January 21, 2022
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Ms. Skinner’s fifth graders construct model suitcases to carry the items they would most value were they to emigrate. The project is based on their reading of “The Arrival” by Shaun Tan.
Opening Message
On My Return to the Classroom
Brendan Largay, Head of School
Post Date: January 21, 2022
Before January 5, 2022, the last time I was in a classroom teaching students was March 11, 2020. As it turned out, navigating the first full year of the pandemic was enough to fill my plate, and thus, my teaching took a back seat—and how I have missed the toil and the trouble of it.
This year, I am lucky to return to a seventh grade classroom for January, along with colleagues, English teacher Adele Clements and associate teacher Dani Kelly. I am luckier still to teach my favorite playwright and my favorite play, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, to a room full of curious yet cautious students. Many students had their first, gentler introduction to Shakespeare in theater class with Ms. Dempsey and Mr. Parsons in their earlier years at BDS. A scene or two would be rehearsed and performed. Some critical character backstory would be provided, along with excellent theatrical instruction. And perhaps even a cauldron was involved.
My class tackles Macbeth in its entirety—symbols, allegory, confusing language and all—taught by at least one teacher who is a bit of a Shakespeare nut, which, I gather, can make things more intimidating, not less. Here we are, enthralled together by the bad behavior of the Macbeths, the mystery of the witches and their prophecies, and ever hopeful for Scotland’s eventual recovery.
This teaching opportunity and a brief visit to the Erskine Library yesterday bring into focus our students’ boundless curiosity at a time of year when the pace of their learning is especially exciting. In the Erskine Library, I encountered two beloved teachers—reading specialist Heather Smith and librarian Amy Sprung, each helping a first grade student find that just right book. Everything about the moment was perfect. Heather noted with visible pride, “In first grade right now, their language is exploding. There aren’t enough books out there for them to read. They are insatiable.” And this brings me back to my seventh graders.
Adele, Dani, and I gather after each class, much like the three witches, and marvel at our students’ engagement with this challenging text. They, too, are insatiable. Even as they grapple with the “Old Shakespeare English,” as one of them put it, they remain steadfast in their effort to master it. Their anticipation for and curiosity about the next horrific idea that the Macbeths might act on or prophecy the witches may offer is as insatiable as the first graders’.
This month, their language and learning are exploding in the best possible ways. Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, as someone once wrote. I am excited to see what tomorrow brings for our students’ learning.
Upcoming Events
Coming Up This Week
Monthly Calendar
Middle School Personal Growth Reports & Interim Grades
Believe it or not, we have now reached the midpoint of the academic year. Next Tuesday, January 25, the following information will be available to middle school parents 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 is intended to 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 – As a reminder, these grades are intended to 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
Parent Learning Forum: Approach Coping
Thursday, February 17, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Dr. Julia Martin Burch from the McLean School Consult Service will give a 90-minute interactive online workshop on how to help your child cope more effectively with anxiety and sadness.
The workshop, entitled “Approach Coping: How to help your child do what they need to do even when they feel worried or sad,” will cover psychoeducation on emotions and a deep dive on what to do if your child avoids activities due to anxiety or withdraws and isolates due to sadness.
Webinar link is available on the Parent Portal.
Lunch & Snack Menu
January 24 to January 28
Monday
Snack: apples; Popcorners
Lunch: pasta with marinara; cauliflower; Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches; crusty rolls; butter; Romano cheese; apple slices; milk and water
Tuesday
Snack: bananas; granola bars
Lunch: beef hot dogs; vegan hot dogs; buns; peas; potato chips; ketchup; Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches; fresh fruit cup; milk and water
Wednesday
Snack: clementines; cheese puffs
Lunch: grilled chicken; grilled tofu; roasted potato wedges; green beans; ketchup; Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches; diced peaches; milk and water
Thursday
Snack: bananas; BBQ Lay’s chips
Lunch: cheese pizza; Caesar salad; raw baby carrots; ranch dressing; Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches; applesauce; milk and water
Friday
Snack: apple slices; Smartfood
Faculty Lunch
BDS News
COMMUNITY SERVICE NEWS
Campaign Launched to Support Pine Street Inn
At this morning’s Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly, we were joined by Matt Ferrer, volunteer coordinator for the Pine Street Inn, who described to our community their mission to help end homelessness and the great need they have been facing in recent years and especially at this time of year. As we have done over the past two years, we used the assembly to launch a donation campaign to support Pine Street Inn.
Starting Monday, we will be collecting a shortlist of items:
- Winter gloves (adult sizes and new only)
- Handwarmers
- $5 Dunkin Donuts gift cards
Look for the collection bins outside the Schoolhouse and the Barn. Thank you!
COMMUNITY NEWS
Re-enrollment Process for 2022-23 Set to Start January 29
With February right around the corner, we are about to launch our re-enrollment process for the 2022-2023 school year. Again this year we will be using Veracross for the process. We hope you will find it easy to access and use.
Please watch your inbox on the weekend of January 29 for an email to start the process. When you receive the email, you’ll be asked to:
- Review and sign the contract for your child(ren).
- Review and approve school policies relating to your child’s enrollment.
- Choose a payment plan for the year: single payment option, two-payment option, or 10-payment plan.
- Pay this year’s deposit.
- Update your family’s contact information.
If your family is receiving financial aid in 2022-2023, your financial aid award letter will be included with your contract.
Information about using VC Pay to schedule online payments for tuition, incidentals, and more will be included with your contract. VC Pay provides parents with an easy, secure online payment experience using your existing Veracross login. Parents must re-register for VC Pay each year.
Your signed contract and deposit must be received by Friday, February 11. Please note that all parents/guardians must sign the contract.
If you have any questions, please be in touch with Catherine David (cdavid@belmontday.org).
SUMMER CAMP
Spots Held Open for BDS Families
We’re excited to say that registration for camp is at an all-time high! However, this does mean that many of our camp programs are already full with long waitlists. Due to this very high demand and the speed at which the programs have filled, we are holding a few spots open to accommodate current BDS families who have yet to make their plans for summer camp. We can only hold those spots open until the school closes for break on Friday, February 18.
If you are interested in sending a child to Belmont Day Camp, but the program you want to register for is already full, please email Zach and Denali at summer@belmontday.org. Please indicate in the message that you are a BDS family.
– Zachary d’Arbeloff, director of summer programs
FACULTY NEWS
New Hires
Dario Azzone, BSN, RN, School Nurse
Dario joins us to staff the nurse’s office during Liz LaRocque’s leave of absence. He will stay on after she has returned as a second nurse to ensure that we have extra coverage throughout the day and trainer’s coverage in the afternoons for middle school athletics. Dario joins us from the oncology unit at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Welcome, Dario!
Susan Vitale, Teaching Assistant
We are thrilled to welcome Susan back to Belmont Day. She is a former faculty member who served in a number of roles including after school teacher and camp administrator during her previous tenure. Susan will be with us for the remainder of the school year as a TA and substitute teacher. Welcome back, Susan!
HEALTH & WELLNESS NEWS
Weekly COVID Testing
Given that we have increased our weekly surveillance testing to include rapid tests that we are administering outside of our weekly PCR testing with CIC Health, providing the CIC dashboard weekly no longer best captures an accurate picture of case totals at BDS. We will be moving toward a new format for weekly reporting. In the meantime, below is a summary of positive case totals from the past week.
Our PCR testing on Wednesday, January 19, identified three presumed positive pools in grades one, seven, and eight.
Students in those pools received rapid tests at school the next day, and one student in each pool was confirmed to have a positive case of COVID-19. The students were isolated at school before going home, where they are currently isolating according to the school’s protocol.
Email nurse@belmontday.org if you have any questions.
AUXILIARY PROGRAMS
April Vacation Week Camp Registration Now Open
April vacation week camp is back at BDS! And enrollment is now open for current pre-kindergarten through fourth grade students.
During camp, children will discover the secrets to becoming a master Jedi and how to use The Force! They will learn what it takes to navigate the Dagobah system in the Millennium Falcon, how to design a lightsaber and make their own spaceship. Our instructors will lead them on an adventure that includes crafts, sports, art, and more—all focused on the Star Wars galaxy.
This four-day program will take place Tuesday through Friday of April vacation week, April 19-22. Registration can be found at our camp registration site and space is limited. Please reach out to Blair Fross or Denali Kikuchi with any questions.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Grandparents’ & Special Friends’s Week Planned for May
Please mark those calendars! We have decided to move the dates ahead for this school year’s Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Week. The rescheduled dates for GPSF Week are May 23-27 (original dates were March 7-11). Invitations will follow in March and we will update the community with more details on the events and whether they will be held remotely or in person.
If you are a new BDS family or have not submitted contact information for your student’s grandparent(s) or special family friend you’d like to invite, please email development@belmontday.org. Please include their name(s), email, mailing address, and relation to the student(s).
– Pati Fernández, director of development
Learning Updates
Plenty of French Fun & Games for First
In first grade, we play games, sing songs and use French Sign Language (FSL) to learn and remember vocabulary. We have a well-established classroom routine: first we sing our greeting song to our partner, then we play a charade game using FSL and the corresponding word. Then it is time for a learning game or two: number portrait (find the number in the teacher’s head according to the clues), flyswatter (tap the picture called by the teacher), double memory game (find the matching pictures and match the teacher’s word) or Total Physical Response (the students match the teacher’s moves and words). Once the vocabulary memorization is solid, the students move to working with partners! This week, we learned about shapes with the flyswatter game and prepared for a memory game with a partner by doing TPR of the winter activities and a group memory game.
– Nathalie Pellenq, French teacher
Second Grade Celebrates MLK’s ‘Big Words’
In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the second grade class read Doreen Rappaport and Brian Collier’s bold and vibrant pictorial biography, Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King Jr. We discussed how powerful words can bring about change.
We are now creating a second grade banner to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy and remember what a gift it is that “his big words are alive for us today.” We brainstormed a list of words that remind us of Dr. King’s work, such as justice, hope, inclusion, and peace. Each student will design a flag featuring one of these powerful words. We will continue to highlight the importance of equality, love, and understanding in our community as we honor Dr. King’s service to all.
– Nancy Fell and Katie O’Brien, second grade teachers
Athletics Update: Kadnar Pours in 16 Points in Opener
Seventh grade standout Alexandra Kadnar scored a game-high 16 points in the girls’ JV basketball team’s season opener against Rashi this week. After trailing 18-10 in the second half, the Blue & Gold battled back before eventually losing 27-24 after a last-second three-point attempt came up short. Kadnar ran the point for the entire game and dominated on the offensive end, while team captains Perin Fine and Maddie Cutie chipped in with some timely buckets and stingy defense. Even the newcomers got into the mix as sixth graders Kalkidan Shiferaw and Olivia Dawson controlled the paint on both ends of the court and did a great job on the glass. Despite the outcome, coaches Abbey Nyland and Larissa Rochford ’93 were proud of their team’s performance and are looking forward to getting back out there next week.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
More Athletics News
- The boys’ varsity basketball team evened its record at 1-1 behind spirited play from team captains Braiden Dargon and Bernie Mattox who led the team in scoring and assists respectively.
- Niamh O’Brien and Bella Lightbody gained their footing during the girls’ varsity’s lopsided home victory over LCA this week. The duo logged big minutes together and competed with confidence on both ends of the floor.
- The boys’ JV basketball team dropped their season opener 34-18 but received standout performances from Rhys Kaplan and Nebiyou Elias whose energy and leadership set the tone offensively.
- The fencing team lost 17-10 at Beaver this week. Highlights included Carter Bradshaw’s two epee wins, Simon Wright’s big 5-4 win, Sebastian Colberg’s 5-2 sabre win, and Zach Cash’s 5-4 foil win.
- Evan Griffith-Ebrahimi and Sophie Jean led the white squad to a 2-0 win over the blue squad in volleyball this week. Audrey Chuang crushed it on the service line and Kamila Ruiz played strong in defeat.
First Enjoys a Stack of Great Book Lessons
First graders are working on their “All About” books. They brainstormed many topics they are interested in and wanted to write about. They also decided what kind of book they want to write: a fiction story, a nonfiction informational book, or a how-to book. First graders have been writing excitedly about their topics. They have been using writing, spelling, and handwriting skills learned so far in first grade, and taking their work through the writing process. This week first graders are working on revising and editing their books, adding pictures, and thinking of their title. First graders will soon complete all parts of their books and publish them!
– Geoffrey Fox, first grade teacher
PE Update: Winter Adventures
There is a saying we often recite as coaches: “You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready.” The idea is that a little forethought and intentionality can go a long way towards ensuring we are prepared for what comes our way.
During winter physical education, that means being ready to rock in our Barn or Downing gyms for whatever unit we may be engaging in, whether it’s basketball, hockey, the climbing wall, or net games. But it also means being prepared for the possibility of heading outdoors, because when we get fresh powder, it’s time to hit the slopes.
Those slopes could be the sledding hill on the backside of the tennis court. Or it could mean a wintry trail hike. Either way, we advise our students to have the proper gear for adventures indoors and out, because we love to extend our program beyond the walls of our buildings, even (and sometimes especially) when the temperatures drop and the snow falls.
– Alex Tzelnic, physical education teacher
Parents’ Association News
PA Meeting
The next PA meeting will be held on Friday, January 28 at 8:30 a.m. via Zoom. The link for the meeting is available on the Parent Portal.
Family Fun Event
The Family Fun Committee is hard at work planning our next all-school family social activity. This event will be virtual and is scheduled for Saturday, March 19. Last year we had a blast making pizzas and playing games over Zoom. Mark your calendar and look forward to another afternoon of fun! If you would like to volunteer to help host the event please contact committee chairs, Consuelo del Castillo, Jennifer Lin, or Kelly Baker.
Book Club
In January, we will be reading and discussing The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. Join us next Monday, January 24 at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Please contact Karla Bays (karla.bays@gmail.com) with any questions. Zoom links are available on the Parent Portal.
Beyond BDS
ADULT EDUCATION
Learn Kingian Conflict Resolution
Two Sessions: Saturdays, February 5 and 12
Registration is now open for this 16-hour introductory course on how to apply Dr. Martin Luther King’s philosophy and methodology of nonviolence to personal and societal conflicts. The course will take place over two Saturdays, February 5 and 12 at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main Street. All are welcome.
Click here to register for this course.
BOOK DISCUSSION
Analyzing ‘The 1619 Project’
Three Sessions in February
In honor of Black History Month, Framingham State University will host a book discussion group on The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones. The group will meet on three dates, Monday, February 14, Wednesday, February 23, and Monday, February 28. Each session will be held via Zoom from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Each of the three discussion sessions will focus on a particular idea of the book, as opposed to specific essays or works. This allows for more people to participate in the discussion, regardless of whether or not they have read the whole book.
Click here for more information on the sessions and for Zoom links to attend.
Return to the Parent Portal
