January 13, 2023
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The wrestling team battled this week against Roxbury Latin and Lexington Christian Academy.
Opening Message
Honoring Dr. King with a Pledge to Take Action
Connie Yepez, Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Post Date: January 13, 2023
Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.
– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As I consider the work and the legacy of Dr. King, I am moved by the realization that his philosophy was deeply rooted in taking ACTION to dismantle systems of oppression and to promote a more just world. He believed that this engagement would lead us to create what he referred to as the “Beloved Community,” where hatred, injustice, and violence are eradicated and where love and justice are the heartbeat of daily life. This concept of being actively involved in the pursuit of justice is one that inspires a few essential questions for me, and I encourage all members of our community to consider as well:
- What does Dr. King’s philosophy of justice and nonviolence mean to me?
- How can I embody love in my actions and beliefs?
- What does it mean to be of service and move our society toward justice?
Though Monday marks a holiday created to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy, at BDS, we honor his work and lasting impact through many actions and activities around our campus. Teachers are reading books and teaching lessons about Dr. King in our classrooms, our middle school kindness club is leading the charge to collect items for donation to Pine Street Inn, our bulletin boards in the gallery will feature information about Dr. King and other changemakers, and our annual assembly to celebrate Dr. King will take place on Friday, January 20. Initiatives that promote equity, inclusion, and belonging at BDS are a direct reflection of the way that Dr. King inspires us to take action.
We know that every member of our community has a part to play as we strive to create the Beloved Community that Dr. King dreamed for us. The King Center’s BE LOVE initiative provides a great frame for how we can each begin our journey toward a just society and pledge to take action. The youth version of the BE LOVE pledge is below, and other versions and languages can be found on their website, thekingcenter.org/belove.
I invite your family to read this pledge together and consider the responsibility it calls each of us to take. Add your name online if you feel comfortable doing so, and keep these words close to your hearts and at the top of your minds as we, as a community, continue to build on Dr. King’s legacy.
BE LOVE PLEDGE
3 Things are True:
- Hate and unfairness in our world have to stop
- I pledge to help make the world a better place
- The choice is mine to do nothing or stand up for what is right
Starting today, I make the personal choice to do something and BE LOVE.
I pledge to let my words and actions show love
I pledge to treat people like they matter
I pledge to kindly remind everyone that they should lead with love
I pledge to focus on changing the things that are wrong,
not hurting the people who are doing wrong things
I pledge to help bring people together and celebrate our differences
I pledge to be courageous and caring while acting with love
to ensure others are not being harmed
I pledge to always do and say what is right
By signing this pledge, I’m helping to create what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called The Beloved Community.
Upcoming Events
Coming Up This Week
Monthly Calendar
SAVE THE DATES – EIB Parent Engagement Events
We look forward to hosting parents/guardians for a series of evening events to build community, engage in discussion about equity, inclusion, and belonging-related topics, and provide education and resources. Details and an RSVP form will appear in The Scoop in the weeks leading up to each event.
- Tuesday, February 7
- Tuesday, March 21
- Tuesday, May 2
Vacation Camp Registration Update
Our February and April on-site vacation camps are now fully enrolled. There are spaces still available for students in grades 3 to 8 in our February off-site ski/snowboarding program. You can find program and pricing details on the Parent Portal and school website.
Please reach out to Denali Kikuchi if you would like to be put on the waiting list for the February or April vacation camps. If you have any programmatic questions, please reach out to Blair Fross.
RSVP for Parent Sharing and Shadow Days
Please join us for our upcoming Parent Sharing and Shadow Days. We hope you can attend and enjoy a glimpse into your child’s academic and social learning at BDS and the work that goes into fostering inspiring, bold, and remarkable learners and leaders. RSVP here to let us know if you plan to attend.
- Monday, January 23: grades 4 and 5
- Tuesday, January 24: pre-k, grades 1 and 6
- Wednesday, January 25: kindergarten, grades 2 and 7
- Thursday, January 26: grades 3 and 8
Please see the schedules for lower and middle school visits in the dropdown below.
Sharing & Shadow Days Schedules
Lower School Schedule of Events
7:45 a.m.
Registration
Coffee and Pastries
8:15 a.m.
Welcome
Betty Chu Pryor Lower School Head
8:30 a.m.
Classroom Visits
10:00 a.m.
Visit Concludes
Middle School Schedule of Events
8:00 a.m.
Please accompany your student to their first two academic classes
9:30 a.m.
Coffee and Pastries
Coolidge Hall
Remarks
Liz Gray
Middle School Head
10:00 a.m.
Visit Concludes
ICYMI: Fourth Grade Play Recording
Last Friday, our incredible fourth grade actors entertained and inspired us with their wonderful performance of the play, “Imagine!” If you were unable to join us or would like to enjoy it again, click here or on the photo above.
Lunch & Snack Menu
January 16 to January 20
Monday
School Closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday
Snack: applesauce; pretzel twists
Lunch: Asian noodles with chicken or tofu and broccoli; GF Asian noodles with chicken and broccoli; broccoli; mixed greens with Asian dressing
Wednesday
Snack: bananas; Popcorners
Lunch: turkey dinner with gravy, cranberry sauce, and mashed potato; vegan burgers; steamed potatoes; roasted butternut squash; spinach, feta, roasted pear salad with sherry vinaigrette
Thursday
Snack: clementines; banana oatmeal rounds
Lunch: “Monster” cheddar bagels; GF and Vegan “Monster” cheddar bagels; steamed Brussels sprouts; Caesar salad
Friday
Snack: apple slices; Rice Krispie squares
Faculty Lunch
For a more detailed and updated weekly menu, please click the button below.
BDS News
FACULTY NEWS
New Hire
Patrick Murray, interim fifth grade math and science teacher
We are thrilled to announce that Patrick Murray has been hired to take over while Emma Nairn is on parental leave for the remainder of the school year. Patrick comes to us with several years of experience teaching grades 3 to 5 in various school districts, including Walpole, Framingham, and Saugus. Most recently, he served as a building substitute teacher for the Natick Public Schools. Patrick began his career in education as a teaching apprentice at the Brookwood School in Manchester-by-the-Sea in a collaborative program with Lesley University similar to the one we have at BDS. Patrick also spent some years in retail and office management. Originally from Vermont, Patrick received a master of education degree from Lesley University and an undergraduate degree from Syracuse University, where he majored in illustration.
While he brings numerous qualifications and skills to this role, the hiring team was particularly impressed with the rapport that Patrick was able to build in such a short time with the students when he came for his finalist visit and demo lesson. He was able to engage each student with his dynamic, relevant, and multifaceted approach to ordering and sorting decimals. It was also clear that he has a keen understanding of this developmental age group. The students provided positive feedback after his visit, praising Patrick for his ability to connect with them, his knack for helping them understand the material, his storytelling skills, his approachability, and his sense of humor.
Patrick will begin on Tuesday, January 17. We hope you will join us in welcoming Patrick to our BDS community!
– Betty Chu Pryor, interim lower school head
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Keep Those Donations Coming!
MLK Donation Drive Continues Though End of January
“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Thank you to the members of the middle school kindness club who put up posters around the school and visited classrooms to inform everyone about the ongoing drive to support the work of Pine Street Inn. Check out their quick video message!
All month you’ll find collection bins in the Schoolhouse circle and Barn circle for items we are gathering for those facing the winter without secure shelter. As identified by our partners at Pine Street Inn, the most needed items include:
- warm socks and gloves
- hand and foot warmers
- underwear and T-shirts
- individually packed snacks (sweet and salty)
- travel-size deodorant
- $5 gift cards for McDonald’s or Dunkin’
Please join us in the Barn next Friday, January 20, at 8:30 a.m. for the Martin Luther King Jr. assembly. Matt Ferrer from Pine Street will be our guest to speak about the organization’s vital mission and work.
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Personal Growth Reports + Trimester 2 Interim Grades Available Soon
Believe it or not, we are getting to the midpoint of the academic year! On Tuesday, January 24, middle school families will be able to view on the Parent Portal:
- The first of two Personal Growth reports that you will receive this year for your child, written by your child’s advisor. The personal growth report will provide an overview of your child’s academic and social-emotional growth at school over the first half of the year. We hope that it offers you a window into how your child is developing in their many roles as a middle school student at BDS. Please note that the next personal growth report will be available at the end of the year, along with Trimester 3 academic subject reports and grades.
- Trimester 2 Interim Grades serve as a snapshot of your child’s current standing in each class; they are not final and will not appear on your child’s transcript. They also may change over the course of the rest of the trimester as additional information is introduced and assessed in each class.
– Liz Gray, middle school head
COMMUNITY NEWS
Nominations Sought for Board of Trustees By Feb. 1
As we do every year at this time, the BDS Committee on Trustees asks members of the community to suggest names of BDS parents (including yourself), BDS alumni, and past BDS parents to be considered for ad hoc committee service and/or nomination to the BDS Board of Trustees.
As the governing body of Belmont Day School, the board of trustees is entrusted with the overall stewardship of the school. The board is responsible for establishing the school’s strategic direction, ensuring necessary resources are in place, and providing oversight of the school’s management. The board is currently focused on the implementation of the strategic plan that was shared with the community last year.
To help guide school policy and to inform board decisions, the BDS board president staffs several board committees made up of trustees and other community members. These board committees delve deeply into mission-critical topics and provide the full board with both informed perspectives and recommendations. Current board committees include finance, investments, audit, development, diversity, strategic planning, and buildings and grounds.
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Members of these committees serve at the discretion of the board president. Typically, trustees begin their service in school governance as ad hoc members of one of these board committees. After service as an ad hoc, a committee member may be nominated to join the board as a trustee. Trustees generally serve at least one three-year term. The board of trustees meets formally five to six times during the academic year, and each trustee serves on at least one board committee.
Just as Belmont Day School seeks strength in the diversity of each class of its students, we seek it on the board of trustees and its committees. Community nominations are particularly helpful in this regard, as they help to ensure that we consider the broadest possible pool of nominees. Of course, the most important qualities for every trustee to possess are a deep affection for the school and a commitment to devote the time and effort necessary to further the school’s mission. Trustees play a critical role in ensuring that Belmont Day School continues to provide the best education possible for our children and for generations of children to come.
If you know someone, including yourself, who you believe would be an asset to the BDS Board of Trustees and is interested in serving as an ad hoc member of a board committee or as a trustee, please:
- Obtain permission from the person you wish to nominate
- Send a letter of nomination to Angel Williams at angelnwilliams@gmail.com
- Ensure your letter arrives no later than February 1, 2023, at which time the committee on trustees will review the entire pool of potential candidates
A slate of nominees approved by the board will be shared with the Belmont Day community for its consideration by April 21, 2023. Trustees are elected by the members of the corporation at the annual corporation meeting to be held this year on Thursday, May 18, 2023.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact any of the members of the BDS Committee on Trustees: Brit Dewey, Jessica Turco, Catalina Guillermety, Brendan Largay, Elliot Targum, Kim Truong, Alex Min, and Angel Williams.
Thank you for your help with this important process.
– Angel Williams, Chair, Committee on Trustees
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Save-the-date for the BDS Auction
Saturday, May 6, 2023, in the Barn
Save the date, hire a babysitter, and imagine swapping your winter hat for something springy for what will be a memorable night of great fun, food, and friends BDS-style! The BDS Auction is the most significant fundraising event our school will host and includes a silent and live auction, plus raffle prizes—all in support of our school. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the BDS community to gather and connect with one another, and we are thrilled to be able to do this event in person for the first time since 2019. Get ready to celebrate, and keep an eye out for additional details soon.
Learning Updates
Athletics Update: Boys’ Varsity Hoops Runs Down Shady Hill
The boys’ varsity basketball team traveled to Cambridge this week for an early season showdown against friendly rival Shady Hill. From the opening tip, it was clear that Belmont Day came to play. The Blue & Gold jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead thanks to a tenacious full-court press and never looked back. Seventh grader Kaden Flummerfelt was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season and helped set the tone with his aggressive play, leading the team into a commanding 21-10 lead at the half. Nebiyou Elias also joined the starting five for the first time and maintained a physical presence in the paint on both ends of the court. The second half proved to be more of the same and Belmont Day spurred a late push by Shady Hill to hold on for a 39-32 win. Andrew Green led all scorers with 19 points, while Rami Flummerfelt chipped in with a double-double (13 points – 11 rebounds). The team will bring a 2-1 record back home next week when they square off against LCA.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
Athletics News
- A trio of sixth graders shined during girls’ JV basketball’s commanding win over Shady Hill. Laurice Bandar was the game’s leading scorer. Claire Huang played excellent D, and Samantha Cuming provided the energy and hustle.
- The wrestling team had a successful home opener this week against RL and LCA. Highlights of the meet included Caleb Frehywot’s two pins, Jun Murakami’s two victories, Ken MacDougall’s tight win, and Quinn Clark’s third-period pin.
- Fencing took home a win in all three weapons against ISB this week. Team captains Sebastian Colberg, Zach Cash, and Gabriel Burd did an excellent job leading their blade groups, while newcomer Hugue Marsan won all three of his bouts.
- Anurag Mujumdar (down low) and Foster Larabee (up top) combined for excellent defense during boys’ JV basketball’s 33-15 win over Shady Hill. Rhys Kaplan and Yaseen Saeed chipped in with positive plays on the offensive end.
- After a promising start for girls’ varsity basketball, the offense went cold, and Shady Hill emerged with a 9-point win. Avery Schneider left it all on the court, playing tough on both ends of the court, and Sara Colangelo was strong off the bench.
- Volleyball had another solid week of practice heading into the break. Isadora Eiref, Kali Owens-Schwartz, Clive Sutton, and August Wilmot have all improved tremendously over the course of the first three weeks.
- PEAK headed off campus to the Boston Bouldering Project this week. Lucy Walther and Julia Street scooted right to the top of the auto-belay, and Griffin Targum was committed to accomplishing a new route on the bouldering wall.
Fourth Grade Engineers Build Pyramids
Fourth graders have transformed into architects, builders, and scribes and have been working tirelessly to complete a challenge to build lifelike replicas of pyramids using only recycled materials. Students first studied the traits and designs of a variety of Egyptian pyramids, and then they created their own blueprints for what their ideal pyramids would look like and what their measurements would be. Since then, they have been measuring, cutting, designing, creatively redesigning, and continuously problem-solving. They have also been keeping meticulous records of what tasks they complete each day, any challenges that arise, and plans for moving forward. Finished pyramids will include tomb paintings and cartouches, which students learned about in social studies, and will have special features like burial chambers, mazes, and sphinxes. The engineers are excited for an upcoming visit by a special judge who will be coming to admire their work!
– Emily Crawford, fourth grade teacher
Sixth Graders Read Stories That Explore Identity
As we continue our short unit on identity, we began this week by analyzing “Inside Out” by Francisco Jimenez. The short story is framed by the author’s experiences working in a migrant labor camp as a child. Students analyzed the experience of Francisco, who has entered a new school and is learning English. Despite his struggles with fitting in, Francisco sees how embracing his unique artistic talents has a positive impact on his life and relationship with others. This helps him grow into an identity he is proud of and gives him an opportunity to feel comfortable in school. Many students shared that this was their favorite short story on the topic of identity.
Other students shared that their favorite was “Unusual Normality” by Ishmael Beah, which we read later in the week. In this short memoir, students read about the challenges one young man faces as he tries to resume “normal” life after his experience as a child soldier from Sierra Leone. Through this lesson, students were asked to consider the risks associated with making your differences known to others as you discover your identity.
– Khang Phan, sixth grade social studies teacher
Parents’ Association News
The next PA meeting will be on Friday, February 10 at 8:30 a.m., in Coolidge Hall. Jen Friborg will join us to speak about the eighth grade Capstone presentations.
PA Dues Contest
Please consider paying your family PA dues quickly and easily via the Parent Portal. From now until February break, we will be keeping track of PA dues that have been paid, and the three classes with the highest percentage of families who contributed will all get special treats at recess. These dues help the PA hold fun social events for parents, appreciation events for teachers, special Enrichment Assemblies for students (like the one today on astrophysics!), and more. The sooner in the year families contribute their PA dues, the more great events we can plan. The suggested amount is $50 per family, but any amount is appreciated. Thank you so much for contributing to our great community!
Gratitude Board
The submission form for the PA gratitude board is still open so help us fill the board with words of gratitude for teachers, staff members, or even the whole community. We will print them and add them to the board for all to read and appreciate. You can also submit artwork from your children if that is how they would like to express their gratitude and spread kindness.
Book Group
The next parent book group meeting will be held Tuesday, January 17, at 7:30 p.m. at Menotomy Grill and Tavern. We are reading Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. We have had some lovely gatherings this fall, and we hope you will join us! Please contact Karla Bays for more information or to join our mailing list.
PA Winter Hats
For all those who did not get to buy a coveted stripey pom-pom hat yet, don’t worry; we will have them available for sale again soon.
If you have any suggestions or questions about parents’ association-related activities, please contact us anytime at bdspa@belmontday.org.
Beyond BDS
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE
Lower School Students Plant Trees in Africa
Two fifth grade students, Henry Mallet and Violet Hancock, traveled with family to the African nation of Tanzania over Winter Break. While there, reports Henry’s mom, Hopi Hoekstra, they had the opportunity to visit an underserved elementary school and put in some volunteer time with an ongoing tree-planting project. Henry and Violet helped plant trees near a soccer field at the school. The trees will help stop erosion and generate shade for the students during recess. Henry and Violet shared that they learned the importance of service at BDS and learned a lot about gardening and planting from Ms. Solomon. Great job, Henry and Violet!
FILM FESTIVAL
Belmont World Film’s 20th Annual Family Festival
Belmont World Film’s Family Festival is a great event for families with children ages 3-12, offering some of the world’s top films for children and enriching filmmaking workshops. This year’s festival features sixteen exciting film programs and four workshops.
All films will be shown in person on January 14, 15, 16, and 21; all but three films will also be available online from January 20-22. The “Become a Junior Film Critics” workshop will take place in person; the “Learn to Model Shaun the Sheep” and “Learn to Model Gromit” workshops will take place on Zoom. For more information on the films and workshops, and tickets, please click here.
Want to be an usher at the festival? Ushering is a fun and easy way to volunteer to help this beloved community-run festival. It’s also a great way to earn your way to see a few of the great movies and represent Belmont Day! Any BDS middle school students interested in becoming an usher can reach out to Maria Carvalho, director of volunteers, to learn more.
SUMMER PROGRAM
Registration Open for UNAGB Summer Institute on Global Leadership
Registration is open for all UNAGB Summer Institute in Global Leadership programs for 2023. Learn about global issues, meet inspiring guest speakers, build public speaking and negotiation skills, and collaborate through Model UN.
For 2023, there will be a wide range of in-person programs for students. These programs will take place in the Boston-Cambridge Area, as well as a week-long session based on Cape Cod. Click here for more information on programs, schedules, and pricing.
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