March 29, 2019
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Third graders shared their projects at the State Fair.
Message from Head of School
Preparing the Kid for the Road
Brendan Largay, Head of School
Post Date: March 29, 2019
Seventh graders enjoyed a delicious lesson in Madame Friborg’s French class.
This Coming Week at BDS
March 30 through April 6
All School
Saturday, March 30
10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Garden Workday
Monday, April 1
8:15–9:00 a.m.
4:30–7:30 p.m., Faculty SEED Group, World Language Room
Thursday, April 4
3:30 p.m., Girls’ Lacrosse at Shady Hill; Track & Field at Shady Hill; Varsity Tennis at Shady Hill; Boys’ Lacrosse vs Shady Hill; Varsity Ultimate Frisbee vs Shady Hill
6–8:00 p.m., Admitted Parents’ Gathering
Friday, April 5
8–10:00 a.m., Buildings
8:50–9:35 a.m., Spring Concert, Palandjian Arts Center
Saturday, April 6
5–10:00 p.m., Parents’ Association Auction, The Barn
Spring Concert
Friday, April 5
8:50 to 9:35 a.m., Palandjian Arts Center
Join us to hear some beautiful sounds of spring from our ensembles, orchestra, and chorus. Hope to see you there!
Spring Garden Workday
TOMORROW! Saturday, March 30, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., BDS Garden
Let’s get ready for spring planting! Parents, students, and faculty are invited to help wake up the garden for the new growing season. Middle school students may come without an adult. We will be mulching, raking, clearing, planting and having fun! Bring a pair of gloves and enjoy being outdoors and working together to maintain our outdoor classroom and community garden. If you have any questions or would like to RSVP, please contact Kathy Jo Solomon.
Lunch & Snack Menu
April 1 to April 5
Monday
Snack: pretzels; fruit cups
Lunch: cheese tortellini; marinara sauce; chef’s choice vegetables; warm French rolls; greens with balsamic
Tuesday
Snack: saltines; bananas
Lunch: Breakfast for Lunch: waffles; scrambled egg; bacon; syrup; chef’s choice vegetables; roasted tomato and arugula salad
Wednesday
Snack: apple cinnamon muffins; raisins
Lunch: chicken and vegetable fried rice; vegetarian fried rice with tofu; chef’s choice vegetables; Asian-style greens with Mandarin oranges
Thursday
Snack: Nutri-Grain bars; grapes
Lunch: roast beef submarine; pickles; chef’s choice vegetable; Lay’s BBQ chips; tortellini pesto pasta salad
Friday
Snack: apples
No Lunch
Looking Ahead
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Collecting Donations for Cradles to Crayons
April 22 to May 18
For the sixth year, Belmont Day School is the collection site for the town-wide clothing drive and
There are several ways you can support this event:
- Bring in clean, gently used toys, books, school supplies, and children’s clothing (sizes up to adult medium) and drop them off in the well-marked collection container in the Belmont Day parking lot. The container will arrive on campus on Monday, April 22, the Monday following spring vacation.
- Sign-up with your friends and/or family to participate in the
sorting event which will take place on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Barn gymnasium. You will organize books, help to check donated items for quality and cleanliness, and clean donated toys. Teens who need community service hours can receive credit for helping at thesorting event. This event is open to adults and children of all ages (email kristenglewis@gmail.com or cbavaro@cradlestocrayons.org if you plan to attend). - Help to spread the word by reaching out to your friends and forwarding this information and the flier to your friend groups, such as book club, child’s soccer team, place of worship, etc. It takes a lot of donations to fill the collection container!
BDS News
EARLY BIRDS
Location Change for April 4 and 5
To accommodate setup in the Barn for to the auction, the Early Birds program will take place in the Downing Gym on Thursday and Friday, April 4 and 5. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
ATHLETICS
Ultimate Prepares for Showdown with Shady Hill
Last year’s ultimate team finished with a 6-1 record. The only loss came in the season opener against Shady Hill where the team fell by one score, 9-8. Once again, ultimate will begin the spring against their rivals from Cambridge and will be looking to reverse the tables this year. With nine returning players, the Blue & Gold are using last year’s loss as motivation and have set high expectations for their upcoming campaign. Coach Andy Rentschler is cautiously optimistic about this year’s squad and has seen marked improvement from a handful of veteran players, including Sophie Myers and Stella Balter who are each off to a great start so far. The duo will need to continue their strong play next week during the big game, which will take place at Winn Brook Elementary in Belmont on Thursday, April 4.
More Athletics News
- First-year coach Cicely Morris will be turning to sixth graders Erika Tinmouth and Clio Burger to provide leadership on the young JV tennis team this spring.
- Classmates Elena Ferrari and Evan Seymour are returning for their second season of track and field and will both be counted on to earn points this spring in their respective events.
- Expectations are high for lacrosse players Quinn Foley and Theo von Gottberg who are beginning their second season for the Blue & Gold and will be counted on to create some offense this spring.
- Varsity tennis will begin its season on the road against Shady Hill next week. The team will be counting on strong performances from veteran players Eden Lewis and Eli Burger.
- Vivian Danahy will suit up between the pipes for girls’ lacrosse’s first game next week. She’ll be counting on defenders Aaniya Riddick and Michelle Mejia-Levy to help her out.
- Charlotte McIntosh and Ripley Bright have been working hard during practice for the JV ultimate team and are looking forward to some intramural games before squaring off against other schools.
ARTS
Learning More Complex Programming
Students in fifth grade have begun programming their final project in technology class. Students are using the Scratch or Microsoft MakeCode programming environments and either a MakeyMakey or micro
PHYSICAL EDUCATION NEWS
A Magical Month
The magic of March is not just happening on the basketball courts! It has been an amazing and exciting few weeks of physical activity and movement in our physical education classes.
In pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes, students continued to work on their locomotor skills through animal movement by engaging in warm-up games like
Read More
In first grade, students continued to develop their locomotor techniques of running, dodging and chasing in hoop tag, messy backyard, and a basketball dribble freeze game. They learned basketball skills of dribbling and shooting. The students focused on using their fingertips to dribble and follow through to shoot. They also explored with equipment and learned many different ways to use a hula hoop.
In second grade, students have been practicing basketball skills of shooting and dribbling as well as endurance running. They developed their skills by warming up with a 3-minute jog and engaging in group games of dribble jump stop and galaxy star shooting.
Our third and
In fifth grade, the students set goals for the spring and reflected on their progress thus far in PE. They got an opportunity to learn the rules of volleyball and compete in team games. They worked on the development of serving, bumping, and volleying techniques. To end the month, students will be introduced to CrossFit and dance.
Physical Education Tip of the Month:
Check out some of the helpful information we utilized in physical education to teach students in grades 1–4 how to shoot! In addition, if you are interested in catching a basketball game, check out the Division I NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments happening now.
GREENING NEWS
No Idling Magnet Design Challenge Winner!
We are so thankful for all the wonderful submissions for the No Idling Magnet Design Challenge. Students in all grades engaged in the challenge with creativity and care. The winning design was created by
Final Call for Addresses for Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Visiting Day!
Invitations will be mailed this coming week, so if you haven’t yet shared the addresses for your child’s guests, please do so immediately.
Grandparent Information
If you have provided us with address information for your child’s grandparentsin prior years, they are already on the invitation list. Please let us know if for any reason you do not wish for a grandparent to receive an invitation this year by emailing Beth Sousa.
Special Friend Information
We do not hold on to addresses for special friends, as these tend to change from year to year. If you would like to invite someone who is not a grandparent, please submit a form even if it is the same person you invited last year.
Please submit your student’s grandparent or special friend address information using this online form.
We look forward to opening our classrooms to grandparents and special friends on the morning of Friday, May 10!
EXTERNAL PROGRAMS
April Vacation Camps
Our vacation camps are filling up fast! We have two great options for the week when school will be closed:
- Hogwarts Camp – Calling all wizards and witches to enter the wizarding world of Harry Potter at Hogwarts Camp. Children will be sorted into houses, create wands, learn spells, await owls, and hop on brooms to learn the magical sport of Quidditch. There will even be a special event with Albus Dumbledore!
- Babysitting & Leadership – Participants will learn about themselves as leaders and gain American Red Cross Babysitter
certification. They will use their new skills in a culminating project with a group of younger campers and enjoy some fun time with peers to celebrate their new knowledge.
For more detailed information and registration visit the website.
After School Closes Early on April 12
With the start of April vacation week, the
Parents’ Association News
Call for Auction Volunteers
As we enter the last week before the auction, there are still a number of jobs both big and small where we’ll need some helping hands. To find a job that is just right for you, please peruse the SignupGenius located at: Wonder Auction Volunteer Sign up. Thanks in advance for your help!
Lunchroom Flowers
Thank you to Margaret Potter who supplied the colorful Coolidge Hall centerpieces as a fresh start to spring. We still have two open opportunities for others to support this effort. If you’re interested, please sign up here.
Auction
Countdown to a Wonder-ful Time!
The Wonder auction is just a week away! But you won’t have to wait until Saturday, April 6 to start browsing and shopping. The silent auction opens online tomorrow Saturday, March 30 at 5 p.m. Check your email today for instructions on how to get registered for online bidding. Your ‘Invitation to Bid’ email will contain a link and a unique token you will need to
Still wondering? See our FAQs below for some answers. Don’t see your question answered? Come visit our Wonder help desk April 1-5, from 7:45-8:30 am in the Schoolhouse Gallery (in front of the library).
What should I wear?
Wear your “wonder best,” which can be anything from business to cocktail. Feeling extra sparkly? Go for it!
Is there dinner? What if I have a dietary need?
Yes, there is a cocktail reception from 5 to 6:30 p.m., followed by a sit-down dinner. Please contact Mary Merrill as soon as possible if you have any dietary restrictions or concerns, to ensure the caterer can accommodate.
What time does it start?
The doors open at 5 p.m. Anyone who arrives between 5 and 5:30 p.m. will be entered into the Early Bird Raffle, for a chance to win premium parking and seating at the Moving Up Assembly on June 12. The evening will conclude following the live auction, between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m.
If I am attending the event, why would I bid online?
All of the bidding, except for the live auction and on-site raffles/purchases, will be done via mobile bidding. Getting your bids in early and setting your bid limits allows you to enjoy the company of friends once you arrive. This year, class art will be in the silent auction/mobile bidding–rather than during the live auction as in years past–so those not attending have the opportunity to bid. Additionally, the Paddle Up donation for the Erskine Library renovation will also have the option to donate online.
If I am not attending the event, can I still participate?
Yes, as noted above, you can participate in all of the components that are a part of mobile bidding. This includes
Can I buy a Head For A Day or Video Star For A Day raffle ticket at the event on Saturday?
No, these tickets can only be purchased through the online mobile bidding site until Friday, April 5, at 5:00 p.m.
Do I need to bring my phone to the event for bidding?
You will want to bring your mobile phone or device to the event to make it easier for bidding. However, should you forget or have trouble, we will have mobile bidding kiosks at the event.
We would like to acknowledge and thank our current Wonder sponsors, which include:
Carolyn Atinizian & John Yardemian P ’27
Dental Restorative Group
Gail Roberts, Ed Feijo & Team
Keller Williams – Boston and Cambridge Homes, LLC
MANDARINA Interior Design Studio
Orthodontics of Cambridge
Peak Event Service
Villandry Contracting, Inc
Arlington Heights Nursery School
Lexington Management
Marquis Tree Service
Watertown Savings Bank
Avalon Consulting Group
Belmont Dental Group
Borislow Insurance
Coppe & Sears Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
Dental Restorative Group
First Republic Bank
Judy Weinberg, Realtor, Leading Edge Real Estate
Lake HVAC
One2One Bodyscapes Personal Training
OTA The Koomar Center
Pediatric Dental Arts
Pleasant St. Dental
Red Apple Farm
Beyond BDS
Race & Gender in America
Discussion with Darnell Moore and Jack Hill
Tuesday, April 4, 4–5:15 p.m.
Cambridge Friends School, 5 Cadbury Road, Cambridge
Author Darnell L. Moore will discuss race and racial experiences, and important tools and techniques for anti-racism with Jack Hill, anti-racist educator and CFS head of middle school and director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Darnell will be available for book signings after the discussion. Books are available to purchase during the registration process, with limited quantities available at the door. For more information and to register, visit the Cambridge Friends website.
Technology Workshop
Taking Ctrl 2019
Saturday, April 27
Concord Academy, 166 Main Street, Concord
Join Concord Academy for the first annual conference bringing together female and non-binary high school and middle school students who share an interest in technology. The conference will include a keynote speaker, workshops, and an internship social session. Register by April 20. For more details, visit the Taking Ctrl 2019 website.
Learn Robotics
Sensing Spaces
Tuesdays, May 28 to July 2
First Parish of Westwood
This six-session workshop is geared to middle school students who want to learn the basics of robotics. Lessons will include engineering challenges, programming, design, and case studies. For more information and registration, email werklehrereducation@gmail.com
Student Debate Summer Program
Acton Debate Institute
July 1-5 and 8-12
Acton Debate Institute is an elementary and middle school speech and debate education initiative serving Acton-Boxborough, Concord, and surrounding communities. Campers at the summer program will learn from national and state champions, participate in engaging activities, hone their critical thinking and research skills, and build a strong debate foundation for competitive success. The camp runs July 1-5 and 8-12, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. in Acton, and is open to current fifth through eighth graders. Learn more at ActonDebateInstitute.com or contact us at ActonDebateInstitute@gmail. com.
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