The Bedford Public School System, the pride of the community, is dedicated to excellence in education and strives to ensure that all children of school age receive the highest quality education appropriate to their individual needs and abilities. Bedford has been strongly committed to public education since the Bedford County School Di vision began in August 1846. The Bedford Public Schools of today, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, offer education to approximately 10,700 students enrolled in elementary, middle, high and alternative schools. More than 800 teachers serve children throughout the county ’s 22 schools. Bedford County Public School System has outstanding academic and extra-curricular programs at all levels of K-12 education.

Exceptional two-year programs are available for high school students and adults at the Bedford Science and Technology Center in such vocations as auto technology, carpentry, child care, cosmetology, drafting design technology, electricity, and licensed practical nursing. Students who qualify for Virginia ’s Early College Scholars program can earn 15 or more college credits at the county ’s high schools before graduating. High achievement and growth in academics will continue to be priorities, but Bedford County Schools also emphasize the necessary v alues and skills for students to become active, productive citizens.

Programs

Career and Technical Education

The Bedford Science and Technology Center develops students’ technical and academic skills needed at two and four-year colleges and in their careers. The program offers on-the-job work experience, college credit, professional licensure, advanced certification and apprenticeship credit.

Gifted Education

The Gifted Education Program follows the school system’s standards of quality and complies with the Virginia Plan for the Education of the Gifted. The program addresses individual learning styles, needs and interests to encourage each student to develop his or her greatest potential. Students can qualify for the program based on general intellectual aptitude tests or specific academic aptitude tests.

Governor’s Math, Science and Technology Schools

The Bedford County schools participate in the Central Virginia Governor’s School for Science and Technology in Lynchburg and the Roanoke Valley Governor’s School for Math, Science and Technology in Roanoke, which offer advanced educational opportunities for students with aptitude and interest in mathematics and science classes. These classes are in the morning and the students return to their home high schools for afternoon courses. Students can earn college credit for senior level math and science classes. Students are selected through a testing and application process. Bedford students may also apply for summer Governor ’s Schools, which the Virginia Department of Education sponsors. Students can spend several weeks focusing on a specific coursework of interest.

Advanced Placement Courses

In the Advanced Placement Program students learn college level material, and participating colleges may grant course credit, class placement, or both, to students who successfully complete the advanced placement exam.

Advanced placement courses can be offered from among the following curricula: Biology II, English 11, United States History, United States Government and Politics, Calculus, and Spanish.

Dual Enrollment Courses

With the principal’s prior approval, students may also receive college credit by successfully completing a dual enrollment course with a college. Students must meet the college ’s requirements for admission in the course.

Technology

The Bedford County Public Schools believe new technologies serve as important tools that can help students reach their academic potentials. These tools can also give them skills that will help them achieve future success.

Technological benefits include:

• An up-to-date Web site (www.bedford.k12.va.us)

• E-mail and online class pages for faculty

• Multi-media computer labs for all schools

• Local Area Networks in all schools

• Educational software for all schools

• Multiple technology integration training opportunities for faculty and staff

• A Wide-Area Network

• A district-wide student-to-computer ratio of 1:4

Bedford County Public Schools will continue to augment and improve the technology available to students and staff by:

• Continuing staff development and curriculum integration

• Developing distance learning opportunities

• Providing additional on-line SOL resources

• Adding wireless networking to high and middle schools

• Providing additional online resources for parents
and the community

For more information, visit the Bedford County Public Schools
www.bedford.k12.va.us or call (540) 586-1045.

For a complete list of schools and colleges in the area the following two PDFs are available for download.