Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Mr. Toppa has our kindergartners in tune!
Opening Message
Supporting the Whole Child
Brendan Largay, Head of School
Post Date: September 24, 2021
Two-plus weeks in and the life of the school has joyfully settled into its familiar rhythm. Parent socials are coming soon. Curriculum nights have celebrated the year ahead and the excellence of the faculty and the program. Interscholastic games have begun for our middle schoolers and field labs are about to begin for all of our students. For too many reasons to count, it feels great to hit an early stride in the school year. For all of that encouraging news, we realize, of course, that challenges remain, sometimes a bit less visible than a Wednesday assurance test or indoor masks might be.
In what I hope should not come as a surprise to anyone, the statistics around the impact on children and their mental and emotional health throughout the pandemic have been jarring. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately one in five families reported worsening emotional health in their children ages 5-12 over the course of the pandemic. Given that we have all lived it, such a statistic likely shouldn’t come as a surprise. Even here at Belmont Day, where school was onsite, it was impossible not to see how the condition of the world was taxing on the mental and emotional health of our students.
Among the places where the impact of that condition was felt most acutely was in the office of Dr. Leesa Mercedes, our school psychologist. Meeting remotely with students last year, Dr. Mercedes saw her caseload increase, and the work she did in partnership with McLean Hospital on behalf of our students and faculty never felt more critically important. So, as we begin a new year that hopefully demands less emotional and mental strain than last year did, I sat down with Dr. Mercedes to consider some strategies to help parents at home to help identify and mitigate some of the strains that may manifest again this year.
We expect some of this–perhaps all of this–may already be happening at home, in which case, we hope this serves as a welcome reminder.
Dr. Mercedes’ tips to help children manage their emotional and mental health:
1 – Comfort and Empower Children
- Provide knowledge and set limits: Establish expectations, daily routines, and provide information to help your child know what to expect and what is expected of them. Consistency and predictability provide us with a sense of security and comfort that supports student engagement.
- Normalize setbacks and ease worries: The experience of feeling uncomfortable or challenged is good for us. We learn to problem solve, develop coping strategies, and build resilience. Acknowledge concerns and emphasize that we can do hard things!
2 – Prioritize Your Own Health and Wellness
- Model self-compassion: Be patient and kind with yourself when facing challenges and making mistakes. Children will take cues from you about how to respond to and manage new situations and unexpected circumstances.
- Put yourself first: It is not selfish, it is necessary! Create time and space in your daily schedule to do something for you, even 10-20 minutes can have a significant positive impact. Throughout your day, notice negative thinking and interrupt unhelpful thoughts with positive affirmations.
- Consider schedules and structures that you need to (re)establish and new family activities/practices that you would like to continue into the school year–and make time for them!
3 – Maintain Meaningful Connections
- Remain involved and be present. Initiate conversations with your child, engage with open-ended questions, and listen closely.
- Acknowledge, validate, and empathize with the feelings and experiences of your child and share your own experiences of adjustment.
- Be optimistic and set positive intentions.
- Practice collaborative problem solving with teachers, other parents, and adults as a means of connection and support.
There are some things that may come more naturally because they are already such a key part of what Belmont Day is all about. For example, keep encouraging your children to practice gratitude and appreciation. It helps us rebound from setbacks, moves us toward active problem solving, and neatly connects to our core values of caring and respect. Answer your children’s questions honestly with age-appropriate information and keep things in perspective for them. Negative feelings are ok to have–they can even be cathartic–and as long as we are honest with them, we can help them navigate those challenges.
Finally, know that Belmont Day is here. Your school, your child’s teachers, your community strives to be here in times of need, whenever they may be. BDS strongly believes in consulting and collaborating with families, so tap into the expertise of educators and share your expertise about your child so we can better know them as a whole person.
We are settling quickly into the year, another great one, with increasing signs of hope and positivity that the pandemic may soon be safely under control. Our goal, as we thoughtfully follow these signs ahead, is to ensure that every aspect of each child is joining us in our school’s confident embrace of the future and growing each day from an inspiring, challenging, and joyful experience at Belmont Day.
Upcoming Events
September 27 to October 11
All School
Online Flower Bulb Sale: September 10 to October 15
Pumpkin Patch Sale: September 27 to October 15
Monday, September 27
6–7 p.m., Grade 7 Parent Forum—Preparing for Mount Cardigan, Zoom Gathering
Tuesday, September 28
6–8 p.m., Grades 2 & 8 Parent Social, Belmont Day School
Wednesday, September 29
3:30 p.m., Cross Country at Fenn
6–8 p.m., Grade 3 Parent Social, Belmont Day School
Thursday, September 30
8:15 a.m., Friendraiser Walk & Talk, Belmont Day School
3:30 p.m., Field Hockey vs Park; Boys’ Varsity Soccer at Park; Varsity Flag Football at Park; Girls’ Varsity Soccer vs Park
6–8 p.m., Kindergarten & Grade 7 Parent Social, Belmont Day School
Friday, October 1
8:50–9:35 a.m., Middle School Summer Book Sharing Assembly, Belmont Day School
Saturday, October 2
10:45–11:45 a.m., Pre-kindergarten Yoga & Parent Meet Up, Belmont Day School
11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m., Grade 1 Yoga & Parent Meet Up, Belmont Day School
Sunday, October 3
1–2 p.m., Kindergarten Yoga & Parent Meet Up, Belmont Day School
Monday, October 4
7:30–9 a.m., On-campus Pumpkin Patch Sale, Belmont Day School
Tuesday, October 5
7:30–9 a.m., On-campus Pumpkin Patch Sale, Belmont Day School
3:30 p.m., Boys’ Varsity Soccer vs Pike; JV Girls’ Soccer vs Shady Hill; JV Flag Football vs Fessenden; Cross Country vs Pike
Wednesday, October 6
7:30–9 a.m., On-campus Pumpkin Patch Sale, Belmont Day School
11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m., Admissions Lunch & Learn Webinar, Zoom Gathering
3:30 p.m., Girls’ Varsity Soccer at Pike; Field Hocket at Shore;
Thursday, October 7
8:15 a.m., Friendraiser Walk & Talk, Belmont Day School
3:30 p.m., Varsity Flag Football vs SSDS
6–8 p.m., Pre-kindergarten & Grade 4 Parent Social, Belmont Day School
Friday, October 8
8:30–9:30 a.m., Parents’ Association, Zoom Meeting
8:50–9:35 a.m., Cross-graded Partners, Belmont Day School
8:50–9:35 a.m., Middle School Specialists Curriculum Sharing for Parents, Belmont Day School
Monday, October 11
School Closed: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
For all Zoom meetings, gatherings, and presentations, please refer to the Parent and Faculty Portals for links and passwords
![BDS First Day 20 09.09.21Scoop](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BDS-First-Day-20-09.09.21Scoop-1.jpg)
Parents Invited to Upcoming Grade Socials
Join us for your child’s grade social and get to know fellow parents. All socials will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on campus either outdoors, or in the Barn, if raining.
As we continue to plan more ways for our community to safely connect, we are pleased to be able to offer brief classroom tours at the beginning of every grade social, right after 6 p.m. The walkthroughs will allow all parents who are interested to visit their child(ren)’s homeroom classroom.
The schedule is:
Tuesday, September 28
Grade 2 & 8
Wednesday, September 29
Grade 3
Thursday, September 30
Kindergarten & Grade 7
Thursday, October 7
Pre-kindergarten & Grade 4
Tuesday, October 12
Grade 5
Wednesday, October 13
Grades 1 & 6
If you have a question regarding the grade socials, please contact Pati Fernandéz, director of development.
Specialist Curriculum Presentations
Middle School
Friday, October 8
8:50 to 9:35 a.m.
In-person in the Barn Gym
Lower School
Friday, October 22
8:50 to 9:35 a.m.
In-person in the Barn Gym
Please join us for specialist faculty presentations of curriculum highlights for the year ahead. For those unable to attend these in-person presentations, recordings will be made available on the Parent Portal.
Lunch & Snack Menu
September 27 to October 1
Monday
Snack: apple slices; white corn cheese puffs
Lunch: penne with beef meat sauce on the side; penne with marinara on the side; broccoli; Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches; crusty rolls; butter; Romano cheese; garden salad; fresh fruit cup; milk and water
Tuesday
Snack: bananas; Nutri-Grain bars
Lunch: crispy cheesy chicken; vegetarian nuggets; roasted potato wedges; green beans; Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches; ketchup; Caesar salad; canned pear slices; milk and water
Wednesday
Snack: apples; Baked Tostitos
Lunch: herb-roasted salmon; herb-roasted tofu; basmati rice; green peas; Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches; soy sauce; garden salad; fresh fruit cup; milk and water
Thursday
Snack: clementines; Lay’s Chips
Lunch: cheese pizza; Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches; baby carrots; ranch dressing; Caesar salad; apple slices; milk and water
Friday
Snack: apple sauce; pretzel twists
Faculty Lunch
BDS News
COMMUNITY NEWS
Procedure Reminders to Start the School Year
Front Door and Barn Circle Dismissal
We make every effort to make dismissal each day a safe and efficient process.
You can help us in this effort by:
- Staying in your car until your child is brought to you by an adult. Leaving your parked car to meet your child at the door makes the process much longer for everyone.
- Buckling in your child as swiftly as possible and frequently practicing this skill at home.
- Refraining from texting or answering emails while picking up your child. A last quick text after your child enters the car holds up the cars behind you.
A map of the arrival and dismissal locations is available to download.
![Driving-in-my-Car Student illustration of a car](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Driving-in-my-Car.jpg)
Respecting Our Neighbors
We know it is tempting and convenient to park close to the campus to wait for dismissal time or to walk over to meet your child. Please do not park at or before pick-up and drop-off times in the neighborhoods close to campus or in the cemetery next to our property. We appreciate your understanding as we respect our neighbors and surrounding properties. Thank you!
Our Commitment to Cut Down on Vehicle Emissions
At BDS, we urge drivers to turn off their vehicle engines while waiting in pick-up and drop-off lines to help conserve energy, promote good health, and model good citizenship. If you arrive early, please turn off your engine. In warmer weather, we encourage you to open your vehicle’s windows to stay cool, and don’t forget a scarf and gloves as we approach the colder months! Massachusetts has an anti-idling law that states:
“No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the unnecessary operation of the engine of a motor vehicle while said vehicle is stopped for a foreseeable period of time in excess of five minutes.”
Continue Reading
Every time you turn off your car engine instead of idling you will:
- Make the air healthier by cutting down on hazardous pollution in your town or community.
- Help the environment. For every 10 minutes your engine is off, you’ll prevent one pound of carbon dioxide from being released (carbon dioxide is the primary contributor to global warming).
- Keep money in your wallet and save fuel. Save between 1/5 to 7/10 of a gallon of fuel for every hour of not idling.
Thank you for being a steward of the environment AND keeping us healthy!
– Kathy Jo Solomon, visual arts teacher and sustainability coordinator
![BDS First Day 10 09.09.21Scoop](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BDS-First-Day-10-09.09.21Scoop.jpg)
Notifications of Absence, Late Arrival, or Early Dismissal
We offer this quick reminder to all families on the proper procedure for informing the school of your child(ren)’s absence, late arrival, or early dismissal.
Please email attendance@belmontday.org with all notifications of a child’s absence, late arrival, or early dismissal by 9 a.m. on the day of the change. We also ask that you copy the grade-level teachers or advisors on that email. This will ensure that everyone who may need the information will get it.
If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Carey, school receptionist.
![BDS Health Chart 09.23.21](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BDS-Health-Chart-09.23.21.jpg)
HEALTH & WELLNESS NEWS
Weekly COVID Testing Update
This week we again had 48 pool tests; 47 of those pools tested negative, enabling us to welcome back kindergarten and grade 2 on Thursday! One middle school pool’s sample was not able to be tested. We are working with CIC/Broad to determine why individual swabs in these circumstances are not then tested. For now, it means we had 48 tests run, with 47 negative results.
Please know that if there is ever a reason for concern, you will receive a call directly from the school. That call will come from me, or a member of our trained Contact Tracing Team (Blair Fross, Jen James, Koreen McQuilton, and Bea Rooney). As we get used to this new double-swab system, you can expect an email with testing results anytime Thursday or Friday; until that email comes out, no news is good news!
AND PLEASE REMEMBER: if your child misses the school-provided testing on Wednesday morning, you will be required to get outside PCR testing and submit the negative results in order for them to be in school the following week. Testing hours are 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; if possible, please do not schedule appointments on Wednesday mornings. If you have any questions, please contact llarocque@belmontday.org.
– Liz LaRocque, school nurse
FACULTY NEWS
New Hire
Denali Kikuchi, Auxiliary Programs Coordinator
We are thrilled to welcome Denali Kikuchi as our new auxiliary programs coordinator, working with Blair Fross and Zach d’Arbeloff to deliver school-wide auxiliary programs. Our summer camp families may recognize Denali, as she served as interim assistant camp director this past summer. We are delighted to have her officially join our department in a full-time position.
Denali has spent the last six years involved with camp and out-of-school-time programming at Mass Audubon locations in Lincoln (Drumlin Farm) and Milton (Blue Hills). She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in program development and database management and a background in environmental and outdoor education to BDS. She also plays the tenor saxophone, tap dances, and loves taking her cat Aki for hikes.
Please join us in welcoming Denali to the Belmont Day School community!
Learning Updates
![BDS Athletics News 09.24.21Scoop](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BDS-Athletics-News-09.24.21Scoop.jpg)
Athletics Update: Defense Shines in Varsity Football’s Win
The varsity football team opened its season at home this week with a 12-8 win over Dedham Country Day. With both offenses sputtering a bit, Belmont Day turned up the heat on defense and finished the day with three takeaways and a pair of sacks. Sixth grade siblings Kaden and Rami Flummerfelt blanketed the secondary and combined for three interceptions and six pass deflections. It was the constant backfield pressure from Matthieu Small, however, that set the tone for the Blue & Gold. Small was on top of the quarterback all day, forcing rushed decisions and errant passes from the DCD quarterbacks. On the offensive side of the ball, Belmont Day scored all its points in the first half on a pair of TDs from Zach Kromah and Ezra Wolfson. Both scores came on great runs after the catch, as Kromah and Wolfson fought for extra yards and eventually found the endzone. The team will head back to practice next week and set its sights on a showdown with Park.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
More Athletics News
- Colby Morris’ two goals, including an absolute strike from 30 yards out, weren’t enough to overcome an early deficit as DCD prevailed 4-3 with a goal in the final two minutes. Quincy Treisman and Alex Kadnar played well in defeat for the Blue & Gold.
- Belmont Day finished 2-3-4 en route to a commanding win over DCD on the home course yesterday. Coming in at 16:01, Sam Leviton was just 7 seconds off the pace, while Sam Amaratunga (16:30) and Calder Wilmot (16:45) followed just behind.
- The boys’ soccer team dropped its season opener 5-3 to DCD. Coach Santos highlighted the play of seventh graders Eike Kiecza, and Eidan Kulman-Tamahana. Both had impressive defensive performances despite constant pressure from the opposition.
- Bella Lightbody provided strong leadership on the defensive line during field hockey’s opening day loss at DCD. Aleta Sandoski and Avery Schneider chipped in with some solid defensive play of their own and will each be counted on to play a major role this fall.
All Hands in for This Fifth Grade Anatomy Lesson
Fifth graders begin their year-long study of the human body in science class by learning about the skeletal system. Students learn the names of the major bones in the human skeleton, and how the bones work together with muscles and tendons to allow us to move. This week fifth graders used straws, string, card stock paper, and tape to make a moving model of the human hand. The string represents the tendons in our hands; when you pull the string, the model fingers bend, just like our real fingers. Pulling on the string simulates our muscles pulling on our tendons and moving our bones!
– Emma Nairn, grade 5 science and math teacher
![BDS Fifth Science 4 09.22.21Scoop](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BDS-Fifth-Science-4-09.22.21Scoop.jpg)
![BDS LU PE Update 09.24.21Scoop](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BDS-LU-PE-Update-09.24.21Scoop.jpg)
PE Update: September Is a Powered-up Month!
September brings a lot of energy to campus, whether it is nervous, excited, or focused energy (or often, a combination of all three). In physical education, we like to start the year by channeling that energy into games and activities that allow us to use our bodies and minds in ways that are dynamic and cooperative and stress locomotor movement, especially in our younger learners. Thus we’ve begun the year with obstacle courses, parkour, group games, and rock, paper, scissors problem-solving in pre-kindergarten to grade 3.
Seeing our students hopping through hula hoops to get to a rock-paper-scissors showdown, navigate the hula wall ring of fire, and working on their precision jumps and balance is a great reminder of all that we are capable of, both as individuals and as a community. One of the earliest lessons each year is that in order to optimize our time together and our personal performances we need to work together, whether that means helping one another navigate over the lava in “Mission Impossible,” or tossing a ball through a hula hoop with a couple of partners. And of course, we always leave space for our end-of-class shout-outs, to bring a little shine to those moments that stood out.
– Alex Tzelnic, physical education teacher
Eighth Grade Studies Cell Reproduction
Eighth grade students have had a busy week diving into the topics of asexual reproduction, sexual reproduction, and the process of meiosis through a series of discussions, videos, and comparisons to what they learned about mitosis in seventh grade. Students ended the week by completing a hands-on activity that allowed them to better understand the steps of the process of meiosis and how body cells can be turned into sex cells. They were able to model the concept of crossing over and understand how this important process is in ensuring that at the end of meiosis the cells that are made have a different genetic code than those of the parent cells. In the coming weeks, we will expand on this concept to look at basic Mendelian genetics, learn how traits carried on chromosomes are passed from parents to offspring, and connect the concept of probability to how genetic information is distributed.
– Sandra Trentowsky grades 7 & 8 science teacher
![BDS LU Eighth Science 09.23.21](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BDS-LU-Eighth-Science-09.23.21.jpg)
![BDS Third STEM 1 09.21.21Scoop](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BDS-Third-STEM-1-09.21.21Scoop.jpg)
Third Grade Cleans up on STEM Lesson
Third graders spent time this week learning about the importance of having a growth mindset. They read two books, Your Fantastic Elastic Brain and The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes. Then they were given a STEM challenge: design a broom and dustpan using only popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, tape, and construction paper. Students worked together to plan, build, and test their creations and then used a growth mindset to figure out how they could improve on their initial design.
– Larissa Rochford ’93, grade 3 teacher
Describing What Makes an Excellent French Student
In French, the beginning of the year is all about reviewing material from previous years and intentionally introducing new students to the class routines. Whether playing a game, singing a song, taking risks, taking on leadership, or making collective observations of the language, we are building teams of learners that support each other. In their very first class, I asked each lower school student what, in their opinion, makes an excellent French language student. Their answers were gathered in a WordCloud, the larger words coming back the most often. It is a heartwarming glimpse into the students’ minds as we begin a new year learning a new language. Enjoy!
– Nathalie Pellenq, lower school and grade 6 French teacher
![BDS LU French 09.24.21](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BDS-LU-French-09.24.21.jpg)
Parents’ Association News
![](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Parents-Assoc.png)
PA Meeting
Friday, October 8
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
All members of the BDS community are part of the parents’ association. Mark your calendar to join us for our first meeting of the new school year! The Zoom link for these meetings is available on the Parent’s Association page on the Parent Portal.
Pumpkin Patch Sale
The parents’ association is pleased to announce that the Pumpkin Patch Sale is back! This year, families can order in advance as well as shop an on-campus live sale. We are taking pre-orders now through Wednesday, September 29. Click here for the pre-order form.
The on-campus live sale will be open from 7:30 to 9 a.m. each morning Monday, October 4 through Wednesday, October 6 outside of the PAC. If you pre-ordered you can have a contactless pick up of your order anytime starting Saturday, October 2 through Wednesday, October 6.
We are selling field pumpkins, sugar pumpkins, mini pumpkins, mini gourds, and mums. And to show appreciation, families can donate a mini pumpkin or (new this year!) a 6.5-inch potted mum to a classroom.
Classroom Flowers
This year, since our students will continue to eat lunch in their classrooms, we are looking for volunteers to donate centerpieces for the cohort rooms throughout the school year. This is an easy, low-stress way to contribute to BDS and a nice way to brighten the day for students and faculty. Please follow this link to volunteer beginning in October.
Parents Independent School Network (PIN)
Parents Independent School Network (PIN) will host combined lower/middle and upper school meetings this year via Zoom. Please note that all community members of PIN member schools (BDS is a member school) are welcome to attend events, To ensure that the Zoom connection can accommodate all attendees, pre-registration is required in advance. The first meeting will be on October 6, at 12 p.m. featuring Elizabeth K. Englander, Ph.D., executive director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center & professor of psychology at Bridgewater State University.
Dr. Englander will discuss “The Second Epidemic: Coping with Emotional, Social, and Screen Challenges during the Continued Pandemic.” Pre-registration is required and the link can be found here. After you RSVP, you will receive a Zoom link for the event. Also, feel free to submit questions for Dr. Englander in advance here.
Beyond BDS
COMMUNITY CONCERT
Park Sounds with Cellist Kett Lee
Monday, September 27 from 6 to 7:00 p.m.
Enjoy a special evening of music with esteemed cellist Kett Lee. Come with your picnic to Joan Lorentz Park, outside the Cambridge Main Library at 449 Broadway. Registration is not required.
Cellist Kett Lee was the youngest member of Malaysia’s National Symphony Orchestra and Radio Television Orchestra before coming to the United States in 2003. He holds performance diplomas from The Boston Conservatory and Longy School of Music and is the cellist of the nationally acclaimed Boston String Ensemble and Voyage Piano Trio.
![BDS Beyond Scoop 09.24.21](https://www.bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BDS-Beyond-Scoop-09.24.21.jpg)