April 11, 2025
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Fifth graders welcomed families this week for a curriculum showcase.
Opening Message
More Than A Month, Poetry Lives All Year Here
Jen James, Chief of Staff and Registrar
Post Date: April 11, 2025
Working closely with our head of school, Brendan Largay, as I do, I have the joy of sharing in his love of language. As many Scoop readers will know, Brendan revels in teaching Shakespeare to our seventh graders, and it is truly a delight to witness the mirth he derives from introducing his students to his favorite bard. What you might not know yet is that next year he will introduce Shakespeare’s famous sonnets.
All I can say is get ready, sixth graders, you’re in for a treat next year! As a former theater major and a whiz at memorization, Mr. Largay can quote his favorite sonnets, and his love for poetry is boundless and infectious.
I am breaking this poetic curricular news today for a reason: April is National Poetry Month! In celebration, I wondered where else poetry is being practiced, memorized, celebrated, and written throughout Belmont Day? Well, I didn’t have to look far to see how our students are embracing language, trying out new writing styles, and taking chances with words.
In eighth grade, students studied the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance this winter. They practiced poetry analysis skills by presenting on a song of their choice, and they considered how the musicality of poetry contributed to the emotional depth of Harlem Renaissance poems. Throughout the unit, they studied such artists as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston, Georgia Douglas Johnson, and many others. The unit ended with the students crafting and performing slam poems, utilizing the “golden shovel” format to base their poem on a famous poem of the Harlem Renaissance. The slam was such a success that a new middle school club was formed to build on the students’ interest and energy.
The first graders just finished a poetry unit, culminating in a poetry showcase where they shared their poetry books and animation with family, friends, and teachers. They learned about different types of poems: cinquain, acrostic, I am, rhyming, limerick, and shape. For the showcase, they brainstormed their topics, planned their poems, wrote and revised their work, creating final copies of their poems to be assembled into illustrated poetry books. They even worked with technology and turned one of their poems into an animation using ScratchJr and iPads.
Fourth graders start each day with a poem, and have several options to add poetry to various projects and presentations they’re working on. Seventh grade students are taking chances during Writing Wednesdays by writing “Where I’m From” poems and poems from the point of view of an inanimate object. And our second graders will launch into a haiku unit this month.
Throughout the school year, teachers open the day with poetry, formally or informally inviting students to hear words and reflect on how they make them feel. Poetry is a way into the heart and the mind; the best ones stay with you forever because they made you feel something and made you think.
Poetry helps us appreciate the world around us. It fosters creativity and empathy and creates connections, here at BDS and beyond.
Upcoming Events
Coming Up This Week
Monthly Calendar
SAVE THE DATE
Spring Parent Celebration & Annual Corporation Meeting
Thursday, May 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Coolidge Hall
Spring moves quickly so mark those calendars now and plan to join us for a Spring Parent Celebration and the annual open meetings of the Belmont Day School Corporation and Belmont Day School Parents’ Association (PA)—both of which include all current parents of the school.
As we approach the end of the school year, this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and socialize, and attend to our brief annual Corporation and PA business that will include:
- A vote to elect new trustee nominees to fill vacancies on the board
- Renewal of trustees whose terms are expiring
- A vote on the incoming PA executive team roles
Hope to see you there!
Capstone Week Starts Monday
Get ready to kick off Capstone Week 2025! All presentations are open to the entire community and will run Monday to Friday, April 14-18. Check out the full schedule in the dropdown below, and join us in the Palandjian Arts Center.
- Early morning sessions tend to fill the PAC, especially with students from various grades attending.
- Sessions starting at 11:35 a.m., 2:45 p.m., and 7 p.m. generally have more seats available.
Please join us in supporting our hard-working eighth graders as they reach this educational milestone.
– Jennifer Friborg, Capstone coordinator
Capstone Topics & Schedule
2025 Capstone Presentation Schedule
- Presentations will be 15-20 minutes each, with some variation.
- All visitors are encouraged to stay for the whole session of three or four presenters.
- Eighth grade students will attend all presentations.
- Official presentation titles will be coming soon.
Monday, April 14, 9 to 10:40 a.m.
- Surviving Antarctica: Shackleton’s Expedition, Julia Popa (Mentor: Ana Maria Restrepo)
- Mental Health and Social Media, Samantha Cuming (Mentor: Leigh Twarog)
- Deindustrialization in the Midwest: The Transformation of a Region, Jonathan Laipson (Mentor: Katie Wallace)
- Democracy Divided: The Rise of Partisanship, Mylo Rosenfeld (Mentor: Joshua Sussman)
Monday, April 14, 11:35 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- ACL Tear: Road to Recovery, Laurice Bandar (Mentor: Abbey Nyland)
- Rocketry, Ben Fleming (Mentor: Tyler Cotner)
- The Basics of Gemology, Lucy Walther (Mentor: Kathy Jo Solomon)
Monday, April 14, 2:45 to 4:30 p.m.
- Creating an Online Business, Copeland Maier (Mentor: Nancy Fell)
- Rookies, Relics, and Riches: Exploring the Sports Card Boom, Sam Rodriguez (Mentor: Conor Garrison)
- Social Media and Its Effects on Adolescents, Henry Kiraly (Mentor: Lana Holman)
- Shocking! Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Defibrillation, Kiernan Patel (Mentor: Brendan Largay)
Tuesday, April 15, 9 to 10:40 a.m.
- CTE: The Hidden Cost of Football, Melisa Adhikari (Mentor: Emily Crawford)
- Threads of Change: Fashion and Women in the 20th Century, Christian Samuel (Mentor: Rebecca MacKillop)
- Striving for the Impossible: Perfectionism, Kali Owens-Schwartz (Mentor: Betty Pryor)
- Juneteenth, Ziah-Lina Marsan (Mentor: Emma Nairn)
Tuesday, April 15, 11:35 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- Space Junk, Ethan Zipkin (Mentor: Denali Kikuchi)
- A Night at the Museum: Could the Mafia Have a Rembrandt?, Josie Stevenson (Mentor: Judy Bright)
- Art Therapy, Penny Gottesman (Mentor: Sandra Trentowsky)
Tuesday, April 15, 2:45 to 4:30 p.m.
- Early Cancer Detection: The Race Against Time, Vicente Aguerreverre (Mentor: Alex Tzelnic)
- Battle of Adwa, Leeul Miteku (Mentor: Angela DeVecchi)
- Oil: The Resource That Drives the Earth, Jun Murikami (Mentor: Emily Phan)
- Setting Europe Ablaze: Female Spies in WWII, Claire Huang (Mentor: Heather Smith)
Wednesday, April 16, 8 to 9:40 a.m.
- The Ins and Outs of Social Media Marketing, Isla Smith (Mentor: Ellen Brandt)
- AI and Global Health, Vatche Balikian (Mentor: Bea Rooney)
- The Currency That Constantly Moves, Jordan Levine (Mentor: Sam Staples)
- The Rising Tides in Our Future, Julia Casey (Mentor: Susan Vitale)
Wednesday, April 16, 11:35 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- AI Images: How They Work and Their Impact, Sohan Shah (Mentor: Liz Gray)
- The Evolution of Navigation, Christian Atem (Mentor: Elena Jay)
- Women in Sports Media, Lila Green (Mentor: Katie O’Brien)
Wednesday, April 16, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
- Parkinson’s Disease, Sara Colangelo (Mentor: Blair Fross)
- The Colosseum and Ancient Rome, Hughy Marsan (Mentor: Zach D’Arbeloff)
- Fighting Aircraft’s Evolution and Design, Edwin Voiland (Mentor: Jim Walker)
- Technology in Comedy, Zeke Fine (Mentor: Nicole Buck)
Thursday, April 17, 8 to 9:40 a.m.
- Great Barrier Reef, Genevieve von Rekowsky (Mentor: Kyle Beatty)
- The Future and Physics of Drones, Wyatt Baker (Mentor: Rachel Starks Chaves)
- Type 1 Diabetes, Penelope Bern (Mentor: Brittany Ryan)
- Finding Their Way: Animal Navigation, Siri Paulsson (Mentor: Arlene Silva)
Thursday, April 17, 11:35 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- Neural Networks: Mathematical Brains Aidan Tan (Mentor: Larissa Rochford)
- Medieval Fashion with a Modern Twist, Maraki Shiferaw (Mentor: Anne Armstrong)
- Metal vs Classical Music Jack Ward (Mentor: Sarah Pikcilingis)
Thursday, April 17, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
- The Evolution of Architecture in the Middle East, Adam Ahmed (Mentor: Charlie Baird)
- Engines: The Role They Play in Modern Society, Alexander Kiraly (Mentor: John O’Neill)
- Fishing, Emmett Mack (Mentor: Amy Sprung)
- The Hip-Hop Chronicles, Makenzie Ekechukwu (Mentor: Kassie Bettinelli)
Friday, April 18, 8 to 9:30 a.m.
- Deadly Victorian Beauty Standards, Cordelia Goldstyn (Mentor: Susan Dempsey)
- The Life, Death, and Rebirth of Cosmic Titans, Calum Dunbar (Mentor: Maggie Smith)
- Bacteriophages: A Remnant of the Past and a Window to the Future, Isadora Eiref (Mentor: Khang Phan)
- Movie Music, Griffin Targum (Mentor: Bill Hamilton)
Clothing Drive Ends This Weekend
The Cradles to Crayons clothing drive culminates with a sorting event at Belmont Day School this Sunday, April 13, from 2 to 4 p.m. All families are invited to participate.
It’s not too late to donate new and gently used clothing, shoes, and books appropriate for children up to 12 years old. Collection bins are located in front of the Schoolhouse and the Barn.
If you have questions, please contact event co-chairs Carolyn Atinizian and Adrienne Mugar. Thank you!
Lunch & Snack Menu
April 14 to April 18
Monday
Snack: applesauce/fruit cups; Fritos
Lunch: bao buns with hoisin chicken filling; bao buns with vegan hoisin filling; gluten-free hoisin chicken filling and basmati rice; pickled cucumbers; sriracha mayo; seasoned broccoli; crunchy colorful slaw with scallions and cilantro
Tuesday
Snack: bananas; Popcorners
Lunch: spaghetti and meat sauce; penne with marinara; gluten-free penne with meat sauce; spaghetti squash (Passover alternative to pasta); breadsticks; Mediterranean salad with artichokes, feta, and olives
Wednesday
Snack: apple slices; Goldfish
Lunch: herb-roasted salmon; vegan Italian sausage; roasted potatoes; seasoned green beans; mixed greens with cranberries, goat cheese and sherry vinaigrette
Thursday
Snack: clementines; Pita chips
Lunch: turkey nachos with turkey chili; vegan nachos with vegan chili; cheese; salsa; roasted corn tossed with lime and cilantro; taco salad with corn, chipotle ranch dressing, avocado, and cilantro
Friday
Snack: craisins; chocolate chip oatmeal bar
Faculty Lunch
Please click the button below for a more detailed and updated weekly menu.
Observing Passover at BDS
As we welcome the start of Passover, matzah will be available for snacks and lunch. In addition, items such as tuna, chicken, or egg salads will be available at the salad bar. Additionally, the kitchen will provide Passover-friendly meal options throughout the week. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Trinity Johns, assistant director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Happy Pesach!
BDS News
STAFFING UPDATES
Departures
Elizabeth Ho, kindergarten teacher
After two years as a kindergarten teacher, we will bid farewell to Elizabeth Ho. Elizabeth, currently on parental leave after the birth of her son Aidan in October, will take a hiatus from teaching to spend more time with her baby and pursue part-time opportunities closer to home.
A valuable member of our early childhood team, Elizabeth began her teaching career in 2021 as an associate teacher through Belmont Day’s collaborative teacher residency program with Lesley University. During her tenure, Elizabeth was a faculty facilitator for our Asian Pacific Islander (API) middle school affinity group and mentored a newly hired teacher.
We wish Elizabeth and her family all the best. We look forward to seeing her at the Moving Up Assembly to say goodbye and thank her in person.
Professional Development
Zach d’Arbeloff, director of summer programs
Zach d’Arbeloff, director of summer programs at Belmont Day School since 2021, was recently named to two leadership positions by professional organizations in the field of summer camp management. The American Camp Association New England named Zach as its New England Conference Committee Co-Chair. A member of the conference planning committee for six years, Zach will lead the group for a three-year term (two years as chair, and one year as outgoing mentor chair), starting with the 2026 conference.
Zach was also named Membership Chair of the Massachusetts Camping Association, which is the state association for education and advocacy in the Massachusetts summer camp industry. An MCA board member since 2019, Zach will focus in this position on recruitment and the representation of camps for the wider growth of summer camping in Massachusetts.
PARENT EDUCATION
ICYMI: Video Recordings of Recent Forums
Ruth Whippman, Author of BoyMom
Thank you to the parents who joined us last night for a discussion with Ruth Whippman, author of BoyMom, Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity and America the Anxious, How Our Pursuit of Happiness is Creating a Nation of Nervous Wrecks.
SafeBae Presentation on Consent
Thank you to those who were able to join us last week for SafeBae’s Parent Forum: Consent, Healthy Boundaries, and Safe Relationships.
THE BAASH!
There’s Still Time to Support Our Theater Program
Thank you to everyone who made The Baash so special. We were thrilled that the live Paddle Raise raised $142K toward our plan to upgrade the lighting in the Palandjian Arts Center! We are incredibly grateful to all of ewe who raised your paddle.
The PAC upgrade will enhance student performances, elevate the audience experience, and reduce the challenges of managing an outdated system. It will make productions more engaging, technical support far less taxing, and teaching more efficient. Check out the video to see our theater program in action.
If you missed the opportunity to contribute, please click the link below. We are keeping the bidding open until next Wednesday, April 16, at 9 p.m. and hope to raise the remaining $44K to reach our goal of $186K.
Ewe know your support will make a HUGE difference in bringing this to light for all our students. Thank you!
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
Middle School Students Attend, Alum Coordinates Climate Summit
On Friday, April 4, a group of nine sixth and seventh graders participated in the Climate Action 101 Summit organized by members of the Massachusetts Audubon Society Youth Climate Leadership program. The summit was designed and led by area high school students, including Sue Kelman ’21, to encourage and empower local students to take action on climate change in their communities. Workshop sessions with speakers from local climate organizations included how to move from interest to advocacy, and addressing the mental health impacts of climate change.
There was time to enjoy a beautiful spring morning, to work together in teams to start developing action plans, and to collaborate with local environmental artist Beth Adouette to construct a mandala of natural objects with everyone present. It was inspiring to see how students, including our current middle school students and a recent alum, are stepping up to participate and become leaders in environmental advocacy and education.
– Dean Spencer, middle school teacher, and Kathy Jo Solomon, visual arts teacher and sustainability coordinator
2025 YEARBOOKS
Order Your Yearbook Before April 30
The yearbook club is excited to announce that ordering is now open for the all-school yearbook. Orders may be placed until Wednesday, April 30.
The yearbook cost is $15 for students in pre-k to grade 7. All eighth grade students will receive one complimentary copy. Additional copies may be ordered for $15 each using the order link.
Please use the link below to complete your yearbook purchase online using your Veracross Account or with a credit card.
Questions? Please reach out to yearbook faculty advisors Sandra Trentowsky. Thank you.
AUXILIARY PROGRAMS
After School Closes Early Next Friday
The After School program will close promptly at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 18, as we head into the April vacation week.
Please plan accordingly. Thank you!
Spaces Available In April Vacation Camp
Due to cancellations, we have a few spaces available in our on-campus April Vacation Camp thatl run from Tuesday to Friday, April 22 to April 25. The camp is geared to children in pre-kindergarten to grade 3. Click here for details on the theme, price, and hours.
If you have any questions, please contact Blair Fross, director of school-year auxiliary and specialty programs.
CLUBS NEWS
Model UN Enjoys High School Conference at CA
On Saturday, April 5, eleven middle schoolers participated in a Model UN conference at Concord Academy, organized by the CA Model UN club. They were among 200 students participating in discussions around several world issues and historical scenarios. Global topics included drone usage and refugees. Historical topics were around Prohibition and the Boston Massacre. Our Model UN students held their own admirably in this conference, whose participants were mainly high school students. The conference opened with a short speech by Nathaniel Lubin, founder of the Better Internet Initiative.
Continue Reading
Mr. Lubin was the director of the Office of Digital Strategy for Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns and the White House. It was inspiring to hear about how he got involved in politics and continues to work to counteract the negative impact of the internet. His themes were openness, trust, and human interactions. Negative internet posts break trust, and our job is to counteract this by amplifying positive news. He believes human connections are ultimately more substantial and impactful than the internet. One of his strongest points was encourage citizens to expressing views to our town and state governments. State representatives are often the people who can affect the most change.
Our Model UN participants were eighth graders Vatche Balikian, Jonathan Laipson, and Mylo Rosenfeld; seventh graders Eileen Luo, Eden O’Sullivan, and Reema Wulfsberg; and sixth graders Dalia DiCrescenzo, Bella Tan, Olivia Hu, Elena Jin, and Jaya Patel.
– Jennifer Friborg, French teacher, Capstone coordinator, and Model UN club advisor (with input from fourth grader Adam DiCrescenzo)
Learning Updates
Arts Update: Middle School Artists Try Unexpected Canvasses
This trimester, students in the seventh and eighth grade arts elective, “Painting on the Unexpected” are exploring color, composition, and their own artistic voices by creating paintings on nontraditional surfaces including rocks, wood, and other three-dimensional forms. Currently, students are being challenged to create paintings on wooden tree slices based on the theme: “something about me”, a portrait, activity, place, or objects that have importance to the individual artist. After sanding, brainstorming, sketching, and receiving and giving feedback, the students are mixing acrylic paints to develop a one or two-sided artwork. Artists begin with the general color areas and then add finer details and color variations to complete these unique artworks.
– Kathy Jo Solomon, visual arts teacher
Fourth Graders Learn Ancient Stories
The fourth graders have been learning about the importance of stories to the ancient Greeks. It can be hard to imagine a world without books and where stories, religious beliefs, and history were shared through art and word of mouth. This is why we provide the students with a variety of ways to experience stories in a similar way to the ancient Greeks. While students enjoy creating life-sized versions of their favorite gods and goddesses on paper, it is more than just an art project. Not only do students study the myths, but they must also learn about ancient art and symbolism. Most statues and drawings look similar to everyday ancient Greeks until you see a lightning bolt, a subtle hint of a peacock feather, a trident, or grey eyes. If you visit the Hall of the Gods during our Storytelling Festival, students will be able to tell you who is represented and how they know. They are also able to tell you a story about the god or goddess they created (and a few others, too.) This is one of the many ways students retell the stories and history they have been learning on the day of our Storytelling Festival.
– Lana Holman, fourth grade teacher
Athletics Update: Lacrosse Teams Take Down DCD
The varsity lacrosse teams began their seasons with decisive victories over Dedham Country Day this week. The boys’ team opened up the action on Wednesday afternoon with a 9-0 win at home. Co-captain Vicente Aguerrevere led the way for the Blue & Gold with three goals and two assists. Fellow co-captain Zeke Fine dominated the other side of the field with stout defensive play that limited scoring threats en route to a commanding shutout. Team veterans Jun Murakami, Sam Rodriguez, and Mylo Rosenfeld also shined in the opener. Murakami was dominant on face-offs, Rodriguez was aggressive on net, and Rosenfeld was instrumental to the offensive sets. All three buried goals in the third quarter put the game out of reach. The girls’ team traveled to Dedham the next day and earned a similar result. Julia Casey picked up where she left off last year by netting five goals in the 7-3 win. Team veteran Sammie Cuming and rookie Josie Goldstyn added the other two goals. Maraki Shiferaw cemented her place between the pipes with a handful of timely saves to keep DCD just out of reach. Fatoumata Bah, Eden O’Sullivan, and Genevieve von Rekowsky all chipped in with strong performances in their first varsity game. The lacrosse teams will take their 1-0 records into showdowns with Lexington Christian Academy next week.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
Athletics News
- Varsity tennis toppled Charles River (3-1) and Pike (8-1) to start their season 2-0. In the match against Pike, captains Julia Popa and Penelope Bern dominated at third and fourth singles, while siblings Alexander and Henry Kiraly settled in for a 6-3 win at second doubles.
- Emmett Mack (three goals) and Wyatt Baker (steady handler) lead varsity ultimate to a big 14-6 win over Park. The team opened with a tough 13-11 loss to Shady Hill and now sits at 1-1. Kiernan Patel was excellent in defeat for the BDS.
- Despite a tremendous effort, Fenn blanked the JV tennis team this week. Josie Stevenson and Nuria Kumar-Warikoo had the best match of the day with a 6-5 loss at third doubles. Both players have shown steady improvement all season.
- First-year players Ethan Antipov, Ronan Patel, and Penelope Wong all played great during JV ultimate’s big win over Cambridge Friends this week. Program veteran Jordan Levine shined with a pair of assists and lockdown defense.
- Violet Hancock (shot put), Annika Cash (turbo javelin), and Zoe Bantham-Livermore (400m + 1600m) both qualified for States during track & field’s loss to Shady Hill. Sixth grader Simon Bays won the 1600m with a time of 5:53.
- The girls’ JV lacrosse team won their season opener against Park (11-6) behind solid play from team veterans Penny Gottesman and Melisa Adhikari. Ashley Fleming and Noor Khan were also impact players and will be counted on this season.
- Marina Hubbard upped her game during intramural tennis this week as the team transitioned to backhand work. In addition, Emma Katz worked on adding some power to her shots and Stuart Sun did a great job communicating with teammates.
Parents’ Association News
BDS Connections Walk
Spring has finally arrived! Grab a friend and join us for the next BDS Connections Walk on Monday, April 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Parents Ingrid Goldberg and Brian Kinzler will lead the walk. After morning drop-off, we’ll gather outside Coolidge Hall and take a casual stroll through the woods, sharing laughs and good company with fellow parents and school administrators. It’s the perfect chance to connect with friends, new and old, and enjoy some fresh air. We’d love to see you there!
Volunteer Opportunities for 2025-26
Thank you to all the parents who expressed interest in volunteering for the 2025-26 school year. We greatly value your support and partnership! Specific roles we are still looking to fill include organizing the Pumpkin Patch fundraiser and grade parents for grades 3, 4, 5, and 8.
A full listing of committees and volunteer opportunities can be found on the parents’ association page on the Parent Portal. Click here to view the list. If you’re interested in getting involved, please complete the volunteer sign-up form.
Contact the PA
At any time and for any reason, please feel free to email us at bdspa@belmontday.org:
- President – Shanying Zhang
- Vice President – Megan Akkina
- Treasurer – Andy Stevenson
- Clerk – Jeff Wang
Beyond BDS
COMMUNITY EVENT
First Graders Represent BDS At Spelling Bee
Congratulations to the Belmont Day first graders who jumped up to represent our school at the recent Foundation for Belmont Education Spelling Bee. The annual community spelling bee was held this past Saturday, April 5, at the Chenery Upper Elementary School in Belmont. By all reports, our young spellers did well with the words, and most importantly, spelled out the BDS values of joy and excellence for all to see!
COMMUNITY EVENT
Fundraising Run & Walk To Honor Legacy of BDS Alum
The Belmont Day community is invited to participate in the inaugural Dana Chang Foundation 5K for Heart Anomalies—an event dedicated to raising awareness about congenital heart conditions. The race honors Dana Chang ’21 who loved running and competing as a member of the BDS cross country and track and field teams.
In partnership with Boston Children’s Hospital, this race will take place on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at 8:30 a.m., starting and finishing at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick. There will be both a 5K race and a 1K walk. Click here for more information and registration.
This isn’t just a race—it’s a community coming together to make a difference. Whether you run, walk, or cheer from the sidelines, your participation will help fund life-saving early detection programs and spread awareness about a condition that often goes unnoticed until it’s too late.
The Dana Chang Foundation was created in loving memory of Dana, an exceptionally gifted young artist and musician who passed away suddenly in April 2024 from an undiagnosed heart condition.
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