December 19, 2025
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Last week’s Winter Concert was a hit!
Opening Message
Throwing Snowballs at the Moon
By Brendan Largay, Head of School
Post Date: December 19, 2025
We gathered at this morning’s assembly to say goodbye to 2025 and wish each other a wonderful winter break. As I do each year at this time, I offer the community a poem, some beautifully constructed words that speak to the change and joys and wonder of the season.
I hope that as you head out now for two weeks with your friends and family that you will make the time together for some snowballs, the moon, and the stars.
Have a healthy and happy break, everyone. I’ll see you in 2026!
– Brendan
by Eric Finney
We looked out of our bedroom at midnight:
Now how could we go to sleep
When the world out there was as bright as day
And the snow was lying deep?
So we muffled up and out we went —
Nobody heard us go —
And we stood in the magic of moonlight
In a garden wrapped in snow.
Everything changed, enchanted:
Our garden seat a throne,
The bushes softly smothered,
The trees as white as bone.
For awhile we could only look,
Held in a spell, but soon
We were shaping hard, cold snowballs
And throwing them at the moon.
Tomorrow: snowmen and snowfights
And clearing a track for the cars,
Treading it all into slush, but tonight
We snowballed the moon and the stars.
Upcoming Events
Coming Up This Week
Monthly Calendar
ICYMI: Winter Concert Recording & Photos
Last week, we gathered as a community to enjoy songs and musical performances at our annual Winter Concert. Use the links below for the event video and photo gallery.
Calendar Update: Lower School Sharing Assembly
Friday, January 23 at 8:45 a.m.
Palandjian Arts Center
Winter Coat Drive Goal: 450 Coats! 375 Coats to Go!
Now through January 9
Belmont Day is hosting a winter coat drive in partnership with Cradles to Crayons to provide much-needed cold-weather coats to children experiencing clothing insecurity.
Our goal is to collect 450 coats–equal to one coat for every student and faculty/staff member in the BDS community. So far, we have 75, which means after Winter Break, we have one week to bring in 375 more to support children in New England who need coats this winter. Coats can be either new or gently used, and in all sizes for children ages 1-18.
Collection bins are located in front of the Barn and the Schoolhouse. Thank you!
Lunch & Snack Menu
January 5 to January 9
Monday
Snack: apple sauce; Fritos
Lunch: cheese ravioli with marinara; pasta and marinara; gluten-free tortellini and marinara; crusty rolls; seasoned broccoli; mixed greens salad with carrots and balsamic dressing
Tuesday
Snack: fruit; apple oatmeal bars
Lunch: beef stew; vegan stew; biscuits and rolls; honey carrot coins; spinach with goat cheese, cranberries, pepitas, and sherry vinaigrette
Wednesday
Snack: apple slices; Smartfood
Lunch: chicken tenders; sweet chili crusted tofu; gluten-free chicken tenders; herb roasted red bliss potatoes; green beans; romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and honey mustard dressing
Thursday:
Snack: clementines; pretzels
Lunch: BDS butternut squash soup; turkey and cheese panini; vegan cheese panini; gluten-free turkey and cheese sub melt; peas and corn; Caesar salad
Friday
Snack: apples; oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
Faculty Lunch
Please click the button below for a more detailed and updated weekly menu.
BDS News
Board Of Trustees Information Session
All parents and guardians are invited to join the Board of Trustees on Friday, January 9, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in Coolidge Hall for a board information session. This session will cover nonprofit governance, how our board operates, and what role the board plays in the school.
GOVERNANCE NEWS
Call for Nominations for Board of Trustees
We invite you to participate in the nomination process for the Belmont Day School Board of Trustees.
The BDS Committee on Trustees asks members of the community to submit nominations (including self-nominations) to be considered for service on the BDS Board of Trustees or on one of the board’s committees as an ad hoc member. Trustees and ad hoc committee members may be parents/guardians of current students, parents/guardians of alumni, alumni, and/or outside educators and experts.
Just as Belmont Day School seeks strength in the diversity of its students and faculty, the board of trustees aims to represent a wide variety of identities and perspectives through diverse board and committee composition. Community nominations are particularly valuable in this regard, as they help to ensure that we consider the broadest possible pool of candidates.
Continue Reading
As the governing body of the Belmont Day School Corporation, the board of trustees is entrusted with the overall stewardship of the school to ensure its long-term health and sustainability. The board is responsible for establishing the school’s strategic direction, ensuring that necessary resources are in place for programs and infrastructure, supporting fundraising efforts in myriad ways, and providing oversight of the school’s management. Trustees play a critical role in ensuring that BDS continues to provide the best education possible for current students and for generations to come. This includes staying well-informed about the school’s programming and policies, making supporting BDS a philanthropic priority, and serving as positive ambassadors within the BDS community and beyond. Of course, the most important qualities for every trustee to possess are a deep affection for Belmont Day School and a commitment to devoting the time and effort necessary to further the school’s mission. For an overview of trustee responsibilities, see the BDS trustee job description linked below. You are also invited to join us on January 9, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in Coolidge Hall for a board information session.
Board committees, composed of trustees, ad hoc members, and faculty members, perform critical work that informs decisions made by the full board. These committees delve deeply into their respective areas of focus and provide the full board with informed perspectives and recommendations. Current board committees include advancement, audit and risk, committee on trustees, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), finance, operations, and strategic planning.
Members of these committees serve at the discretion of the board president. Often, trustees begin their service in school governance as ad hoc members of one of these board committees or by having dedicated their time and talents to the school in other exemplary ways. Trustees serve at least one three-year term on the board and are also required to serve on at least one committee each year. Ad hoc members serve on only one committee and have a one-year term. The board of trustees meets formally about every other month during the academic year, in addition to convening for several other board-related events. Committee meetings generally align with the board meeting schedule but may occur more or less frequently, depending on each committee’s unique objectives. At this time, we are especially seeking committee members with expertise in law, financial audit, DEIB, architecture, real estate development, or construction.
If you know someone, including yourself, who you believe would be an asset to the BDS Board of Trustees and is interested in serving either as a trustee or as an ad hoc committee member, please:
- Obtain permission from the person whom you wish to nominate.
- Send a letter of nomination to me at ccosman@verizon.net.
- Ensure your letter arrives no later than Friday, January 23, 2026.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact any of the members of the Committee on Trustees (listed below), who will be happy to speak with you.
Thank you for your help with this important process.
– Christina Cosman ’91 P ’24 ’26 ’28, Chair, Committee on Trustees
STAFFING NEWS
New Hire
Valerie Kerin, interim middle school learning specialist
We are so pleased to announce that Valerie will be our interim middle school learning specialist while Devan Reddington is away from school on parental leave. Valerie and Devan will overlap for a week before Devan begins her leave. Valerie recently relocated to the Boston area after serving as the learning specialist for grades 3-8 at Charlottesville Day School for three-and-a-half years. Valerie has also been a homeroom teacher in both lower and middle school grades, and is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in elementary education and a concentration in special education. She will be here at Belmont Day from January through mid-April. Please help us welcome Valerie when we return from Winter Break.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Communications Updates: Supporting the Home-School Partnership
We are grateful to our parent community for responding to our calls for feedback by engaging with the head of school’s annual survey, participating in focus groups during last year’s communications audit, completing our recent pulse survey, and having phone conversations with administrators about your child’s school experience so far this year.
This engagement is invaluable and supports the home-school partnership, which is integral to the Belmont Day experience. As we determine short- and long-term action items, you will begin to see changes that are in response to your feedback.
For example, beginning in January, all of our weekly lower school classroom newsletters will have a consistent look and content. Every grade’s newsletter will contain:
- Curricular updates
- Upcoming dates that are specific to your child’s class.
- Reminders that are specific to your child’s class.
- A link to an archive of weekly newsletters.
- A link to the all-school BDS Scoop.
We hope that you find the new format helpful. Please reach out to Betty Chu Pryor at bpryor@belmontday.org with comments or questions about newsletter content, or to communications@belmontday.org with feedback about the format. Thank you!
– Koreen McQuilton, director of communications & marketing
DEIB NEWS
Middle School Students Invited to Attend AISNE DEI Conference
Belmont Day School is excited to offer students the opportunity to attend the AISNE Middle School Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference at Regis College on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- What: AISNE Middle School DEI Conference: workshops, affinity spaces, and opportunities to connect with middle school students and educators across New England.
- Where: Regis College, 235 Wellesley Street, Weston, Mass.
- Who: Middle school students (priority given to eighth graders). Tickets are issued on a rolling, first‑come, first‑served basis.
- Cost: Belmont Day School will cover student registration.
- Transportation: BDS will provide transportation to and from the conference. If you have concerns or need to discuss alternatives, please contact us.
Please indicate your student’s interest by January 6, 2026. Early replies are encouraged to secure a ticket. A huge thank you to our middle school families who have already expressed interest! If you have questions, would like more information, or would like to express interest in attending the conference, please contact Trinity Johns, associate director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
We hope your student can join this valuable experience to learn, connect, and explore identity and allyship.
– Trinity Johns, associate director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
CAMP PROGRAMS
BDS Families Can Register Now for Summer & Vacation Week Camps
This is a reminder that registration for our summer and vacation camp programs is currently open for BDS Families ONLY. On Tuesday, January 6, we will open registration to returning camp families. While general summer day camp will not fill immediately, it’s likely some of our more limited enrollment camp programs (specialty camps, journeys, and vacation camps) will begin to fill day-of. If you want to secure your spot in camp before then, please email us at summer@belmontday.org. We will be available via email during Winter Break.
To learn more about our summer camp offerings, please check out the BDS Summer web page! For vacation week programs during February and April break, see the community programs page.
ASSOCIATE TEACHER PROGRAM
Associates Will Start 2026 in New Placements
The 2025-26 associate teacher cohort has flourished during the first classroom placements of the school year. They got to know and deeply care for their students, discovered who they are as educators in a student-facing role, and supported students’ growth in their respective grades.
Each associate will move to a second placement for the winter and spring. Associates will stay in these placements with new mentor teachers through the end of the school year.
- Elana Litsky will be in kindergarten with Lisa Wilson
- Sam Sanpietro will be in first grade with Geoffrey Fox
- Ethan Rao-Cramer will be in sixth grade with Khang Phan
- Genevive Bondaryk will be in eighth grade with Sandra Trentowsky
- Emma Baldinger will be in eighth grade with Emily Phan
Thank you to the fall placement mentor teachers–Nicole Siverls, Julia Fox, Vaniecia Skinner, Maggie Small, and Emily Phan–for providing the associate teachers with a space to learn, grow, and support the classroom. Thank you to the associate teachers for the care they provided the students and the creativity they infused into the classroom. We are excited to see what they bring to their new placements!
– Larissa Rochford ’93, third grade teacher and coordinator of the associate teacher program
Learning Updates
Athletics Update: Teams Launch Into Winter Season Competition
Over the past two weeks, our winter teams officially kicked off their seasons following a strong preseason of preparation and growth.
The boys’ varsity basketball team opened with two games, earning a 1–1 record heading into break. In their first matchup, the team outlasted a scrappy Park squad, fueled by relentless defensive pressure from Woody Evans and Clark Rutherford and a standout offensive performance from Evan Bae, who scored 14 points. Despite a late-game surge from Park, the team held on for a thrilling 45–44 victory. In their second contest, the boys traveled to Andover to face a talented Pike team, ultimately falling 50–25. Despite the loss, Deniz Kas delivered an impressive effort on both ends of the court, and the team is eager to return to work in the new year.
The boys’ JV basketball team battled a strong Meadowbrook seventh grade team. After a tough first half, the group showed great resilience, scoring 18 points in the second half. Silas O’Brien led the way with strong play on both sides of the ball, while Jack Hargrove had an outstanding second half, grabbing key rebounds and finishing well around the rim.
The girls’ JV basketball team opened their season with an exciting, competitive game against Meadowbrook, ultimately falling 8-6 in a hard-fought effort. The team was paced by the determined play of Reema Wulfsburg and Rowan McCoy, who brought grit and energy throughout the game.
Our fencing squad opened their season in impressive fashion with a big win over Beaver, taking 17 of 27 bouts overall. They recorded decisive victories in epee (8-1) and sabre (6-3), while dropping Foil 3–6. Highlights included strong debut seasons from new fencers Aidan Su, who won both of his sabre bouts, and Ben Fucci, who earned the first win of his fencing career.
The girls’ varsity basketball team also began their season with two games, competing hard in both matchups versus Park and Pike. In her varsity debut, Bella Tan led the scoring effort, attacking the basket and earning trips to the free-throw line. Against Pike, the team battled in a tightly contested game, highlighted by the relentless effort of Sophie Cutie, strong inside play from Colby Schneider, and outstanding defensive work from Fatoumata Bah.
It has been an exciting start to the season across all programs, and we look forward to continued growth, teamwork, and great competition in 2026!
– Stephen Marks, director of athletics
Parents’ Association News
Parent Book Group
Our next gathering will be on Tuesday, January 13, at 7:15 p.m. at Menotomy Grill and Tavern in Arlington. We will discuss Heart the Lover by Lily King. We hope you will join us! If you have any questions or would like to be added to our mailing list, please contact Karla Bays.
Parents’ Independent Schools Network Meeting
The Parents’ Independent School Network (PIN) will hold its Annual Meeting over Zoom on Wednesday, January 14, at 12:00 p.m. In addition, there will be a Heads of School Panel with Milton Academy, Roxbury Latin, and The Chestnut Hill School. Click here to pre-register and receive the Zoom link.
BDS Connections Walk
Our next BDS Connections Walk will take place on Thursday, January 15, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Join fellow parents and school administrators for a fun, casual walk through the woods surrounding campus after morning drop-off. We’ll meet at the exterior entrance to Coolidge Hall to start the walk. We’d love to see you there!
Next PA Meeting
Our next PA meeting will be held on Thursday, January 29, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., in Coolidge Hall. Our guest speaker will be Trinity Johns, assistant director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. All parents are invited, and coffee and light refreshments will be served.
Thank You and Happy Holidays
The PA Ambassador Team would like to thank all of you for your incredible support this fall. The vibrant parent community is a big part of what makes BDS special, and we are excited about the events and activities planned for the rest of the school year. In the meantime, we wish everyone a safe and restful winter break. Happy holidays!
PA Contacts
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 – Manish Patel
- Clerk – Jeff Wang
Beyond BDS
MUSICAL MILESTONE
Fourth Grade Musician Participates In National Program
In November, fourth grader Ruyi Xiao participated in the ASTA CAP (American String Teachers Association Certificate Advancement Program). This national string curriculum provides definite goals for students across the country, from beginner to advanced levels, through regional examinations. Exams were held at Dana Hall School of Music. Great job, Ruyi!
HOLIDAY CONCERT
Festive Fanfare Returns to Cambridge Public Library
Join musicians of the Boston Festival Orchestra for “Festive Fanfare,” a dazzling celebration of the season’s joy and warmth at the Cambridge Public Library!
The show will be held on Saturday, December 20, at 2:00 p.m. Featuring the radiant power of brass instruments, this festive concert will fill the air with beloved holiday classics, heartwarming melodies, and jubilant fanfares. Perfect for audiences of all ages, this free event celebrates holiday cheer and musical splendor! Light refreshments and treats will be provided.
Registration is not required but preferred. Click here for more information.
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