BB 11-21-25

BRADFORD BULLETIN

VOLUME XVIII, ISSUE 19

Nov 21, 2025

 

FROM THE OFFICE

IMPORTANT NOTES:  

  • Used Uniform Sale:  Thurs, 12/04/25 at the lower school campus.  SIGN UP HERE!  Donations are being accepted at either campus.  
  • Thank you to everyone who generously donated to the Plymouth food drive to help support the Allied Churches of Alamance County. We were able to take two full trunk loads up to their food pantry. They were very appreciative of our efforts to feed our neighbors. It was encouraging to see all of the houses working together towards one goal, because at the end of the day, we are all Archers!

 

LOWER SCHOOL IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • FROM MRS. MITCHELL:  It is with full hearts that we reflect on the goodness of God to bless the work at Bradford and to allow us to partner with your family.  We have seen every student grow academically, spiritually, and socially through weekly routines and rigorous study as well as through our special programs, projects, and  classroom activities.  We are thankful  every day for the dedication and talent of our teaching staff.  It is a privilege to witness their commitment to your children.   Psalm 95:1-3 “Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is the great God, and the great King above all gods.”
    • Christmas Party SignUpGenius – Thank you as well for all the ways you have supported by signing up to volunteer.  Here is the last one of this year!

UPCOMING

NEXT WEEK:

  • Tues, 11/25:  Thanksgiving Feast Day and Activities.  Upper School:  Declamation at 10:00
  • Wed, 11/26 – Fri, 11/28:  Thanksgiving Holiday (no school)

IN THE NEAR FUTURE:

  • Mon, 12/1: Applications open for the 26/27 school year!
  • Wed, 12/3:  Declamation – Judge’s Choice Forum at upper school, 7:50
  • Thurs, 12/4:  Used Uniform Sale
  • Tues, 12/16:  7:00 pm –  5th / 6th grade Christmas Concert
  • Wed, 12/17:  8:00 TK Nativity Play, coffee and donuts reception for parents
  • Thurs, 12/18:
    • Alumni Panel (upper school)
    • 7:00 pm – 7th – 12th grade Christmas Concert at Mebane Presbyterian Church
  • Fri, 12/19:  Last day of Q2, Christmas celebration.  NOON dismissal for all students

 

FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK

 

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

 

Transitional Kindergarten  (Mrs. Grubb and Mrs. Weber)

  • TK students enjoyed a busy week preparing for Thanksgiving. Students learned about what the first Thanksgiving was like and we compared it to the Thanksgiving traditions that we have now. We looked at pictures of the Wampanoag Indians and the Pilgrims. Students chose whether he or she would like to dress up as a Pilgrim or Indian next week for our Thanksgiving celebration. We have costumes that fit right over the Bradford uniform for each student. Students also made butter this week by putting heavy cream in a jar and shaking it vigorously for a good amount of time. We worked together and took turns shaking the jars. We will enjoy the butter next week on a loaf of bread. Students were able to take a walk in the forest to look for changes. We noticed many trees have lost their leaves by now. This week we continued reading about David and how he defeated Goliath the giant. Students were able to watch the VeggieTales version of this story. In music students learned the last Christmas song, Away in a Manger. We will practice all 3 Christmas songs often at school in preparation for our Christmas performance. In math this week students learned about the number 0 and also counted backward from 10. We practiced ordinal position by telling stories with shape pieces and played Bingo! Our letters of the week were I and U. We discussed the sounds each letter makes and practiced writing each of these letters in our green books. A few of our centers included: drawing and labeling Mat Man and then turning him into a Pilgrim or Indian, pass the letter bag game, a turkey name art project, and a letter hunt using letters and items that begin with the target letter. We look forward to our Thanksgiving celebration next week! 

Lower School Art (Mrs. Knight)

3rd
  • Third graders completed and mounted their fall tree artwork created with warm and cool contrasting colors. I know you enjoyed seeing their artwork as they brought home their art portfolios. Please be sure to return portfolios promptly. Next up is a Christmas surprise. 
4th
  • Fourth grade students worked diligently to complete their fall leaves watercolor paintings this week. Most students were able to complete the project, though it has been a bit of a challenge with Bradford Night practice and Thanksgiving next week. Regardless, all projects were sent home Friday since we will begin creating some Christmas surprises after the holiday.

Lower School P.E.  (Mrs. Bennington)

K-4th
  • Students did a great job in P.E. this week running several relay races and playing several tag games.  

Lower School Music (Mrs. Bennington)

K-4th
  • Students did a great job working on our new hymn, “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”. 

Kindergarten (Mrs. Rivera and Miss Burdeshaw)

This Week: 
  • Our kindergarten scholars had a wonderful week! In math, we learned how to identify triangles, rectangles, squares, circles, and hexagons. In phonics, we introduced our new reader, “Bad Meg,” and four new phonograms: ch, sh, th, and wh. In history, we discussed the Babylonian Captivity in 597 BC.  The Judean people had been exiled from Jerusalem after Babylon conquered them. In art, we learned about the Russian artist, Wassily Kandinski. The students had the opportunity to copy one of his artworks, “Kandinsky’s Circles”, by gluing together various colors of circles. We are excited to celebrate Thanksgiving next week!
Memory Work: 
  • 1 Corinthians 10:13 and review

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

This Week: 
  • This week our students started learning about measuring in math.  They had fun measuring their feet and comparing whose were bigger or smaller! In reading we read of the adventures of Saint Brendan sailing across the Atlantic ocean in a small skin boat. We continued our reading of Pilgrim Stories in history and the students are learning  that  it takes bravery to stand up for what is right and to stand for God. In cursive, the students have continued to practice their phonograms and how to connect the individual letters. Connecting to an “o” can be tricky, but they are coming along nicely. In both science and art the students are learning about vertebrates and creating their “zoologist” packets. Ask them to sing the song, “Oh Vertebrates” to you (to the tune of “Oh Christmas Tree.” Be sure to compliment them on their wonderful art that came home this week. The steaming cup of hot cocoa and lovely leaves will make you ready for cooler weather.
Memory Work:  
  • Psalm 1:1-2
Upcoming:      
  • Tuesday November 25, 2025 –  Bradford Feast
  • No School Wednesday – Friday to celebrate Thanksgiving

2nd Grade (Miss Verroi & Mrs. Eng)

This Week:  
  • Being thankful has been our focus this week.  It is a joy to see the students listing what they thank God for.  They are developing a heart to praise God.  They have learned to write cinquain poems with a theme focused on Thanksgiving.  They have also written a two-point expository paragraph on two of their favorite Thanksgiving foods.  Art has also focused on a heart of thanksgiving.  We started a new chapter book: Patricia MacLachlan’s Newbery Medal winning book Sarah, Plain and Tall.  In history it has been fun to be Egyptologists and decipher hieroglyphics and learn the importance of the Middle Kingdom in Egypt in leaving records for future generations to learn about their culture.  The students have memorized Proverbs 25:6-7 and understand its meaning and we continue to help them understand how to not exalt themselves in everyday life.  Have a wonderful family time of giving thanks to God.  No more homework until December!  But encourage the students to take some adventures by reading books.  

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

This Week: 
  • We have enjoyed our last  full week of November in third grade. Students have started learning a song about the Greek gods that will help them memorize what each god represents. After spending most of the quarter reading about them, crafting projects to present, and comparing them to the one true God, this is a great way to pull it all together and commit it to memory. In Latin, we listed adjectives with all of the possible endings, which was a lot! Ask your students how nouns and adjectives show that they agree with one another in Latin! We learned about the Associative Property of Multiplication, as well as how to multiply by multiples of ten. Using a variety of strategies to attack problems helps us to get faster in solving them. We have continued to learn about Archimedes in science  and performed a small experiment. Glory to God!
Upcoming Memory Work: 
  • None for Thanksgiving Week
Upcoming:
  • Thanksgiving Feast November 25, 2025

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

This Week: Week 7 Feudal System, continued

This week in fourth grade, we continued our study of feudalism in the Middle Ages, learning the value of the relationships between the levels of society– what each could provide the other. In Latin, we learned ablative case prepositions, expanding our ability to write complex Latin sentences. In math, we tackled multi-step word problems and introduced division. We kicked off a new story-writing unit, which will lead students through the process of inventing and writing a complete story which will be submitted to the Burlington Writers Club after Christmas break.  In classroom forum time, we had rich conversations about 1 Corinthians 13, trying to understand what love truly means, and realizing how hard it is to define. Your students are growing in their ability to discuss deeply and maturely. It’s been a week of growth, both academically and spiritually.

Upcoming  Memory Work: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

 

LOGIC SCHOOL

Mrs. Bennington

5th-6th Band
  • Fifth grade students worked hard this week on their concert music. A lot of progress is being made. Please encourage your students to continue practicing their music at home. 
  • Sixth grade students did a great job this week with their concert music. Students had fun learning individual parts and then putting parts together. This is an exciting group to work with. Please continue to encourage your child to practice at home. 
7th-8th Band
  • Seventh and eighth grade students did a great job working on the pieces, “Canon for Christmas” and “Beyond the Bell Carol”.  Students are making really good progress. This group of students has a lot of potential and at-home practice is helping each student have more confidence in their playing. 

Mrs. Johnston

5th – 8th Choir
  • Choirs this week continued to work on memorization and solidification. We began working with piano accompaniment, as well as implementing dynamics and expression.

Miss Pugsley 

5th-8th Girls’ PE
  • This week we continued our soccer drills, we ran a mile, and played capture the flag and freeze tag.

5th Grade (Mrs. LaTour and Miss Johnston) 

This Week
  •  This was a full week! We started chapter 6 in math, learning about adding fractions with different denominators, benchmark fractions, etc. In history we covered the thirteen colonies. We learned about the people that first settled each colony (or the settlement that started the colony), the economy at that time, and much more. We read a poem written by Anne Bradstreet during this time period and the students had the opportunity to draw what they thought the poem was about. We studied the fourth declension, i-stem verbs in Latin and learned some mnemonics that helped them remember the vocab. We started preparing for the Burlington Writer’s Club by learning about the parts of a story arc and discussed direct and indirect characterization. We also talked about characterization while beginning our new book, Voyage to Freedom. We are pleased at the level of work that the students continue to do.

Memory Work: Isaiah 40:7-8

Mrs. Knight

5th Art
  • This week in art, fifth graders continued to learn more about Johannes Vermeer, the artist of the quarter. We did a picture study of The Milkmaid and The Girl with the Pearl Earring. We reviewed for and took a quiz on Vermeer. Last, we did a quick and fun project that clearly revealed how contour lines can make flat object appear 3D. You can check out all the fantastic artwork created by your child in his/her art portfolio brought home this weekend. Take time to listen to your student explain what we have been learning. Be sure to return the empty portfolio on Monday. Christmas surprises will be the next project followed by the SAR poster contest artwork. More details coming soon!

6th Grade (Mrs. McDorman and Miss Pugsley)

6th Reading and Literature
  • We finished Across Five Aprils and will begin Charles Dickens’s A Christma Carol. 
6th Grammar and Writing
  • Students identified and analyzed key literary elements, including personification, similes, and metaphors. They practiced recognizing how each device adds meaning and imagery to a text.
6th Bible
  • We began discussing the comparisons between the Gospels, noting similarities, differences, and how each writer presents the life and ministry of Christ.
6th History
  • In history, we studied the Gettysburg Address and discussed the impact of Lincoln’s message on the nation. Students examined why his words continue to hold significance in American history.
6th Science
  • This week we had our Bacterial Structure quiz and we recapped the material from the quarter so far.
6th Logic
  • This week we studied the Straw Man fallacy.

Mrs. Crotts

6th Math
  • Students reviewed prime factorization, GCF (greatest common factor) and added new concepts to this knowledge–using the distributive property to demonstrate the GCF.  We also added Thanksgiving themed instrumental music to listen to while working through math practice problems.

Mrs. Wright

6th Latin
  • This week the 7th grade Latin students began Capitulum V.  This chapter is heavy with new grammar, and those students watching the Memory Period video at home are reaping the benefits as a new chart with 30 pronouns is being learned alongside all the new vocab and other grammar!   A note to parents for how you can help your students at home!  Please encourage your students and check in with them about their progress in studying their vocabulary, charts, and whether they are watching the Memory Period video. It can even be fun to quiz them from time to time! Vocabulary especially builds on itself—students need to know the words from Chapters 1–4 in order to successfully translate in Chapter 5.  Thanks for your help!

Mrs. Palmer

6th Art
  • We wrapped up our colored pencil Vermeer-inspired still life drawings this week. Students worked hard to color match, blend and create accuracy on these projects. Both of our artists of the past two quarters were reviewed this week as well – ask your student what they know about Raphael and Vermeer!  

Dr. Wright

7th Omnibus
  •  7th graders traveled to Bradford’s Lower Campus this week and performed the Odyssey Play.  Students are wrapping up reading Homer’s Odyssey, and analyzing themes of the entire work.   Greek cultural research papers are underway, with first drafts due Tuesday of next week.  Students may work on their Burlington’s Writers’ stories over Thanksgiving break.  

Mrs. Frueh

7th Science
  •  We wrapped up our unit on Plate Tectonics this week with a unit exam. 
7th Pre-Algebra
  • This week we learned how to use scientific notation to express extremely large or extremely small numbers. The students practiced turning standard numbers into scientific notation as well turning scientific notation into standard form. In science, when we learn about the vastness of the universe, the breadth of our galaxy, the mass of stars, as well as the diameter of atoms, the width of red blood cells, or the volume of a bacterial cell, they will be able to attach meaning to these measurements given in scientific notation.

Mrs. Palmer 

7th Art
  • We wrapped up our charcoal famous architecture drawings this week. Students worked on finding the full range of value in grayscale as well as creating high detail and accuracy. Both of our artists of the past two quarters were reviewed this week as well – ask your student what they know about Raphael and Vermeer!  

Mrs. Wright

7th Latin
  • This week the 7th grade Latin students began Capitulum V.  This chapter is heavy with new grammar, and those students watching the Memory Period video at home are reaping the benefits as a new chart with 30 pronouns is being learned alongside all the new vocab and other grammar!   A note to parents for how you can help your students at home!  Please encourage your students and check in with them about their progress in studying their vocabulary, charts, and whether they are watching the Memory Period video. It can even be fun to quiz them from time to time! Vocabulary especially builds on itself—students need to know the words from Chapters 1–4 in order to successfully translate in Chapter 5. Thanks for your help!
7th Logic
  • The 7th grade Logic class discussed the Appeal to Ignorance in which one claims that since a proposition cannot be disproven, it must therefore be true or likely.  The class discussed multiple issues and examples of this fallacy including several advertisements.  The students were also challenged to make an argument for the existence of God first by making this fallacy, then without committing this fallacy.  This led to a great discussion and was a fun way to end our classes before Thanksgiving break.  

Dr. Wright

8th Omnibus 
  • We are wrapping up our consideration of Beowulf, reflecting particularly on the concept of cominatus.  We have begun Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring, which will be our main text until the Christmas break.  Biographical research papers are underway, with final drafts due Tuesday of next week.  Students may work on their Burlington’s Writers’ stories over Thanksgiving break.  

Mrs. Wright

8th Latin
  • This week the 8th grade Latin students continue in Capitulum V.  This chapter is heavy with new grammar, and those students watching the Memory Period video at home are reaping the benefits as a new chart with 30 pronouns is being learned alongside all the new vocab and other grammar!   A note to parents for how you can help your students at home!  Please encourage your students and check in with them about their progress in studying their vocabulary, charts, and whether they are watching the Memory Period video. It can even be fun to quiz them from time to time! Vocabulary especially builds on itself—students need to know the words from Chapters 1–4 in order to successfully translate in Chapter 5. Thanks for your help!

Mrs. Frueh

8th Science
  • We wrapped up our study of solids, liquids, and gases with a unit exam.
8th Algebra I
  • The students were excited to learn how to use graphing calculators to produce scatter plots of experimental data, as well as to produce linear regression models for the given data sets. After many weeks of graphing linear equations by hand, it was fun to see how graphing calculators handle the job. By exploring the graphing technology available, the students were also able to anticipate the applications of calculus that will come to bear in their future mathematics classes.

Mrs. Palmer 

8th Art
  • We began working on our next project this week: detailed charcoal animal drawings. Students are aiming for a full range of grayscale, realistic detail and using the medium correctly. Both of our artists of the past two quarters were reviewed this week as well – ask your student what they know about Raphael and Vermeer!  

Mr. Crotts

8th Logic
  • We read an article that defined the terms fascism and socialism, considered the way the terms are used in current political discourse, and discussed them in light of the 9th Commandment (do not bear false witness).

RHETORIC SCHOOL

From the COLLEGE COUNSELING Office:

9th-12th: 

  • Take advantage of school breaks in order to drive through and even tour colleges and universities.  Talk with college students and Bradford alumni who will be home during Thanksgiving Break and ask questions about their college experience.
  • Keep up with those Activity Lists!  Already this school year students have participated in soccer, cross country, tennis, declamation, and basketball among many other activities such as jobs and volunteer opportunities!
  • The Alumni Panel is fast approaching–Thursday, December 18 from 1:45 PM-2:30 PM in the sanctuary.

Seniors:  

  • Good job completing early college applications!  You have done well balancing applications to colleges amidst other responsibilities.
  • Be active searching for shadowing and intern opportunities as well as jobs that will enhance your decision making about future careers.

Juniors: 

  • Make sure you have signed up for the required* ACT!  Visit act.org
  • Also, you may sign up for the SAT in the spring.  Visit collegeboard.org
  • It is recommended that you take either the ACT or SAT at least 2 times during your junior and senior year as colleges accept “super scores”–the best score from each subject.
  • The CLT is a good addition to these tests as well as it more closely parallels Bradford’s curriculum and is growing in notoriety among colleges and universities.  Visit cltexam.com 

Mrs. Palmer 

9th Spanish 
  • Students learned about possessive adjectives this week. We practiced with grammatical accuracy in subject/noun agreement. We continue to review past vocabulary as well as add new vocabulary. 

Coach Johnston

9th History
  • Students completed their study of the American War of Independence and reviewed for the test. Next up, the French Revolution! Enjoy your Thanksgiving break!

Ms. Oldham

9th Rhetoric I
  •  Students continued their research projects with notecards and have begun their outlines. 

Dr. Byrd 

9th Bible Survey 
  • This week we finished the book of II Kings and especially focused on the life and ministry of Elisha. We are beginning to study the Psalms. 
  • Students are diligently working on reading their books for the Book Analysis Project and Presentation.
  • When we return from Thanksgiving, students will have a memory verse quiz on Psalm 1:4; we are working to memorize Psalm 1. 

Mrs. Frueh

9th Biology
  • We finished our biochemistry unit with a detailed study of proteins and nucleic acids. We discussed the elegance and beauty of the genetic code that God designed to encode the vast quantities of information needed for all life to function, from the simplest bacteria to the most advanced mammals. We ended our week with a module exam.
  • Up next, cellular biology.
9th Geometry
  • We have moved on from triangles to polygons, including how to use triangles to determine the sum of the internal angles of any polygon.  The focus this week was on parallelograms. We learned four different parallelogram theorems that can be used to solve for unknown angles, sides, or diagonals in any parallelogram. 

Mrs. Crotts

9th Literature
  • Students presented their author research to the class this week.  They were tasked with researching an author who wrote during the “Modern” (1600’s-present day) time period.  The research included the author’s birth place, influences that affected his/her writing and an overview of the author’s works.  They had to include a visual–dress like the author, show a picture of the author or symbolic of the author’s work, a food treat tied to the author, etc.

Mrs. Fairchild 

9th – 11th Art Foundations
  • The students are finishing up their watercolor paintings of the animals. Some of the students have started another project following Lilias Trotter’s work that she completed during her missions trips to Algeria in the late 1800’s.

Mrs. Bennington

9th-11th Band 
  • Students did a great job working on the pieces, “Canon for Christmas”,  “Beyond the Bell Carol”, “Auld Lang Syne”, and “All Is Calm”.  Students are making really good progress. This group of students has a lot of potential and at home practice is helping each student have more confidence in their playing. 

Mrs. Johnston

9th-11th Chorus 
  • 9th-11th Chorus finished their transcription of White Christmas and began sight-reading it.
  • Bradford Chorale and 9th-11th Chorus continue to work on concert music, working specifically on transitions and memory.

Dr. James

10th Chemistry
  • This week we finished our lessons on chemical bonds, and the students took their second test of Q2. 
  • Next week we will discuss chemical reactions.

Mrs. Palmer 

10th Spanish
  • This week students learned familiar commands in both positive and negative. We continue to practice using both preterite and imperfect tenses as well as reviewing old and learning new vocabulary. 

Mrs. Byrd

10th Algebra II
  • We wrapped up our unit on Quadratic Functions.  Next week before Thanksgiving break, we will reinforce this with a project that applies these functions to baseball pitches and basketball shots.

Mrs. Crotts

10th Literature
  • Students swam upstream through a busy week which included completing a rough draft of the author research paper.  They selected an author who wrote during ancient times or one whose writing was influenced by ancient mythology or ancient poetry.  We also read 5 chapters per class time of the book of Psalms.

Miss Oldham

10th Rhetoric II
  •  Students delivered speeches this week. 

Coach Johnston

10th History
  • Students have continued to study the overview of Ancient Sparta while reading and drawing lessons from Thucydides’ Peleponnesian War.

Mrs. Byrd

11th Precalculus
  • We’ve nearly completed our study on exponential and logarithmic functions.  Next week, before Thanksgiving break, students will do a CSI style project that reinforces these concepts.

Miss Oldham

11th Literature
  •  Students wrapped up their first Shakespearean tragedy with Othello.

Mrs. Wright

11th NT Greek
  • The 11th grade Greek students learned the three different uses of the personal pronoun in Greek. They saw several examples of these usages throughout their exercises and translations. The class then moved into learning about the Greek demonstrative pronouns/ adjectives. This is a difficult language course and continued, consistent study of vocabulary is needed and required in order to succeed. Parents, you can support your students by staying curious and regularly checking in with them about how they organize their study routine and how often they review their vocabulary.

Mr. Webster

11th History
  • This week the students took their unit test on the latter part of the Early Middle Ages. We also began a new unit in the High Middle Ages, which is a time marked by technological and agricultural advances, as well as a massive increase in population. 

Coach Johnston

12th History
  • Students are researching a quick overview of some of the most influential figures of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. They will be presenting their summary on Monday (11/24).

Ms. Oldham

12th Literature
  • Students read excerpts from Thoreau’s Walden and I challenged them to have an unplugged Thanksgiving break and to find ways to meet God in nature. 
12th Rhetoric III
  •  Seniors turned in their second drafts on Friday. They were also assigned a section of a Christmas recitation that they need to memorize for a special forum on December 19th. 

Mrs. Byrd

12th Calculus
  • We completed our unit on Contextual Applications of Differentiation.  We will move on to a unit on Analytical Applications of Differentiation.  This includes topics like extrema, concavity, and optimization.