June 2, 2023
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Kindergartners released their butterfly friends in the garden this week.
Opening Message
The Lasting Lessons From a Joyful Career
Fred Colson, Chief Financial Officer
Post Date: June 2, 2023
Having announced my retirement at the end of this school year, I have found myself in moments of reflection recently. I remember my first visit to Belmont Day, for a day of interviews, on May 8, 2017. I found a nurturing and magical place. During my drive home to northwestern Connecticut that day, I stopped along the Mass. Pike service area. While sipping coffee, I jotted down several pages of notes from the interviews. Every few lines I wrote, “I hope BDS is not too good to be true.” I was energized and hopeful, but a little cautious about what the future might bring.
During this school year, I have not only found myself reflecting on these past six years but on the entirety of my career. This is the 36th year I have worked either as a finance director or consultant to nonprofits. I have been a part of many wonderful organizations across the country that contribute to the well-being of its participants, from healthcare and mental healthcare to faith-based services and, of course, education.
I am reminded, at this time of change in my life and career, of the amazing book, The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow. Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and Zaslow was a writer for the Wall Street Journal. Many professors give a final presentation as they end their careers. When Professor Pausch was asked to give a “last lecture,” he had recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His beautiful and inspiring lecture was turned into a best-selling book and has been viewed online over 21 million times.
In the spirit of Professor Pausch and all the last lectures, I would like to share a few things I have learned along the journey of my career. During my career, my goal has always been to leave our world a little bit better than I found it, one stop at a time.
One of my treasured memories as a boy was being a member of the Boy Scouts of America. As a young scout, I learned the scout motto, “Be Prepared.” Along the way, the scout motto helped me as I worked to attain the rank of Eagle Scout. But more importantly, that motto has guided me through the myriad of responsibilities encountered in my career. I have only been successful when I was prepared.
I am old enough to remember typing financial reports on a typewriter. I don’t know how many sheets of paper I tossed when the column of numbers went askew because I hit the spacebar one too many times. Being introduced to a computerized spreadsheet to prepare a financial report was a game changer. Quite frankly, I was ecstatic when I learned not only could I line up the numbers, but also add that column of numbers with one simple formula. With each new skill learned I started to say, “There must be a better way.” That became my mantra. It pushed me to keep improving, keep searching for excellence and efficiency in my work. Always look for a better way.
As a young adult in the working world, I was rather shy and introverted. I would attend a business networking event and stand in a corner hoping someone I knew would show up because talking to a stranger was frightening. About 20 years ago I had the opportunity to take a class in improv comedy acting. Although the class had only eight sessions, it was life-changing. The experience unlocked something in me that has brought me great joy. The freedom to be comfortable in a crowd opened doors for me that I never expected. Be willing to reinvent yourself when necessary.
My role as a chief financial officer has often been intense and stressful. Thankfully, I have had the opportunity to work for organizations in healthcare and, specifically, mental health. Working in a caregiving environment taught me that when the going gets tough, it is always time to ask for help. Sadly, there is still a stigma in our society around the idea of seeking help, especially for mental health. Do not be afraid to seek care for yourself when times are rough.
I have worked with kids as young as our pre-kindergarten students through their college years. Sometimes they might veer off the beaten path in high school or college and try some risky things, or worse. But what I have always found true is that kids who are raised in a home filled with love and a solid foundation will get through those challenging times. Do yourself, and your children a favor, and love them unconditionally.
These are but a few of the thoughts that have crossed my mind over these past eight months. In a few short weeks, I will leave Belmont Day and head home for the next chapter. My only regret is that I wasn’t 20 years younger on May 8, 2017. As I leave, though, I can say BDS is truly the magical place I encountered that day. Thank you for letting me be part of this community. I am certainly going out on top.
Upcoming Events
Coming Up This Week
Monthly Calendar
Graduation Family Portraits Offered to 8th Grade Families
Saturday and Sunday, June 10 and 11
Eighth grade families have the opportunity to sign up for a photo session on campus next Saturday and Sunday, June 10 and 11. Two years ago, we switched from taking family portraits on graduation day to a weekend beforehand to improve the schedule of the day. Please check your inboxes for an email sent earlier this week from Jen James with more details and sign-up information.
We hope all eighth grade families will join us for a photo session!
Spirit Week and Field Day!
We’re very excited for next week’s Spirit Week and Field Day.
Each day from June 5 to 9 will have a different dress-up theme:
- Blue & Gold Monday
- Tropical Tuesday
- Wacky Wednesday
- Wear Your Favorite Team Jersey Thursday
- TEAM COLOR FRIDAY!
Each student will be assigned to a team for Field Day, and on Friday, June 9, students will dress up in their team color. Field Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The event is for students only. However, grown-ups are very encouraged to help build excitement at home and help students source the right gear for max team spirit.
If you need any help finding the right colors or are seeking a little flair for your student’s uniform, don’t hesitate to reach out to the physical education and athletics team.
Team colors were announced today at school!
Lunch & Snack Menu
May 29 to June 2
Monday
Snack: applesauce; Popcorners
Lunch: penne and marinara; gluten-free pasta and marinara; spring medley vegetables (broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower); mixed greens with tomato and balsamic; crusty rolls
Tuesday
Snack: bananas; Smartfood
Lunch: chicken tenders; vegan nuggets; gluten-free chicken tenders; sweet potato fries; broccoli; arugula, pickled red onion, and maple sherry vinaigrette
Wednesday
Snack: apple slices; TBD by Head of School for the Day
Lunch: turkey BLT subs; vegan cheese LT subs; gluten-free turkey BLT subs; green beans; garden salad with tomato and honey mustard dressing
Thursday
Snack: clementines; pretzel twists
Lunch: fish chowder; bagel munsters; vegan bagel munsters; gluten-free bagel munsters; sweet corn; Caesar salad
Friday
Snack: apples; granola bars
Faculty Lunch
For a more detailed and updated weekly menu, please click the button below.
BDS News
COMMUNITY NEWS
Progress Pride Flag Raising: Happy Pride Month!
This morning, at the conclusion of the Spring Sports Assembly, the BDS community celebrated the beginning of Pride Month.
“Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. The purpose of the commemorative month is to honor those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS and to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.” –Library of Congress
A small number of students and faculty gathered at the flagpole to say a few words commemorating the month and proudly raised the Progress Pride Flag. We are excited to celebrate, respect, and honor members of our BDS community and beyond who identify with the LGBTQIA+ community.
Belmont Pride March and Celebration
Please join us on Saturday, June 17, at 12:45 p.m. at the Belmont Town Green, adjacent to 404 Concord Avenue, Belmont, for the annual Pride March. The march will kick off at 1:00 p.m., rain or shine. We hope to see you there! The march is sponsored and coordinated by Belmont LGBTQ+ Alliance, Human Rights Commission, and Belmont Against Racism.
Please click the button below to RSVP to march with BDS. If you have any questions, please reach out to Koreen McQuilton, GSA and LGBTQIA+ Affinity co-advisor.
LIBRARY NEWS
Keep Those Books Coming In!
Thanks to everyone for returning books this week. We still have 1084 books checked out! All books are now due back, except for seventh graders working on Capstone, so please check this weekend for books still have at home and return them by Monday.
If you would like to request to borrow books for the summer, apart from seventh graders using books for summer work for Capstone, parents may reach out to me at asprung@belmontday.org to make arrangements. For ebook and audiobook borrowing, BDS Sora accounts will remain active through the summer for students in all grades as well as faculty.
– Amy Sprung, school librarian
AUXILIARY PROGRAM
Enrichment Teacher to Share Work at Comic Book Expo
Enrichment teacher Jonathan Todd, who teaches our Comics & Cartooning class, will be featured this weekend at the Boston Kids Comic Fest. The free festival of all things comics for kids will be held tomorrow, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Northeastern University’s Curry Student Center, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston. At the event, Todd will be sharing details about his work and forthcoming graphic novel and would love to see some of his BDS friends there. So if you’re looking for some last-minute fun this weekend or if your plans get rained out, check out the comics festival and say hi to an artist in the BDS community!
– Blair Fross, director of school year auxiliary and specialty programs
COMMUNITY NEWS
Last Call for Ordering 2022-23 School Photos
As we quickly approach the end of the school year, we would like to remind you that the school pictures—both individual student and class photos—are still available for ordering.
Over the summer, photographer Porter Gifford will take down the photo ordering page with the Belmont Day photos, so it is easiest to order them now if you haven’t already.
Please refer to the email sent on May 25 for the password to log into the website and instructions on ordering photos.
Learning Updates
Second Graders Study, Support the Mission of Gaining Ground
Last Friday, on Community Service Day, the second graders spent the morning at Gaining Ground in Concord. Gaining Ground is a local nonprofit that grows and distributes 100% of its organic produce to local hunger relief agencies. Last year, Gaining Ground grew and distributed over 120,000 pounds of organic produce! The students mulched pollinator gardens, helping the farmers in their work to fight food insecurity. The work at the farm was a culmination of a year-long service learning project that linked work in our own BDS garden with fundraising, education, and community action. The work with Gaining Ground supports the second grade social studies curriculum where students have been mapping food labels to better understand where produce comes from, the environmental and nutritional impact of transporting food, and equitable access to fresh food. Last month the second graders collected pledges from relatives, friends, and neighbors for the number of pages read during a two-week period. This year the second graders are proud to announce that they raised $5,097.84 to donate to Gaining Ground! We would like to thank everybody who supported the second graders by making a pledge, reading alongside them, and cheering for them every step of the way.
– The Second Grade Team
Seventh Graders Explore Many Dimensions in Math
As seventh grade students wrap up their last math unit of the year, they’re expanding on some geometric ideas to think beyond the two and three-dimensional figures from their workbooks. What would a four-dimensional figure be like? How can we think about the fourth and fifth dimensions if we can’t see beyond our 3-D world? To get a grasp on these abstract ideas, seventh grade mathematicians took it down to two dimensions and thought about what the inhabitants of a two-dimensional world would be like. They created and shared zany and unique “Flatlanders,” complete with names, backstories, and hobbies. After lively discussions about what can and cannot happen in two dimensions, students then revised their characters to be sure they could see, eat, and move within the limits of Flatland. Taking the perspective of a two-dimensional being, students wondered how they would perceive the third dimension, one dimension beyond their own world. From that thought exercise, and inspired by the astrophysicist Carl Sagan, students will try to bump back into our 3-D world and attempt to think about the fourth dimension and beyond. Care for a game of 4-D tic-tac-toe? Ask a seventh grader to teach you how to play!
– Sarah Pikcilingis, grade 7 math teacher
Kindergartners Release Butterfly Friends into the Wild
It’s a … butterfly! The kindergarteners welcomed new class pets in the form of Painted Lady caterpillars just about three weeks ago. When we arrived back at school this Tuesday after the long weekend, we were delighted to find that our chrysalises hatched into butterflies! Throughout their time in the kindergarten classroom, these caterpillars, chrysalises, and butterflies have enjoyed listening to books read out loud by the students, being the star of observational sketches, and even snacking on sweet sugar water. We released our butterflies yesterday afternoon into the BDS garden, so be on the lookout for Painted Lady butterflies fluttering around Big Blue–they might be our butterfly buddies!
–The Kindergarten Team
Athletics Update: Track & Field Sets Program Record with Six Wins
The track & field team recorded a program-high six wins this spring, finishing their season with an impressive 6-2 record in dual meets. The team brought a balanced attack to every meet, finding a way to play to their athletes’ strengths and score points in almost every event. Sam Leviton and Ariel Duan paced the team in the distance events. Leviton was flirting with the 5:00/mile mark all season and Duan improved steadily throughout the season. Zach Kromah was unstoppable in the field events, excelling at both the long jump and shot put, often taking home first place in both. Newcomer Jun Murakami provided some unexpected pop in the lineup and had a breakout season in the 50m and the 4x200m relay. Rounding out the Blue & Gold’s balanced attack was eighth grade classmates McKenna Daley and Emme Taylor who finished their careers on high notes with some impressive finishes in sprints and middle-distance events this spring. Collectively, the track & field squad competed hard in their individual events, but maintained a team-first focus this spring, which allowed them to maximize their talent and settle firmly at the top of the Belmont Day record books.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
Athletics News
- William Li had 13 saves in the boys’ lacrosse team’s loss to Carroll this week. Ezra Wolfson was the lone offensive bright spot for the Blue & Gold. Yaseen Saeed and Zeke Fine settled into their roles defensively and played well.
- The girls’ varsity lacrosse team finished their season on a high note with a 16-10 win over Carroll. Julia Casey dominated the draw circle and Maraki Shiferaw stepped up huge in net. Avery Schneider and Perin Fine ran the midfield with confidence.
- Jovana Zivanovic, Samantha Cuming, Penny Gottesman, and Lila Green were instrumental in girls’ JV lacrosse’s 8-7 win over Carroll this week. Liv Dawson came up with some big defensive stops down the stretch and Maraki Shiferaw sealed the win.
- Varsity tennis closed their season with a commanding 6-2 win over Beaver. Top doubles pairings Bodhi Demers and Lucy Yin, Brendan Bandar and Sam Rodriguez, and Kesariya Nallari-Jhala and Kavi Kumar-Warikoo all won big.
- The JV tennis team made the most of a modified match on campus against Beaver this week. Team captains Madoka Hubbard and Kalkidan Shiferaw continued their steady play on the court and strong leadership among their peers.
- The varsity ultimate team couldn’t crack the code to Beaver’s tough zone defense this week and fell to the hosts 8-5. Team captains Joshua Flanagan, Eike Kiecza, and Aleta Sandoski all finished their ultimate careers on a high note.
- The mountain biking team put the finishing touches on their second full season with some fun rides in the heat this week. Team members should be proud of all they accomplished this spring and the progress they made shredding the gnar.
Parents’ Association News
Parent Book Club
The parent book club will have its final meeting on Tuesday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. at a to-be-determined member’s home. This month’s book is It. Goes. So. Fast. by Mary Louise Kelly. We hope you will join us. Please contact Karla Bays for more information or to join our mailing list.
Looking Ahead
Committee Chairs
A great way to contribute to the vibrant Belmont Day parent community is to chair a committee and help coordinate specific events. Here are some of the PA committees:
- Baby Welcoming
- BDS Store
- Book Group
- Book Fair
- Coolidge Flowers
- Cradles to Crayons
- Enrichment Assemblies
- Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon
- Family Fun Events
- Friday Night Lights/Hoops/Scoops
- Friendraiser
- Library
- Lost and Found
- Music Ensembles
- Pumpkin Patch
If you are interested in helping chair a committee or learning more about them, please contact any of the PA executive team or email bdspa@belmontday.org.
Beyond BDS
CONTEST WINNERS
Scharer Honored for Artwork by the MWRA
Congratulations to eighth grader Lydia Scharer who won first place in this year’s MWRA (Massachusetts Water Resources Authority) poster contest. There were over 2,000 submissions! This year, the contest theme was water conservation. The contest winners were honored at an awards reception at the Metropolitan Waterworks Museum on Friday, May 26, and all winning entries will be on display at the museum through September 29, 2023.
Nallari-Jhala Wins Two Awards for Writing
Congratulations to fifth grader Suryavir Nallari-Jhala who recently won not one but two awards for his writing. First, Suryavir earned a top honor (Level 1-Grades 4 & 5) from the Letters About Literature program. It is a nationwide program active in each state: “Letters About Literature in Massachusetts is a commonwealth-wide personal and reflective writing initiative sponsored by the Massachusetts Center for the Book. The program invites students in grades 4 through 12 to read a book of their choice, reflect on it, and write a personal letter to its author, explaining the impact this work had on them.” Suryavir wrote his letter to Michael Dorris, author of Morning Girl, after reading the book in Vaniecia Skinner’s class. He wrote about the experience of reading the book and the connection he felt with the journey of the characters in the novel, especially Star Boy. Suryavir, along with Ms. Skinner, his fellow winners, and their teachers, were honored during an online ceremony in May.
Suryavir also earned an honorable mention for an essay he wrote after being inspired by a documentary on NBA coach (former Celtics coach) Doc Rivers and his story of resiliency and the importance of perseverance and teamwork. The essay was chosen out of more than 1,000 entries to the Will McDonough Writing Contest, named in honor of the late Boston Globe sports reporter and columnist. Suryavir, a big basketball fan, was honored with tickets to the New England Sports Museum at the TD Garden to learn more about sports history.
CLASSICAL CONCERT
BDS Students To Perform at BEMF BEYOND BORDERS
Sunday, June 11, 10 a.m.
New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall
Catch Belmont Day School musicians Jack Ward, Henry Ward, and Jovana Zivanovic as they perform at the BEMF BEYOND BORDERS 2023. The international, hybrid program features a performance by the Boston Early Music Festival’s Youth Ensemble and short, filmed performances from international partners on four continents: Kenya, Lebanon, The Netherlands, and Brazil. Reaching out to a new generation of players, BEMF seeks to expand our community by providing an opportunity for diverse groups of young players to perform with and for each other and to celebrate their shared love of music. Third graders from the Waltham Dual Language School will be joined by young music students from around the United States—as well as pre-professional early music performers and a selection of BEMF artists—in an inspiring performance of music from the new and old worlds. The program, led by Nina Stern, will include traditional early 19th-century Brazilian music, works by Juan del Encina and Juan Ponce, and a new composition by Melika Fitzhugh commissioned for the BEMF Youth Ensemble.
THEATER PRODUCTION
Twelfth Night in the Park
The Dream Role Players are coming to Raymond Park in Cambridge with a music and love-filled production of one of William Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies, Twelfth Night. A shipwreck, swordfights, and the misadventure of twins–Twelfth Night has it all.
This event is free to the public–though donations are gratefully and graciously accepted. Bring carry-in/carry-out food/refreshments and something to sit on. The event will be canceled in the event of rain.
There will be three performances at Raymond Park, 106 Raymond St., Cambridge: Friday, June 9 at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 10 at 6 p.m., and Sunday, June 11 at 6 p.m. Performances are approximately 90 minutes.
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