Some Bridge and Bowman Students Starting the Year with Classes in the Cafeteria

With contractors lagging several weeks behind schedule, some students at the Bridge and Bowman elementary schools in Lexington began the year with classes held in the cafeteria and gymnasiums.

For some of the students at the Bridge and Bowman elementary schools in Lexington, the 2012-2013 school year has begun with classes in the cafeteria and mealtime in temporary structures outside their under-construction schools. According to Patrick Goddard, the town’s director of public facilities, renovation projects at the two elementary schools slipped behind schedule over the summer and contractors TLT Construction failed to turn over the renovated areas of the buildings on Aug. 17, as had been the plan. As a result, the schools will be utilizing non-traditional teaching spaces, such as the cafeterias and gymnasiums for classroom instruction for the next two or three weeks. “There has been a lot of effort on the part of the …

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Bridge Students Honored for Bookmark Designs

For the fourth consecutive year, Bridge designs were chosen for honors in a statewide bookmark contest sponsored by the Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA).

  Two Bridge Elementary School first-graders were honored at a ceremony at the State House in Boston on April 11 for their entries in a statewide bookmark contest sponsored by the Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA). Madeline Kim and Medha Morparia submitted bookmark designs in the local contest held at Bridge School, sponsored by Lynnette Allen, school Library Teacher. The theme of the contest was ‘I’m Wild About My School Library.’ Nine local bookmark winners were submitted to the statewide contest. For the fourth consecutive year, Bridge designs were chosen for honors. Maddie and Medha’s designs were chosen by a panel of notable authors and illustrators as two of the three best designs submitted by all Kindergarten and 1st …

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VIDEO: An Elementary School Rap About Recycling

Eco-Bridge student volunteers prep for an upcoming performance at an Earth Day-inspired assembly this Friday at Lexington's Bridge Elementary School.

The Eco-Bridge student volunteers at Lexington's Bridge Elementary School don't just recycle, reduce and reuse -- some of them even rap about recycling, reducing and reusing. Here's a sneak peek at students practicing for their performance at an Earth Day-inspired school assembly this Friday.

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Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Feb. 17

Vacation coming, a school project discussion and more today in Lexington.

1. Last Day before February Vacation: Today's the last day of classes before the Lexington Public Schools break for February Vacation.   2. Site Specifics: The Bridge and Bowman School site councils will hold a joint meeting at 7:45 a.m. this morning at the and the agenda includes a discussion of the upcoming renovations project. Both Pat Goddard, director of facilities, and Mark Barret, the RA and Project Manager, will be in attendance. 3. : Lexington Patch is looking for foodies, parents, poll watchers, politicos, hippies, harpers, fashionistas, business gurus, sports fans and anyone else who has something to say. If you're passionate and opining is your thing, we'd like you to consider blogging for Patch. Anyone may apply. 4. On This …

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UPDATED: Lexington Voters Say 'Yes for Our Schools' (PHOTOS)

A pair of ballot questions seeking more than $60 million for elementary school building projects passed overwhelmingly during a special election held Tuesday, Jan. 24.

The preliminary results are in and they indicate resounding support for the debt exclusion questions seeking funding for repairs to the Bridge and Bowman elementary schools and rebuilding Estabrook Elementary. Lexington voters yesterday were asked to finance through debt exclusion overrides a pair of school building projects totalling about $60 million and the 27 percent or so who turned out solidly responded to the "Yes for Our Schools" rallying call of the campaign supporting the projects. Voter participation was significantly lower than expected, with turnout topping 30 percent in only percincts 2, 4 and 7. The polling places for those precincts were at the Bowman, Bridge and Estabrook schools, respectively. The first question, to fund…

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POLL: How Will You Vote in Jan. 24's Three-School Special Election

Do you support plans to rebuild Estabrook Elementary and renovate the Bridge and Bowman schools? Take our poll or let us know in the comments section below.

On Tuesday, Jan. 24, the voters of Lexington will be asked to finance through a debt exclusion a pair of school building projects that would spend tens of millions of dollars to rebuild one elementary school and renovate two others. Two questions will be on the ballot. One seeks funding to rebuild Estabrook Elementary School, a project already an aggressive schedule as the town sticks to the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s timeline following the discovery and subsequent remediation of polychlorinated byphenyl (PCB) at the school last summer and fall. The project is currently in the schematic design phase and will likely result in a three-story school with an approximately $40 million price tag. The other will ask for $21 million-…

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LWV Forum Covers School Projects Before Debt Exclusion Vote

At Cary Memorial Library last Friday, a panel of four explained why the town is planning to rebuild Estabrook Elementary and renovate the Bridge and Bowman schools at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters, which has endorsed both projects.

Saying she had two things on her mind: money and children, Selectwoman Deb Mauger explained why she, and the Board of Selectmen, voted to put debt exclusion requests to rebuild Estabrook Elementary and renovate the Bridge and Bowman elementary schools before the voters in a Jan. 24 special election.  Maguer said that, while she’s a retiree thinking about things like taxes and credit card bills accrued over the holidays, she’s also a Lexington resident thinking about local children and their education. Mauger must have known her audience. She was speaking at the Lexington League of Women Voters’ First Friday Forum last week at Cary Memorial Library. The League, which has endorsed both debt exclusion requests, promoted the informational …

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