choices for the next year. Students will have a variety of courses to choose from offered at Bradford or may take classes through a college such as Alamance Community College, Grove City College, Liberty University or Colorado Chrisitan.
- Results are in from last week’s CLT10!
Freshman
- Results are in from last week’s CLT10!
Mrs. Palmer
9th Spanish
- We continued working with “irregular yo form” verbs and “stem changing” verbs this week. Students received a study guide for their upcoming chapter test. Students also engaged in the target language by responding to questions in a grammatically accurate manner and with correct pronunciation.
Coach Johnston
9th History
- Students completed their unit material on the Road to Disunion, a study of America’s Antebellum Era. We spent additional time in review, and students will take a test on this material next Tuesday (2/17). Students should make sure to bring their study material home over the four day weekend.
Ms. Oldham
9th Rhetoric I
- Students discussed the prepanels and wrote a response paper.
Dr. Byrd
9th Bible Survey
- This week we have been studying the life of Daniel and his three friends. We have seen examples of faith and deep commitment to the Lord.
- 2/28 – Wed – Test on Isaiah-Ezekiel
- No Verse Quiz this week.
- Book Report is due March 4th
Mrs. Frueh
9th Biology
- We had a lot of fun this week learning about the central dogma of molecular biology: the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein. The students learned how to read a codon chart, which we practiced by playing codon bingo. We also discussed how the profoundly elegant processes of transcription and translation reveal the omniscience of God. The intricate coding of DNA reveals a level of complexity that surpasses human comprehension!
Mrs. Frueh
9th Geometry
- After learning how to calculate for unknown measures of right triangles using the Pythagorean Theorem and the ratios for special right triangles, the question naturally arises: How do we calculate for unknown measures if we only know one side and one acute angle and it’s not a special right triangle? Enter the trigonometric ratios of sine, cosine, and tangent! Ask your student how to remember the ratios of sin, cos, and tan.
Mrs. Crotts
9th Literature
- Freshmen concluded a brief study of how language develops and how valuable grammar rules can be to ensure clarity in communication. We now begin the world of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This book demonstrates the shift in writing style, and the progress and lack thereof in the culture due to technology and politics and economy. In addition to writing about symbolism from the work, the class will be divided into 3 groups and produce newspapers highlighting the culture, politics, economy, etc. of The Roaring 20’s.
Mrs. Bennington
9th-11th Band
- Students did a great job this week working on music for our concert in March.
Mrs. Johnston
9th-11th Bradford Chorale
- Bradford Chorale continued to learn music for the upcoming Performing Arts Night on March 12, 2026. We are having fun learning how to get into character instead of just singing the music. We will begin to turn our focus to memorization.
Dr. James
10th Chemistry
- This week we are continuing our study of properties of gases and the gas laws.
- Next week we will conclude the study, and the students will take their second test of Q3.
Mrs. Palmer
10th Spanish
- We completed formal command notes this week. Students took a vocabulary quiz and received a study guide for their upcoming chapter test. We spent time reviewing past grammar and vocabulary as well this week.
Mrs. Byrd
10th Algebra II
- Topics for this week included inverse functions and graphs of square root and cube root functions. We will conclude this unit on radical functions next week.
Mrs. Crotts
10th Literature
- Sophomores did a great job presenting summaries of their favorite Ancient Greek and Roman mythological characters. They dressed in costume and fed the class with foods symbolic of their character. Next, the class is reading Ovid’s Metamorphoses and is tasked with writing summaries of specific sections that were inspirational to famous works of literature and art from Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, and C.S. Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia. “It may be doubted whether any poem has had so great an influence on the literature and art of Western civilization as the Metamorphoses. Although a majority of its stories do not originate with Ovid himself, but with such writers as Hesiod and Homer, for others the poem is their sole source.” (A.D. Melville)
Miss Oldham
10th Rhetoric II
- Students gave speeches, took a vocab quiz, and began their next speech assignment (due on 2/19).
Coach Johnston
10th History
- Students completed a Macedonian Empire test and have continued to read and discuss Livy’s War with Hannibal. Our next topic of study will be the rise and fall of the Roman Republic. Enjoy your four-day weekend!
Dr. Smith
10th Historical Theology
- Students are working through the developments in Medieval thought that nurtured the conflicts that began to emerge between the Church and State, theology and philosophy, and people’s perceptions between the natural and the supernatural. They are learning how all of these laid the necessary groundwork for the Reformation.
11th Precalculus
- We concluded our study of trig basics and are moving on to some analytical trig topics. This will include things like verifying trig identities and solving trig equations.
Miss Oldham
11th Literature
- Students began to discuss Medieval Day and wrote a final essay over Romeo and Juliet.
Mrs. Wright
11th NT Greek
- The Greek students were introduced to the present middle and passive voice. The concept of the middle voice is not something we have in English, so it really stretched their minds to consider. The students are working through the beginning exercises using this new grammar.
Dr. Smith
11th-12th Apologetics
- Students continue to read James Sire’s treatment of “the New Age” and are also listening to a debate held several years ago between Rev. Douglas Wilson, the man primarily for launching the classical Christian school movement in the United States, and Christopher Hitchens, the outspoken Oxford educated atheist.
Coach Johnston
12th History
- Students completed an abbreviated unit on the Civil War, and took a test on Wednesday. We will jump ahead in history to the Gilded Age and consider some of the political theories, economic opportunities and both the convulsions and reforms that would mark the turn into the 20th century.
Ms. Oldham
12th Literature
- Students wrapped up As I Lay Dying and read some short stories. We will begin our next unit when we return.
12th Rhetoric III
- Seniors completed their prepanels and did very well! You should be proud of your senior and the work that they have completed. Their final drafts are due on March 6th so they can go to Rome and not worry about thesis.
Mrs. Byrd
12th Calculus
- We wrapped up our study of basic integration this week. We will be applying some of this techniques as we learn to work with differential equations (our next major topic).