1. BHS Meeting and Panel: Profiles in Preservation

The Bedford Historical Society hosts its annual meeting and a “unique panel of noted professionals from the preservation field.” The evening will begin at 6:30 with a wine and cheese reception at Historical Hall followed by Historical Society business. The panel will begin at 7 p.m. The meeting is free to members who have renewed in the past year; if you are not currently a member, you can purchase your ticket for $25. To RSVP, call (914) 234-9751 or click here for more.

2. Bedford school board meets at 8 p.m., tenure reception included

The board of education meeting will include a brief presentation of tenure candidates and a reception to follow. A budget hearing follows. The meeting is at the Fox Lane Middle School Theatre.

3. Speaking of teachers: it’s Teacher Appreciation Week

Have you thanked a teacher today? Whether it’s your child’s current teacher or a former teacher of yours, we’d love to hear from you. We’ll post your reflections in a teacher appreciation column on Friday so send them in!

4. Talking with kids about Osama bin Laden

Have your children been talking about the death of the world’s number one terrorist? How do you handle this sort of news at home? Join the conversation this week in Parents Talk as we tackle this topic.

5. Deadline for Absentee Ballots is May 10

The deadline to get your absentee ballot mailed to you is one week away – May 10th. If you aren’t sure if you will be around on May 17 to vote for your school district budget or board of education candidates, you can apply for an absentee ballot. May 10 – Deadline for getting application if ballot is to be mailed to voter. May 16 – Deadline for getting application if ballot is to be delivered personally to voter. Click here for more information for Bedford Central Schools and click here for Katonah Lewisboro schools.

Miriam Hegglin has achieved the top academic honor at Fox Lane High School—the rank of valedictorian. Her accomplishments include achieving a 98.03 grade point average, spending a spring break building homes in Nicaragua and gaining acceptance to Carnegie Mellon University, where she has decided to attend college this fall. We caught up with Miriam just after she returned from Nicaragua.

Patch: How does it feel to be at the very top?

MH:  I’m proud of myself. I think the rank shows my effort over the last four years. I don’t really compare myself to other kids—my parents just expected my [twin] sister and I to do well and work hard. And now it’s paid off.

Patch: It must be hard for twin sisters not to compare themselves to each other!

MH: Not really—Carmen has done really well too, I think she has a 96.90 and is ranked third. We have done a lot of the same activities over the years and are very close. But we are going to different colleges next year—she’s going to Northeastern University—it’s time to do something separate. I also have a 20-year-old brother, Oliver, who goes to Washington College in Maryland.

Patch: You’ve lived in Germany, Switzerland and Canada—how did those experiences shape your life?

MH: Yeah, I lived in Switzerland until I was four, then lived in Toronto, went back to Switzerland and then went to a German School in White Plains while living in Rye Brook! My dad’s job [at Swiss Re] had us moving around. And I spent a lot of time in Cordoba, Spain visiting my mom’s family. I think it gave me an appreciation for people and new experiences. I am always interested in meeting new people and recognize that everyone’s different, and I have an open mind. That’s what I like about this school district—we celebrate differences. No one hides from that here. I might possibly pursue a career that involves travel.

Dancing also helped keep me grounded when I was traveling around. It was the one constant my sister and I had to fall back on—wherever we were, we danced. I’ve taken ballet and jazz since I was little. And I had a lot of fun dancing in musicals at Fox Lane [including Beauty and the Beast and The Boyfriend].

Patch: Which teachers or classes influenced your experience at Fox Lane?

MH: Definitely Mr. Ludwig, my AP Physics teacher. He’s just a really good person, and he made a really difficult subject like Physics more fun. He helped us see the practical applications for math and physics. I’m a math person, but even for me, he made it more interesting. And Dr. Maika, who was my AP U.S. History teacher, I think he really helped prepare me for college. He always talks about the “13th grade” and showed us how to take proper notes. He looked out for us.

Patch: Is there anything that could have improved your academic experience at school?

MH: The district does a pretty good job—I think we could have more electives, so that kids can pursue their own interests more. I didn’t get to take an English elective until senior year. But I got to do a lot of interesting projects that incorporated my interests.

Patch: Such as…?

MH: Well, I did a project all about spidrons for math class and the science fair. Spidrons are geometric shapes made from triangles, and we were able to learn about the relationship between math and art. I love math, especially its practical applications. I plan to study engineering in college because it takes math and makes it really useful.

Patch: How did you balance your activities and a full academic load?

MH: I found that time management really helps. I was choosy about my activities. I didn’t feel obligated to be in every club to build up a resume, I did what I enjoyed and I prioritized. I put academics first—that’s the point of high school.

Patch: What will you miss most about school and your community?

MH: I’ll miss the people, and my friends. I love being able to walk around Mt. Kisco and go to New York City. But I’ll bring my stuffed animals to remind me of home.

Patch: Congratulations, and good luck!

You’ve heard of destination weddings, when vow-exchanging becomes a reason for guests to travel and take a few days off from work.

Now Esquire writer John Mariani has introduced the concept of “destination restaurants,” for weekends when you want to plan a journey that centers around a great restaurant meal. His top ten picks are scattered across the U.S., from New York City to Aspen, CO, to Palm Beach, FL.

To experience one of them, however, locals won’t have to go far. Mariani has named The Bedford Post as one of his top “wonderful and very romantic places around the U.S. that are definitely in the category of destination places for a grand weekend.”

Mariani writes that the luxury inn’s “charms change seasonally.”

To stay there for the weekend might give one the chance to fully appreciate those charms, but we might add that recent events—such as its spring egg hunt—gave locals a reason to stop by even for a few hours.

Click here to read the full story on Esquire.com.

And then, boom! Former NFL coach and legendary commentator, John Madden, has listed his New York City apartment for sale for $4.9 million, reportedly because he doesn’t get to NY as much as he used to since retiring from the broadcast booth in 2009.

Source: Bumpshack

Madden coached the Oakland Raiders from 1969-1978 and led the team to a Super Bowl victory in 1977. After he retired from coaching, he entered the broadcast booth as a color commentator and managed to work for all four major TV networks, ending his career on NBC’s Sunday Night Football,. Madden has also collaborated on the wildly successful Madden NFL series of football video games.

Madden, who settled in San Francisco after retiring from NFL television broadcasting in 2009, has a well-documented fear of flying which may be one of the reasons he and his family do not make it out to NYC frequently enough to warrant keeping the apartment.

The 2-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom apartment is located in the Dakota building which has been home to many celebrities including Lauren Bacall, Judy Garland and Connie Chung. It is also where Beatle John Lennon was fatally shot outside the gate to the building in 1980. According to the listing, Madden’s residence “boasts soaring ceilings adorned with original moldings, two magnificent fireplaces, intricate paneling and built-in cabinetry and oversized rooms and windows.”

Unlike many in the wide circle of sports celebrities facing foreclosure, Madden will not be selling at a loss. In fact, he’ll be selling for quite a profit. That’s because Madden has owned the home since 1985 when he reportedly he bought it from comedian Gilda Radner for about $625,000. Radner purchased it in 1979 for only $150,000.

(Photos: Prudential Douglas Elliman, NYC)