Outside of windows of BMS classrooms, there is a walking path where gym classes are jogging, parents are chatting, dogs are running … and a car is driving?

Usually after school or just when Staples lets out, you can see cars driving, sometimes at 30 mph across the back path of BMS on their way to the Wakeman Fields or back to Staples.

“I’ve investigated these incidents and put a stop to this behavior. That being said, periodically we experience people who do not know this rule …In all cases we’ve received apologies and compliance from the culprits.” said Dr. Adam Rosen when asked about what has been done to prevent people from driving on the path.

The rule Dr. Rosen is talking about is one that prohibits cars from driving on this back path. When talking to Ted Hunyadi, Director of Facilities for Westport Public Schools, he made it very clear only pedestrians and fire emergency equipment (fire fighters, police officers, ambulance, etc.) are allowed to be on the path. The gates are open for these emergencies in case one were to occur. Coaches, students, parents, and are not supposed to drive on that path.

Often, because of the lack of enforcement and clarity in this rule, parents, coaches and students are not aware that they are breaking any rule, raising a concern for the safety of our students and faculty.
When cars drive across this path, even without the knowledge that they are breaking any rule, they present a safety hazard on the students who may be walking or running.

Although no one has been hurt yet. there must be clarity on the rules prohibiting people from driving on this path that is so often used by both the Bedford and Staples community.

The path behind our school is not a place for coaches to speed to practice, nor a place where parents can pick their children up. The purpose of this path is for people to go biking or running or waking, and it should not be a place where the safety of our students are in harm’s way.

In this year’s Science Olympiad, BMS came in second in the state competition held in Farmington, Conn. Twenty-three BMS students from all three grades attended, with the help of five ninth graders.

“I am really proud of all the members who helped us do as well as we did. The contest really tested the ability of the students,” said club adviser and BMS STEM teacher Mrs. Kathryn Nicolas.

This competition tested these students’ abilities in designing and building a working machine. They could also do events that involved fossils, wind power, and other aspects of construction.

“I do the Science Olympiad because it is very fun and I’m able to build really cool things like a ping-pong ball machine,” said John OBrien, an 8th grader.