Bedford-North Lawrence High School

I am currently a student at BNL and I think it is a great high school to attend. Although people say the school is crowded in a bad way, but I think being in a big school helps a student to prepare for college where there will be tons of people you don't know.
--Submitted by a student

This is a poor school. The teachers that are suppose to be teaching, half of them would rather spend the class time talking about their weekend, or something fun that happend. They pay police officers to patrol the halls, i know the officers that do this personally. No names mentioned but numerous come with the remark of, this place is a joke i wouldnt do this if they didnt pay me $10 an hour, or whatever the higher than average pay is, around $10/ph. The whole split up into two disciplinary sections seems like a good idead, but is it really? Their disciplinary actions are jokes, this school is a joke an is failing horribly.
--Submitted by a parent

I attended Bedford North Lawrence High School from 2001 to 2005. I was active in the band, and the band department in my opinion is horribly managed and some of its teachers are of extremely poor quality. Some teachers genuinely cared, and those are who I remember. But I feel like I was genuinely held back. I am now very successful and graduated with honors from my university. Intellectualism is suppressed at BNL, and if you want an education, I suggest you go somewhere else.

This is a high quality school with some of the best teachers possible. I am a graduate of the NLCS system and though there is a dud here and there, the system employees many highly qualified teachers who genuinely invest themselves in their students. I see that there are many poor reviews attacking teachers, but these are coming from people who also grew up in the system and hated individual teachers and continue to hold that grudge. Grow up.... These teachers push their students and expect effort and maturity. They work hard to prepare them for college and careers.

i have experienced faculty members at this school express entitlement and disregard to a parent's voice. i feel the reason some parents disconnect is because by the time their children have gone through bedford junior high with their children, there is a bad taste in their mouths and they simply give up. the principal at bedford junior was horrible and i am worried about my youngest now going to BNL. my oldest did fine and we had a little problem with the guidance counsel. but, she was a trooper and made good changes. i would not recommend NLCS district schools to anyone. ever.
--Submitted by a parent

The faculty is aweful here. They are disconnected. Hates parents. I can't wait until my kid is out of this school and finishes.
--Submitted by a parent

BNL really does spend way too much money on sports compared to non-athletic activities. The music department is funded mostly through fundraising, and everything used for Drama Club is bought by the students or teacher in charge of it. In addition, BNL really does not provide a high-quality education for non-honors students. Courses geared toward 'average' students are extremely basic, and there are no expectations of quality work from the students, leading to a general culture of non-academic emphasis.
--Submitted by a student

I really am disappointed in BNL's commitment to it's students needs. They'd rather spend all there money on sports and stuff we really don't need. We need new lockers they are so small ... the teachers barely help. The foreign languages lack anything special ... and they're overbooked ... It's disgusting. I'm so sad that I've wasted my freshman and sophmore year there. Bedford is a racist community ... there are so many racist people at the school that at some points makes me fear for my safety. I just wish I could find a school where I can be proud of my ethnicity and not have to be fake.
--Submitted by a student

Wonderful facility, concerned teachers, lots of opportunities, variety of clubs/sports, excellent administration.
--Submitted by a parent

From my experience with the school, you are likely to get lost. It is a big school and is crowed. Mitchell high school on the other hand has less students and teachers have more one on one time