Principal’s Message

Welcome to Beardsley Jr. High School.

At Beardsley Jr. High, students come first. Every decision we make is guided by one fundamental question: What is best for our students? We are committed to creating a positive, welcoming, and supportive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to grow academically, socially, and personally.

Our goal extends far beyond preparing students for the next grade level. We are preparing our students for high school, college and careers, and life beyond the classroom. We hold high expectations for academic achievement, but we also believe that character, responsibility, respect, and appropriate behavior are essential components of student success. We expect our students to demonstrate the Bears’ Way by being Brave, Empathetic, Accountable, Respectful, and Successful.

We believe in recognizing and celebrating our students when they meet those expectations. Through our Bear Den program, we reward students for positive behavior, excellent attendance, academic accomplishments, and active participation in our school community. Throughout the year, our students have opportunities to participate in rallies, field trips, special activity days, and other celebrations that make their junior high experience memorable. We believe students should work hard, make good choices, and have opportunities to enjoy and celebrate their accomplishments along the way.

Although we are a small school, we are incredibly proud of the wide variety of electives and enrichment opportunities we are able to offer our students. We want students to discover new interests, develop talents, and find areas in which they can succeed. Our after-school activities provide additional opportunities for students to become involved, build relationships, develop teamwork skills, and discover new passions.

• During the school day: Art, Band, Choir Computer Applications/Keyboarding, Spanish, Journalism, Leadership, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) – Design and Modeling and Automation & Robotics / Medical Detectives
• Beyond the school day: after-school sports, colorguard, drum line, cheerleading, tutoring, IMPACT. 

We also believe that a strong education requires a strong partnership between school and home. We value the learning environment we have created at Beardsley, and we ask our parents and families to reinforce that same value at home. When students understand that their education matters and that the adults in their lives share high expectations for them, they are far more likely to recognize their own potential and strive for success.

Most importantly, we care about the whole child. We understand that students cannot always leave the challenges of home at the classroom door. Sometimes a student is worried about something as basic as having clean clothes, personal hygiene items, school supplies, or food at home. When those basic needs are not being met, it can be difficult for a student to concentrate on learning.

That is why we are especially proud of our Comfort Cave, a program designed to support our students and families during difficult times. Through the Comfort Cave, we are able to provide essential hygiene products, clothing, shoes, school supplies, household items, and other necessities to students and families who may be experiencing hardship. By helping provide these essentials, we hope to remove some of the worries that can interfere with a student’s ability to focus, learn, and succeed.

Another important component of the Comfort Cave is our partnership with Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) and their meal program. When families are experiencing difficulty putting food on the table, we are able to provide individually packaged, frozen, nutritious meals to help support them. We are incredibly grateful for this partnership and for the opportunity to extend our support beyond the walls of our school.

At Beardsley Jr. High, we believe that education is about much more than academics. It is about building relationships, developing character, creating opportunities, supporting families, and helping young people discover what they are capable of achieving.

Once a Beardsley Bear, Always a Beardsley Bear!

Monica West
Principal
Beardsley Jr. High School