BB 12/08/23

BRADFORD BULLETIN

VOLUME XVI, ISSUE 20

Dec 08, 2023

 

FROM THE OFFICE

IMPORTANT NOTES:  

  • Christmas Concert:  Our upper school band and choirs will be presenting Christmas music on Thurs, 12/14 at 7pm.  (Doors open at 6:45).  All are welcome!  Location:  Upper School campus auditorium
  • Late arrivals and early dismissals:  New procedures will be implemented starting Monday, 12/11/23!

LATE ARRIVALS:

  • If you arrive when there are no teachers waiting to receive students, the driver needs to sign the student in. 
  • Please park, accompany your student to the school door, and ring the doorbell.
  • Sign your student in with the staff member who answers the door. 

EARLY DISMISSALS:

  • Notify the office in advance if possible:
    • Lower Campus: Call 919-563-9001 or email office@bradfordacademy.org.
    • Upper Campus: Call / text 336-380-4821 or email sarah@bradfordacademy.org. 
  • When you arrive, please park, come to the door, and ring the doorbell. 
  • Sign your student out with the staff member who answers the door. 

 

LOWER SCHOOL:
  • FROM MRS. MITCHELL:  Applications for the 2024/2025 school year opened on 12/01.  This is always an exciting time!  We’re pleased to see that a number of younger siblings have applied to join the ranks of the Archers in the fall of 2024.  We would love for you to invite friends, family, and neighbors to consider scheduling a tour for an introduction to all the benefits of a Bradford education.  The Lord is blessing His work here and there are still a few seats in each grade waiting to be filled with eager students.

  

UPCOMING

 

NEXT WEEK:  

  • Thurs, 12/14 – 
    • 3rd Grade – Field trip to see Nutcracker
    • Hot lunch – Order your hot dogs with mac and cheese here!
    • Christmas Concert (Upper school) – 7:00 pm at upper school campus
  • Fri, 12/15 – Varsity Basketball games away beginning at 2pm
  • Sat, 12/16 – Mebane on the Move 5k – We’d love to have you join us!  REGISTER under Team Bradford and wear your Archer gear.

 

IN THE NEAR FUTURE:

  • Wed, 12/20 – TK Nativity Play – parents welcome!
  • Thurs, 12/21 – 
    • End of 2nd quarter
    • NOON DISMISSAL – Christmas break commences!
    • Reminder:  No Moms’ Helper or Bradford Plus on early dismissal days.
  • Fri, 12/22 – Fri, 01/05:  CHRISTMAS BREAK
  • Fri, 1/5: HOME Varsity Basketball games, starting at 5pm
  • Mon, 1/8:  1st day of 3rd quarter
  • Mon, 1/15:  MLK day – no school.  Seniors are offering a Full Day Camp!  REGISTER HERE.
  • Fri, 1/26:  4th – 8th Spelling Bee
  • Mon, 1/29:  House Shirt day and Senior Night at basketball
  • Tues, 2/5:  CLT10 (Standardized Test) for 9th grade
  • Thurs, 2/15:  
    • CLT (Standardized Test) for 11th grade
    • Contract opt-out Deadline 
  • Fri, 2/16:  Teacher workday (no school)
  • Mon, 2/19:  Presidents Day (no school)
  • Thurs, 2/29:  3rd – 4th grade, Bradford Night 2.0, 7pm
  • Fri, 3/1 – Sat, 3/2:  PARENTING CONFERENCE
  • Fri, 3/8: End of 3rd quarter – NOON DISMISSAL
  • Week of 3/11:  SPRING BREAK

 

FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK

 

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

 

Transitional Kindergarten (Mrs. Grubb and Mrs. Weber)

This Week
  • TK students spent much of their week preparing for our upcoming nativity performance. Students are excited to show all they have learned about the birth of Jesus. Our focus this week in the Bible was the shepherds who were the first to hear of the Savior’s birth. We continue to work on memorizing Luke 2:11. The letter of the week was O. We spent time writing the letter and working on the sound. We also reviewed previous letters of the week. Next week our letters will be G and Q. In math we focused on showing time to the hour, writing & ordering money amounts, and finding numbers on a number line. We plan to spend next week reviewing math concepts in centers. A highlight of the week was making rice crispy treats in the kitchen. Students were able to cut out two shapes with cookie cutters and decorate with icing and sprinkles. 

 

Lower School P.E. (Mrs. Bennington)

K – 4th
  • Students did a great job in P.E. this week. Students got a chance to complete various team building activities, play several rounds of Bingo, and various tag games. . 

 

Lower School Music (Mrs. Bennington)

K-3rd
  • Students worked on our hymn for the quarter, “O Come All Ye Faithful.”  Students learned part of the harmony line for this piece as well.  We also worked on several other Christmas Carols in preparation for Christmas. Students did a great job. 
4th 
  • Fourth grade students worked on identifying pitches on the staff. They also worked on identifying notes that stay the same, that are a  step apart, and that skip. We ended classes by playing several songs on the recorder and singing “O Come All Ye Faithful”. 

Lower School Art (Mrs. Palmer)

3rd
  • This week we did not have our art class but next week we will continue on with our self portrait projects!
4th
  • This week we worked on our mixed media (watercolor, ink) seasonal paintings. 

Kindergarten (Mrs. Rivera and Miss Burdeshaw)

This Week: 
  • Our kindergarten scholars had yet another eventful academic week here at Bradford. In math, we learned how to add two to a number, how to compare and order objects by length, and how to measure length using nonstandard units. In phonics, we continued our reader “To The Rim Of The Map,” and we introduced the phonograms “ai” and “ay.” In history, we discussed Caesar Augustus who was the first emperor to rule Rome. In art, we worked on weaving looms and in science, we finished up our section on the seasons of the year. 
Memory Work: 
  • Isaiah 9:6-7 and review

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

This Week: 
  • In math the students learned how to count dimes, nickels and pennies, identify a line of symmetry, create a symmetrical design, and to add  2-digit numbers using dimes and pennies. For our weekly reader, we are reading about Martin Luther. The kids are really enjoying it because they learned about him on Reformation Day. In history, we finished reading Jamestown and have started Pilgrim Stories. Students are enjoying listening to familiar names like Scrooby and William BRADFORD!  In grammar, the students continue to learn about pronouns as well as sentence writing. We read the story “The Bundle of Sticks” and learned the lesson that we are stronger together and weaker when we are being selfish and on our own. In science and art, the students finished their Zoologist packets by drawing examples of each of the vertebrates. 
Memory Work:  
  • Psalm 1:1-6
Upcoming:      
  • Psalms 1: 1-6 and review all verses we have covered thus far. 

 

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

This Week: 
  • The season of Advent is such a wonderful time of year!  It is a privilege to share it with your children.  We have started a 3-week study of Joesph and marvel at how God was in control of his life during some very challenging circumstances.  We hope that even from a young age our students will remember this when it is needed in their lives.  Prepositions have added much to our grammar studies; and we look forward to adding them to our own writing.  In math we are working on consecutive numbers, fractions, measuring with cups and tablespoons, and estimating differences of two two-digit numbers.  Continue to work with your children on telling time, calendar skills, patterns and counting coins.  The States of Matter Sound Off has been a fun way to get a foundation in chemistry and the hands-on experiments have helped the students experience life as a scientist.  
Memory Work: 
  • Proverbs 25:6-7 then week then verses 8-10 next week

 

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

This Week
  • Students are busy preparing their hearts and minds for the coming celebration of Christ’s birth. We are reading through the scripture account in Luke, discussing the prophecies, and learning that it is better to give than to receive. (Acts. 20: 35) In math, students discovered  how to find the area of a rectangle and find  larger, smaller, and difference in story problems. Students memorized the second conjugation in Latin and added sentence pattern two to our Question/Answer flow in grammar. Ask your student the difference between pattern one and two. In history, we discovered that battles can be won or lost in the hearts and minds of men long before they are fought on the battlefield. Persia advanced their armies into Greece under King Darius, but Sparta and Athens boldly stood up to their desire for conquest! At the  Battle of Thermopylae, the mighty men of Sparta pushed back against the vast army of Xerxes. This strategic defeat at the hot gates, where 300 Spartans willingly perished, inspired the rest of the Greek nation  with their bravery and sacrifice, and saved a culture from being enveloped into Persia thereby preserving for  us the blueprint of the freedom and democracy we have today. In true Bradford fashion, we had to act out the events of the Persian Wars! Students took sides, read lines, and battled it out to the “death”. (NOTE: No students were harmed in all the fun!) Even though it is hard to contain our excitement as Christmas approaches, students have been committed to learning new concepts and completing assignments which is a testament to your hard work at home! Thank you all!
Memory Work:
  • Review Quarter One and Two verses
Upcoming:
  • 12/14- The Nutcracker
  • 12/21- Christmas Celebration

 

4th Grade (Mrs. Burtram and Miss Abrahamsen) 

This Week
  • We concluded our reading of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe this week; discussions revolved around Aslan being sacrificed in place of Edmund, His consequent resurrection, and the ultimate defeat of the White Witch. We talked about how we are supposed to be reminded of Jesus’ sacrifice and ultimate triumph over sin and death. The discussions were truly amazing, and it was a privilege to see the kids recognizing the symbolism and imagery all on their own. In Math, we are continuing to focus on multiplying three digit numbers by three digit numbers. In Science, we discussed and created several kinds of reactions this week which the kids enjoyed immensely; they also made bird feeders as we seek to continue cultivating wonder and amazement at God’s glorious creation. Also, our morning devotional for the month of December is focused on 24 different names of Jesus and what those names teach us about the person of Jesus- so, please ask your kids what they are learning!
  • Upcoming: Medieval Feast Day- December 20

 

LOGIC SCHOOL

 

Mrs. Bennington

5th-6th Band
  • Students worked hard on preparing all of their Christmas Concert music this week. Practice Records are due Tuesday. 
7th-9th Band 
  • Students worked hard on preparing all of their Christmas Concert music this week. Practice Records are due Tuesday. 

 

Mr. Webster

5th-8th Boys’ PE
  • This week the boys ran a mile and played dodgeball. 

Miss Stevenson

5th-8th Girls’ PE
  • This week we played soccer on Monday and joined the boys to play kickball on Wednesday.

 

5th Grade (Mrs. Owens) 

This Week
  • This week our students continued to discuss the Great Awakening.  We read George Whitefield’s response to John Wesley’s sermon on free grace.  The students were able to see how even though Whitefield completely disagreed with Wesley he wrote in the most honorable, truthful, and respectful way.  We also started our new literature book, Witch of Blackbird Pond.  The students were introduced to Kit from Barbados who now has come to live with her Aunt and Uncle whom she has never met.  In writing, the students began to make a plan for their creative writing story that will be used for the Burlington Writers Club.  In math, we continued to work with decimals and fractions.  Lastly, we rounded out our chemistry lessons by discussing the difference between a chemical and physical change in matter.  
Memory Work:
  • Isaiah 40:7-8 (this week)
  • Colossians 3:23-24
Upcoming:
  • Element Project Due on Wednesday, December 13th 

Mrs. Palmer

5th Art
  • This week we worked on our mixed media seasonal paintings.  We are soon to finish these up and will begin working on our final drawing for the quarter. 
Mrs. Kromhout
5th Latin
  • Fifth graders have been learning a new set of adverbs, and rounding out their study of the perfect tense system by learning about the future perfect tense! Next Tuesday we will have our final chapter quiz of the quarter, and the Tuesday after that we will have a review quiz over all the vocabulary we have learn this quarter. 

 

6th Grade (Miss Stevenson)

6th Reading and Literature
  • This week we had the absolute pleasure of starting to read  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
6th Grammar and Writing
  • Students will be writing one final small persuasive essay over the next two weeks about whether or not next year’s sixth grade class should read Across Five Aprils. There seemed to be strong feelings both for and against the idea, so we are taking this opportunity to argue their case.
6th Bible
  • We are continuing to read through the gospel of Luke.
6th History
  • This week we finished up our last card about the U.S. Civil War. We finished the section by visiting Appomattox Court House in Virginia on Friday.
6th Science
  • Due to the strange schedule this week, we took the week off Science. 
6th Logic
  • We discussed the loaded question and slippery slope fallacies.

Mr. Hunter

6th Latin
  • This week the students took a quiz on vocabulary and the relative pronoun, and they began learning the patterns for all four verb conjugations. They were also introduced to Pliny the Younger. 

Mrs. Frueh

6th Math
  • This week, we spent a few days completing an investigation of graphing. The students learned about histograms, bar graphs, line graphs, and circle graphs. They learned that different graphs are useful in different situations. For example, if you want to show changes over time, a line graph is going to be most useful, but if you want to draw comparisons, a bar graph would be best. They also learned how to tell if a graph has been constructed dishonestly in order to exaggerate the data.

Mrs. Palmer 

6th Art
  • This week we worked on our mixed media seasonal paintings.  We are soon to finish these up and will begin working on our final drawing for the quarter. 

Mrs. Crotts

7th Grammar and Writing
  • The class worked on footnotes and bibliographies.
7th Omnibus
  • Literature: Students learned about Oedipus Rex with the highlight of how chaotic life concludes due to sin.  Oedipus concludes that life is random and outcomes are random.  We discussed the blessings of the scriptures and the Gospel.
  • History: We played a game to review significant places from Ancient Greece using maps.
  • Bible/Theology: We had invigorating discussions about C.S. Lewis’ Narnia‘s Biblical themes.  Students also reported on mythological influences on the works.  Interesting questions popped out such as “Why did God create Adam and Eve if he knew they would sin?”  (Westminster Shorter Catechism question & answer 1…God created people for His own glory in His image…he has a plan…)

Mr. Johnston

7th Logic
  • Our young scholars moved on to the RED HERRING fallacies this week.  These bad arguments all distract or turn a debate away from the main issue.  We began with Appeals to Ignorance.

 

Mrs. Frueh

7th Science
  • We wrapped up our study of earthquakes with a lesson on the different types of seismic waves produced during an earthquake. We used a slinky to demonstrate the difference between P-waves (compressional waves) and S-waves (transverse waves) and also discussed how each would affect buildings on the surface of the earth.
  • Test on Earthquakes, Wednesday, December 13th.
7th Pre-Algebra
  • This week, we practiced rate and proportion problems. The students were also introduced to circle problems and practiced solving for both the circumference and area of a circle.

Mrs. Palmer 

7th Art
  • Students continued to work on their charcoal famous architecture drawings this week.  We have been focusing on using our medium correctly, finding contrast, applying the full grayscale and honing details.  These are coming along nicely!

Mr. Hunter

7th Latin
  • This week the students learned about positive and negative commands in Latin. They were also introduced to Pliny the Younger and new vocabulary. 

 

Mrs. Kromhout

8th Omnibus
  • History: We continue to learn about Charlemagne and his Carolingian kingdom as well as review for our final history test of the year!
  • Literature: The students continue reading Fellowship of the Ring; we are progressing at a good pace, and the students are mostly doing a good job keeping up with their reading! Ask your student for a summary of what they have read and who their favorite character is so far. We continue to meet new characters and creatures and had a good discussion about courage this week. 
  • Composition: Students are working on the second draft of their essays! We also practiced writing with parallel grammar structure and took a quiz over parallelism. 

Mr. Hunter

8th Latin
  • This week the students learned how to form positive and negative commands in Latin. They received new vocabulary and were introduced to Pliny the Younger.

Mrs. Frueh

8th Science
  • This week we learned the difference between speed and velocity. The students were able to use the formulas they’ve learned to solve for unknown variables in both speed and velocity problems.
  • Vehicle projects are well underway. We’ve already had one team build a vehicle that can travel the length of the third floor hallway! Each team should have a working prototype by December 15th and a vehicle ready to race by January 11th.
8th Algebra I
  • The students were introduced to systems of equations that required them to solve for both an x and a y variable. The first method they learned to solve these problems was substitution. Later, they will learn to solve by graphing. We discussed the usefulness of solving for two unknowns in a system of equations. This skill has applications across the broad spectrum of business and industry.

Mrs. Palmer 

8th Art
  • Students began working on their final drawing of the quarter this past week.  We are using colored pencil and will be focusing on finding color nuances as well as honing detail with this project. 

Mr. Crotts

8th Logic
  • Our class became experts in the square of opposition and took a quiz.

 

RHETORIC SCHOOL

 

From the COLLEGE COUNSELING Office:

Upcoming for 8th-12th: 
  • Bradford Alumni College Panel –  Wednesday, December 20th, 1:30-2:30pm  Several of our Bradford alumni (college freshman through seniors!) have graciously agreed to come back to Bradford to talk to our students about college life, their college experiences, and what they learned throughout the college search and application process! We are excited to have them back with us and to hear their wisdom. 
Juniors: 
  • I met with the juniors this week to discuss their current three action items:
  • I will be meeting individually with each of the juniors soon; we will discuss as many of these questions as we are able in our half hour!
    • Parents, it would be helpful for you to look over this list of questions as well and think about whether you have talked with your student about these items. 
    • I will meet with about half the students in December, and the other half in January; I may also schedule some follow ups in February and March as needed
  • I am encouraging the juniors to spend some time over Christmas break reflecting/talking/journaling about their priorities for college and beyond.

 

Mrs. Palmer 

9th Spanish 
  • We continued practicing with irregular stem-changing verbs in the present tense this week.  We reviewed past verbs and past vocabulary.  Students also took a vocabulary quiz. 

Coach Johnston

9th History
  • Students have taken a deep dive into the US Constitution this week studying its seven articles, major debates and learning in detail about the Bill of Rights.

Mrs. Frueh

9th Geometry
  • We wrapped up our final unit of the quarter: Quadrilaterals. The focus this week was on rhombuses, rectangles, kites, and trapezoids. The students have learned to write formal proofs for each of the quadrilaterals using the theorems learned in class. 
  • The students are also working in teams on their balsa wood bridges which will be tested in the final week before Christmas break.

Mr. Crotts

9th Logic
  • We have entered the mysterious territory of formal proofs. We are learning to work backwards from conclusion through the premises of an argument.

Mrs. Fairchild

9th Advanced Art
  • We are wrapping up our mini mock trial on Las Meninas.  The students have discovered many intriguing facts and even a bit of mystery in this painting. It is crucial, however, that the students are able to identify their strongest evidence, clearly present and defend it in the allotted time and avoid being sidetracked or drawn in by red herrings. They are honing their research skills and developing their ability to identify information useful in making an logical argument that will withstand their opponents counter attacks. These are valuable skills that will prepare them for their future years at Bradford Academy.

Mrs. Hicks

9th Biology
  • This week students reviewed the cell! Next week we will have our final test of the quarter! 

Mrs. Crotts

9th Literature
  • 9th graders worked hard on understanding footnote and bibliography “grammar.”  They were given an extension on the author research papers until Tuesday, December 12.  Students were introduced to Jane Austen and themes of Pride and Prejudice.

Dr. Byrd

9th-10th Bible Survey
  • We have finished the Psalms. We have seen the various genres that are used. Students have had to analyze a Psalm and also try to write one. We have also studied how Jesus used the Psalms in His ministry (Luke 24:44). We have also been reminded that there are many ways He fulfilled the prophecies of the Psalms. We are now studying the book of Job. 
  • Students have been working on Colossians 1:1-3 for memory.
  • Students are choosing their book for the book analysis project. It needs to be a book about Christian theology, a biography, or another approved book. 

 

Dr. James

10th Chemistry
  • This week we practiced writing and balancing equations, and the students learned four types of reactions.  
  • Next week the students will review oxidation numbers, nomenclature, and balancing equations, and the students will take their third test of the quarter.

Mrs. Palmer 

10th Spanish
  • Students have spent much of this week preparing for their upcoming test on irregular preterite verbs.  These verbs have substantial changes in the preterite tense and require a lot of memorization and practice.   Students also took a vocabulary test this week.  Their test will be next Friday, December 15th. 

Mrs. Byrd

10th Algebra II
  • This week we tackled completing the square with leading coefficients not equal to 1 (a solution technique with many steps)!  We also learned how to set up and solve direct and inverse variation problems, and worked some more with complex fractions and complex numbers.  We had a small competition to see which group could most quickly sort equations among three different types..

Mrs. Crotts

10th Literature
  • 10th graders defined what a Psalm is.  Then they listened to Psalter corporate singing and wrote a personal psalm–either one of lament, thanksgiving, or praise.  They turned in their final drafts of the author research paper.

Miss Oldham

10th Rhetoric I
  • Students turned in annotated bibliographies and worked on their final speeches. 

Coach Johnston

10th History
  • Students have begun to read Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War, while particularly focusing on the city-state of Sparta this week in anticipation of a quick on Tuesday (12/12). Students have read about their reformer, Lycurgus, the values and disciplines that made them unique and the conservative government structure (double kings, ephors, Gerousia, Apella) but also the dangers of a state-controlled way of life with Sparta’s practice of infanticide and secret police.
10th PE
  • Students played basketball and flag football this week.

Mrs. Byrd

11th Precalculus
  • We finished our unit on exponential and log equations by looking at various models – population growth, radioactive decay, Richter scale, and others.  After our test we will begin to study trig functions starting with introducing radian measure.
11th Physics
  • We are continuing in our study of Work and Energy.  We’ve worked on some conservation of energy problems where energy exchanges between PE and KE.  Students also had another construction day on their egg drop devices.  Next, we will consider situations in which friction does work on a system.

Miss Oldham

11th Literature
  • Students continued with Romeo and Juliet. 

Mr. Webster

11th History
  • This week we talked about the rise of cities in the midst of a revival in trade. We will end the week with a quiz on the unit thus far. 

Mr. Hunter

11th NT Greek
  • This week the students were introduced to Gregory of Nazianzus and John Chrysostom, and we began discussing the third declension nouns. 

Mrs. Fairchild

11th Elective: Portfolio
  • Our students are continuing their work on their embroidery projects.  It is wonderful to see their creativity flourishing and to be at a level of skill that they can execute their own ideas well.

 

Coach Johnston

11th-12th Elective: Military History
  • Students have finished the summary of the major battles of World War 2 and are completing the final discussions on America’s decision to drop the atomic bombs and EB Sledge’s book With the Old Breed. Next week, we will finish that work and prepare for our final exam.

Mrs. Palmer

11th-12th Elective: Spanish 3 / ESL
  • This week students continued to work on reviewing all the tenses we have learned in Spanish so far. Students also took a vocabulary quiz.  Next week students will have their final on various Spanish tenses and vocabulary.  As we wrap up our class soon, I am thankful to have been a part of witnessing their language skills grow!

 

Dr. Smith

11th-12th Apologetics & Philosophy
  • Friday we begin student presentations of their book reviews, which will extend through all of next week and into Monday. They have each chosen a book to read from a list I provided and they are doing a review of it. Book reviews are a standard academic practice in undergraduate and graduate level work. So this is pushing them ahead of their peers. Their review will consist of about 85-90% summary of what the book affirms and 10-15% critique consisting of what the author did well and/or what was questionable, as well as who will benefit the most from reading the book. 

Coach Johnston

12th History
  • Seniors briefly surveyed the US Constitution with its separate branches of government, the fundamental debates that required tough compromises and solutions in order to prioritize unity and the Bill of Rights which form the bedrock of our personal liberties as citizens of America.

Miss Oldham

12th Literature
  • Students read The Importance of Being Earnest. 
12th Rhetoric II
  • The seniors continued on their thesis journeys with meetings with Mr. Johnston and Dr. Smith. They have had some deadlines pushed out to January, so they’re feeling less pressure. But this doesn’t mean that they get to slack off! 

Mrs. Byrd

12th Calculus
  • Topics of the week were: determining concavity of functions, locating inflection points, the 2nd Derivative Test, sketching derivative curves from functions (and vice versa), and connecting f, f’, f”.

Mrs. Hicks

12th Anatomy
  • This week students reviewed the blood. Next week we will complete our final test of the quarter!