March 29, 2024
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Pre-kindergartners celebrated Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, earlier this week!
Opening Message
Blank Walls Transformed By Student Art, In a BIG! Way
Jen James, Assistant to the Head of School and Registrar
Post Date: March 29, 2024
No doubt about it. This week has been dark, drab, and dreary outside our walls. It seems there are only shades of gray on Mother Nature’s palette as we say goodbye to March. Thankfully, inside our walls, we’re surrounded by a growing gallery of the vibrant colors we seek from spring.
From our school counselor’s office across from the Downing gym to a hallway at 37 Day School Lane to the reading and resource rooms in the Erskine Library, a series of large, colorful paintings have been hung over the past few years. Each of the canvases is unique to the space, designed and painted by seventh and eighth graders in the Painting BIG! arts elective taught by Anne Armstrong, visual arts teacher and arts coordinator.
Ms. Armstrong recalls that this unique arts elective was inspired by another large art project that our students and faculty walk by dozens of times each week–the Big Toy (Big Blue’s playground predecessor) mural in the sixth grade hallway. “That piece not only connects us with our past at BDS, it also livens up a specific space that might otherwise not engage us visually,” Armstrong said. “The Painting BIG! class was designed so that we can showcase student art in a very thoughtful and more permanent way.”
The twist for this unique art class is that the students are challenged to make art for someone else. A call is put out before the class begins to all faculty and staff to see who has a wall or walls they would like filled with new student artwork. (Word is definitely getting out about the class as 30 interested faculty replied this spring!) The students choose which “commission” to pursue and begin working with their “clients.” The process is not linear–there is a lot of back and forth between the students and the clients. The connection and necessary communication between students and the client faculty members is a different type of real-world learning experience. So too, is the ultimate hanging and unveiling of the original artwork for all to see, enjoy, and yes, even critique.
In 2021, when the Painting BIG! class was launched, the Erskine Library had just undergone a significant renovation, adding all new shelving, new carpets, comfy reading nooks, and the middle-school-oriented Ryan Research Room. Librarian Amy Sprung saw some blank spots that needed to be filled to make the newly renovated space even warmer and thus became Painting BIG!’s first client.
The class consulted with Ms. Sprung, heard her ideas about what type of art would work best, and subsequently presented several different ideas. Some of these proposed pieces were representative of books and the joy of reading, but Ms. Sprung wanted something more neutral and timeless for the space. The second round of designs matched her vision and the students started on what would become five large canvasses. The final pieces incorporated ideas and inspiration from each of the students’ proposals and designs, which are bold, colorful, and whimsical.
To say the least, the client was thrilled when the work was hung. “It totally transformed the space and brings me joy every day I walk into work,” Ms. Sprung said.
So on a gray day like today, I recommend taking a quick trip to the library. In the research room, there’s a magical spot where you can see all of the student-created pieces in the library at once. The pieces are in conversation with each other, and with the viewer, delivering colorful inspiration in a very BIG! way.
Upcoming Events
Coming Up This Week
Monthly Calendar
Parent Communications Survey
This spring, we are assessing our overall communications strategy for current Belmont Day families. Yesterday afternoon, we emailed a quick survey to all parents and guardians that will take no more than 10 minutes. Your feedback is vital to this assessment and improvement process.
Please fill out the survey by next Friday, April 5. Thank you!
Community Education – Parent Forum
Wednesday, April 3 at 6 p.m.
Coolidge Hall
Please join us for a presentation and discussion with Karyn Cohen Leviton P ’24, the vice president of One8 Foundation. Karyn leads the foundation’s work in Jewish life, Israel, antisemitism, and special US projects in non-Jewish-related issues. All are welcome to attend.
Ramadan Dinner
Tuesday, April 2, 6 to 8 pm
Coolidge Hall
This is a reminder to join us for Ramadan Iftar (a traditional meal to break the daylong Muslim fast), hosted by Muslim families and sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. We have closed the RSVP for this event, but if your family is interested in attending, please contact Connie Yepez, director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Capstone Week Starts Monday, April 8
We can’t wait to kick off Capstone Week, April 8-12. Capstone presentations are open to the entire community, and we encourage you to join us in the Palandjian Arts Center.
There have been a few adjustments to the schedule, so be sure to check it in the dropdown below. The first morning sessions tend to fill the PAC, especially with students from various grades attending. The sessions starting at 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., and 7 p.m. generally have more seats available. Our hard-working Capstone students would love to see you!
– Jennifer Friborg, Capstone coordinator
Capstone Topics & Schedule
2024 Capstone Presentation Schedule
Monday, April 8, 9:00 to 10:15 a.m.
- How Do Police Dogs Impact Our Community?, Olivia Garrity (Mentor: Emily Crawford)
- Economic System: Defining, Measuring, Comparing, Sam Leviton (Mentor: Jim Walker)
- At the Top of The Arch: Why Keystone Species Are Important, Rhys Kaplan (Mentor: Sana Aslam)
Monday, April 8, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- Dopamine: What Makes You Happy?, Charis Liu (Mentor: Amy Sprung)
- Ancient Architecture in Ethiopia, Kalkidan Shiferaw (Mentor: Anderson Santos)
- Musical Theater: An Original American Art, Jovana Zivanovic (Mentor: Susan Dempsey)
Monday, April 8, 3:30 to 4:45 p.m.
- The Ancient Olympic Games, Owen Bantham-Livermore (Mentor: Jessica Halton)
- Viruses, Theo Kelman (Mentor: Sandra Trentowsky)
- Color Psychology: Influencing More Than the Eyes, Grace Sullivan (Mentor: Anne Armstrong)
Tuesday, April 9, 9:00 to 10:15 a.m.
- Quantum Computers: Small but Mighty, Carter Bradshaw (Mentor: Judy Bright)
- Dementia: The Future of Care and Research, Clive Sutton (Mentor: Josh Sussman)
- Fairy Tales: Are They Really for Kids?, Sal Pattisall (Mentor: Becca MacKillop)
Tuesday, April 9, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- Airline Deregulation: An Experiment in the Free Market, Quinn Clark (Mentor: Kyle Beatty)
- Activism in Sports, Foster Larabee (Mentor: Sam Staples)
- Who’s Writing Her Music? She Is., Eleanor Stine (Mentor: Lana Holman)
Tuesday, April 9, 3:30 to 4:15 p.m.
- Cybernetic Enhancements: The Recipe for a Cyborg, Ariel Duan (Mentor: Bill Smith)
- Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: Science or Theory, Brynn Franklin (Mentor: Brittany Ryan)
Wednesday, April 10, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
- Mirroring Behavior, Julia Street (Mentor: Elena Jay)
- Where Does Your Salmon Come From?, Louis Cantor (Mentor: Bea Rooney)
- From the Abacus to the Smartphone: The Evolution of Computers, Jaden Park (Mentor: Denali Kikuchi)
- Living with Dyslexia, Olivia Dawson (Mentor: Betty Chu Pryor)
Wednesday, April 10, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- Performance-Enhancing Habits: What You Can Do to Get to the Top, Andrew Green (Mentor: Liz Gray)
- Nuclear Physics: From Deadly Weapons to Clean Energy, Lucy Yin (Mentor: Heather Smith)
- The Arts and the Ancient Olympics, Yaseen Saeed (Mentor: Bill Hamilton)
Wednesday, April 10, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
- Flow and Happiness, William Li (Mentor: Alex Tzelnic)
- Power and Fashion, Clem Cradick (Mentor: Kathy Jo Solomon)
- Sports Agents, Charlie Rossi (Mentor: Patrick Murray)
- Brewing Billions: The Economics of Coffee, Zach Cash (Mentor: Zach d’Arbeloff)
Thursday, April 11, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
- How Weather Forecasts Work, Simon Wright (Mentor: Charlie Baird)
- Muscle Recovery: How to Get Back on the Field, Cassie Greiner (Mentor: Brendan Largay)
- Sustainable Architecture, Luke Brenneman (Mentor: Larissa Rochford ’93)
- Carbon Emissions: Pathways to Reduction, Tadhg O’Sullivan (Mentor: Rachel Starks Chaves)
Thursday, April 11, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- Anatomy of a Bestseller, Alexander Meredith (Mentor: Ana Maria Restrepo)
- AAPI Discrimination in the US, Madoka Hubbard (Mentor: Angela DeVecchi ’75)
- It’s Been a Long Time Coming: The Phenomenon of Taylor Swift, Veronica Wang (Mentor: Nathalie Pellenq)
Thursday, April 11, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
- Brain Development: Mind Blowing!, Roudi Youssef (Mentor: Maggie Small)
- Steroids in Baseball, Kaden Flummerfelt (Mentor: John O’Neill)
- Secession Movements: Creating a Country, August Wilmot (Mentor: Khang Phan)
- Synesthesia: Mixing the Senses, Sophie Jean (Mentor: Connie Yepez)
Friday, April 12, 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.
- Organized Athletics and Child Development, Annika Vittal (Mentor: Jade Morris)
- Exploring the Oceans with Submarines, Rami Flummerfelt (Mentor: Kassie Bettinelli)
- The Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence, Anna Bibler (Mentor: Leigh Twarog)
- Dancing Around the Truth: Ballet’s Effects on Health, Eva Peregudov (Mentor: Tyler Cotner)
- De-extinction: Reviving the Past to Preserve the Future, Gideon Borisy (Mentor: Nicole Buck)
After School Closes Early Before April Break
The After School program will close promptly at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 12, as we head into the April vacation week.
Lunch & Snack Menu
April 1 to April 5
Monday
Snack: fruit cups; tortilla chips
Lunch: bowtie pasta with meatballs and marinara; bowtie pasta with vegan meatballs and marinara; gluten-free penne pasta and gluten-free meatballs and marinara; pomodori vegetable blend; greens, shredded carrots, and balsamic
Tuesday
Snack: bananas; Cheez-Its
Lunch: chicken teriyaki; tofu teriyaki; veggie fried rice; seasoned broccoli; bok choy and spinach salad with red peppers, scallions, and ginger soy dressing
Wednesday
Snack: apples; apple muffins
Lunch: beef nachos with cheese sauce and corn chips; vegan nachos with vegan cheese and corn chips; salsa; guacamole; sour cream; green beans; taco salad with chipotle ranch dressing, avocado, tomato, and corn
Thursday
Snack: clementines; Tiny Twist Pretzels
Lunch: grilled cheese sandwiches; vegan grilled cheese sandwiches; gluten-free grilled cheese sandwiches; butternut squash; Caesar salad
Friday
Snack: apple slices; Popcorners
Faculty Lunch
Please click the button below for a more detailed and updated weekly menu.
BDS News
STAFFING NEWS
Departure
Jess Halton, Director of Development
We will bid farewell to Director of Development Jess Halton with great fondness and an abundance of gratitude on April 8. Jess joined BDS in January 2023 and will leave Belmont Day to join the Montrose School in Medfield as director of advancement. Montrose is just 12 minutes from Jess’s home in Norfolk, MA—a decidedly shorter route than the hour-long commute to Belmont Day—and this will provide a better work-life balance for her as the parent of two young boys.
We are sincerely grateful for Jess’s efforts to build community at BDS, lay the groundwork for the school’s centennial campaign, and deepen our philanthropy culture. We wish Jess the very best in her future endeavors.
A search for Jess’s successor will begin in the coming weeks, and we will update the community when the hiring process is complete.
BUSINESS OFFICE NEWS
Invoices Available for Eighth Grade Families
The Southwest Trip invoices are now available on the Parent Portal.
To review your account and initiate a payment, please log in and use the “Invoices & Payments” button on the right side of the screen. Payments may also be submitted by mailing a check to the attention business office.
All payments are due by Friday, April 19, 2024. For those who use AutoPay, payments will be processed on Friday, April 19, 2024. Please plan accordingly.
If you have questions about trip charges, please contact Jen James, assistant to the head of school. If you have questions about payment processing, please contact the business office.
LIBRARY NEWS
Ordering Books For Author Sophie Blackall’s Visit
On Thursday, April 25, Caldecott Award-winning illustrator and author Sophie Blackall will meet with students in pre-kindergarten to grade 2 during the school day to talk about her new book, Ahoy!, do a drawing demonstration, and answer student questions.
Her visit is made possible by Porter Square Books, who will handle book sales of Blackall’s books for families who would like to purchase any of her books to be signed. Please use the button below to order a book to be signed. All orders must be placed by Monday, April 8. Please include your student’s name/teacher’s name and any personalization you would like for the book(s) in the order notes. If you would like to order any additional books by Blackall other than the ones linked, make sure to include in the comments that the whole order is for the event with Sophie Blackall at Belmont Day School.
If you have any questions, please contact librarian Amy Sprung. We’ll have several of Sophie Blackall’s books available for students to read in classrooms and borrow from the Erksine Library.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Solomon Digs Into Farm to School Conference
Last week, Kathy Jo Solomon, visual arts teacher and sustainability coordinator, attended the Farm and Sea to School Conference, “Rooted in Resilience Centering Climate and Community,” at Smith College in Northampton. The keynote speakers were Ollie Perrault, youth climate activist; Irene Li, chef, author, and co-founder of Mei Mei in South Boston; and Sheval’le Olivier, executive director of Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition. KJo participated in several workshops, including one titled “Beyond Stem: Agriculture and Schools,” where the focus was on learning about certain food traditions that are rooted in Incan and Mayan cultures and how activities in the classroom can both engage students in activities while learning about important indigenous connections throughout the Americas.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Volunteers Sought for Spring Fest
We invite our families, students, and recent alumni to participate in Spring Fest on Saturday, May 4, to help make this event a rich representation of our community’s cherished traditions for all to enjoy. Please join in leading an activity, game, story, dance, or craft, and invite your BDS friends to join in the fun. To date, volunteers have registered to represent the following countries:
- Armenia
- Ethiopia
- Germany
- India
- Sweden
- Vietnam
Sign up to join one of the existing groups listed or form your own team to make this a wonderful celebration for all. Please email development@belmontday.org with any questions. Thank you!
Learning Updates
Athletics Update: Girls’ JV Lacrosse Relying on Veteran Players
The girls’ junior varsity lacrosse team returns four players from last year’s inaugural season. Melisa Adhikari, Penny Gottesman, Genevieve von Rekowsky, and Lucy Walther are all back for their second season and are off to a great start this spring. With many newcomers to the sport, coaches Syd Garner and Jen James will be leaning on this group of seventh graders to establish routines at practices, create impact plays during games, and simply lead by example in their day-to-day interactions with teammates. The team will have a full week of practice next week as they continue to prepare for their season opener at home against Park on Thursday, April 11.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
Athletics News
- Sal Pattisal is the only veteran rider on the mountain biking squad this spring, competing in a third and final season on the trails and leading a strong group of sixth grade newcomers.
- Classmates Zoe Bantham-Livermore, Soleil Flanagan, and Reema Wulfsberg have been steady contributors on the JV ultimate team and are eager to begin their season.
- Owen Bantham-Livermore, Charlie Rossi, and Clive Sutton all joined the track & field team in the final athletic season of their middle school careers. The team opens up against Shady Hill.
- Zazoue Marsan, Julia Popa, and Josie Stevenson will build on successful campaigns from a year ago to help lead the junior varsity tennis team this spring.
- First-time players Jun Murakami, Sam Rodriguez, and Foster Larabee switched to lacrosse after excelling at other sports last spring. The trio will be counted on to make an impact.
Sixth Grade French Tackles Describing People
In sixth grade French, we started working on describing people. We practiced by writing mini-biographies in French for the women honored in the Gallery for Women’s History Month. The bios of these important women tell when they were born (and deceased if applicable), what is/was their citizenship and ethnicity, and their profession. The students also chose verbs to describe the impact of these women’s actions in the world. The display in the Gallery will change soon, but our work will be available for you to admire for the rest of the school year in the sixth grade hallway. Be sure to take a look when you visit. Next, we will dive deeper and share descriptions of people in our family, celebrities, or even people in fictional families.
– Nathalie Pellenque, French teacher
Parents’ Association News
PA Meeting
Please join us in Coolidge Hall on Thursday, April 4, at 8:30 a.m. for our April parents’ association meeting featuring representatives from the school’s Incident Management Team. They will update us on the school’s safety policies and procedures. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.
Jonathan Todd Book Launch & Author Talk
Join us on Friday, April 5, to celebrate the publication of cartoonist, graphic novelist, and BDS enrichment teacher Jonathan Todd’s first book, Timid. This event is for students in grades 1 to 8. Please RSVP here.
Note: This is not a drop-off event; students must be accompanied by an adult or enrolled in After School. You may email Denali Kikuchi to request After School enrollment for the event before April 1.
The schedule will be as follows:
- 1:30 to 2 p.m.: Presentation “From Kid Cartoonist to Graphic Novelist” in the PAC
- 2 to 2:15 p.m.: Q&A in the PAC
- Snack break outside the PAC
- 2:15 to 3 p.m.: Group 1 (students with their grownups): Cartooning activity stations and book signing with the author in the Erskine Library
- 3 to 3:30 p.m.: Group 2 (students enrolled in After School): Cartooning activity stations and book signing with the author in the Erskine Library
You may pre-order a copy of Timid online through Belmont Books (please indicate in the order comments that the book is for pick-up by Belmont Day School and include the name to whom you would like the book personalized) or come with your own copy (Belmont Books will have copies for in-store purchase beginning April 2).
Parent Book Group
Our next book group meeting will be Tuesday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Menotomy Grill & Tavern in Arlington to discuss Kiley Reid’s novel Come and Get It. We hope you will join us.
Enrichment Assembly
The PA enrichment committee welcomes Belmont Day parent Frank O’Sullivan as our speaker on Friday, April 12. He will help expand our understanding of renewable energy through an interactive lower school presentation in the Barn Gym as we celebrate Earth Day 2024. All parents are welcome to join us in the Barn at 8:45 a.m., following the casual coffee outside the Barn. The committee welcomes all speaker suggestions as we start to plan for next year’s programming. Please email Wendy Liszt at wfulenwider@gmail.com.
Cradles to Crayons Clothing Drive
We’re excited to announce the return of our Cradles to Crayons Drive and Sorting Event, so clean out your closets to help us make an impact. The clothing drive will run from April 8 to April 26, culminating in a sorting event at BDS on Sunday, April 28, from 2 to 4 p.m. We’ll be collecting new and gently used clothing, shoes, and books appropriate for children up to 12 years old. Keep an eye out for a purple collection bin that will be placed near the Barn.
For more than a decade, Belmont Day has proudly served as the Belmont community’s primary collection site, and through this partnership, BDS has provided clothing and vital supplies to countless children throughout Massachusetts. As the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to addressing children’s clothing insecurity, Cradles To Crayons equips children, from newborns to 12-year-olds, with the essential items they need to thrive. Your participation and donations can make a significant difference in the lives of many!
If you have questions, please contact event co-chairs Carolyn Atinizian and Adrienne Mugar. The flyer on the Parent Portal has more information and a QR code to sign up to volunteer for the sorting event.
Volunteering for the PA in 2024-25
The PA executive team welcomes hearing from parents who would like to get involved in the parents’ association next year at any level. There are opportunities to fit your interests, schedule, and expertise—as a member of the executive team, as a committee chair or member, as a grade parent, or occasionally helping with planning and events. Please reach out to bdspa@belmontday.org anytime to ask questions, explore options, express interest, or contact them directly:
- President – Karla Bays karla.bays@gmail.com
- Vice President – Courtney Queen cqueen.rosenfeld@gmail.com
- Treasurer – Andy Stevenson als@sfilp.com
- Clerk – Gigi Saltonstall gigisalt@gmail.com
Beyond BDS
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Save The Date: Lone Tree Hill Volunteer Day
The Belmont Citizens Forum, in conjunction with Judy Record Conservation Fund, will hold its 10th Annual Volunteer Day on April 27, from 9 a.m. to noon, at Lone Tree Hill, Belmont.
The volunteer day activities will include planting white pine saplings along the Meadow Edge Trail, picking up trash, and removing invasives at the South Pleasant Street/Coal Road and Mill Street areas. In a few years, this year’s tree planting will provide a green screen for the houses on Summit Road.
Click here for more information and meeting locations.
CHARITY EVENT
Belmont PMC Kids Ride
Sunday, May 5, at Belmont Hill School
Get ready for the 9th annual Belmont Pan Mass Kids Ride. Two fun options are starting at the Belmont Hill School location:
- Tot Lot: Riders ride on campus in a contained area. This is perfect for those with training wheels or needing direct supervision.
- Challenge Route: This is a 1-mile loop off campus off of Marsh St. Riders can ride this loop as many times as they would like.
Participation in the ride raises money for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Click here for more information on time, location, and registration.
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