December 5, 2025
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The winter athletics season is off and running!
Opening Message
The 2025 State of the School
Brendan Largay, Head of School
Post Date: December 5, 2025
Tuesday morning in Coolidge Hall, I had the honor and the pleasure to speak about my favorite subject: Belmont Day School–our successes, joys, and challenges, both past and present, and our hopes and goals for the future. Thank you to all who were able to attend the 2025 State of the School, and thank you to the Parents’ Association, who once again this year hosted the address at their December meeting.
If you were unable to attend, I encourage you to watch the recording. I fielded a variety of thoughtful questions at the end of the State of the School. I greatly appreciate these discussions and our shared passion to continue to evolve the excellence in education we offer at Belmont Day. Please keep your thoughts and questions coming! You can always email me or catch me in the hallways, or at an assembly, or at morning drop-off, or at the Winter Concert … or at Friday Night Hoops!
Hope to see you all soon! Have a great weekend, everyone.
Upcoming Events
Coming Up This Week
Monthly Calendar
Attention Middle School Families
Trimester 1 Reports Available
Check the Parent Portal today, Friday, December 5, for middle school reports.
Winter Coat Drive for Cradles for Crayons
December 2 to January 9
In conjunction with BDS Giving Day on Tuesday, December 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.
If your family would like to participate, please send in new or gently used children’s winter coats to donate between December 2 and January 9. Collection bins are located in front of the Barn and the Schoolhouse.
This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and families to make a difference in the lives of children and for BDS to give back to the community in a meaningful way. Thank you!
Giving Day 2025
Tuesday, December 9 (All Day!)
BDS Giving Day is next Tuesday–a full day to celebrate generosity, community, and school spirit! Inspired by Dinah Washington’s classic song “What a Difference a Day Makes,” we’re reminded how one day can bring joy, connection, and transformation.
Our goal this year is bold and exciting: 325 gifts in 24 hours—and every contribution lifts our community higher. One day. One community. One shared act of generosity. Let’s make it unforgettable!
Join us after drop-off for coffee, hot cocoa, and connection at the Giving Day Tent outside Coolidge Hall, where we’ll kick off this special day together. Stay tuned throughout the day to see how our collective generosity fuels momentum!
Thank you! What a difference a day can make!
Lunch & Snack Menu
December 10 to December 14
Monday
Snack: craisins; Fritos
Lunch: macaroni and cheese; penne and marinara; gluten-free macaroni and cheese; baked maple ham; seasoned green peas; romaine with tomatoes and honey lemon vinaigrette
Tuesday
Snack: bananas; granola bars
Lunch: BBQ Korean beef; BBQ Korean tofu; bao buns; basmati rice; pickled cucumbers; sriracha mayo; seasoned steamed broccoli; crunchy purple slaw
Wednesday
Snack: apple slices; Smartfood
Lunch: Greek chicken; vegan Italian sausage; herb Israeli couscous; rice; roasted Mediterranean vegetables; Greek salad with romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, and feta
Thursday
Snack: clementines; pretzels
Lunch: lentil soup; cheese pizza; pepperoni pizza; vegan cheese pizza; gluten-free cheese pizza; herb roasted cauliflower; Caesar salad with foccacia croutons
Friday
Snack: apples; banana chocolate oatmeal rounds
Faculty Lunch
Please click the button below for a more detailed and updated weekly menu.
BDS News
COMMUNITY EVENT
Winter Concert
Friday, December 12
Downing Gym
Concert Starts at 10:30 a.m. (Doors open at 10 a.m.)
Join us Friday, December 12 to welcome the winter season. Together, as a community, we’ll celebrate and enjoy the musical talents of our students. All students will be performing, except for Middle School students who are not in an ensemble.
Concert Day Details
Drop-off for School Day: Students should be dropped off for school at their regular times and locations.
Parking for Concert: Please coordinate your plans so that the fewest possible cars arrive on campus, as parking is limited. The buildings and grounds team will direct traffic and parking. The procession of students into the Downing Gym will begin promptly at 10:20 a.m.
Entry and Seating: Please enter using the front door of the Schoolhouse and follow the signs to the Downing Gym. The gym doors will open at 10 a.m. so families can find seats. Rows of chairs will be reserved for student performers, but all other rows are available for family and friends. Seating is first-come, first-served. All students will sit with their classes for the concert.
Concert Dress: This is a formal, celebratory event. Students should come to school dressed appropriately for their performances in clothes they feel confident and great in!
Dismissal: At the end of the concert, the audience will remain seated while students and teachers process out and return to their classrooms.
- Students with a parent in attendance will be picked up and checked out from the classroom. Please go directly to your car and exit campus, circumventing the pick-up line that will be formed by those who were not in attendance.
- If you are picking up in the car line, students will be dismissed from their assigned dismissal door. If you do not know which dismissal door your child is assigned to, please check with the front desk before the day of the concert.
- Please make sure to have your name placard displayed on your vehicle’s dashboard.
After school: The Friday after school schedule will run per usual. If you would like to pick up your child early from after school due to the concert, please email attendance by Thursday, December 11, so we know not to expect you.
AUXILIARY PROGRAMS
Registration Open for Vacation Week Camps
Registration is now open for Belmont Day School families for our vacation week camps in February and April 2026. These programs have limited spots available and fill quickly once we open to the public in early January. You can find descriptions and pricing on the parent portal’s auxiliary programs page and in the dropdown below.
To register: Send an email to summer@belmontday.org that includes:
- Which students you want to enroll in which weeks of vacation week camp
- Whether you will also need the extended day program
February Camp Details
February Vacation Week: Tuesday, February 17 to Friday, February 20, 2026. Tuition: $650
Extended day is available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: $35 daily
Super Sleuths (pre-k to grade 3)
Campers are invited to grab a magnifying glass and get sleuthing to solve our camp mysteries. They will learn about observation, data collection, forensic science techniques, and analyzing clues. Our super sleuths will decipher codes, create disguises, and discover enigmas and puzzles all over campus.
Center Stage (grades 4 to 6)
This high-energy theater adventure invites young performers to dive into the world of acting, improv, mime, movement, and more. Designed for budding stars, each day will feature ensemble-building games, creative workshops, and rehearsal fun—all leading up to a final performance of original short vignettes. Whether your camper is new to theater or ready to grow their stage skills, they’ll build confidence, creativity, and friendships that take center stage.
April Camp Details
April Vacation Week: Tuesday, April 21 to Friday, April 24, 2026. Tuition: $650
Extended day is available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: $35 daily
Mad Science (pre-k to grade 3)
Campers will channel their inner scientist as they explore various STEM challenges through hands-on experiments and creative projects. Campers will explore science in the natural world, learn about chemical reactions, and develop their skills in formulating hypotheses and collecting data. This will be a science-packed week full of fun and discovery.
THEATER NEWS
ICYMI: Fourth Grade Play
On Thursday and Friday, our talented fourth graders took to the Palandjian Arts Center stage to present “Ratastrophe”. The young actors delivered plenty of jokes, songs, and one very important message. If you couldn’t make a performance or simply want to experience it again, check out the video recording and photo gallery of the show. Bravo, fourth grade!
ADMISSIONS NEWS
Volunteers Needed for Prospective Student Assessment Day
On Tuesday, January 20, Belmont Day School will be closed so the admissions team and faculty members can conduct in-person assessments for all our student applicants across pre-kindergarten through grade 7.
We are looking for parent volunteers to help us with this event. We will need parent panelists for a live parent panel moderated by Brendan Largay, greeters, registration helpers, minglers, and more!
If you can help, please fill out this survey by Tuesday, December 16, and an admission team member will contact you after the winter break to confirm participation and roles. Thank you!
– Judy Bright, admissions and outreach program manager
FACULTY NEWS
Professional Development Day Builds Team, Skills
While students enjoyed an extra day off this past Monday, our faculty came together for a full day dedicated to collaboration, reflection, and professional growth. We began with a State of the School preview from Brendan Largay and then launched into a faculty-led mini conference, where teachers shared their expertise and passion with colleagues. Faculty offered a rich mix of sessions blending pedagogy, creativity, wellness, and nature-based learning–an authentic snapshot of the depth and diversity that defines teaching and learning at Belmont Day School.
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One of the most powerful parts of the day was seeing our faculty step fully into the role of both teacher and learner. As one colleague shared, “I loved hearing my colleagues share their brilliance. There is such a wealth of knowledge here to tap into.” The energy in these peer-led sessions captured a deep love for teaching, learning, and collaboration, and our core values were on full display throughout the day.
In the afternoon, faculty partnered with Boston Children’s Museum, MassAudubon, and MagicSchool for hands-on, mission-aligned professional learning, while departments met to dig into curricular alignment across grades and disciplines. This combination of outside expertise and internal collaboration helps ensure that what happens in classrooms continues to grow in both purpose and impact. When our faculty learn with this level of intention and joy, that growth is felt directly by our students and our broader school community.
– Annie Fuerst, director of innovation
COMMUNITY NEWS
Check the Lost & Found Before Winter Break
Please check the Lost & Found for your students’ missing items before we head off for the winter break. All unclaimed items will be donated soon.
The Lost & Found is located in the hallway between Liz Parfit’s office at the front of the Schoolhouse and the sixth-grade classrooms. Check in at the front desk, and you will be directed right to it.
Click the button below for a photo gallery of found items. If you see an item and are not able to make it to school to retrieve it, or if you have any questions, please contact Bingxiao Wu at bingxiao.wu@gmail.com or Diecline Dorvil at dbdiecline20@yahoo.fr.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Winter Weather Is Here—Layer Up and Be Prepared!
The current cold snap is ushering in a season of colder, wetter, and snowier weather. Now is the time to ensure you have all the cold-weather gear your children will need for outdoor activities before, during, and after school.
At Belmont Day, we aim to get outside for recess every day. However, on days when it is exceptionally cold (the temperature with the wind chill falls below 15 degrees), we will limit our outside recess time. Hopefully, there will be very few days when it is so inclement that we are unable to go outside at all!
All students–pre-k through grade 8–participate in outdoor recess every school day. To be safe and comfortable, your child should always have:
- A warm coat (a sweatshirt, fleece, or vest is not warm enough below 40 degrees)
- A hat or hood
- Gloves or mittens
- Boots and snow pants (students without this gear will be unable to join their friends playing in the snow)
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It is a good idea to keep extra outdoor gear in your child’s cubby or locker so they are always prepared. It is also a great idea to keep spare clothes at school, no matter your child’s age, in case clothing becomes wet or muddy while playing outside.
Middle school athletes should have long pants or sweatpants available each day, as well as appropriate gear for the weather. After School students enjoy the outdoors daily as well, especially on Fridays.
If any family has questions or needs regarding proper cold-weather clothing, please contact Maren Coniglione, school nurse, Blair Fross, director of school-year auxiliary and specialty programs, Betty Chu Pyor, lower school head, or Liz Gray, middle school head.
Learning Updates
First Graders See Themselves From a New Perspective
Each year, first grade students are asked to create a self-portrait as part of their identity studies. This year, the first graders in Ms. McCann’s class expanded on that tradition by designing silhouette self-portraits. It has been an artistic experience that has allowed them to see themselves in an entirely new way.
The process began with students tracing their own silhouettes. Using enlarged photographs and a light table, each child carefully outlined the unique shape of their profile. From there, they transformed their silhouettes into vibrant expressions of who they are. Students filled the interior space with drawings that reflect their personalities, families, interests, and the elements that make them feel most connected to their world. They then outlined their illustrations with Sharpie markers, added color using crayons, and applied watercolor paint to create dynamic backgrounds. To complete the project, each silhouette is mounted on black paper for a prominent display.
In addition to strengthening fine motor skills, this insightful activity has encouraged students to explore their identities through art, celebrate what makes them unique, and gain confidence in sharing their stories.
– Amy McCann, first grade teacher
Athletics Update: Kicking Off the Winter Season
This week marked the official kickoff of the winter athletics season at Belmont Day, and the energy across campus has been incredible. With eight teams spread across a wide range of offerings, our student-athletes have hit the ground running—getting back into routines, reconnecting with teammates, and embracing the challenges and excitement of a new season.
This winter, we are fielding boys’ basketball (JV and varsity), girls’ basketball (JV and varsity), fencing, hiking & climbing, and two racquet sports groups. Our basketball teams and fencing program are preparing for a full slate of competitions against other schools, with early practices already setting a strong foundation. Coaches report great focus, effort, and teamwork as players settle into drills and early-season development.
Our hiking & climbing group will enjoy a mix of on-campus training and off-site adventure—including visits to the Bouldering Project in Somerville, where students can challenge themselves on new terrain and further build their skills.
Athletics Update Continued
One of the biggest and most pleasant surprises this season has been the tremendous interest in racquet sports (formerly badminton), with an incredible 42 students choosing this option. To ensure a meaningful experience for everyone, we’ve created two groups that will rotate between badminton at BDS, squash at Harvard, and pickleball at Picklr in Burlington. This variety gives students exposure to multiple “racquet sports,” and a chance to grow in both confidence and technique.
We’re excited for everything this winter season has in store and love seeing our students dive into their teams with such enthusiasm. As competitions begin and groups head off campus for their first adventures, we look forward to sharing updates and highlights. We’ll report back next week with more from across our athletics program!
And as always … GO BDS!
– Stephen Marks, director of athletics
PE Update: Jump Around!
The gym is full of bouncy energy this month, whether it is during the required three bounces of the gaga ball before the game begins with a chant of “Ga! Ga! Ball!” or the bounce of feet leaping over jump ropes, jump sticks, and the long rope.
The jump rope unit is a long-time favorite at Belmont Day, with students learning to leap over a rope for the first time to honing their backwards cross. All skill levels and ages benefit from working on coordination, timing, and cardio, and seeing someone set their personal best for consecutive jumps, whether that number is 5 or 105, is always a treat.
On the other side of the gym, our students are playing their first games of Gaga Ball at BDS. A classic camp game, the PE department acquired our first portable pit this year, and the activity, in which students attempt to slap a ball to hit one another below the knees in an octagon, has been an instant hit. Many “sweat trophies” have been handed out already, thanks to the pure energy that is involved in the game.
– Alex Tzelnic, physical education teacher
PE Winter Advisory
One note of important housekeeping: with our first taste of winter weather, many students have been wearing boots to school. We love seeing our kids prepared for the weather, but in the Barn, it is always 70 and sunny, and sneakers are crucial. We have a small loaner bin of sneakers when kids forget to bring them, but not nearly enough to support the number of students who have shown up in boots this week. Please remember to send your students in with a pair of sneakers on days they have PE (our recommendation is to leave a pair at school if possible, so they always have them accessible). And if you have any sneakers in good condition that your kids have outgrown, we are always looking to supplement the loaner bin. Thank you for your partnership on the sneaker front!
Parents’ Association News
Thank You for Supporting the Book Fair!
Thank you to everyone who supported the Book Fair and attended the in-store shopping event. Belmont Books noted that it was “one of the best attended in-store book fairs” they have ever hosted. Special thanks again to our Book Fair Committee, led by Zhenzhen Zhang, Reema DellaNeve, and Fang Yang, for organizing this wonderful event. Happy reading to all!
Faculty Appreciation Fund
With the holiday season approaching, we know that many families are moved to show appreciation for the Belmont Day School faculty. The school respectfully asks that families not purchase gifts for individual faculty members. Instead, you are welcome to contribute to the Belmont Day Parents’ Association Faculty Appreciation Fund. Contributions to the appreciation fund will be distributed to teaching and non-teaching faculty through gift cards to local businesses, per their request. If you would like to participate, gifts can be made to PA Treasurer Manish Patel’s Venmo account. The last day to contribute is Friday, December 12.
BDS Connections Walk
Looking for something to do between morning drop-off and the Winter Concert? Join us for our next BDS Connections Walk on Friday, December 12. We will gather outside Coolidge Hall at 8:30 a.m. and take a casual stroll through the woods. Afterwards, we will warm up with some refreshments before heading to the Winter Concert.
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.
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
HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER
Social Action Gift Fair To Be Held Sunday, December 7
The First Church of Belmont will host a not-to-be-missed holiday tradition where you can do your holiday shopping and help others at the same time! Join them for the Social Action Holiday Gift Fair on Sunday, December 7, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the church, 404 Concord Avenue, Belmont. There will be gifts available from local and international artisans, and all sales will benefit worthy causes near and far. Click here for more information.
HOLIDAY EVENT
Midwinter Revels Performances at Harvard’s Sanders Theatre
Revels’ joyous blend of music, storytelling, song, and dance brings to life the radiant story of Matchless, by Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked. Woven together with festive Scandinavian song and dance performed by virtuoso musicians, actors, and an intergenerational chorus, the story tells the tale of a young boy finding warmth and light in the darkest days. Matchless is Maguire’s illumination of a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.
Performances run from December 12 to 28. For more information, including show times and tickets, visit the Revels website.
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