BB 05-22-26

BRADFORD BULLETIN

VOLUME XVIII, ISSUE 41

May 22, 2026

 

FROM THE OFFICE

IMPORTANT NOTES:  

  • French Toast Sale:  Mark your calendars!  The sale will run from June 8 – 22nd.  Stay tuned for more details.
  • Summer athletic camps:  Details and links are provided below.  Sign up today!
  • Last day of school events:  Watch for emails with more details and rain plans!

LOWER SCHOOL:  Students, wear t-shirts in house colors and black athletic shorts

      • 8:00 – Forum
      • 8:30 – Kindergarten certificates – parents welcome!
      • 9:00 – Field day activities
      • 11:30 – Senior Run, House Cup Announcement, Countdown to summer
      • 12:00 – Dismissal for all students!

UPPER SCHOOL:  Students, wear t-shirts in house colors (or PE shirt) and black athletic shorts

      • **DROP OFF AT MACC**
      • 8:00 – 11:00  – Forum and fun competitions
      • 11:00 – Walk to Lower School
      • 11:30 – Senior Run, House Cup Announcement, Countdown to summer
      • 12:00 – Dismissal for all students from Lower School campus.  (Student drivers will walk back to MACC and leave from there.)

LOWER SCHOOL IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • FROM MRS. MITCHELL:  Looking for summer resources to keep kids engaged?  Here are a few suggestions:  Participate in Bradford’s summer reading contest for house points (instructions and recording log will come home in red folders next week).  The grade level book lists will come via email so that you can click on our library link to see the book titles and series that qualify for points.
    • Complete the summer fun checklist (also included in red folders next week)
    • Vacation Stations – This came to my inbox this week and teachers agreed that it is a resource you would find helpful to keep your student doing some light academics.  Scroll down on the page to access and order the rising grade level for your student, if you’re interested.

 

UPPER SCHOOL IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • FROM DR. SMITH: I cannot remember a day when I did not enjoy reading. Of course, throughout my life its difficulty, subject matter, purpose and even language has varied. The most important academic skill that we give students is the ability to read. If you can read, you can virtually teach yourself anything. God designed humans to be readers. The fact that one of the primary ways in which God has revealed himself is through a written revelation means, among other things, that God has designed humans to make reading a life priority. Furthermore, our reading is part of the larger reality of communication in general. Because we have been created in the image of God, we are communicative beings. Such communication includes writing and reading. Our summer reading assignments, then, really should not merely be seen as a Bradford requirement, but more importantly an opportunity to mature as a human being. Engage your sons and/or daughters about their reading, and do some yourself, and share what you are reading.  

 

UPCOMING

NEXT WEEK:

  • Mon, 5/25:  Memorial Day – no school
  • Wed, 5/27:  
    • Lower school Verse Bee 
      • K–1st: 9:00 
      • 2nd–3rd: 10:00
      • 4th: 11:00
    • 11th-12th Gala
  • Thurs, 5/28: 10:00 Baccalaureate at upper school
  • Fri, 5/29:  LAST day of school  
    • 6:45am – Seniors’ Breakfast with Mr. Johnston
    • Noon dismissal FOR ALL STUDENTS.  No after school!
    • 7:00 – Graduation

SUMMER:

  • Library and Office Hours:  Tuesdays – Thursdays, 9am – 12pm.  Office will be closed June 10th – 17th
  • Basketball Open gyms
    • Starting June 1st
    • Mondays, 5 PM-7 PM
    • Grades 7-12
    • Eastside Baptist Gym 
  • Tennis Hit and Play  
    • Starting June 1st
    • Mondays, 2 PM-4 PM
    • Grades 7-12
    • Walker Tennis Courts 
  • Tuesday Night Soccer
    • Starting June 2nd
    • Tuesdays, 7 PM
    • Grades 7 – 12, plus parents and alumni 
    • MACC baseball fields
  • Basketball Camp
    • Dates: June 8-11, 2026
    • Grades 4-6, 8:15 AM-10:15 AM
    • Grades 7-12, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM
    • Eastside Baptist Church Gym
    • 333 Supper Club Rd, Mebane
    • Cost: $125/wk or $35/day, t-shirt included if you register by May 31
  • Soccer Camp 2026: Rising K-6th
    • Date/time: June 22-26, 8:30a-12:30p
      Location: Walker Field (pickup and drop off) and the Old Rec Center (indoor sessions each day to help reduce heat risks)
      Cost: $125/wk or $35/day, t-shirt included if you register by May 31
  • Soccer Camp 2026: Rising 7th-12th
    • Date/time: June 22-26, 6:30-8:30p
    • Location: MACC baseball fields
    • Cost: $125/wk or $35/day, t-shirt included if you register by May 31
  • Girls’ Volleyball Camp 2026: Rising 5th-7th
    • Date/time: July 20-23, 9a-11a
    • Location: Eastside Baptist gym
    • Cost: $100/wk, $35/day, t-shirt included if you register by May 31
  • Girls’ Volleyball Camp 2026: Rising 8th-12th
    • Date/time: July 20-23, 1p-3p
    • Location: Eastside Baptist gym
    • Cost: $100/wk, $35/day, t-shirt included if you register by May 31
  • Saturday, July 4th:  City of Mebane Parade and celebration downtown  RSVP HERE
  • Saturday, July 25th:  7pm – Burlington Sock Puppets game – 40% of sales using this link go to Bradford.  Purchase tickets here

 

FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Transitional Kindergarten (Mrs. Grubb and Mrs. Weber)

It was the final week of TK and we had an exciting week to end the year! On Monday, the 5 day students suggested games and activities. We worked to enjoy as many of their activities as we were able. Tuesday was movie day in TK. On Wednesday, students were treated to reading buddies with the kindergarten students, a Q & A with kindergarten students & teachers, as well as recess with the kindergarteners. We ended the day with cleaning our classrooms. We released butterflies earlier in the week which was a treat. The students also worked hard to rehearse for the performance that they shared on the last day of school. We had a wonderful end of the year celebration. Thank you for joining us yesterday  and for a great year. Have a great summer!

Lower School Art (Mrs. Knight)

3rd
  • Third graders are diligently working to finish their last project, which is a surprise. 
4th
  • In our last class of the year, we reviewed art terms and our artists for the year as we carefully colored our cities in one-point perspective. A couple projects will be coming home in student portfolios. Be on the lookout for some lovely artwork. 

Lower School P.E.  (Mrs. Bennington)

K-4th
  • Students did a great job in PE this week. Students played several games to foster teamwork and prepare  for Field Day. 

Lower School Music (Mrs. Bennington)

K-4th
  • Kindergarten through fourth grade students did a great job working on the first and second verse of, “America the Beautiful”. Third and fourth grade students continued with recorder songs. 

Kindergarten (Mrs. Rivera and Miss Burdeshaw)

This Week:

Our kindergarten scholars are only one week away from the end of the school year! This week, we had our Community Helper Week. We are very thankful for the many career paths that were represented! The students enjoyed the presentations and loved asking questions.  In math, we learned how to tell time to the hour and half hour, and how to count by 1s, 5s, 10s, and 25s in coins. In phonics, we spent some time reading the “I Can Read” books and reviewed all of the phonograms. In history, we learned all about our local government and what it means to vote. The students had their very first field trip to Mebane City Hall and loved learning what it means to be a council member. The comfy chairs were a plus too! Please be reviewing your bible verses with your child, as we have our Bible Bee next Wednesday. 

Memory Work:

Review all of them for the Bible Bee; Wednesday, May 27th

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

This Week: 
This week was all about the money in math! Kids were very excited and interested in looking at their coins. They noticed that all of them said, “In God We Trust”. They found the oldest and the newest coins, showed off the pretty pictures of different states on the quarter, and learned to count coins to make $1.00. We also did a little bit of math review each day, using the end of the year test (not scored) as a guide. We read Frog & Toad “The Swim” and were able to discuss the ideas of kindness as well as being able to laugh at a potentially embarrassing situation. The students completed a packet of fun Frog and Toad comprehension questions, cut & paste story ordering, crosswords, and more for grammar and cursive. We had a daily “Spelling Bee” using spelling lists A – K. We read about Abraham Lincoln and Buffalo Bill in history as well as finishing up our history journals. The students are excited that our caterpillars turned into chrysalis and check every morning to see how they are. In science we made jello to see first hand examples of the three states of matter – solid, liquid, and gas. Ask your kids to sing the 3 states of matter song for you. We spent a lot of time reviewing the Bible verses for the whole year. We really want these to be rock solid before leaving first grade so that they can recall them years or decades from now when needed. Isaiah 55:11 (NIV) says, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,  but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” 
  • Note: We highly recommend this book! It is a great start for ensuring your child doesn’t suffer from the summer slump and retains some of what they learned this year. It has a fun page a day for 10 weeks with a little bit of math, reading, grammar, and writing. Only $15. Your kids will enjoy it!
  • Vacation Stations: Wheels Westward (rising 2nd graders) | BJU Press 

Memory Work:  

Review ALL verses. Bible Bee on Wednesday May 27th at 9AM. Join us!

Upcoming:      
  • Memorial Day – Monday May 25 – No school
  • Last Day of School – Friday May 29 – Half Day – Field Day – NOON dismissal – No afterschool

2nd Grade (Miss Verroi & Mrs. Eng)

This Week: 

This last full week of the 2024-2025 school year has been a full week of review.  We have spent a good amount of time preparing for the Verse Bee.  It is amazing to hear the students recite the verses so well!  For our Latin review the students are drawing pictures that include many of the 100+ words that we learned.  What a creative group of students!  At the conclusion of this new spelling list the students will have learned more than 75% of all the words we read and write.  Keep up the good work by reviewing the words.  Our last book of the year, Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat, has been a fun adventure with Billy and his two pet owls.  A highlight was dissecting owl pellets.  It was a challenging puzzle trying to decipher what the owl might have eaten from the bone parts in the pellets.  We encourage the students to go on many adventures this summer with some of the characters we introduced them to during second grade.   WOW – what a year it has been for second graders!

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

This Week

We examined various factors that led to the Western Roman Empire’s downfall this week, including weak emperors after Constantine. There were also  internal problems like corruption, overexpansion, and economic difficulties, as well as external pressures from Germanic tribes and other groups. These factors contributed to a gradual decline and ultimately led to the empire’s collapse. In 476 AD, the Germanic leader, Odoacer, deposed the last Western Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus, marking the symbolic end of the Western Roman Empire. This led to a period of significant change and upheaval in Western Europe, often referred to as the “Dark Ages.” This era was marked by the breakdown of centralized government, a decline in trade and learning, and the rise of various Germanic kingdoms. While the Eastern Roman Empire continued as the Byzantine Empire, the Western Roman Empire’s fall ushered in a period of fragmentation and instability.  We finished our final week of academic testing, wrapped up the curriculum, and practiced for the Iliad play. It is hard to believe we are about to close out another great school year!

Upcoming:
  • Iliad Play – 5/28 at 1:00 PM in the Sanctuary 

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

Week 9 John Knox & the Reformation in Scotland

What a full week in fourth grade! We continued to learn about John Knox and the Scottish Reformation, focusing on his stormy relationship with Mary, the Catholic  Queen of Scots. These kids love a good monarchical crisis! Despite being in our final days, we are learning new math concepts of perimeter and area, which give students a taste of using algebraic formulas. Students are being challenged to understand shapes by their definitions and categories, not merely by their names. Ask your students to explain why a square is a rectangle! Students are putting final touches on their catapults and  trebuchets, and are anxious to launch next week.  This week was packed with review and hands-on activities, giving students the opportunity to use all the learning tools they’ve collected throughout the year. We’re proud of their hard work– and now we are all looking forward to the final week of school and the upcoming Bible Bee!

 

LOGIC SCHOOL

Mrs. Bennington

5th-6th Band
  • Students did an amazing job this week preparing for our concert this past Thursday night. I am so proud of all the hard work these students have put into learning their music, focusing on details,  working together as a team, and most importantly giving God all the glory through the process. Students did an outstanding job at the Patriotic Concert and fully carried out the verse from Eccelestates 9:10~” Whatever your hands find to do, do it with your might!” I am so excited to see what these students can do in band next year.  Job Well Done!
7th-8th Band
  • Students did an amazing job this week preparing for our concert this past Thursday night. I am so proud of all the hard work these students have put into learning their music, focusing on details,  working together as a team, and most importantly giving God all the glory through the process. Students did an outstanding job at the Patriotic Concert and fully carried out the verse from Eccelestates 9:10~” Whatever your hands find to do, do it with your might!” I am so excited to see what these students can do in band next year.  Job Well Done!

Mrs. Johnston

5th – 8th Choir
  • It was a full week of rehearsals culminating in a wonderful performance. I cannot commend you enough for your hard work and dedication to bringing everything together. It has been a privilege to work with you all and I am so proud of what you accomplished. May God be glorified through what you did.

5th Grade (Mrs. LaTour and Miss Johnston) 

This Week
  •  The students had an excellent week as they worked hard to study for tests, learn the material and practice for the Patriotic Program! We finished our history curriculum by learning about the War of 1812 and the Missouri Compromise. We finished Latin and spelling and the students spent ample time preparing for their science presentations. We are so proud of how hard they have worked this year and it has been a joy to be their teacher! We hope you all enjoy a long, restful weekend. 
Memory Work:

Proverbs 15:16-17

Mrs. Knight

5th Art
  • In our classes this week we reviewed for and took our final cumulative quiz for the year. The remainder of our time was spent working on our artist’s choice project. It has been a wonderful year of learning and creating. Be sure to come see students’ artwork on display before the patriotic program. 

6th Grade (Mrs. McDorman and Miss Pugsley)

6th Reading and Literature
  • We finished Around the World in Eighty Days, reflecting on Phileas Fogg’s journey, the surprising conclusion, and the themes of perseverance, loyalty, and providence throughout the story.
6th Grammar and Writing
  • Students wrapped up their compare/contrast essays on the Gospels, drawing connections between the accounts while recognizing each author’s unique emphasis and perspective. 
6th History
  • Students wrapped up our study of history by reviewing major people, events, and ideas from the year while completing a final chronology quiz to strengthen their understanding of historical sequence and connections across time.
6th Science
  • Students reviewed key genetics concepts, including inherited traits, dominant and recessive genes, and Punnett squares, before taking their final assessment on genetics.
6th Logic
  • Students reviewed several logical fallacies, including hasty generalization, post hoc ergo propter hoc, and weak analogy, before taking their final logic assessment. 

Mrs. Crotts

6th Math
  • Students worked in groups to complete activities related to the final three chapters–15-17.  On Thursday, they had a lego day–students could bring a contained set of legos to build keeping polynomials, area, and volume in mind. They have done well to balance all of the rehearsals for the music program and also regular school tasks!

Mrs. Wright

6th Latin
  • The 6th grade Latin students are wrapping up their study of Capitulum IX.  They each took the practice pensa (test) earlier in the week and then the Pensa later in the week.  Well done, discipulī!

Mrs. Palmer

6th Art
  • Students started one final project this week using either colored pencils or oil pastel. We look forward to sending their hard work home soon!

Dr. Wright

7th Omnibus
  • We have finished Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and continue to wrestle with the moral and Scriptural rightness of Brutus’s actions.  Students performed very well during an in-class structured conversation (similar to a debate, but less formal and slower).  Our question under consideration was “Can a good man do an evil deed for a good cause?”  Students are now putting their personal thoughts on this topic into their final, major project for the year: a persuasive essay with full refutation.  

Mrs. Frueh

7th Science
  •  As we’ve completed our science curriculum for the year, we used science class time this week to work on our last few math lessons in preparation for our final math test of the year.
7th Pre-Algebra
  • We finished the year with one final unit test covering probability, triangles, the coordinate plane, and calculating the volume and surface area of cones and pyramids. The students are now ready to move on to Algebra 1, their first high school math class. I highly recommend that students keep their algebra skills sharp over the summer so they’re ready to hit the ground running in the fall. Two great options for summer review are: (1) Either the Pre-algebra or Algebra 1 course on Khan Academy (a free online course provider) or (2) Kumon review workbooks targeted at skills that your student needs to review. If you have questions about your student’s specific needs, please reach out to me at jfrueh@bradfordacademy.org. 

Mrs. Palmer 

7th Art
  • Students started one final project this week using either colored pencils or oil pastel. We look forward to sending their hard work home soon!

Mrs. Wright

7th Latin
  •   The 7th grade Latin students have been working on a noun case usage art project.  This is a fun, creative way to reenforce some of what they have learned this year.
7th Logic
  •   The 7th grade Logic students learned about the Fallacy of Distinction without a Difference and also completed their chapter review.  At the end of the week they took their final test for the year.  

Dr. Wright

8th Omnibus 
  • Students have completed their biographical research papers, as well as their presentations on historical figures from the late medieval era.  We also have finished Return of the King, which means that these students have read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, a significant reading milestone.  I’m grateful to give them such a great foundation in Tolkien’s solid 20th century epic fiction work; perhaps in the future they will be less likely to reach for tired Lewis. 

Mrs. Frueh

8th Science
  • We completed our survey of the periodic table with a detailed study of the groups of non-metals, including the Halogens and Noble Gases. We will take our final science test of the year next Wednesday. 
8th Algebra I
  • What a joy it was to finish our very last Algebra I lesson this week, a lesson  on using the Quadratic Equation! The students have worked so hard this year and have learned a tremendous amount in their first high-school level mathematics course. There is a great sense of accomplishment in finishing a year-long course of study and finishing it well. They should be commended for a job well done!

Mrs. Palmer 

8th Art
  •  Students finished up their clay projects by painting them this week. We look forward to sending their hard work home soon!

Mr. Crotts

8th Logic
  • Students have been working on our final exam project – an essay on logic, reason, arguments, use of language, and presenting an argument that holds together and commits no fallacies or other errors.

RHETORIC SCHOOL

From the COLLEGE COUNSELING Office:

9th-12th: 
  • Now is the time to fill out those Activity Sheets (resume)!  Add activities, awards, projects, jobs, internships, etc. so you won’t be overwhelmed as a senior applying to college or for scholarships and also for opportunities post high school.
  • This is a great time for rising 9th-12th graders to add college visits to their summer activities.

Seniors had final discussions about job and college plans for the summer and next year.

Juniors and Sophomores concluded decisions about elective choices for the next school year.  Several will be taking advantage of dual enrollment opportunities at Alamance Community College and Liberty University.

Mrs. Palmer 

9th Spanish 
  •  We spent this past week reviewing. Students also presented their cultural presentations and informed us on many wonderful Spanish-speaking countries. 

Coach Johnston

9th History
  • Students continued their survey work of the Cold War. This week we covered the Vietnam War and are prepared to conclude this quick survey next week.

Ms. Oldham

9th Rhetoric I
  •  Students delivered their chreias based on books from Literature class this year. 

Mrs. Frueh

9th Biology
  • To complete our survey of the animal kingdom, each student researched a single animal class or phylum and then presented their research to the class. It is amazing to see the almost indescribable diversity of life that God created on planet Earth! In preparation for next week’s dissection lab, we concluded our animal survey with Class Mammalia, the most complex group in the animal kingdom. The purpose of next week’s dissection will be to survey the eleven body systems found in Class Mammalia.

Mrs. Frueh

9th Geometry
  • The students were hard at work this week building balsa wood bridges that will be tested for weight-bearing capacity next week. It has been rewarding to watch them work collaboratively and to listen to them debate the value of isosceles triangles versus equilateral triangles in their truss designs. This has been an opportunity for them to apply hands-on knowledge of angles in a practical way while using the engineering design process. Stay tuned to hear which truss design was strongest!

Mrs. Crotts

9th Literature
  • Students completed grammar and quotes tests and concluded the week by watching Spencer Tracey’s “The Old Man and the Sea.”  They also prepared reenactments of favorite scenes from books we’ve read this year in class and will present these on Tuesday of next week.

Mrs. Fairchild 

9th – 11th Art Foundations
  • The students are working quickly trying to finalize their last plein air oil painting. To our dismay, the flowers that our 11th graders had been painting have been chopped down and removed. They are now learning to pivot and creatively solve the problem.

Mrs. Bennington

9th-11th Band 
  •  Students did an amazing job this week preparing for our concert this past Thursday night. I am so proud of all the hard work these students have put into learning their music, focusing on details,  working together as a team, and most importantly giving God all the glory through the process. Students did an outstanding job at the Patriotic Concert and fully carried out the verse from Eccelestates 9:10~” Whatever your hands find to do, do it with your might!” I am so excited to see what these students can do in band next year.  Job Well Done!

Mrs. Johnston

9th-11th Chorus/Bradford Chorale
  • It was a full week of rehearsals culminating in a wonderful performance. I cannot commend you enough for your hard work and dedication to bringing everything together. It has been a privilege to work with you all and I am so proud of what you accomplished. May God be glorified through what you did. Next week we perform for graduation.

Dr. James

10th Chemistry
  • This week the students took their test on acid-base chemistry, and we reviewed for the final exam. 
  • Next week the students will take their final exam, which will be their last assignment for the class.

Mrs. Palmer 

10th Spanish
  •  Students spent this past week reviewing and going over past concepts. We also took a vocabulary quiz. 

Mrs. Byrd

10th Algebra II
  • We completed a CSI style project involving Conic Sections.  We also took up two computer science topics and learned some basics about the binary and hexadecimal numbering system.  Next week we will cap off the year with a review game.

Mrs. Crotts

10th Literature
  • Students wrote a collective story about the last two weeks of school to share (in theory) with a new student.  It was quite accurate and humorous in how they described surviving and thriving amidst tests, papers, projects and rehearsals.  Also, to add to the humor, one group wrote the opening, one group wrote the body of the story and one group wrote the conclusion without conferring with the other group.  In addition, the class prepared favorite scenes to reenact next Tuesday from books that we have read this year.

Miss Oldham

10th Rhetoric II
  •  Students began their Teeny Tiny Thesis presentations. We will finish them on Tuesday. 

Coach Johnston

10th History
  • Students completed their review and took their final exam on Friday. 

Dr. Smith

10th Historical Theology 
  • Students finished reading J. Gresham Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism, and are taking a quiz on chapters 5 through 7 on Friday. 
11th Precalculus
  • We completed our unit on basic counting principles, permutations, combinations, and basic probability.  Students also worked on a CSI style project involving matrices.  Next week we will conclude the year with a game that reviews sequences and series.

Miss Oldham

11th Literature
  •  Students took their final exam and received their summer reading assignment. 

Mrs. Wright

11th NT Greek
  • The NT Greek students spent time in review for their exam and then took their test.  They then finished the week by translating John 9.

Mr. Webster

11th History
  •  This week we finished our unit on the Italian Renaissance. We ended the week by taking our unit test. The students also submitted their papers that they had been working on this quarter. 

Dr. Smith

11th-12th Apologetics
  • We completed our reading and discussing of Carl Trueman’s book Strange New World.

Coach Johnston

12th History
  • Students concluded the year by completing a Memorial Day Medal of Honor assignment, briefly considering modern politics, some discussion on modern culture and the global war on terror.

Ms. Oldham

12th Literature
  •   Students took their final exam. 

Mrs. Byrd

12th Calculus
  • This week students worked on optional projects that reviewed various topics from the year.