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Our Mission, Beliefs, and Core Values

“ENTER TO LEARN, GO FORTH TO SERVE”

Mission

The mission of Bellows Falls Union High School is to provide all students with the opportunity to expand their intellectual, social and physical capabilities, to foster their emotional growth and to assist them in recognizing and achieving their fullest potential.

Beliefs & Core Values

The Bellows Falls Union High School is committed to the following beliefs about learning:

  • Students learn best when the school environment is safe, supportive, and cooperative.

  • Students learn best when they are recognized as individuals and are fully engaged in lessons tailored to their needs, abilities, and educational goals.

  • Students learn best when they become self-aware, self-motivated, community members with short and long term goals.

  • Students learn best when relationships are formed between faculty, students, parents, and community, and when faculty members maintain a high degree of professionalism.

  • Students learn best when the curriculum is flexible, challenging, appropriate, creative and applicable to all aspects of life.

Bellows Falls Union High School is a community committed to providing a holistic, accessible, and innovative curricular and co-curricular experience for all of our community members. The specific policies and procedures outlined in this handbook are rooted in the foundational beliefs that all individuals are deserving of respect, trust, dignity, due process, and a sense of belonging. Students who attend Bellows Falls Union High School agree to uphold the policies and procedures contained within this handbook in the spirit of ensuring a safe and respectful experience for all. 

History

In 1969, the towns of Athens, Grafton, Rockingham, and Westminster formed Union High School District 27 and began planning for a district high school. Residents wanted a school that could also serve as a community learning center, providing space for adult education classes, club meetings, and civic affairs. Administrators and teachers envisioned a school that would support innovative teaching methods while accommodating individual learning styles. Above all, they sought a design that would remain adaptable over time, avoiding obsolescence due to changing educational philosophies and requirements.

The result was a school built on a flexible, open-space plan. Interior walls were largely eliminated, except where needed for noise control or privacy, allowing for a fluid and adaptable learning environment. This design supported both traditional and experimental programs, lectures and discussions, team and individual teaching, and classes of various sizes. The school was divided into functional sections—academic, fine and applied arts, gymnasium, and industrial arts. Each section was designed to operate independently, with direct exterior access, enabling multiple events to occur simultaneously without disruption.

In 2024, the school underwent a significant renovation, beginning with the academic wing. The science wing became the first section within the academic area to feature fully enclosed classrooms, moving away from the original open-space design. The renovation introduced four state-of-the-art science classrooms, each equipped with modern fume hoods, functioning gas stations, enhanced ventilation, and updated lab equipment. These upgrades marked a major step in modernizing the school’s facilities while maintaining its commitment to flexibility and innovation in education.

Past Principals

1971-1981 - Charles Davis
1981-1996 - Ned Caron
1996-1999 - Warren Baugher
1999-2005 - John Doty
2005-2021 - Christopher Hodsden
2021-2023 - John Broadley
2023-Present - Kelly O'Ryan

School Song

Bellows Falls, ever glorious
Bellows Falls, to you we sing,
Bellows Falls, e'er victorious
Your praises ever ring
On the field, the field of conflict
We will fight for the right,
We'll be loyal, loyal ever
To the Purple and the White