With 2007, came the opening of the long-awaited Ross A. Lurgio Middle School and Bedford High School.

On Aug. 29, the first students arrived.

“I’m excited to finally have the students here. It’s been great to have them here for orientation and athletic practices,” said Principal George Edwards, who was on hand to greet the public who had come for tours of the new facility.

John Shuttinger, assistant principal at the middle school, was impressed by the school.

“It’s a beautiful school and a very professional staff. Bedford is an exceptional district to work for,” he said during the middle school open house.

Students had a similar reaction. “I like how the whole school is color coded. It’s easier to navigate around. All the lockers are color coded, too,” said seventhgrader Trevor Fahmy.

Other students knew it would take a little time getting used to.

“It’s awesome. I like it because everything’s new, but it’s overwhelming,” said seventhgrader Ashley Palis.

With the buildings completed, the construction moved to phase two – the planning for construction of a secondary emergency access road. Three options were reviewd: Option 1 called for a driveway on Wallace Road, just south of its intersection with Route 101 and slightly north of County Road Extension.

Option 2, a Chestnut Drive extension with a traffic light at Route 101. Option 3, a light at Nashua Road at Route 101 with emergency access on Chestnut Drive, also includes minor improvements at the intersection of Route 101 and Meetinghouse Road, and widening a uphill curve on Nashua Road.

At the Nov. 26 School Board meeting, Option 3 was chosen as the preferred option and will go to voters in March.

In the meantime, funding for the $3.2 million project was in question.

Shortly after, at the Nov. 28 Town Council meeting, members of the School Board asked if the town would help foot the bill to widen Route 101 as part of the school secondary access road project.

“Some Town Council members have been in the dark on this up until Monday (Nov. 26),” said Councilor Kevin Keyes about the town having to share the cost.

Councilor Michael Scanlon agreed.

“We should have been more involved if the town was to be involved to this degree,” said Scanlon.

In December, the Town Council supported the School Board’s proposal of putting a light at Nashua Road, voting 6-1 in favor, but did not agree on any cost-sharing for the project.

At the Dec. 17, School Board meeting, Superintendent of Schools Tim Mayes announced the price for a secondary access road alone, not including other improvements to Nashua Road or Route 101.

The amount was presented to the board by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., the same company involved with the initial design and engineering of the project.

“The cost in 2009 dollars for the emergency access road would be $170,000,”said Mayes, adding that it’s important to know that number as the board looks ahead.

January
On Dec. 16, members on the high school planing team hosted tours of Bedford High School to a group of current ninth-graders and their families. Tour-goers were led around the interior of both the middle and high schools and the unfinished athletic fields.

“I think it’s a lot bigger than West is, and it’s not going to be very crowded,” said Max Lawless, 14, a student at Manchester West High School.

Randy Prothero, the district’s network administrator, said the school building looks good. “I like that they’re building it to fit academic requirements,” he said. “Hopefully it will pay off with our taxes,” he said.

A survey conducted by the Coalition for Bedford Youth showed that students at McKelvie School were participating more in high-risk behavior and have fewer “developmental assets” than their peers did four years ago, a survey of 885 students showed.

Assets included community values, positive family communication, integrity and reading for pleasure. These assets are defined as concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people.

“I was expecting better results this time, but clearly we still have work to do,” said Cathi Bachhuber, chairman of the Education Committee of the CYB.

On Jan. 6, FIRST hosted the kick-off for its 16th Robotics Competition at Manchester’s Southern New Hampshire University.

Teams from countries across the world such as Brazil, Canada, Israel and the United States watched the kickoff as it was broadcast live via NASA TV to learn the challenge that awaited them.

February
The Manchester West High School FIRST robotics team continued to get ready for their competition in the Spring. This was the 14th year the school competed in the competitions, said Ed Forcier, the team’s teacher advisor. Forcier said he puts 800 to 900 hours into the competition each year and students put in about 20 hours a week during construction and planning.

Students at Bedford High School learned at the Feb. 5 School Board meeting that they can take up to eight courses a semester, with alternating four class days and 85-minute block scheduling.

More than 40 students from McKelvie Middle School took part in the play, “Tied to the Tracks.” Another crew of 28 students worked lighting and sound boards.

Director Jamie Marcot said the students were great to work with.

“They’re fantastic, they’re so enthusiastic. They give you whatever they can,” she said.

March
School Board members approved a security study for Bedford schools.

All 10 warrant articles passed on election day, March 13. Voters approved bonding the $2.7 million for first-year furniture costs, an initial library collection and athletic grandstands. Also approved was the district’s 2007-08 operating budget of $52,771,263.

On March 3, the Manchester West High School FIRST robotics team won the annual BAE Systems Granite State Regional competition championship trophy.

“I really didn’t think we could win this one,” said Ed Forcier, team advisor, “When the robot went in the crate to be shipped, it really wasn’t done. We really managed to pull the entire project together at the competition.”

Mike Brown, a Riddle Brook School fourth-grader, won a spot in the second annual Riverbend One Act Play Festival after writing his one act play called “After the Holiday.”

Molly McCarthy, the former assistant principal of Riddle Brook school was named to succeed Michael Fournier, who was assigned to be principal at the new McKelvie Intermediate School.

“I’m very excited. This is going to be a great opportunity,” she said.

April
Memorial School raised more than $15,000 at its annual Spring Fling, when 251 baskets were raffled off.

The Riddle Brook fifth-grade Destination ImagiNation team won first place in the state CSIDI competition and took their eight-minute skit to the Global Finals.

The team won the state competition in Plaistow on March 31, after placing second in the Regional Competition on March 18.

On May 8, McKelvie Middle School sixth-grade teacher Stacey Baker was named regional Teacher of the Year. As part of the Wal-Mart-sponsored award, Baker received $1,000 for McKelvie.

After running the Birkdale Morning Nursery School for 26 years, Joyce Fraitzl said it was time to retire. Fraitzl had taught Bedford’s youth for 32 years, the first six were at the Mid Hill Nursery School on Wallace Road.

“I have mixed emotions about retiring, but it’s time,” she said.

The Bedford School Board took its first look at defining policy for holding and destroying background information on incoming personnel.