July 31, 2026
Dear Bedford Middle School Parent or Guardian,
Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! The BMS staff and I are looking forward to partnering with you to make your child’s learning experiences positive and successful. We are committed to providing an outstanding educational program in a caring and friendly environment. This letter contains important information regarding the start of school.
All students and parents are invited to visit our school, learn about our programs, and meet our instructional staff on Monday, August 17th from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. as we host “Back to School Night.” Upon arrival, parents and students should report to homerooms to get class schedules before visiting other classrooms and lockers. We encourage you to share information about your child with each of his/her teachers. Tech support will be available that evening in case you have questions relative to technology. If you are unable to attend that evening, please feel free to send a note or email to teachers outlining the information you would like to share with them.
We will have a brief presentation in the front gym at 6:00p.m. for 6th grade students and parents, as well as new students.
The first day of school for students is Wednesday, August 19th. Breakfast will be available in the cafeteria at 7:45 a.m. Breakfast is free again this year for all students. It is helpful if most students arrive at BMS between 7:55 and 8:10. If you have to drop your children off early, they can wait in the front gym or cafeteria until the 7:55 bell rings. When dropping students off, please pull up as far as possible in the loop in front of the school to facilitate the flow of traffic. Students will be required to be in class by 8:15 a.m.
Bedford Middle School’s website at www.bedfordasd.org/o/bms gives parents access to a wealth of resources to stay informed about school events. There is a “BMS Orientation Slide Show” link containing detailed information about procedures, staff, activities, and more. Please take some time to review it. In addition, an app can be downloaded and utilized on your cell phone.
Middle school is a time of change for your child, and we look forward to teaming with you to make your child’s transition through adolescence a smooth and successful one. If you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 623-4200.
Sincerely,
Shane Bingman
Principal
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Team Meetings:
Another opportunity to maintain updated information about your child is to contact our instructors by email or by phone. Addresses for our teachers can be found on the school website. The following times are when classroom teachers are available for meetings or to receive phone calls.
6th grade teachers 9:05-9:35 or 12:25-12:55
7th grade teachers 9:50-10:20 or 1:10-1:40
8th grade teachers 10:35-11:05 or 1:50-2:20
PowerSchool and Schoology:
The Bedford Area School District uses a student information system called PowerSchool and a student learning system called Schoology. Parents who are new to the district or need a refresher on how to access and use PowerSchool and/or Schoology can visit the Bedford Middle School website and click on Technology Resources. You will see information / directions for both systems listed on that menu. If you experience any difficulties, please contact the BMS office for assistance.
Reminders from the School Nurse:
6th graders are required to have a physical examination. Physical examinations will be offered by the school. If interested please contact the school nurse, Mrs Heeter at 814-623-4200 ext. 2105.
7th graders are required by the state of Pennsylvania to have a Tdap and Meningococcal vaccine by the first day of school.
7th graders are also required by the state of Pennsylvania to have a dental exam on or after January 1st, 2025. Please be sure documentation of the exam is submitted to the nurse. Please return the letter that was mailed home in the summer to the nurse’s office. BMS will offer free dental exams to any student who cannot provide this documentation from a family dentist.
If your child takes medication during the school day, please contact the school nurse prior to the start of school. All medications must be stored in the nurse’s office with the exception of certain situations.
Forms to Return:
Included in the mailing is an important form that needs to be completed and returned. You can bring the form to “Back to School Night” or send the form with your child during the first days of school.
BMS Student Information / Emergency Medical Information (front and back). This form needs to be returned as soon as possible. Please Note: All individuals listed as emergency contacts are assumed to be permitted to pick up the child unless otherwise stated on the form.
Included are forms for 6th grade students. The forms are a Google/internet form and a COPPA Form. The Google/internet form allows students to use a Google account and allows students to use the internet. In addition, this form gives permission for your child to publish his/her work on our web-site and or local publications. The COPPA allows students to use apps on their ipads. These forms must be returned for your child to take advantage of these educational experiences.
Upcoming Events:
All upcoming events are listed on the Bedford Middle School website. Please be sure to check this site frequently for updates and other information.