BB 04/04/25

BRADFORD BULLETIN

VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 35

APR 04, 2025

 

FROM THE OFFICE

FOR ALL: 
  • IMMUNIZATIONS:  REQUIREMENT – All students in rising Kindergarten, 7th grade and 12th grade are required to receive and submit updated immunizations.  These must be on file with the school prior to the first day of the 25/26 school year.  Please schedule appointments and submit the records via TADS.  
  • YEARBOOK ORDERS:  TWO OPTIONS to place your order:  Click this link to order your yearbook  OR use your phone to scan the  QR code on your computer. *See your email**
  • Spring Soccer Club:  4th – 5th graders are invited to train and play on Wednesday afternoons.  **Watch for an email, parents!**
    • Offered by Coach Nathaniel Johnston (nathanieljohnston@bradfordacademy.org)
    • 3:15 – 4:30 pm
    • at the Walker Fields on 2nd St. 
    • NEW 5 weeks – April 15th – May 14th  *This date is one week later than what was announced last week.**
    • Fee: $20 
    • Parents will need to provide transportation
LOWER SCHOOL- IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • SPECIAL EVENT:  Thurs, 4/24, 6:30pm – Bradford Night 2.0 – 3rd and 4th graders are working hard to showcase for you all of the things they have been learning this year!  It will be an exciting evening and we hope you will join us.
  • 4th Graders:  Band Mtg on Tues, 5/20 at 5:45 pm – Please reply to the survey Mrs. Mitchell sent this week.  
UPPER  SCHOOL- IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • The Lost & Found will be cleaned out next week; whatever is left on Friday afternoon will be donated or thrown away! We keep the Lost & Found in the teacher workroom. Encourage your students to come check for missing items including jackets and sweatshirts.
  • DEADLINE Thurs, 4/10!!  Complete form and pay! – 5th Grade:  Field trip to Monticello – Complete this permission slip and purchase tickets no later than April 10th.  (The link to purchase tickets is in the permission slip.)
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:  

“Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!”  This is a little song you may hear at Bradford.  As we turn the corner to a beautiful spring season, we’ve seen more illness than we’d hoped, but also frequent reports of headache, nausea, fatigue and even dizziness.  These could also be symptoms of dehydration, which includes accompanying symptoms of lowered concentration, memory retention, and cognitive performance.  Parents may want to note how much your child is drinking before they leave for school in the morning and see if adding a little more hydration at the beginning of the day can contribute to a strong start.  We will be monitoring water intake on our end as the temperatures increase!

 

UPCOMING
NEXT WEEK:
  • Week of April 7th:  Senior Thesis Adjudication
  • Mon, 4/7:  Used uniform sale – Sign up HERE
    • 4:00 – Boys Tennis Match – HOME
  • Tues, 4/8:  
    • NEW DATE:  3rd grade field trip
    • 5:15 – Varsity girls soccer @ Crossroads
  • Wed, 4/9:  Track Meet at Trinity
  • Thurs, 4/10:  
    • 12th grade: CLT – 8:00 – 10
    • 11th grade: CLT 10 – 12:00
    • Varsity Girls soccer game AWAY
  • Fri, 4/11:
    • Varsity girls soccer AWAY

 

UPCOMING:
  • Tues, 4/15:  
    • Final day to RENEW NCOS
    • 10th grade: CLT10
  • Fri, 4/18:  Good Friday – no school
  • Mon, 4/21:  Easter Monday – no school
  • Thurs, 4/24:  
    • NEW Art Field Trip to Reynolda House 11/12th Elective
    • 3rd – 4th, Bradford Night 2.0, 6:30 pm
  • Thurs, 5/1:  Coffee and Conversation with Mr. Johnston
    • NEW  –  11:30AM – National Day of Prayer Service at Mebane Presbyterian Church
    • Varsity Girls Soccer Conference Tournament semi-final
  • Fri, 5/2:  Teacher Appreciation Day
    • Varsity Girls Soccer Conference Tournament championship game
  • Mon, 5/5:
    • 3rd -5th, and 7th grade CLT – standardized testing
  • Tues, 5/6:
    • 3rd – 6th grade CLT – standardized testing
    • 8th grade CLT – standardized testing
  • Thurs, 5/8:  Bradford Games (for upper school students)
  • Fri, 5/9:  Teacher workday
  • NEW Fri, 5/16: Career Afternoon. 12:30-2:30 PM 
  • NEW  Tues, 5/20:  
    • 5:45 – Band meeting for Rising 5th grade students – lower school auditorium
    • 7:00 – Sports Award Ceremony – lower school pavilion
  • Thurs, 5/22:  
    • TK last day of school
    • Spring Fine Arts Program:  Upper school
  • Mon, 5/26:  Memorial Day – no school
  • Wed, 5/28:
    • K – 4th grades:  Verse Bee – times TBA
    • 11th – 12th grades:  Gala at the White House on Washington
  • Thurs, 5/29:
    • 10:00 – Baccalaureate (upper school)
  • Fri, 5/30:  Last day of school!
    • Kindergarten certificate ceremony
    • All students dismissed at 12:00 pm
    • Graduation, 7pm

 

FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK

 

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

 

Transitional Kindergarten (Mrs. Grubb and Mrs. Weber)

  •  What a wonderful week we had in TK! The students loved getting back in the kitchen to make pizza. We enjoyed our pizza party yesterday as well. Our TK pizzeria was named after a book we read, “Little Ninos Pizzeria.” Thank you parents for sending in supplies and volunteering to help in the kitchen as well as for our pizza party. These events couldn’t happen without you! In addition to making pizza this week, students were introduced to new lowercase letters and new math concepts. In math, students ordered items shortest to longest, copied designs on a geoboard, and played the missing shape game after building a matrix. Students reviewed capital letters S, F, and B and learned to write the lowercase partners of these letters. We read this week about Jesus being the Servant King. We discussed what it means to serve others. Students also began learning Mark 10:45. 
  • Next week is “bug week” here in TK! We have several bug themed lessons and activities planned throughout our week. Our show & tell on Thursday will also be bug themed. We will be getting classroom caterpillars in a few weeks when the low temperatures are forecasted to be warmer. We will watch these caterpillars grow, form a chrysalis, and then become butterflies. We will then release the butterflies here at school. It is an exciting time in TK!

 

Lower School P.E. (Mrs. Bennington)

K – 4th
  •   Students did a great job this week working on various Tag Games, Relay Races,  and Kickball drills/ skills.

Lower School Music (Mrs. Bennington)

K-4th 
  • Students did a great job this week reviewing Verses 1-2 of , “Christ The Lord Is Risen Today”.  Students worked a lot on verse 3 as well.  Third and fourth grade students also worked on pieces for their Bradford Night on April 24, 2025. 

Kindergarten (Mrs. Rivera and Miss Burdeshaw)

This Week
  • Our kindergarten scholars had a great second week of fourth quarter! In math, we learned how to compare and identify two-digit numbers, how to add two-digit numbers with regrouping by using dimes and pennies, how to tell time to the half hour, how to divide a shape into fourths, and how to add ten to a number. In phonics, we started our new reader “Dan of the Den,” and introduced a new ten word spelling list which featured many of our sight words. In history, we discussed the Protestant Reformation,  which occurred in the 16th century. This revolution was led out by Martin Luther, who questioned certain beliefs of the Catholic Church. He made his thoughts known by nailing 95 theses on the door of a local church in Wittenberg, Germany. In art, we continued to discuss our artist of the quarter, Mary Cassatt, and we looked at some of her realistic paintings of children. In science, we introduced our new section on the human body and learned about the digestive system.
                      
Memory Work:   
  •  Matthew 6:9-13 and please be reviewing all verses with your child for the upcoming Bible Bee

 

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

This Week
  • We had another wonderful week of learning as we continued to develop the skills of careful observation, logical thinking, and creativity—always seeking to glorify God in our work and studies. In math this week, we practiced subtracting 0, 1, and 2, reinforcing our understanding of basic subtraction. We also learned to read a thermometer to the nearest 2 degrees Fahrenheit and applied mental computation to subtract 10 from two-digit numbers. In problem-solving, we discussed the importance of making reasonable guesses and checking our work, fostering perseverance and accuracy. Additionally, we explored overlapping geometric shapes, identifying patterns in God’s orderly design of creation. For reading this week the students are reading Cyrus the Archer, a story of perseverance and dedication. Through Cyrus’s journey, we see the importance of discipline, courage, and using our talents for a greater purpose—an important reminder of how we are called to develop the gifts God has given us. In cursive this week, we focused on forming strong, clear sentences—both by practicing writing given sentences and by creating our own. Good writing reflects clear thinking, and we are learning to communicate well through the written word. For art the students enjoyed coloring a picture while learning about Mary Cassatt, an artist known for her beautiful depictions of mothers and children. We discussed how art can reflect the beauty of God’s creation and the love shared in families. In history we began reading The Matchlock Gun, a historical story set during colonial America. The book highlights themes of bravery, responsibility, and trust in God during challenging times—lessons that remain important for us today. In science we started our new Bird of the Month which is the Brown Pelican! The students were fascinated to learn that this bird, designed by God for expert fishing, dives from the air to catch its food with precision. We discussed how each creature in God’s creation has been given special abilities to fulfill its purpose.

As we continue in our studies, we are reminded of Proverbs 16:3: “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” We strive to do our best in all things, trusting that God will guide our efforts for His glory.

 

 2nd Grade (Mrs. Hedgecock & Mrs. Eng)
This Week
  • The second-grade students continue to delight in learning new information. Our Bible verse from Philippians 2:14-15 was not too difficult to memorize but much harder to put into practice.  We hope you have noticed less complaining from your child as they strive to become lights in the world. Our history card, The Reign of Tutankhamon, was perfectly timed to go along with our reading book, “The Curse of King Tut’s Mummy”. This  is an exciting book and the students have enjoyed the journey to Egypt as the tomb of King Tut was discovered by Howard Carter after many years of searching.   Each night be sure to ask your child about their reading assignment.  Discussing what they have read helps the students better comprehend the material to better answer the comprehension questions.  Science is a favorite and last week we learned about the four layers of the earth and this week we are learning about different landforms.  

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

This Week
  • We reflected on Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. We read aloud from the account in Luke and discussed the implications of Christ’s propitiation for the sins of His people. The Last Supper has been a theme revisited throughout art history.  Students discussed the differences between Leonardo da Vinci’s and Jacopo Bassano’s rendition of Christ’s last supper. In math, we continued  analyzing bar graphs, picture graphs, line plots and tally charts. In Latin, we continued memorizing commonly used prepositions. In grammar, we studied the parts of a business letter. We finished off the week practicing the hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” in music. It was a week full of reflecting on the goodness and mercies of our Lord!
Upcoming
  • 4/8 Field Trip to Morehead Planetarium
  • 4/24 Bradford Night
4th Grade (Mrs. McDorman and Mrs. Rankin) 
This Week
  • This week, we studied Ferdinand and Isabella, who, as devout Catholics, established the Spanish Inquisition. This led to the expulsion, imprisonment, torture, and execution of Jews, Muslims, and others who challenged the Catholic Church, effectively halting the Reformation movement in Spain. In math, we transitioned from fractions to decimals. In Grammar, we wrote thank-you notes to express appreciation. We also explored Ted Kooser’s poetry, focusing on his use of small details and personification. In spelling, we reinforced the “ie/ei” rules and their exceptions. Our trip to Old Salem gave us a hands-on experience with the Moravians, followers of John Huss, whom we recently studied. As spring brings new energy, we continue our journey through the Middle Ages into the Renaissance and onto the Reformation. Ask your students to sing about it!
Upcoming:  
  • 4/22 Science: Element Projects Due
  • 4/24 Bradford Night

 

LOGIC SCHOOL

 

Mrs. Bennington

5th-10th Band

 

  • Students had a great week working on exercises to prepare for the spring concert. Students also began working on music for the concert. It was nice for students to have the opportunity to take all of the concepts that they have learned so far this year and apply them to various exercises and pieces of music.  

Mrs. Johnston

5th – 8th Chorus, Bradford Chorale
  • 5th-8th Chorus – Concert preparations are in full swing. This week we spent time discussing slowing down to make sure we hit the pitches accurately as well as pronounce words correctly. We also talked about chord progressions, where they repeat themselves in our music, and how they resolve.
  • Bradford Chorale – We are exploring a different style of music which is stretching us in new ways. The piece Daniel, falling into the genre of spirituals, has been a bit of an adventure but is starting to pull together.

All Choirs: On Wednesday Apr 9, 2025, we will be having a combined after school rehearsal for those able to come. One piece we will be singing for the concert involves all three groups and it will be beneficial to begin learning it together.

5th Grade (Mrs. LaTour and Miss Johnston) 

This Week
  •  The students had a great week! We worked on our Thomas Jefferson essays, escape rooms in history class, review vocab in Latin and we had some special projects in literature. We finished our book, Johnny Tremain, by having a debate, writing about events in the book from a reporter’s perspective and working on a reflective essay. The students learned about the Founding Fathers in history class and were able to write a short piece about Thomas Jefferson’s life in writing class. They have continued to work hard and we are excited for the fun projects and field trips coming in the next couple of weeks. Don’t forget to sign the permission slip AND pay for the tickets to Monticello! 
Memory Work:  
  • 1 Samuel 2:3-4

6th Grade (Miss Stevenson)

6th Reading and Literature
  • We are continuing to work on The Hiding Place. We will hopefully finish the book by the end of next week. 
6th Grammar and Writing
  • We are working on the fourth essay from The Lost Tools of Writing this week. Next week I will assign our final large essay of the year. It will be a compare/contrast essay on the four gospels.
6th Bible
  •  This week we continued reading through the Revelation. 
6th History
  •  We wrapped up our unit on WW1 and spent this week talking about the Roaring 20s.  We had the opportunity to watch a documentary on Charles Lindbergh’s solo flight across the Atlantic.
6th Science
  • Students did such a wonderful job on their cell projects! That wrapped up our unit on cell biology. Next week we will jump into genetics!
6th Logic
  • We discussed the bandwagon fallacy this week in Logic.
6th Latin
  •  Sixth grade had quite a big Latin week this week. They took a quiz on second declension noun endings (masculine and neuter) as well as the Chapter 7 vocabulary quiz. They will be taking the Chapter 7 test next week. 

Mrs. Crotts

6th Math
  • 6th Graders earned a treat of playing giant checkers and chess and going for a walk Monday after working hard on Chapter 10 lessons and Chapter 10 “Check Your Progress” and also hosting the Quo Vadis rising 5th grade visitors last Friday.  We resumed Chapter 10 lessons and will face a chapter review and test next Wednesday (4/9) and Thursday (4/10) respectively.

Mrs. Palmer 

6th Art
  • Students reviewed their artist of the quarter, Mary Cassatt, this week.  We continued to work on our realistic still life drawings and students also had the opportunity to go outside and practice “en plein aire” drawing (drawing from what they see in nature).

Dr. Wright

7th Composition 
  • We continue to grow vocabulary, and in the basics of structuring essays.  
7th Omnibus – Literature, History, Bible
  •  We finished Plutarch’s Lives, and continue in the Roman mythological milieu with Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.
7th Logic
  • We continue to work through the informal logical fallacies. 

Mrs. Frueh

7th Science
  • The students had some focused research time this week in preparation for their astronomy projects. They are practicing taking notes in their own words from informational texts.
7th Pre-Algebra
  • We have continued building our algebra skills this week by working through some advanced ratio problems, as well as multiplying exponential expressions with variable bases. The students were introduced to their first exponent rule: The Product Rule of Exponents. They will add this rule to their toolbox for simplifying algebraic expressions.

Mrs. Palmer 

7th Art
  • Students reviewed their artist of the quarter, Mary Cassatt, this week.  We also practiced with watercolor and began a small study using this medium. 

Miss Johnston

7th Latin
  •  This week we continued working on the second conjugation verbs as well as the perfect tense. They studied vocab, endings and we worked on translating sentences. 

Dr. Wright

8th Omnibus 
  • History:    We are discussing England and France post-1066, and the beginning of clashes and objections to the medieval Church in both England and Italy. 
  • Literature:   After our pilgrimage with Canterbury Tales concluded, we visited warmer precincts with Dante, in Canto 8 and 9 of The Inferno.  
  • Composition:  We continue to build vocabulary using terms drawn from the readings. 

Miss Johnston

8th Latin
  • The students worked on sentence translations, learning more about the genitive case and memorizing vocab.

Mrs. Frueh

8th Science
  • After studying the structure of atoms, we spent time this week looking at the formation of ions and isotopes. Ask your student why some elements are more likely to form ions, while others are more likely to remain neutral. The students also practiced reading atomic symbols this week in order to determine the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in a particular atom or ion.
8th Algebra I
  • During our class days, the students learned not only how to factor the greatest common factor out of a polynomial expression, but also how to use the Zero Product Rule in order to solve for the roots of a polynomial equation. We also found a bit of math to do in our time in Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg, most notably in realizing the folly of wasting money gambling on the popular colonial dice game of Shut the Box.

Mrs. Palmer 

8th Art
  • Students reviewed their artist of the quarter, Mary Cassatt, this week.  We also worked with watercolor and students began their final watercolor project – a landscape inspired by the Impressionists. 

Mr. Crotts

8th Logic
  • We completed studies in figure and mood of syllogisms.

RHETORIC SCHOOL

 

From the COLLEGE COUNSELING Office:

9th-12th: 

  • 11th Graders met to briefly review electives that they have taken this year.
  • 12th Graders To-Do List: Study hard, study hard, study hard!  Colleges, even after acceptance, want a final transcript!  Don’t give up!  Thank the Lord for his kindness throughout your school years and look forward to what he has planned ahead!
  • 11th Graders To-Do list: Pray for God’s direction as you continue researching colleges and scholarships.  Continue reading about colleges and make a list of schools of interest.  Speak to current and alumni of schools in the area or that have attended schools of interest.  Also continue researching scholarship opportunities.
  • Wednesday, April 9, 10th and 11th graders will gather for lunch (in room 308 at 11:45 AM) to learn about electives.  This is a time to get motivated–if a student knows what school he or she would like to attend or if the student clearly knows what career for which they are gifted electives can aid in getting a head start.  If the student does not know where he or she wants to attend college or what career to choose, electives are a great way to explore various subjects!

Bradford offers electives and we also offer the opportunity to take classes in person and online at Alamance Community College or online with other great colleges and universities such as Colorado Christian, Liberty, Grove City, etc.

Mrs. Palmer 

9th Spanish 
  •  Students worked with new vocabulary this week.  We also continued to work on the preterite tense as well as introduce some irregular verbs in the preterite.   Students were introduced to their final project of the year. 

Mrs. Frueh

9th Geometry
  • In addition to our travels in Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, we also spent time this week reviewing how to calculate the area of polygons, circles, and sectors. The students took their first Quarter 4 test on Friday. 

Mr. Crotts

9th Logic
  • We learned binary arithmetic.

Dr. and Mrs. James

9th Biology
  • This week the students participated in a Bradford field trip, and we continued our introduction to microbiology, including searching for protists in pond water samples.
  • Next week we will conclude our introduction to microbiology, and the students will take their first test of Q4.

Mrs. Crotts

9th Literature
  • 9th Graders visited Williamsburg and its surroundings earlier this week.  Thursday, they were given time to complete reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm and also character sketch presentations.

Dr. Byrd 

9th Bible 
  • The Gospel of Matthew is completed and we have also finished the Gospel of Mark. It has been thrilling to learn more about the Lord Jesus, his life, ministry, death, and resurrection. 
  • Memory Verse: Mark 10:45

Coach Johnston

9th History
  • Students completed a very active and fun World War 1 dodgeball reenactment on Monday and then spent two days at Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg before returning to school and on Friday we began the introduction to WW2.

Coach Johnston

10th History
  • Students completed a Roman Geography quiz this week while continuing to study the problems of the Roman Republic following the Punic Wars and the men who attempted to reform the virtue of Romans and the effectiveness of the republic (Cato the Elder, Scipio Aemilianus and the Gracchi Brothers). Their failures will lead to civil war within Rome, triumvirates, new civil wars and ultimately emperors. We are also continuing to read about the Jewish Rebellion and Rome’s conquest of Jerusalem.

Coach Johnston

9/10th PE
  • Half the class enjoyed a quiet volleyball day outside while the 9th grade was away on a field trip, then students played another kickball match on Thursday.

Dr. James

10th Chemistry
  • This week we concluded our introduction to thermodynamics.  
  • Next week the students will take their first test of Q4, and we will begin an introduction to reaction kinetics.

Mrs. Palmer 

10th Spanish
  • We continued to work with the four pillars of language learning this week by focusing on reading and listening. We introduced the subjunctive mood and learned the endings associated with the subjunctive mood. 

Mrs. Byrd

10th Algebra II
  • This week we concluded our study of Exponential and Log Functions and began a new unit on Rational Functions.

Mrs. Crotts

10th Literature
  • 10th Graders watched the second half of “The Most Reluctant Convert”– a documentary about C.S. Lewis’ coming to faith.  They also read George MacDonald’s Phantastes and worked on “shadow” word study presentations.  (MacDonald’s book is said to have had an impact on C.S. Lewis bridge from theism–believe that a monotheist god exists–to Christianity—faith resting solely in God and salvation brought only through faith in Christ’s life, death and resurrection.

Miss Oldham

10th Rhetoric I
  •     Students completed an Annotated Bibliography for their Teeny Tiny Theses. 

Dr. Smith

10th Historical Theology
  • Students are continuing to learn about how the crisis of authority spawned by the Protestant Reformation was directed in sinful ways by the enemies of the Christian faith and Christ’s church. They are learning about the rise and characteristics of Modern Biblical Criticism, which attacked the authority of Scripture and was at the root of what came to be labeled “The Enlightenment.” 

Mrs. Palmer

11th Spanish III
  • Students took a vocabulary quiz this week.  We introduced new vocabulary and continued to work with the subjunctive mood.  Students also practiced speaking by studying an image and speaking about it only in the target language. 

Mrs. Byrd

11th Precalculus
  •  Our study of analytical trig is concluding and we are beginning to consider how to use matrices to solve systems of equations.
11th Physics
  • We wrapped up our study of waves and now are learning how light reflects and refracts.  This involves ray tracing.

Miss Oldham

11th Literature
  • We began one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, Much Ado About Nothing. 

Dr. Smith

11th NT Greek
  • Students took a pop-quiz that covered some of the material learned near the beginning of the school year and started learning about different forms of the Aorist verb, as well as some new vocabulary. 

 

Mrs. Fairchild

11/12 Art History Elective
  • We are moving from the Gothic time period into the early Renaissance. This week we settled into long discussions and debates about the Ghent Altarpiece and the fascinating history of this work. Besides being stolen 13 times, this painting has been undergoing a cleaning and conservation process which has removed layers of dirt and paint leaving behind the original painting. It appears that the artists who touched up the painting in 1550 changed the meaning of the painting and it wasn’t until it was cleaned that we are able to fully see the original work. The class settled into a debate over the original intent of the artist and how it changed their understanding and deepened their appreciation for the art.

Coach Johnston

12th History
  • Students briefly discussed some of the people and the economic and political efforts during the Great Depression. They then read about a sobering massacre between Japan and China at the beginning of World War II, in order to reflect upon hard lessons about human nature: evil, injustice and courage. We concluded the week by discussing how World War II began due to CIA: Russian Collusion, American Isolation and British Appeasement. 

Miss Oldham

12th Literature
  •  Students have continued through As I Lay Dying. It has been fun to overhear the speculations and discussions they’ve had about the book while walking in the hallway! 
12th Rhetoric II
  •   Thesis defenses begin on Monday! Please be in prayer for our seniors as they face their panelists. If you would like to attend a defense, they are on the Bradford calendar for this coming week and the following week. 

Mrs. Byrd

12th Calculus
  •   We are learning how to calculate volume using integrals and various types of cross sections.  We are nearly done learning our content for the year.  The rest of our time will be spent reviewing and getting ready for the AP/final exam.