Friday, November 8, 2024, Weekly Administrative Update

   

Message from Principal Rico

Hello BFA Students and Families, 

In my welcome letter at the beginning of the year, I said that the high school would be installing vape detectors in our bathrooms. Installation has taken longer than expected.

As of  Monday, 11/11/2024,   the vape detectors will be turned on and we will be responding to them.  I am reaching out to highlight some of the process and consequences, all of which are outlined in our Handbook (pg. 37- 38):

• When there is suspicion of using, or being in possession of, substances, the administration can question a student regarding suspected use.  

•  A vape detector going off while a student is in the bathroom is "reasonable grounds for suspecting" and may trigger a request to search.

• Administration will follow Maple Run’s Search and Seizure Policy if needed. 

• Please take note of the Failure to Comply section. 

• Being in Possession of substances or paraphernalia is treated the same as Substance Use.  

• Consequences vary for the type of substance (nicotine, drug) as well as the number of instances.

• Please see p.37-38 of the Handbook. 

• Administration will notify parents/guardians of violations and/or searches. 

Please reach out to me, Principal Polly Rico, or Assistant Principal John Bratko if you have any questions. BFA has resources to assist people who need support.

Congratulations

The Business Department wants to congratulate and thank Vincent, Maggie, and Brandon for their positive attitudes, for being supportive of their classmates, and for demonstrating excellence in Business Management, Sports & Entertainment Marketing, and Personal Finance.

Congratulations Kristen Perrault! 

Congratulations to BFA's 2024 Teacher of the Year, Kristen Perrault! Kristen was honored at UVM's 44th Annual Outstanding Educator Awards on November 7, 2024.

Congratulations Comet Volleyball! 

The Comets make history in their 5th year as a varsity program and finish second in the state!  The Comets who made the Metro Division First Team are: Anna Smith, Kristie LaBelle, Amelia Weber, and Ava Harrison. Congratulations!

Coach Berthiaume is the Metro Division Coach of the Year. Congratulations!

We are SO proud of you, Comets.

Four Comet seniors received Metro First Team awards for their outstanding season. Left to right: Amelia Weber, Anna Smith, Ava Harrison, and Kristy LaBelle.

 

Coach of the Year

Metro Coach of the Year was awarded to Comets’ coach Bert Berthiaume.

Berthiaume received the award and immediately acknowledged the efforts of the entire Comet volleyball program’s coaching staff.

“I accept the Coach of the Year award for the entire Comet program’s coaching staff. It’s not just about me; it’s about Heather Blackburn, Lauren Liberatore, Hanna Godin, and their assistants,” said Berthiaume. “It’s a program award, not an individual award.”

Congratulations 

Bobwhite Volleyball!

Congratulations to the BobwhiteVolleyball team for their outstanding achievements and recognition this season! The following players were chosen for Vermont High School Volleyball All-Star honors!

First team: Senior Justin Munger, Outside Hitter

Second team: Junior Ryan Munger, Outside Hitter

Honorable Mention: Sophomore Ryan Lockerby, Outside Hitter

VSADA Conference

These Comets and Bobwhites are attending the Vermont State Athletic Directors Association VSADA leadership conference as they were selected by Mr. Marlow, our Athletic Director, to attend and represent BFA.

Photos from the VSADA Conference on Monday (continues Tuesday)! From L-R: Ms. Lib, Kali Cushing, Lilly Ferraro, Ella Dunigan, Marah McGinn, Toby Hurteau, Jacoby Soter, Sam Hurteau, and Max Sweeney.

VT Music Educators Association 

District 1 String Festival

On Monday, November 4th BFA Hosted the Vermont Music Educator’s Association District #1 String Festival. This event brought together students from all Maple Run Schools, Swanton School, MMU, Georgia, and MVU.

Starting at 9:30 middle school and high school students started rehearsing with their respective conductors. Samuel Lyons from Timberlane HS in NH directed the MS students. Yutaka Kono from the UVM Music Department directed the HS group. The entire festival was coordinated by MRUSD String Educator Alex “Rusty” Charpentier and hosted by BFA Music Director Eric Bushey.

The rehearsals culminated with a concert in the PAC at 4:30 that featured the MS Group, the HS Group, and a combined group that performed Ozzy Osbornes’ “Crazy Train.” This epic arrangement featured BFA violinists Madeleine Messier (’27) and Molly MacKenzie (’25).

Thank you 10ePhotography and Barb Tenney for capturing these photos of the Vermont Music Educators Association (VMEA) District 1 String Festival held in our Performing Arts Center.
 Click here to view the photos: https://www.10ephoto.com/p640049821

Youth Booth

Interactors Lilah Powers and Lila Dumont shown above running a "Youth Booth" at City Hall on election day, giving children the opportunity to learn the process of voting by casting their own mock ballot which included abbreviated versions of state, federal and local races.

Poetry Class Field Trip

Ms. Palmer and Mr Archambault’s class attend Robert Frost Trail, Cabin and Breadloaf Writing Center.

Upcoming Events 

Veteran's Day Parade and Ceremony

11/11/24 Schedule

Parent Teacher Conferences

BFA & NCTC PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES:

Wednesday 11/13 from 3:30 - 7:00 p.m. Virtual

Thursday 11/14 from 3:30 - 7:30 p.m In-Person

We value communication between teachers and families; if the teacher has no available times, please email them to make other arrangements.

Click here to schedule conference.

Sports Registration & Meeting

Winter sports registration is now open.

Go to www.BFAathletics.com and click on "Online Registration" and follow the directions and link there to sign-up. Registration closes November 29th.

Winter Sports Parent Meeting is set for November 20th, 2024 @ 6:30 PM inside the BFA Gymnasium.

Beauty and the Beast

Our Bellows Free Academy Theatre Company is excited to present Disney's Beauty and the Beast on November 21st-24th with shows on Nov 21st, 22nd, and 23rd at 7:00 PM and a matinee on SUNDAY, November 24th at 1:00 PM. All shows are at BFA in the Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $6 for students, seniors, and faculty/staff and $8 for adults. Come out and support your community, while having a fun-filled night at the theatre! Order your tickets online now at TicketLeap!

Purchase Tickets Here

Adults in our community joined the cast!

Bill Kimball, Kristi Waite, and Paula Johnson!

The cast and crew being introduced to the incoming set!

Club Interact

BFA Interact students participated in Spooky Saturday in downtown St. Albans as well as the Trunk or Treat event at Subaru over the past two weeks. Today you will catch them at City Hall at their youth voting booth - teaching tomorrow's voters to learn the act of voting.

 

Friday, November 1, 2024, Administrative Update

   

Upcoming Events

Veteran's Day Parade and Ceremony

11/11/24 Schedule

Parent Teacher Conferences

This year we will hold Parent Teacher conferences as follows:
Wednesday, 11/13 from 3:30- 7:00 pm - Virtual Conferences
Thursday, 11/14 from 3:30 - 7:30 pm - In-person Conferences
More info to follow.

Beauty and the Beast

Our Bellows Free Academy Theatre Company is excited to present Disney's Beauty and the Beast on November 21st-24th with shows on Nov 21st, 22nd, and 23rd at 7:00 PM and a matinee on SUNDAY, November 24th at 1:00 PM. All shows are at BFA in the Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $6 for students, seniors, and faculty/staff and $8 for adults. Come out and support your community, while having a fun-filled night at the theatre! Order your tickets online now at TicketLeap!

Purchase Tickets Here

Winter Sports Registration & Meeting

Winter sports registration is now open. 

Go to www.BFAathletics.com and click on "Online Registration" and follow the directions and link there to sign-up. Registration closes November 29th.

Winter Sports Parent Meeting is set for November 20th, 2024 @ 6:30 PM inside the BFA Gymnasium.

Congratulations!

National Honor Society Ceremony

2024-2025 National Honor Society Inductee Ceremony

Bellows Free Academy (BFA) is proud to announce the induction of 23 new members into the Champlain Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) on October 27th, 2024. These exceptional students have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, service, and character, embodying the values of the NHS.

Special thanks to Madeleine Messier for her amazing violin performance and to our guest speaker, Emily Eldred, whose inspiring words set the tone for this memorable occasion.

Induction into the NHS is a significant honor, requiring a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.7, demonstrated commitment to community service, proven leadership abilities, and strong character. Students become eligible to apply at the end of their sophomore year.

Congratulations again to our new NHS members—your hard work and dedication make our school and community proud!   Stephanie Hodgeman

Madeleine Messier

Congratulations

October 2024 Math Students of the Month!

Pictured L to R and top to bottom Lina Patterson, Theodore Tremblay, Macaffrey Alberico, Ada Reynolds, Lucas Robert, Lily Howe, Sophia Ryan, Caitlin Frost, Eva Lothian, and Ethan Oszurek

Congratulations

Cross Country 

Vermont State Championship

Coach Mashtare reported that the Vermont State Cross Country Championships were held on Saturday, Oct. 26, leading the BFA boys to an historic second-place finish–historic because they are only the fourth team in the history of BFA-St. Albans cross country to ever finish in the runner-up position.  Previous teams to accomplish this were in 1973, 1994, 2021 and now 2024.  The team also secured the runner-up position in the over-all placement for qualifying for the New England XC Championships to be held at the famous Wickham Park Course in Manchester, CT. The New England's will be run on November 9.

Marie DeSorgher led the girls to a seventh-place finish placing 33rd in 23:43. Marie ran her best race so far this season having a goal of qualifying for the Meet of Champions to be held next Saturday.

2024 Golf New England Championship

Congratulations to Gavin Benoit and Ethan LaPlume for competing in the 33rd Annual New England Interscholastic Golf Championship yesterday at Mohegan Sun !

Gavin Beniot finished 21/71 with a 77!

Ethan LaPlume finished 49/71 with a 83!

The winner was Jack Quinn from Gardiner Area High School in Maine scoring 67!

For complete results visit, newenglandsports.com.

Congratulations Comet Volleyball!

Comets hosted the No. 3 Hartford Hurricanes in the girls’ volleyball program's first home semifinal on Tuesday, Oct. 29th, winning the match 3-1 and punching a ticket to the final at St. Michael’s College on Sunday, November 3rd at 7 pm.

Good luck Comets!!

Congratulations

St. Albans Messenger 

Athlete of the Week

Emma Harrison!

CIP visit to 

State House & Historical Museum

The Community Integration Program (CIP) recently went on a field trip to the Vermont State House and the Historical Museum in Montpelier.  This trip supported recent citizenship and civic education learning in CIP Social Studies classes.  (The first picture was taken in the House of Representatives and the second in the Senate during a guided State House tour).

Student Leadership Training

Photos of students attending an "Up for Learning Student Leadership Training" held at the armory on October 28th.

Husky Tour

BFA students joined students from surrounding high schools on October 30th for a presentation, tour, and information session at Husky Technologies. Husky is actively recruiting area students to participate in its state-certified summer apprenticeship program, which pays students and credentials them to become CNC machinists.  

Fall Concert

BFA Music’s Fall Concert was held on Wednesday, October 30th in the BFA Gymnasium. The show began with the BFA Concert premiere of the new “Modern Band” ensemble led by Instrumental Music Director Eric Bushey. This student-led ensemble performed Chicago’s “Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is”, “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes, and “Come Together” by the Beatles.

The BFA Jazz Band followed with the Glenn Miller arrangement of “Little Brown Jug.”

The BFA Chamber singers performed “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” featuring senior vocalist Nat Cronin on the solo part. This group then presented “California Dreamin’”, a medley of several Beach Boys tunes that featured vocalists Brody Chamberlain and Maddie Messier.

Band I performed three selections including Brian Balmages “Moscow, 1941,” Roland Barrett’s “Arabian Dances,” and, in keeping with the seasonal flavor, Danny Elfman’s theme from the movie “Beetlejuice.”

BFA Chorus presented a beautiful program that started with an exciting version of the African-American spiritual “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho.” The lovely American folk tune “Shenandoah” was performed next and featured Senior Emma Gibson on the solo. She sang beautifully. Vermont composer Gwyneth Walker’s composition “Let the Life I Lived Speak For Me” was featured next and performed with passion. BFA Chorus teacher Armand Messier spent some time talking about the various complexities of the last number before performing the exciting and challenging “Magnificat” by Jackson Berkey to end the choral portion of the program.

BFA Band II started with a selection called “Ghost Run” by Christina Huss that had a traditional Japanese flair to it. They ended the program with the very exciting “Ghost Run” by Grant Michel that had a driving beat and minor-key tonality. The selection quotes the famous Requiem Mass plainchant “Dies Irae” which is commonly quoted in Halloween-flavored compositions and the theme from the great “Little Fugue in G Minor” of J.S. Bach.

Check out these amazing photos taken by 10e Photography: Fall Concert

Happy Halloween

Classroom & Enrichment

Poetry class creating Black Out Poems!

Beauty and the Beast Rehearsal

Some costume sneak peeks and rehearsal pictures!! We open November 21!!

You can buy your tickets here: http://bastalbans.ticketleap.com/beauty-and-the-

Student Parking Info

Hi All,

The city of St.Albans offers free parking in the parking garage for BFA students.
Here is an update from the city about some changes:

I’m writing to let you know about changes to the City’s parking system that will be effective November 1st.

BFA Students are still offered free parking in the City Parking Garage. However, they no longer need to come to City Hall to set that up.

Students can register for their free Parking Garage parking permit online at:https://www.tocite.net/stalbansvt/portal (note the leading www is required)

Select “View Permits” and they can register for “BFA Students Parking Garage” permit type. This permit type is free but does require students to upload proof of enrollment. Our office will receive a notification that a BFA Student has applied for a permit, we will review the proof of enrollment and either approve or decline.

Principal Rico