BB 02-14-25

BRADFORD BULLETIN

VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 29

FEB 14, 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.
  • NC Opportunity Scholarship:  
    • March 6th:  Deadline for NEW applications
    • April 15th:  Deadline for RENEWALS
  • Standardized Testing Dates:  Please avoid vacations and appointments during the mornings of the following dates:
    • 3rd – 6th Grades – Monday, May 5 and Tuesday, May 6
    • 7th Grade – Monday, May 5
    •   8th Grade – Tuesday, May 6
    • 10th Grade – Tuesday, April 15
    • 11th Grade – Thursday, February 20  NOTE, THIS IS COMING UP NEXT WEEK!
    • 12th Grade – Thursday, April 10th
UPPER  SCHOOL- IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • Dick’s Sporting Goods has a 20% sale on all in-store purchases next weekend (2/21-24). You must present this coupon to get the sale.
  • Varsity Spring seasons begin next week!
    • Varsity Girls Soccer practice will be at the MACC grass fields from 3-5pm on M/T/Th/F, BEGINNING on Tuesday, February 18.
    • Varsity Boys Tennis practice will be at the 2nd St/McKinley St tennis courts from 3-4:15pm on M/Th, BEGINNING on Thursday, February 20.
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:  

This month our Lower School staff is mindful of opportunities to talk about the 6th Commandment:  “You shall not murder.”  At first glance, one might think we could check the box on this one, however Jesus instructs disciples in Matthew 5:20-21 that the origin sin for murder is actually anger.  Much of the study of history revolves around wars, providing multiple  contexts for the discussion of this topic.  Closer to home, though we on occasion have to address expressed anger, we are grateful that our robust discussions of         1 Corinthians 13:4-8a lay the groundwork to circumvent the need to address angry outbursts.  Thankfully, we seldom see this among our students.  Praise God that the truth of His word lived out brings peace and reconciliation to our community.

UPCOMING
This  WEEK:
  • Sat, 2/15:  Contract Opt-Out deadline
    • Girls Soccer preseason practice at MACC baseball fields (we will train at the old rec center gym if it is raining)
NEXT WEEK:        
  • 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 grade
    • Varsity Boys Tennis Season begins – first practice at 2nd St/McKinley Tennis Courts (3-4:15pm)
  IN THE NEAR FUTURE:
  •  Wed 2/26 – Fri 2/28:  10th – 11th grade to Washington DC
  • Tues, 3/5 – Spring Running Club begins (2nd – 3rd graders)  Please watch for an email with details!
  • Thurs 3/6: 
    • DEADLINE:  NC Opportunity Scholarship – new applications
    •  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)

This week TK students focused on love and loving others well. A highlight of the week was making cookies in the kitchen and decorating them. Our letters this week were M and N. We are almost to the end of the alphabet and our green books! In math our focus this week was dimes. We continued working on counting by 10’s and paying for items with our dimes up to 50 cents. A few of our centers included: comparing and contrasting 2 different books, cutting practice, a journal about love, and playing a game with dice and graphing the results. We read in the Bible this week about how Jesus loves children. We sang Jesus Loves the Little Children and Jesus Loves Me with sign language taught by Mrs. Bennington. 

Lower School P.E. (Mrs. Bennington)

K – 4th
  • Students did a great job following instructions in PE this week. Students worked on hand-eye-coordination activities. 

Lower School Music (Mrs. Bennington)

K-4th 
  • Students did a great job singing through all three verses of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”. Some classes also got to start the song, “The Blessing”. 

Kindergarten (Mrs. Rivera and Miss Burdeshaw)

This Week
  • Our kindergarten scholars had a short but full four days of school! In math, we learned how to write money amounts using the cent symbol, how to pay for items using dimes and pennies, how to divide a square into halves, and how to identify ordinal numbers to the 26th position. In phonics, we continued reading “To the Rim of the Map,” and introduced the number words 0-5. In history, we learned about the Medieval Period. We discussed knights, monks, castles, battles, and more! The students had the opportunity to color pictures of stained glass windows, which are decorative mosaics of colored glass. We discussed that these windows were created to display religious images during this time period. In art, we continued the conversation of mosaics and started to work on our own mosaic of Justinian the Great. In science, we continued to color in our planet coloring book, which details all 9 planets (including Pluto), comets, asteroids, the moon and the sun. We hope that you all have a wonderful long weekend! 
Memory Work:   
  •  Romans 11:33-36 and review

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

This Week
  • What a wonderful week it has been! In Math, we continued working on the sums of 13 and 14. The students explored lines of symmetry, created their own symmetrical designs, and learned to add two-digit numbers using dimes and pennies. Through math, we see the beauty of God’s order in creation and how He is a God of patterns and precision. In Reading, we enjoyed Frog and Toad Together: Dragons and Giants, which led to great discussions about courage and friendship, reminding us that true strength comes from trusting in God. In Phonics and Spelling, we reviewed all phonograms and spelling words learned so far this year—our students have been working diligently to grow in knowledge. In Cursive, we focused on letter formation, preparing for next week’s handwriting competition. As we practice excellence in our work, we remember that we do all things for the glory of God (Colossians 3:23). As we refine our handwriting, we are reminded of Ecclesiastes 9:10: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” Just as we strive for excellence in our penmanship, we are called to approach all our work with diligence and care, honoring God in even the smallest details. In Grammar, students learned how to write their initials and continued reviewing pronouns, seeing how language allows us to communicate truth and reflect the wisdom of our Creator. In Science, we studied our Bird of the Month, the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker. This woodpecker carefully drills rows of holes in trees to collect sap, showing God’s provision in nature as He equips each creature with what it needs to survive. In Art, students enjoyed creating clay hearts, a reminder that God, the ultimate Creator, has given us the ability to make beautiful things as an expression of His image in us. In History, we finished reading about Squanto, seeing how God used even difficult circumstances to prepare him to help the Pilgrims. We also read about St. Valentine, learning about his faith and love for others, which reflected Christ’s ultimate love for us. The students especially enjoyed exchanging valentines with one another, celebrating friendship and the love of God that binds us together. It has been a joyful and productive week! We are grateful for the opportunity to guide these students in both wisdom and truth. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in their education.
Memory Work:  
  • Review all Bible verses learned
 

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

This Week
  •  It has been an exciting week as we ponder 1 Corinthians 13 and ways we can show love.  The students have written a two-point paragraph, and we hope you will enjoy reading what they have written.  In history we started our study of Moses and our Bible Memory verse in Hebrews 11 goes along with that study.  It is a wonderful world that God has created and we have started learning how to map the world – a nice challenge for the students will be to draw the continents freehand later in the year.  We enjoyed the poem “The Rainy Day” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow”, which we used as copy work.  Students were assigned their animal for their Animal Habitat Project.  We look forward to seeing their creative, informative display in March.  

 

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

This Week
  • We discovered that being a fair leader does not always agree with everyone. One such leader was Julius Caesar. He established fair laws, such as banning the sale of people into slavery due to debts, and made the taxes fairer between the nobility and common man. He was resented among the wealthy senators for cleaning up the corruption. In a plot to assassinate him, his own friend, Brutus, thrust a blow that would help end his life.  In math, we compared fractions to determine the  greatest to the least and vice versa.  In  Latin, we learned the imperfect tense of “to be,” which paired nicely with grammar as we learned the difference between regular and irregular verbs.  Students have been hard at work answering the questions in their Planet Packets, designing their posters, and practicing their presentation skills  in preparation for their poster presentations next week. We are more than halfway through the third quarter, and yet, we have so much more to learn this year! 
  • Field Trip: Morehead Planetarium – 2/20
  • Planet Projects:  Due 2/20

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

This Week
  •  This week in 4th grade, 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, focusing on 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 leading to the collapse of the feudal system and a shift in the power dynamics of the time. In math, we continued our exploration of fractions, practicing both comparing fractions and writing them into mixed numbers. Students worked through various exercises, strengthening their understanding of fractional relationships. In science, we embraced the role of alchemists, experimenting with various substances to observe chemical reactions and record our findings. This hands-on activity allowed students to engage in the scientific method, documenting their observations in their science notebooks. In language arts, we focused on tense changes in writing. Students read their compositions aloud and experimented with altering the tense, reflecting on how these changes influenced the clarity and meaning of their narratives. It was another productive and enriching week, as we continue to make strides through the third quarter.

LOGIC SCHOOL

 

Mrs. Bennington

5th-10th Band
  • Introductory Band-  We spent a lot of time this week reviewing and practicing how to play contrasting dynamic levels, forte-loud and piano-soft. We also added in two more dynamic  levels, Mezzo piano-medium soft and Mezzo forte- medium loud. Students even started learning about pick-up notes.  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 also worked on applying and demonstrating all of the knowledge that they have learned so far by playing various book exercises. 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 also worked on applying and demonstrating all of the knowledge that they have learned so far by playing various book exercises. Last students worked on ear training. Students were given a starting note and then asked to write out the melody for several familiar songs. 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 Chorus – We worked to solidify My Jesus I Love Thee, and began learning On Jordan’s Stormy Banks. We also began implementing practice records. Students have a goal of spending 50 minutes this next week (ideally, 10 minutes per day spread over 5 days) practicing their music as well as applying what we have learned in class to other songs of their choice.
  • 6th-8th Chorus – The harmonies on O Sacred Head came together well this week and we worked to discuss the meaning within the sound and to sing it with a feel that would reflect that. We also spent time learning the sea shanty Ever and Aye. Students were given practice records to begin implementing, with a challenge to apply class concepts to songs of their choice in their individual practice time.
  • Chorale – We continued working through O God Beyond All Praising.

 

5th Grade (Mrs. LaTour and Miss Johnston) 

This Week
  • We had lots to get done this week, and the students worked hard and accomplished all that they needed to do. In Latin, we played some fun review games and we studied lots of our old vocab. The students surprised themselves with how much they remembered! In history, they learned about the signing of the Declaration of Independence along with time spent reviewing their history songs. They are working hard to prepare for the Patriotic Program and I am very proud of the time and effort they are putting into it. We are finishing up the Duel in the Wilderness and are getting excited for our next book! In math, we tested on chapter nine and began learning about adding decimals in chapter 10. The students worked hard and they are very excited for the long weekend! We hope it is restful for everyone!
Memory Work:  
  • Philippians 2:9-11

6th Grade (Miss Stevenson)

6th Reading and Literature
  • We started reading Corrie ten Boom’s The Hiding Place this week. 
6th Grammar and Writing
  • We hit a few new comma rules this week. Next week we will start working on the third essay in Lost Tools of Writing.
6th Bible
  • We are continuing to work our way through the book of Acts.
6th History
  •  This week we learned about the Spanish-American War.
6th Science
  • This week was a lighter week in Science. We spent class time working on coloring animal and plant cell models. Next week I will be introducing the 3D cell project which will be due at the beginning of 4th quarter. 
6th Logic
  • We finished up the Statistical Fallacies section of the book and will be taking that test next Wednesday. 
6th Latin
  • Due to it being a short week, we took a break from Latin this week.

Mrs. Crotts

6th Math
  • Students concluded Chapter 8 this week.  Also, they wrote a mystery story that included 4 elements of math to solve the mystery.

Mrs. Palmer 

6th Art
  • This week students continued to work on their watercolor landscape paintings.  These have come a long way and students continue to work on detail, accuracy and the correct amount of paint to water. 

Dr. Wright

7th Composition 
  • We continue to build vocabulary using terms we meet in our literature readings.  
7th Omnibus – Literature, History, Bible
  • We have begun Virgil’s Aeneid, focusing on the late Roman Republic.  We continue to work through 1-2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings in Scripture. 
7th Logic

We continue in the red herring fallacies.  

Mrs. Frueh

7th Science
  • We wrapped up our discussion of the history of the Geocentric and Heliocentric models by watching a documentary on the life and work of Galileo Galilei. This historic controversy can teach us much about the relationship between faith and science. A close reading of history reveals that Galileo was a man of deep faith who recognized Almighty God as the Creator of both the heavens and the Earth. Galileo recognized that science was the means by which we can study God’s creation, and theology is the means by which we can study God’s special revelation in Scripture. Faith and science are indeed compatible because they are both seeking after the only Truth – God’s Truth.
7th Pre-Algebra
  • We spent time in math this week writing and solving analogies (such as Petal :  Flower : : Leaf : Tree or Fame : Obscurity : : Sorrow : Joy). This may seem like a strange exercise for math class. However, writing proportions in math is very similar to solving linguistic analogies. Both are exercises in logic and finding relationships. After solving the linguistic analogies, the students easily transitioned to writing and solving mathematical proportions.

Mrs. Palmer 

7th Art
  • Students have finished up their two small study eye drawings.  We began working on our pen and ink final drawings of animals.   Students will put into practice all that they worked on with their small studies as they work on these final drawings. 

Miss Johnston

7th Latin
  • We continued working on this chapter as well as preparing for the National Latin Exam.

Dr. Wright

8th Omnibus 
  • History:   Students have received their role assignments for Medieval Day.  We are studying the high middle ages (HMA), including heraldry.  
  • Literature:  We continue to read The Two Towers.  
  • Composition:  We continue aggressively to build vocabulary using terms we meet in our literature readings.  

Miss Johnston

8th Latin
  • The students took their chapter 11 quiz on Tuesday! On Thursday they worked on preparing for the National Latin Exam. 

Mrs. Frueh

8th Science
  • Are you in motion? We learned this week that motion can only be defined and measured relative to a reference point. You may not be in motion relative to the chair you are sitting in, but every one of us is hurtling through space at a speed of 67,000 miles per hour relative to the Sun. We used this knowledge in order to analyze velocity vectors of moving objects relative to one another.
8th Algebra I
  • After learning how to solve systems of linear equations using graphing, substitution, and elimination, we learned about some special cases this week, including inconsistent equations, which produce parallel lines with no solution and equivalent equations, which produce concurrent lines with infinite solutions.

Mrs. Palmer 

8th Art
  • This week students continued to work on their cross curricular Lord of the Rings oil pastel drawings.  Each student selected an area (Mordor, the Shire, Rohan) to complete in detail.  These are coming along nicely!

Mr. Crotts

8th Logic
  • We are learning how to divide arguments into parts and run them through the square of opposition. The square of opposition shows relationships between statements.

RHETORIC SCHOOL

 

From the COLLEGE COUNSELING Office:

9th-12th: 

  • Juniors met briefly to discuss progress on completing college and skills interest surveys, “brag” sheets, and communicating with college admissions.  We talked about beginning the discussion with admissions–email to let them know you are interested and why, what specific gifts you have, and when you can schedule a visit. 
  • 9th Grade took the CLT 10 this week.  (Classical Learning Test)
  • Future CLT Dates:
    •   7th Grade – Monday, May 5
    •   8th Grade – Tuesday, May 6
    • 10th Grade – Tuesday, April 15
    • 11th Grade – Thursday, February 20  NOTE, THIS IS COMING UP NEXT WEEK!
    • 12th Grade – Thursday, April 10th

Mrs. Palmer 

9th Spanish 
  • Students received new vocabulary this week.  We worked on the present progressive tense as well as learned some irregular verbs  in this tense.  

Mrs. Frueh

9th Geometry
  • We completed our study of trigonometry by learning how to use the inverse of sine, cosine, and tangent in order to solve for an unknown angle of a triangle. 
  • Unit Test 7 on the Pythagorean Theorem and Trigonometry: next Friday, February 21st.

Mr. Crotts

9th Logic
  • We looked at the technical side of reductio ad absurdum in propositional or symbolic logic, as well as the practical application of this tool. If you want to show someone the folly of their argument, take their argument to its logical end so they see how absurd their position is.. If someone doesn’t believe in a standard of right or wrong, steal their wallet. They will all the sudden hold a standard of wrong! Did you hear the one  about  the wealthy communist…?

Dr. and Mrs. James

9th Biology
  • This week we reviewed the types of biological macromolecules.  We also reviewed replication, transcription, and translation.  The students have a take-home test due Tuesday at the beginning of class. 
  • Next week we will begin a new section focused on cell biology.

Mrs. Crotts

9th Literature
  • 9th Graders read The Great Gatsby and worked on a newspaper project that includes history and culture of Fitzgerald’s day.

Dr. James

10th Chemistry
  • This week we reviewed the gas laws and properties of gases.  The students have a take-home test that is due on Tuesday at the beginning of class.
  • Next week we will begin a study of properties of solids and liquids.

Mrs. Palmer 

10th Spanish
  • This week students practiced with several tenses and deciphering through them/remembering conjugations within the tenses.  We also worked on irregular verbs in the preterite tense.  

Mrs. Byrd

10th Algebra II
  • This week we learned to graph transformed versions of the square root function.  We also learned to solve various types of radical equations.  We will conclude this unit next week and begin a study of rational functions.

Mrs. Crotts

10th Literature
  • 10th Graders concluded mythology summary presentations.  We also began reading Oviid’s  Metamorphoses.

Miss Oldham

10th Rhetoric I
  •   Students gave their tribute speeches this week. They were very well done and I encouraged them to share with those they spoke so highly about. 

Dr. Smith

10th Historical Theology
  • Students finished learning about Renaissance humanism and how it helped fuel the Protestant Reformation. 

Coach Johnston

9th History
  • Students were briefly introduced to some of the large topics that moved America from the Civil War into the 20th century. Some of these topics include: reform, segregation, the Homestead Act of 1862, share-cropping, factory work and its impact on families in the North and Midwest, transcontinental railroads, cattle, the Gilded Age and foreign policy (Open Door Policy, Boxer Rebellion, Spanish-American War and the Panama Canal). We did not have class on Wednesday (CLT) and Friday (teacher work day), so we will continue to learn about the turn of the 20th century when we return to class next Wednesday (2/19).

Coach Johnston

10th Ancient History
  • Students concluded their study of Ancient Greece and spent a day reviewing their notes and reading material in preparation for a test on Sparta, Athens, the Greco-Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian Wars. Next week we will briefly survey the history of Philip & Alexander the Great of Macedon. From there we will connect the splintering of his empire to the emergence of Rome.

Coach Johnston

9th/10th Advanced PE
  • Students played board games, puzzles and group games, considered a couple of key life lesson stories and completed a personal workout inside this week due to the rainy weather all week.

Mrs. Palmer

11th Spanish III
  • Students took a test this week on vocabulary and two of the perfect tenses that we have learned so far.  We will continue to work with these tenses as well as add in two other perfect tenses. 

Mrs. Byrd

11th Precalculus
  • We practiced using our trig knowledge in the context of some triangle and simple harmonic motion applications.  We also began using some fundamental trig identities to help solve trig equations.
11th Physics
  • We are learning about simple harmonic motion in the context of a mass/spring system and about the exchange of energy at various points in the cycle.  Next we will analyze the same concepts in the context of a pendulum.  This is setting the stage for our study of waves more generally.

Miss Oldham

11th Literature
  • We continued with Shakespeare’s Othello and students turned in their rough drafts of their research papers. 

Dr. Smith

11th NT Greek
  • Students have been learning about present passive and future active indicative verbs, as well as contract verbs (verbs that have two vowels near the end of the term that contract to form another letter). They took a vocabulary quiz that covered thirty-one words. Next week they will have a test on grammar. 

Mr. Webster

11th-12th Systematic Theology
  • This week we continued with the doctrine of the person and work of Christ. We covered the resurrection and ascension and the offices of Christ (Prophet, Priest, King). 
11th History
  •  This week we finished up the unit by covering  the Crusades. 

Coach Johnston

12th History
  • The seniors took a Civil War quiz and began a brief overview of the Reconstruction Era. They are seeking to assess the roles that: reunion, recovery, reform and revenge played on the actions and success (or failure) of Reconstruction.

Mrs. Fairchild

12th Art History
  • This week we wrapped up studying the Greeks and we moved into studying the Romans.  We mourned the loss of so much beauty when major architectural structures and incredible sculptures were destroyed in Corinth. The students also worked through the difficulties of such astonishijg beauty and engineering being primarily used to promote and worship false gods. As we look at the Romans we see a shift in their goals and we settled in on studying the Pantheon and the Colosseum.  The Romans advancement in understanding tensile strength and how it applies to arches meant they were able to build larger structures for the people. These larger places of worship, though primarily still of false gods, and large gathering places helped to unify the people under an expanding empire. Hopefully, your students will be able to speak at length about Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders and how they were used. There will be a test on Tuesday on this material.

Miss Oldham

12th Literature
  • This week we began a journey through Hitler’s Germany with Elie Wiesel’s memoir, Night. It is a deeply moving and inspirational book that I hope your students learn from. 
12th Rhetoric II
  •   Students debriefed prepanel defenses this week. We also discussed that final drafts are due March 7th and then I want them to take those next two weeks off before we dive back in after Spring Break. I’ll send out an email reminder, but I do encourage rest and relaxation before this final sprint to the finish line. 

Mrs. Byrd

12th Calculus
  • We are working our way through a unit on basic differential equations.  This week we focused on slope fields as models of solutions to differential equations.  Next we will learn a basic technique to find particular solutions of differential equations.