March 31, 2023
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Third graders were in the Erskine Library this week doing research for their state projects.
Opening Message
When Our Small Acts Count Most
Connie Yepez, Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Post Date: March 31, 2023
I recently met with other school leaders when this question was posed, “How do we engage with our school values when we’re tired, overwhelmed, and generally not at our best?” I’ve been thinking about this question for several days now. I wonder, with all the things happening in the world that might make us feel sad, angry, confused, and not at our best, how might we cope with the emotions we have as individuals, and how do we care for other members of our community?
At Belmont Day, we often discuss our core values of respect, responsibility, excellence, honesty, joy, and caring. They are our guideposts, the principles that guide our behavior. As I think about a literal guidepost—a sign at a fork in the road that tells us where each path leads—I connect it to our agency to choose how to behave in any given moment or situation. We can be honest or dishonest, respectful or disrespectful, responsible or irresponsible, or any variation. All of the choices we make are a signal of our humanity. They are reminders that we are imperfect and that we can make mistakes.
I want to acknowledge that this has been a difficult week for me. I am not feeling my best physically or mentally. With pressures around work-related tasks and meetings, friends seeking support from me, and a very upsetting news cycle, I feel burdened with a heavy weight on my shoulders. In times like this, it is challenging to find joy in every moment, to strive for excellence in all that I’m doing, or to care for others when I want to be cared for myself.
And yet, I know that creating small moments of joy and caring will beget more joy and caring in my life. Being mindful about respecting others will reflect respect back to me. When I take responsibility for my words and actions, I encourage others to do the same. And I know how I care for others creates a ripple of caring that permeates our entire Belmont Day family. I encourage us all to care for each other in difficult times. It could be as simple as asking a friend, “How are you?” and stopping to listen to the answer. It could be writing a note saying, “I thought of you today.” Or it could be offering a hug to someone who looks sad.
The world often comes at us all in big, bad, and seemingly relentless ways. It can feel like a tide threatening to overtake us. Remember, though, that this is exactly when community matters most, and our acts to support it have their most profound effect. In our small ways, putting our values into action, caring, and looking out for each other, will always lift all of us.
I wish you a peaceful, joyous, restful, and engaging weekend.
Upcoming Events
Monthly Calendar
New Home for Lost & Found
The Lost & Found is not lost! It’s simply been relocated … and it’s just steps away from its former home. You can now find the Lost & Found in the hallway across from Coolidge Hall along the wall leading to Teacher Cotner’s music room. One more change: we have moved everything into storage tubs and will be labeling them by type of items to make your search easier.
Please stop by the new home for the Lost & Found soon if you’re child is missing anything. You can also take a look at items via a photo gallery on the Lost & Found page on the Parent Portal.
Parent Education Forum
The Toolkit Live!
Monday, April 3, 7 to 8 p.m.
The Toolkit is our biweekly social-emotional learning and mindfulness newsletter written by school counselor Josh Sussman, consulting psychologist Dr. Julia Martin Burch, and mindfulness director Alex Tzelnic. The Toolkit team will host a live event in Coolidge Hall for parents and caregivers to gather, learn more about mindfulness skills and SEL strategies, and connect over best practices. The evening will feature a presentation, a chance to try out new tools, and time for questions and answers. For planning purposes, we kindly ask that you RSVP.
Ramadan Dinner
Monday, April 10, 6-8 p.m.
Please join us for Iftar—the fast-breaking evening meal—hosted by Muslim BDS families. Open to all BDS families (students/children included) and faculty. Ramadan is based on the lunar year calendar. In 2023, Ramadan will be observed from March 23 to April 21. Muslims break their fast at sunset, which, on April 10, will be at 7:15 p.m.
If you would like to share your culture, traditions, and celebrations, please reach out to the EIB team to start the conversation.
RSVP below for this event to help us order the appropriate amount of food. We hope you will join us!
Lunch & Snack Menu
April 3 to April 7
Monday
Snack: applesauce; Popcorners
Lunch: bowtie pasta with meatballs and marinara; pasta and marinara; gluten-free pasta with gluten-free meatballs and marinara; spring medley (broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower); kale salad with roasted corn and tomato; crusty bread
Tuesday
Snack: bananas; granola bars
Lunch: chicken teriyaki; Asian tofu teriyaki; veggie fried rice; broccoli; Asian greens with soy dressing, scallions, and peppers
Wednesday
Snack: apple slices; chocolate chip muffins
Lunch: beef hot dogs with buns; vegan hot dogs with buns; beef hot dogs with gluten-free buns; French fries; green beans; creamy coleslaw; garden salad with tomatoes and ranch dressing
Thursday
Snack: clementines; pretzel twists
Lunch: grilled cheese sandwiches; vegan grilled cheese sandwiches; matzo grilled cheese sandwiches; tomato soup; sweet corn; Caesar salad
Friday
Snack: apples; Cheez-Its
Faculty Lunch
For students and faculty observing Passover, the kitchen team will be providing matzoh for snacks, as well as Passover-friendly options in the dining room from April 6 to April 13.
For a more detailed and updated weekly menu, please click the button below.
BDS News
FACULTY NEWS
Update
Tara Lightbody, food program director
Upon the news of Tara Lightbody’s departure, I found myself answering these questions over and over again: What will we do without Tara? How could we possibly replace her? Fortunately, I’ve come up with a satisfying answer to that very challenging pair of questions: hire her to return!
It is my pleasure to let you know that Chef Lightbody, our food program director and longtime chef in the Belmont Day kitchen, has decided to return to Belmont Day next year. We are thrilled and welcome her back with our dreams of teriyaki salmon, roasted potatoes, and butternut squash soup answered.
– Brendan Largay, head of school
New Hire
Elizabeth Ho, kindergarten teacher
After a thorough search, we are delighted to announce that interim kindergarten teacher Elizabeth Ho has been hired to fill the permanent role next year. Elizabeth began her teaching career as an associate teacher at Belmont Day through the collaborative teacher residency program with Lesley University. In 2022, Elizabeth was a recipient of the prestigious June T. Fox Scholarship Award given on behalf of the June Fox Lecture Series Committee and the Lesley University Graduate School of Education in recognition of her outstanding work with children, academic scholarship, effective collaboration with peers and colleagues, and potential for educational leadership. Indeed, Elizabeth’s colleagues admire her steadfast professionalism, humility, work ethic, and dedication to teamwork. Prior to teaching, Elizabeth was employed in the hospitality and event planning industries, which undoubtedly contributed to her capacity to build strong relationships with students and families, her ability to foster an inclusive, positive learning environment, and her keen organizational skills. We are thrilled that BDS will continue to be part of Elizabeth’s journey as an educator.
– Betty Chu Pryor, lower school head
New Hire
Sana Aslam, middle school English teacher
We are excited to welcome Sana to the Belmont Day School community as a middle school English department member. Sana is earning a master’s in theological studies, religion, literature, and culture at Harvard Divinity School. Sana’s love for digging into life’s most wonderous questions has driven her enjoyment of the English classroom as a student and teacher. Through enriching our practices of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, Sana believes we can have a deeper understanding of our thoughts, feelings, and stories, as well as those of others. She loves inviting students to explore how language and expression have mattered to people throughout history and how they matter in students’ lives. Sana has taught with a few different youth programs over the years. Her favorite experience was teaching and directing a creative writing pop-up summer school for middle schoolers in New Haven while she was an undergraduate studying anthropology at Yale University. This experience helped her realize she’s most inspired when working with middle school students.
– Liz Gray, middle school head
COMMUNITY NEWS
Kindness Grows Around the Labyrinth
What started out as a fourth grade kindness project has become a Labyrinth challenge for third, fourth, and fifth graders to create special paper chains. Each chain link has a response to a prompt given to students. The hope is that by the end of the school year, the paper chains will reach from one end of the Labyrinth to the other.
The prompts are meant to engage students in reflecting on their own actions as well as those of others. Some ask students to set intentions of kindness. Others ask them to remember and acknowledge a kindness that has been shown to them. Some ask them to think about the gift of learning from others as well as the power of teaching others.
It is no surprise that there is an increasing body of research that focuses on the holistic benefits of giving thanks and showing gratitude, as well as the power of small gestures of kindness and thoughtful actions. Creating these paper chains is a way of putting those concepts into a simple practice that reaffirms in a very colorful and public way our shared BDS values.
See the dropdown below for examples of the students’ words of kindness.
– Angela DeVecchi ’75, grades 3-5 support teacher
Kindness Chain Quotes
“I showed someone how to write a Chinese character that they didn’t know.”
“I complimented a stranger about their shoes.”
“I played with someone when they were feeling sad.”
“I learned that Greek gods were connected to the constellations.”
“I learned that being happy is being fun.”
“I will teach my friend to ice skate.”
“I learned what onomatopoeia is.”
“I learned that for a good basketball shot, you don’t have your hands on each side of the ball.”
AUCTION NEWS
Check Your Mailbox: Invitations On the Way!
We are sending out invitations to the auction this week, so please keep an eye out. Tickets are on sale now, and you can purchase them on the auction website. A QR code is also available on the invitation, and you can scan it to quickly and easily access the auction site. Ticket sales will close on April 24.
Get ready for a wonderful evening of celebration and community. Raffles, games, and DJ B-Kay will liven up auction night, along with great food and great friends. Thank you for your support of Belmont Day!
If you have questions related to the auction, please reach out at auction@belmontday.org
CAPSTONE WEEK
Class of 2023 Prepares to Present Their Research
Mark those calendars for Capstone Week—Monday, April 10 to Friday, April 14! Capstone is a community experience, and we invite everyone to attend as many presentations as they can.
This year, Capstone presentations are open to our entire community, and we encourage everyone to join us in person in the Palandjian Arts Center. Can’t make it during the school day? We’ve brought back two evening sessions, Wednesday and Thursday, April 12 and 13. Unlike during the pandemic, we will not be presenting sessions on Zoom. Each presentation will be recorded and available for later viewing.
We are looking forward to seeing you and know you’ll enjoy what you learn from the Class of 2023!
– Jennifer Friborg, Capstone coordinator
Capstone Topics & Schedule
2023 Capstone Presentation Schedule
Presentations will be 15-20 minutes each, with some variation. Please note that attendees are asked to stay for a complete session of presentations.
Monday, April 10, 9:00 to 10:15 a.m.
- Surf Like a Girl: Surf Advertising’s Impact on Gender Equality, Maddie Cutie (Mentor: Leigh Twarog)
- The Metaverse: What Is It and How Could It Change the World? Daniel Peregudov (Mentor: Dario Azzone)
- Animals’ Relationship with Music and Sound, Quincy Treisman (Mentor: Brendan Largay)
Monday, April 10, 12:40 to 2:00 p.m.
- The US Power Grid, Ellis Anderson (Mentor: Bill Smith)
- Organ Transplantation: How the Field Evolved and the Direction It Is Heading, Ilana Brauner (Mentor: Kyle Beatty, Sarah Pikcilingis)
- What Makes the Perfect Taco? Sebastian Colberg (Mentor: Nathalie Pellenq)
Monday, April 10, 3:15 to 4:30 p.m.
- Nature’s Beneficial Effect on Mental Health, Aria Goodpaster (Mentor: Jen James)
- Success: What It Is and How to Achieve It, Brendan Bandar (Mentor: Bill Hamilton)
- What is Riot Grrrl? Nina Cohen-Perlmutter (Mentor: Kassie Bettinelli)
Tuesday, April 11, 9:00 to 10:45 a.m.
- Cape Cod and Climate Change, Liam Brodeur (Mentor: John O’Neill)
- Ooh, Look at That Bird: What Is ADHD and What Does It Look Like? Oliver Gottesman (Mentor: Heather Woodcock)
- Developments in Space Technology and Exploration, Eidan Kulman-Tamanaha (Mentor: Ellen Brandt)
- The Confidence Gap, Madeleine Wu (Mentor: Heather Smith)
Tuesday, April 11, 12:40 to 2:00 p.m.
- How Salt Impacted Societal Evolution, Kesariya Nallari-Jhala (Mentor: Sandra Trentowsky)
- The NBA vs the WNBA, Emme Taylor (Mentor: Denali Kikuchi)
- The Effects of Nature on Child Development, Avery Schneider (Mentor: Abbey Nyland)
Tuesday, April 11, 3:15 to 4:30 p.m.
- Banning Books: What Books are Dangerous and Who Decides? Natalie Jean (Mentor: Larissa Rochford)
- Cryptocurrency: The Future of Money, Gabriel Burd (Mentor: Liz Gray)
- Green Ways to Travel, Kavi Kumar-Warikoo (Mentor: Dolly Ryan)
Wednesday, April 12, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
- Formula One, Marco Frazzoli-Cassi (Mentor: Jim Walker)
- Education in Ethiopia, Nebiyou Elias (Mentor: Cicely Gibson)
- How Humans and Machine Learning Algorithms Make Decisions in the Stock Market, Ken MacDougall (Mentor: Bea Rooney)
- Can You Cultivate Happiness? Joshua Flanagan (Mentor: Anne Armstrong)
Wednesday, April 12, 12:40 to 2:00 p.m.
- Schizophrenia’s Impact on Daily Life, Alden Largay (Mentor: Susan Dempsey)
- The Impact of Nicotine, Kamila Ruiz (Mentor: Tara Lightbody)
- Adapting Historical Fashion Trends to Everybody, Lydia Scharer (Mentor: Angela DeVecchi)
Wednesday, April 12, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
- Japanese-American Internment Camps, Petros Samuel (Mentor: Tyler Cotner)
- Baseball Analytics, Quinn McCaffrey (Mentor: Charlie Baird)
- The Impact of Divorce on Children, Angel Geng (Mentor: Elisabeth Klock)
- The Vinyl Revival, Aleta Sandoski (Mentor: Nicole Buck)
Thursday, April 13, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
- Space Exploration, Owen Huang (Mentor: Brittany Ryan)
- Boston Busing, Zach Kromah (Mentor: Amy Sprung)
- Sports and Mental Health, Alex Kadnar (Mentor: Nancy Fell)
- Sustainable Fashion: How Your Clothing Makes a Difference, Audrey Chuang (Mentor: Khang Phan)
Thursday, April 13, 12:40 to 2:00 p.m.
- Social Media’s Turbulent Relationship with Hip Hop, Anurag Mujumdar (Mentor: Eric Ridore)
- How Do Animals Help Us? McKenna Daley (Mentor: Sarah Barrow)
- Freestyle Skiing, Bodhi Demers (Mentor: Geoffrey Fox)
Thursday, April 13, 7:00 to 8:30 pm
- The Impact of Communism, Elise Goodman (Mentor: Michelle Weisman)
- Evaluating Fossils, Caleb Frehywoht (Mentor: Fred Colson)
- How Poaching Affects African Elephants, Ezra Wolfson (Mentor: Maggie Small)
- Striking a Chord: The Power of Music, Sahana Miduturu (Mentor: Judy Bright)
Friday, April 14, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
- Biomimicry and Climate Change, Ben Dowers (Mentor: Kathy Jo Solomon)
- The Importance of the Hijab, Yara Ibrahim (Mentor: Rachel Starks Chaves)
- Black Holes: What’s Hidden in the Dark Depths of Space? Eike Kiecza (Mentor: Galen Muskat)
- How Can Summer Camp Change Lives? Perin Fine (Mentor: Lauren McDermott)
Learning Updates
Arts Update: Fifth Graders Rehearse Class Plays
Fifth graders are very excited to be performing together on stage in The Princess Plays. One student noted, “We haven’t done a class play since first grade because of COVID!” This week some students worked on coordinating their gestures to enhance their storytelling, while others developed their character’s voice, attitude, and body language.
Rehearsals have immersed students in theatrical skills such as memorization, character development, blocking, working with sets, costumes, and props, and taking direction. Students learn to listen and react in character, maintain focus, and work together to support each other during the process. Smiles and laughter fill the stage as the fifth graders inhabit the imaginary world of distant fairytale kingdoms!
– Susan Dempsey, theater arts teacher
Seventh Grade Science Builds Skills with LEGOs
Students in science classes have been using LEGOs recently to build their design and coding skills as they gear up for their next physics unit focusing on Newton’s Laws of motion. Each day students come to class and face a new design challenge that ranges from building the perfect amusement park ride to a cozy chair for Stephen, the 96-year-old sheep, or a vehicle that uses something other than wheels to move. These LEGO-builds are then brought to life using word block coding, in a Scratch style, in which students tell motors to move at a certain speed and distance or a sensor detects colors telling a vehicle knows when to stop. As students become more comfortable with the engineering of LEGO, this work will be connected with our study of Newton’s Laws. All this hard work will be displayed at the upcoming Belmont Day STEAM Expo on May 3, hosted by the middle school science department along with Annie Fuerst and the technology and innovation department. Stay tuned for more details on the expo!
– Maggie Small, middle school science teacher
Fifth Graders Start a Magical New Book
This week, teachers were excited to introduce fifth graders to The Marvellers, a fantasy novel following the adventures of Ella Durand while she attends the Arcanum Institute, a magical school in the sky. Students began by receiving a scroll from Headmarvellers Skinner, Fuerst, and Sprung with the text of the letter offering Ella entrance into the Arcanum. They studied it carefully to look for magical elements that might appear later in the text.
Students also began learning about wikis and how we might develop one as a group to serve as a knowledge base to keep track of the many characters and magical elements in the novel. Students tried their hand at some wiki markup language and will soon be working together to collaborate on curating and organizing content with our class wikis. They also borrowed copies of the book in audio format from Sora, our ebook and audiobook library, and engaged in some reflection on active listening and the differences between reading a text and listening to it.
– Vaniecia Skinner, fifth grade teacher, Annie Fuerst, director of technology & innovation, and Amy Sprung, librarian
Athletics Update: Mountain Biking Hits the Trails for Year Two
After a successful inaugural season, the mountain biking team returns for its second season this spring. Under the tutelage of coaches Geoffrey Fox and Vlad Hucko, the squad is mixing in some fitness training, bike maintenance, and trail work into their weekly practice sessions. Second-year riders Ben Dowers and Clive Sutton have picked up where they left off and are shredding the switchbacks like seasoned pros. Newcomers Leilani Dorilas and Lavinia Frazzoli Cassi have proved to be quick studies and are getting more comfortable in the saddle every day. If you ever find yourself out on the trails between 3:15 and 4:30 p.m., be sure to keep an eye out for our team, who ride in their signature camo team jerseys.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
Athletics News
- The ultimate program took part in some intrasquad scrimmages this week. Kiernan Patel and Calum Dunbar shined for the varsity squad, while Carter Bradshaw and Tadhg O’Sullivan stepped up for the junior varsity team.
- Zazoue Marsan and Vatche Balikan have shown steady improvement on the tennis court for the JV team this spring, while Louis Cantor and Rhys Kaplan are showing signs of promise for the varsity unit.
- The track & field team will kick off the interscholastic season next Tuesday at home against Shady Hill. Seventh grade classmates Ariel Duan, Grace Sullivan, and Roudi Youssef have been steady contributors during practice so far.
- Maraki Shiferaw and Siri Paulsson are off to fast starts for girls’ JV lacrosse. Both have brought great effort and a positive attitude to practice every day. Annika Vittal, the lone seventh grader on varsity lacrosse, has been equally as impressive.
- Second-year players Sebastian Colberg and Nebiyou Elias have brought a steady presence to the boys’ lacrosse team’s defensive unit this spring. The duo will be counted on for aggressive play and strong communication this spring.
Parents’ Association News
PA Meeting
The next PA meeting will be held next Friday, April 7, at 8:30 a.m.* in Coolidge Hall. We will discuss school safety policies and procedures and hear about next year’s ensembles offerings. *The date was changed so we can attend Capstone presentations. We hope you’ll attend them as well.
Enrichment Assembly
On Friday, April 14, the enrichment committee will host the final enrichment assembly of the school year. All are invited as we welcome Dr. Mehmet Berkmen (aka “Memo”), who makes art based on his scientific research. Dr. Berkman/Memo is a senior scientist at New England Biolabs where his laboratory conducts research on genetically engineering bacteria to produce proteins. We’ll see how he creates bacterial art to change the relationship humans have with microbes. The art uses the beauty of bacteria to create a deeper understanding and increase awareness and interactions with the microbial communities in and around us. For a sneak peek at his art and get excited about the assembly, click here. The assembly will be held in the Barn starting at 8:30 a.m. Hope to see you there.
Parent Book Group
We hope you will join us on Tuesday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Menotomy Grill & Tavern to discuss The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz. It’s a great read! Please email Karla Bays to be added to our mailing list.
Spring Parent Socials
Keep your eyes peeled for an invitation to your grade’s upcoming social. We hope you have a wonderful time catching up and socializing with fellow parents off-campus at these events.
Looking Ahead
Nominations Sought for PA Executive Committee
The parents’ association is seeking enthusiastic individuals who would like to serve a two-year term, June 2023 to June 2025, as clerk and vice president-to-president on the PA executive committee. Both positions offer wonderful opportunities for involvement and influence in our school community. We encourage you to nominate individuals who you believe will represent the voices of our parent body. Self-nominations are strongly welcomed and encouraged!
Nominations may be sent to bdspa@belmontday.org by Friday, April 28. The nominating committee will review all nominations, and the final slate will be announced by May 5. Elections will be held at the annual corporation meeting on May 18. Please reach out to bdspa@belmontday.org with any questions.
Grade Parent Nominations
We are looking for volunteers to serve as grade parents for the next school year. New parents and those with past experience are all welcome. If you have questions about the role of a grade parent and wish to learn more, or if you are interested in volunteering, please email us at bdspa@belmontday.org.
If you have any suggestions or questions about parents’ association-related activities, please contact us anytime at bdspa@belmontday.org.
Beyond BDS
ART WORKSHOP
Make Your Own Wind Chime
Sunday, April 2, 2 to 4:30 p.m.
The Belmont Gallery of Art and Shared Habitat Earth (SHE), the current exhibitor at the gallery, invite you to be inspired and create your own take-home piece using nature-made and recyclable materials. Fun and unique supplies, onsite expertise assistance, snacks, and beverages will be provided in a relaxed atmosphere.
Sign up at EVENTBRITE. Space is limited. $20 per person or $15 per person before March 25. Workshop is recommended for ages 12 and over. Children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Two BDS Musicians to Perform with BSO’s Young People’s String Orchestra
As part of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Family Concert Series, the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Young People’s String Orchestra (YPSO) will be performing at the iconic Symphony Hall in Boston on Saturday, April 15. This “Music, Magic, and More” concert starts at 12 p.m. and is free for children under 18. Tickets for adults are $20. Two Belmont Day School musicians, violinist Sophie Wang (fifth grade) and cellist Clara Min (fourth grade) are members of the YPSO and will be performing. For more information, including tickets, click here.
AUTHOR TALK
Watertown Author New Book Tells a Forgotten History
Join the Watertown Public Library on Saturday, April 8, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. for a discussion with Watertown author Christopher Gorham. Gorham’s new book is The Confidante: the Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America. The book tells the story of Anna Marie Rosenberg, whose influence on American history, from the New Deal to the Cold War and beyond, has never before been told. Her life ran parallel to the front lines of history, and her story, though forgotten for too long, is extraordinary, inspiring, and uniquely American. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, click here.
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