BB 09-27-2024

BRADFORD BULLETIN

VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 13

SEPT 27, 2024

 

FROM THE OFFICE

What a start to fall break!  Hurricane Helene is moving its way north and bringing the threat of tornadoes, flooding and power outages.  We pray that each family will be kept safe as you venture into whatever plans you have for the next week.

FOR ALL:  
  • Report cards are available via EDUCATE.   Hard copies will be sent home after fall break.
  • FALL BREAK:  Mon, 9/30 – Fri, 10/4 –  no school!
  • Sweaters are REQUIRED with dress uniform for 2nd and 3rd quarters (K – 10th).  Please visit the uniform code for your child’s grade and gender for instructions on placing an order if needed.
LOWER SCHOOL:
  • Wed, 10/16:  No school!  Parent-Teacher Conferences are being offered throughout the day.  Please sign up here!
UPPER SCHOOL:
  • Wed, 10/16:  No school!  Parent-Teacher Conferences are being offered throughout the day by appointments for some of the staff.  (Note:  any teacher not listed on the sign up sheet welcomes you scheduling an appointment directly with them via email.)  Please sign up here!
  • 11th grade:  PSAT – link to sign up and pay. – Test date: 10/9
  • 10th – 11th grade:  Field trip to see traveling Smithsonian exhibit, 10/10.  Permission slip link.
  • 10th – 11th grade:  DC Trip Payment Link – first payment due by Mon, 9/30!
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:

“Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)  What a joy it is when we see both of these on display.  At this week’s soccer tournament 1st – 4th graders demonstrated a high level of sportsmanship and grew in their soccer skills, which Mrs. Bennington has been teaching all quarter.  Thanks to all the parents who were able to join us and support their houses.  So, who won?  It was very close…the order was:  Scrooby, Leiden, Austerfield & Plymouth.  Congratulations to Scrooby! Mark your calendars for the next Lower School house competition, the Greek Olympics on October 25th.

 

UPCOMING

 

NEXT WEEK:
  • Mon, 9/30 – Deadline for first payment – 10th – 11th – DC Trip
  • Mon, 9/30 – Fri, 10/4:  FALL BREAK

 

 IN THE NEAR FUTURE:
  • Week of 10/7:  Upper school:   IST (Intensive Short Term) for 9th – 12th grades
    • 9th:  Technology
    • 10th / 11th:  Civics
    • 12th:  Senior Thesis
  • Mon, 10/7: AWAY Varsity Boys soccer at Cresset Christian (4:30pm)
  • Tues, 10/8: Varsity Athletic Events
    • HOME Varsity Girls Volleyball game vs. Grace Christian Academy at the MACC (3:30pm), SENIOR Night for volleyball
    • AWAY middle school and Varsity Cross Country Conference Championship Race at New Garden Friends (4pm/4:30pm/5:00pm/5:45pm, awards ceremony afterwards)
  • Wed, 10/9:  Upper School:  Juniors take PSAT
  • Thurs, 10/10:  
    • All Parents Welcome – Coffee and Discussion with Mr. Johnston
    • NEW 10th – 11th grades:  field trip (traveling Smithsonian exhibit)
    • AWAY Varsity Boys Soccer: 1st Round of Conference Tournament
  • Fri, 10/11: HOME Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Grace Christian Academy at the MACC (3:30pm), SENIOR Night for soccer
  • Week of 10/14 and 10/21:  Upper School:  NCISAA State Playoffs
  • Wed, 10/16:  Teacher Workday 
  • Fri, 10/18:  Scrooby House social (details to come)
  • NEW Mon, 10/21:  School Pictures – Make up day
  • NEW Tues, 10/22:  2nd grade Field Trip (see email for details)
  • Fri, 10/25:  
    • Upper school: Varsity  XC State Championship (Hendersonville)
    • Lower school:  K – 4th – Greek Olympics
  • Sat, 10/26:  Austerfield House Social (details to come)
  • Fri, 11/1:  
    • Upper school:  Hobbit Day (5th grade – details to come)
    • Leiden House Social (Details to come)
  • Sat, 11/2: Plymouth House Social
  • NEW DATE Wed, 11/6:  Lower School:  4th Field trip – Botanical Gardens
  • Thurs, 11/7:  
    • All parents:  Used Uniform Sale 
    • All Parents:  Coffee and Discussion with Mr. Johnston
    • Upper school:  Parents Day (Parents and grandparents mark your calendar!)
  • Fri, 11/8:  
    • Upper school:  Parents Day (Parents and grandparents mark your calendar!)
    • Upper school:  10th grade – Jr/Sr Preview  – Lunch discussion (Parents welcome!)
  • Mon, 11/11:  All:  Veterans Day – No school
  • Thurs, 11/14:  Lower school:  K – 2nd grade – Bradford Night
  • Tues, 11/26:  Thanksgiving Feasts
  • Wed, 11/27 – Fri, 11/29:  Thanksgiving Break
  • Sun, 12/1:  Applications open for 25/26
  • Thurs, 12/5:  All parents:  Coffee and Discussion with Mr. Johnston
  • Fri, 12/6:  Upper School:  6th grade Field Trip to Appomattox Court House
  • Week of 12/16:  Upper School:  Q2 Finals
  • Wed, 12/18:  Lower school:  TK Parents Coffee and Donuts, TK Nativity Play
  • Thurs, 12/19:  Upper school:  Christmas Concert
  • Fri, 12/20:  Christmas celebrations, Noon dismissal

 

FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK

 

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

 

Transitional Kindergarten (Mrs. Grubb and Mrs. Weber)

This Week
  • TK students ended the first quarter of the year with a few very exciting activities. We celebrated Johnny Appleseed’s birthday by making hats and learning about his contributions to America many years ago. Students also learned about Joseph the forgiving prince this week and his colorful coat given to him by his father. Students were able to use torn pieces of construction paper to create a beautiful mosaic coat of their own. These will be displayed in the classrooms for a few weeks before they are sent home. In math this week students learned to order numbers 1-5 and play a missing number game. Students also practiced graphing pattern blocks and writing number 3. A few of our centers this week included: reading a book about fall & discussing signs of fall, practicing writing on chalkboards, practicing counting words in a sentence and playing a recycling game while discussing how we can care for our world. We look forward to the fun and learning that the second quarter will bring! 

Lower School P.E. (Mrs. Bennington)

K – 4th
  •  First through fourth grade students did a great job with the Soccer Tournament this week in PE. Fun was had by all. A special Thank You to all of our seniors for helping out with the event. Thank you, parents for coming out to support your child and all of our lower school students. Thank You, teachers for working so hard with your assigned team and for being so flexible on the day of the event. Kindergarten did a great job playing the game, “Four Corners”. 

Lower School Music (Mrs. Bennington)

K-3rd
  • Students did a great job performing the first two verses of  “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” in small groups. I was very impressed with how well the students could sing the correct pitches and the correct words. More importantly, I am very happy that the students know the meaning of the first two verses of this hymn and that each verse in a hymn tells part of the overall story. We spent the rest of class on the third verse. Students are progressing nicely. 
4th
  •  Students did a great job performing the first two verses of  “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” in small groups. I was very impressed with how well the students could sing the correct pitches and the correct words. More importantly, I am very happy that the students know the meaning of the first two verses of this hymn and that each verse in a hymn tells part of the overall story. We then spent time on the third verse. Students are progressing nicely. Students also did a great job on learning basic music theory concepts. 

Kindergarten (Mrs. Rivera and Miss Burdeshaw)

This Week
  •  Our kindergarten scholars have had a great last week of the first quarter! In math, we learned how to act out “some, some more” and “some, some went away” stories, how to make a shape on a geoboard, how to identify inside and outside, and how to count by using pennies. In phonics, we introduced the phonograms, n, p, and r, and we reviewed the cursive loop strokes and letters. In history, we learned about the Tower of Babel, and about how God confused the languages in Genesis. In art, we discussed the artist of the quarter, Michelangelo, and the students were in awe of his painting of The Sistine Chapel. In science, we continued our section on the five senses, and we discussed the sense of hearing. The students were given worksheets to help them identify the different parts of an ear. We hope that you all have an enjoyable and refreshing  fall break!
Memory Work:   
  •  1 John 1:9 and review

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

This Week
  • Even though the soccer fields were flooded, the kids had a great time playing soccer at school and cheering on their house. They said, “I wish it was the soccer tournament everyday!” In math, the students worked on a lot of fun worksheets practicing their facts with ten frames, counting bears, using fingers, and drawing pictures. While the addition wasn’t new, the different way of doing them was just enough of a challenge to keep it interesting and fun. In spelling, cursive, and grammar, students added all of the spelling words to their “Words I Use When I Write” book. Then, they used the book and think-to-spell techniques to write sentences. They also were able to use their Explode The Code grammar workbooks to practice beginning, middle, and ending sounds, blends, and reading. In history we have continued our study of Christopher Columbus. In science, we wrapped up our study of the 4 layers of the earth.  The kids enjoyed getting to play the part of Frog, or Toad in our book this week as they learned about willpower via our amphibian friends’ love of fresh baked cookies. As we wrap up quarter one, we want you to know that we appreciate you trusting us to partner with you in the education of your children. It is an honor and a privilege. We hope you have a fun and restorative fall break!
Memory Work:  
  • Proverbs 2:6-7
 

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

This Week
  •  As we look back over the first quarter, we marvel at how well the students have adjusted to second grade and how much they have learned.  We are off to a good start and look forward to the adventures we will have in the coming months.  This week we learned how the Egyptian Pharaohs stored up their treasures for the afterlife in pyramids. In contrast we learned what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:19-21.  We are to store up our treasures in heaven not on earth because where our treasure is there our heart will be also.  As we concluded The Bears on Hemlock Mountain we had a fun time with our Readers’ Theater, which helped the book come to life for the students.  We also concluded the student presentations.  It was such a joy to hear the students’ favorite childhood books; not only did the presenters do a great job but so did the audience.  

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

This Week
  •  Students completed their biome group projects. They did a wonderful job presenting the information to their classmates!  Students enjoyed learning more about the different types of biomes and the plants and animals found in each one. The Earth is full of God’s creation, and students were excited to learn more about the variety in  each biome. Through these intricate ecological systems, we discover God’s creativity and care for each living thing as we reflect on the diversity of life on Earth.  In math, we represented multiplication on a number line and in an array. In history, we learned about the first Greek Olympics and discussed the similarities and differences between our modern day Olympics. We finished the first quarter strong, and we are looking forward to learning more in the second quarter. We pray that you have a wonderful and restful fall break! 

 

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

This Week
  • This week, we reflected on the First Commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Our students compared and contrasted the differences between Islam and Christianity, emphasizing the importance of worshiping the one true God. In math, we reviewed place value and problem-solving strategies, and we introduced possessive noun adjectives as part of our sentence classification. Our budding botanists delighted in making leaf observations and journaling in their Botany books. We also enjoyed some friendly competition during our soccer tournament. Despite being the last week of the quarter, it was a wonderfully full week!

 

LOGIC SCHOOL

 

Mrs. Bennington

5th Band
  •   Fifth grade Band students did a great job this week on songs utilizing their first three notes. We ended the week with the much anticipated, “Hot Cross Buns”. 
6th-8th Band
  •  Band students did a great job on their small group test this week on 3.38. Students were able to successfully complete unit three. 
9th – 10th Band
  •  Band students did a great job finishing Book 1. Students have successfully demonstrated mastery of dotted rhythms, syncopation with eighth notes, various forms of articulation, correctly playing dynamics, and independence playing multiple parts with rhythms we have learned to date. 

Mrs. Johnston

5th – 8th Chorus

We had a lot of fun this week reading through some of our concert music. At this point, students have all of their music for the Christmas Concert. We had some very exciting moments as parts began to come together! If you haven’t already, PLEASE mark your calendars for the Christmas Concert on December 19th, and be watching your inboxes for details coming. Have a wonderful Fall Break!

 

PE

5th-6th (Girls)

  •  This week the 5th and 6th grade girls ran the mile and played a round of kickball. The girls are improving in their endurance and in their social skills with one another. 

7th – 8th (Girls)

  • This week the girls played flag football and did their end-of-quarter mile, sit-up, and push-up tests.

 

5th Grade (Mrs. LaTour and Mrs. Kromhout) 

This Week
  • We had a good last week of the quarter in fifth grade! In math, we continue to work with division, reviewing how to estimate with division and use long division. In Latin, we had a review chapter and reviewed all of the vocabulary that we have learned so far this year! The students had fun playing review games and did a great job on their final test. For history, the students learned about the Jamestown colony which was the first permanent settlement in Virginia! We continue to enjoy The Hobbit, this week following as Bilbo uses great courage to venture into the dragon’s lair by himself and speak to the dragon; his bravery has developed so much since we first met him at the beginning of the book. We were sad to have the Friday field trip canceled, but we still got to enjoy a special day and a visit from a colonial reenactor! 
Memory Work:  
  • Romans 12:14-16
Upcoming:
  • Hobbit Day! November 1st – be on the lookout for more details about how you can help! 

Mrs. Palmer

5th Art
  •  Students started a new project this week.  We have been learning about the elements of art (the “ingredients” that make up art).  We are putting together a booklet that we will reference for various other projects this year. 

 

6th Grade (Miss Stevenson)

6th Reading and Literature
  • We just barely finished reading Call of the Wild this week! I wasn’t sure if we were going to pull it off, but the kids worked hard and finished strong. When we get back from fall break we will begin reading Across Five Aprils. 
6th Grammar and Writing
  • We took a break from writing this week to make sure that we were prepared for our Science test.
6th Bible
  • This week we started reading the gospel of Mark. 
6th History
  •  We looked at the Westward Expansion this week. That will lead into our card on the Mexican American War when we get back from fall break. 
6th Science
  • Students took their big Science test this week. Next quarter we will begin learning about single-cell organisms.
6th Logic
  • This week in Logic we talked about the Tu Quoque fallacy.
6th Latin
  • We did a review of Latin pronunciation, syllabation, and accents. 

Mrs. Crotts

6th Math
  • Students finished Chapter 3 lessons and began working through the Chapter 3 Review in class.  We will complete the review before taking the test the week after Fall Break.

Mrs. Palmer 

6th Art
  •  We spent this week wrapping up our unit on charcoal. Students have rounded out this quarter   working on two small scale still life charcoal drawings. 

Dr. Wright

7th Composition 
  •  Students received their Gilgamesh papers back.
7th Omnibus – Literature, History, Bible
  • Students had a summative history assessment covering Genesis 1-12, the structure of Creation in Genesis 1 and 2, and the timeline of Bible events through the return from exile.  Students will be memorizing their Odyssey play roles (including understudy roles), as well as their declamation speeches over break. 
7th Logic
  •  Students continued their work in the workbook.  

Mrs. Frueh

7th Science
  • We finished collecting data for our soil project this week. After fall break, lab groups will work together to organize and analyze their data and then students will individually report their findings in a formal lab report. We also started learning about the layers of the earth that exist beneath the soil.
7th Pre-Algebra
  • We spent time this week reviewing how to calculate the area of triangles, as well as how to convert between improper fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals.

Mrs. Palmer 

7th Art
  • We spent this week looking at Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian Greek order examples of architecture.  Students will be creating small scale samples of these architectural elements in charcoal after fall break. 

Miss Johnston

7th Latin
  • We practiced our 1st declension feminine noun endings from chapter 4. The kids worked hard at memorizing the chart and did well in our times of practice. We also reviewed chapter 2-4 vocab and began practicing for our Quarter 2 project!

 

Dr. Wright

8th Omnibus 
  • History and Composition:  Students received grades on their first drafts of the historical background sections of their biographical papers, and will continue working on the biographical papers until mid-October.   
  • Literature:   We have finished Athanasius On the Incarnation, and St. Benedict’s Rule has been distributed to students for them to peruse over break.  Students will be memorizing their declamation speeches over break as well.

Miss Johnston

8th Latin
  • The students did excellently on their review vocabulary quiz! I was very pleased! We also worked on some review this week and began thinking about our Quarter 2 project! 

Mrs. Frueh

8th Science
  • We took a deep dive this week into studying the phase changes between solids, liquids, and gases. The students should be able to explain how the kinetic theory of matter relates to each of these phases changes as well as identify whether the changes are endothermic or exothermic.
8th Algebra I
  • We took a week off of math this week to do an intensive study of solids, liquids, and gases in science. We used math class time to study phases changes, including an interesting experiment on diffusion & osmosis.

Mrs. Palmer 

8th Art
  • All students completed their small scale Michelangelo monochromatic drawings.  We began talking about color nuances and how we will choose colors for our upcoming famous artwork magazine projects. 

Mr. Crotts

8th Logic
  • We are learning the relationships of terms by studying genus and species, as well as extension and intension. 

RHETORIC SCHOOL

 

From the COLLEGE COUNSELING Office:

Juniors: 

    • Juniors attended the College Fair at Alamance Community College on Monday – ask them who they talked to and what they learned! 
    • The PSAT is coming up on Wednesday, October 9 at Burlington Christian Academy! This is a qualifier for the National Merit Scholarship program as well as a practice SAT. You can read more about taking the test, practicing for the test, and scholarship opportunities here: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt
      • The PSAT is a fully digital test for the second time this year
      • The students took a practice test here at Bradford last Thursday afternoon to better understand the test and know how to prepare for the real test! 
        • They can use their scores and score analysis to help them prepare for the real test 
  • Save the date! Junior College Night will be held on Tuesday, October 29 from 5-6pm for all juniors and parents! I would love to have at least one parent in attendance for each student. We will review the junior and senior year timeline for college research, visits, and the application process! 

Seniors: 

    • Upcoming for seniors:
  • Individual meetings: I continue meeting about once a month with each of the seniors; they are doing a great job with working steadily on their applications. These are some dates to keep on the radar from the colleges multiple students are applying to:
      • 10/15: UNC early action (non-binding) application deadline
      • 11/1: NC State early action (non-binding) and scholarship application deadline
      • 12/1: Anderson University scholarship priority deadline (rolling admissions)
      • 12/31: Liberty University early action scholarship deadline (rolling admissions)
    • Students should be working on these pieces of their applications: 
      • Asking for letters of recommendation
      • Creating their resume/activity list
      • Writing personal statements and supplemental essays
      • General application info

If possible, students should use CommonApp to submit their applications for ease of use! 

 

Mrs. Palmer 

9th Spanish 
  • We have been hard at work this week finishing up -AR, -ER and -IR ending regular verb conjugations.   We also have been working on  new vocabulary and reviewing past vocabulary as well. 

Mrs. Frueh

9th Geometry
  • We closed out the first half of Unit 3 with a quiz on transversals & proving parallel lines. The students are becoming more comfortable with writing 2-column proofs using the postulates and theorems discussed in class. We ended the quarter with an introduction to the Bridge Project that will take place in the spring semester. 

Mr. Crotts

9th Logic
  • Propositional Logic is also symbolic logic and we are learning the language or symbols needed to translate arguments so they can be analyzed by using truth tables.

Dr. and Mrs. James

9th Biology
  • The students took their last test of Q1 this week and had a surprise activity on the last day of class. 
  • Have a restful fall break!

Mrs. Crotts

9th Literature
  • Students were divided into groups to read and discuss portions of A Tale of Two Cities.  One group had the task of presenting character sketches, one presenting the timeline in history, and one a plotline.  We discussed much symbolism including the sacrificial gift of one giving his life for another.  We concluded the week and the quarter by watching the 1935 movie version of the work.

Dr. Byrd 

9th Bible 
  • This week we finished the book of Judges, just in time for the end of the first quarter. 
  • NO Scripture memory because of fall break. 
  • Students are encouraged over the break to think about a potential book for their book report. 

Dr. James

10th Chemistry
  • The students took their Q1 final exam this week and had a surprise activity on the last day of class.
  • Have a restful fall break. 

Mrs. Palmer 

10th Spanish
  •  This week students reviewed past vocabulary and worked on their new vocabulary set as well.   We have been working on conjugating in the imperfect tense as well as comparing and contrasting the preterite and imperfect tenses. 

Mrs. Byrd

10th Algebra II
  • This week we’ve been graphing absolute value equations and inequalities.  We learned about how various transformations in the equations affect the graphical representation.  We finished the week by playing a Clue style game which involved solving literal equations for various letters.

Mrs. Crotts

10th Literature
  • Students listened to the podcast from “Classical Stuff You Should Know”  about Iliad’s Book 22 and how it is a miniature of the epic poem as a whole.  They also listened to Hillsdale College’s overview of Iliad.  

Miss Oldham

10th Rhetoric I
  •   Students looked at a speech for style, organization, and the three rhetorical devices. They also took a vocab quiz. We had a great first quarter and I am looking forward to seeing where they go from here. 

Dr. Smith

10th Historical Theology
  • Students took a memory verse quiz on 2Timothy 4:1-4, went over the test we took last week and continue to study how the Greek language and thought played an important role in the early church pastors and theologians working out the doctrine of the Trinity.  

Mrs. Palmer

11th Spanish III
  • We have spent lots of time reviewing past vocabulary and have added several sets of new vocabulary as well.  Students learned the future tense this past week and spent time practicing in this tense.  We also worked on expanding our conversation skills through answering questions and comprehending dialogues.  

Mrs. Byrd

11th Precalculus
  • We’re continuing our study of polynomial functions.  Our current task is to learn how to locate solutions in an unfactored polynomial.  The class played a CSI style review game where we used some of our knowledge of polynomial functions to solve the case.
11th Physics
  • We wrapped up our introduction to vectors and began applying our knowledge in the context of two dimensional motion.  Horizontal and vertical components of motion need to be considered separately since gravity only affects vertical motion.

Miss Oldham

11th Literature
  • Students presented their author projects. I enjoyed watching them speak about a subject they researched all quarter and I am looking forward to what they do next quarter. 

Dr. Smith

11th NT Greek
  • Students are learning about the different endings to nouns, depending on whether they are 1st, 2nd or 3rd declension. They also learned 17 more vocabulary words, and continue to sharpen their translation skills. They will definitely need to review what they have already covered over the next two weeks, so that they do not lose what gains they have already made. 

Mr. Webster

11th-12th Systematic Theology
  • This week the students took their first test on the doctrine of the word of God. 
11th History
  •  This week the students finished the unit by studying the rise of Islam and then finished the week by taking a test. 

Miss Oldham

12th Literature
  • Students wrapped up the quarter with a test on The Red Badge of Courage and an essay on a choice book. I am looking forward to seeing where they go next quarter. 
12th Rhetoric II
  •  Seniors are feeling the crunch of writing their theses! Please continue to be in prayer for them as they navigate their theses and start to put ideas on paper.

Mrs. Byrd

12th Calculus
  • Students are learning many of the basic derivative rules.  This week we considered sums, logs, exponents, trig functions, products, and quotients.