May 3, 2024
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Kindergartners welcomed family and friends this week to share some fun educational games.
Opening Message
The Scoop On the 2024-25 Admissions Season
Liz Parfit, Director of Admissions
Post Date: May 3, 2024
We are excited and proud to report that Belmont Day had another banner year of interest and engagement from prospective families. This season, we continued to see high applications relative to pre-pandemic numbers, with a remarkable 30% increase in total applications received over those that came in during the 2019-2020 admissions cycle. Our volunteer tour program continues to thrive; our dedicated parent tour guides gave the most tours of any previous season (156 tours between October and May!), and we are still fielding inquiries from interested families. Our yield results (the percentage of admitted families who ultimately enroll) were also at record highs yet again for our pre-kindergarten and sixth grade entry points (88% and 75%, respectively), and we are excited to welcome fifty-six stellar new students to campus in September!
So, how does Belmont Day continue to generate this consistently high level of interest in our school?
We believe it comes down to the welcoming, passionate, and committed community we are so fortunate to be a part of at BDS. So many parents, faculty, students, and staff enthusiastically share their stories and generously engage with prospective families. Whether it is a member of the kitchen team explaining the myriad food offerings available in our lunch program, a teacher taking a moment with a tour group to discuss what their class is learning, or a parent volunteering to connect with a prospective family in their town to talk commuting strategies, what shines through is a shared commitment to the BDS mission and values. Prospective families see this commitment clearly throughout the admissions process, and it continues to draw them to BDS over other school options. What gets reported to our team over and over again is that our community instantly makes people feel welcomed, comfortable, and included.
Another high point for families is their interactions with and observations of our phenomenal faculty—and wow, did they steal the show this season! They put tremendous effort into supporting an even more rigorous and competitive admissions process that included presenting at our open house to over 400 attendees, recording dynamic videos for the virtual open house, creating, facilitating, and scoring prospective student visiting day assessments for over 200 applicants, reading and evaluating application files, designing and executing engaging and creative sessions for our yield events, hosting visitors in their classrooms for shadow days and greeting every single tour group with a smile and often a short conversation as well! Above and beyond their day-to-day responsibilities as teachers, our faculty understand the importance of the admissions process and dedicate themselves to putting our collective best foot forward as we showcase Belmont Day to new families.
To no surprise, we also receive rave reviews about our phenomenal student ambassadors and the exceptional execution of the many roles they play throughout the admissions process. For those unfamiliar with the student ambassador program, our seventh and eighth grade ambassadors serve as tour guides during events, speak from the heart on student panels, crouch down to eye level to engage three and four-year-old applicants during visit days, engage families in multiple languages to help them feel welcomed and seen, serve as shadow day hosts for visiting students and so much more! The most rewarding part of each admissions season is to watch these ambassadors shine in their various roles and further develop their outstanding public speaking, communication, and leadership skills. Frequently, when asked what compelled families to apply to and enroll at Belmont Day, our student ambassadors are at the top of the list.
So, what does this mean for September?
Fifty-six fabulous new families have committed to joining BDS, and they are an impressive and wonderful group. Our new students and families come from fourteen towns and cities, and they speak multiple languages in their homes, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Greek, Portuguese, Japanese, Hebrew, Amharic, Tigrigna, French, and Spanish. Please warmly welcome them when you see them on campus in the fall.
Upcoming Events
Coming Up This Week
Monthly Calendar
Day School Lane Repairs Set To Start Monday
The heavy rains over the past few months have left Day School Lane in tough shape, especially along the slope that connects to Concord Avenue. While it is a public road, Belmont Day is taking on the responsibility of repairing the road for the safety of our neighbors, school families, and visitors.
A crew is scheduled to start repairs on Monday, May 6 and work through the week. The work will repair the section closest to Concord Avenue that is most damaged.
We do not anticipate any traffic disruptions or delays during arrival and dismissal times, but we appreciate your patience and understanding while the work is underway.
If you have any questions, please contact Anderson Santos, director of operations.
Braiding Different Strands
The next meeting of Braiding Different Strands will be held on Tuesday, May 7, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Kiva. Please RSVP to attend.
Join us as we explore the concept of allyship. We will discuss the importance of building solidarity with historically marginalized communities and how we can move from passive to active support. We welcome and encourage all adult community members to attend.
If you have questions, please get in touch with Connie Yepez, director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
See You Tomorrow At Spring Fest!
Saturday, May 4, 1 to 4 p.m.
The Barn
Spring is in the air, and so is the excitement for Spring Fest: A Celebration of Our Cultures and Traditions! Don’t miss out on the joyous celebration of culture, community, crafts, and cuisine that Spring Fest brings.
Join us tomorrow to celebrate the season and the rich tapestry of our community.
Last Chance to Order Your 2024 Yearbook!
All orders for the all-school yearbook are due by Monday, May 6.
The yearbook costs $10 for students in pre-k to grade 7. All eighth grade students will receive one complimentary copy. Additional copies may be ordered for $10 each using the order link.
Lunch & Snack Menu
May 6 to May 10
Monday
Snack: fruit cups; tortilla chips
Lunch: pasta and marinara: gluten-free pasta and marinara; crusty rolls; steamed broccoli; greens and shredded carrots with balsamic dressing
Tuesday
Snack: bananas; Cheez-Its
Lunch: beef tacos with flour tortillas; black beans, squash, and quinoa tacos; beef tacos with corn tortillas; fiesta corn blend; taco salad with chipotle ranch dressing, avocado, tomato, and corn
Wednesday
Snack: apples; chocolate chip muffins
Lunch: grilled chicken with Caesar salad; grilled smokey tofu with salad; garlic bread; gluten-free garlic bread; green beans; broccoli salad
Thursday
Snack: clementines; pretzels
Lunch: cheese pizza and pepperoni pizza; vegan cheese pizza; gluten-free cheese pizza; butternut squash; Caesar salad
Friday
Snack: apple slices; Pop Corners
Faculty Lunch
Please click the button below for a more detailed and updated weekly menu.
BDS News
PARENT SURVEY
Please Provide Your Feedback by May 31
Since its founding, the relationship between parents and the school has been critical in establishing the high standard of excellence we aspire to. Belmont Day is eager to hear from you to better understand your family’s experience this year and gauge our community’s health. This annual survey is an important tool to help us realize opportunities to improve the school experience for our students and families.
The survey should take approximately 25 minutes to complete. Our typical response rate is about 80%. This year, we hope parents meet or exceed this and get closer to 100% participation!
Please participate in the survey by Friday, May 31.
The school administration will review the results during the summer and then provide an overview of and response to the results at the State of the School next fall. Thank you!
COMMUNITY NEWS
RSVP for Grandparents & Special Friends Days
We can’t wait to welcome many grandparents and special friends on Thursday, May 9 (middle school) and Friday, May 10 (lower school). Please help us plan for these special days by making sure that you have RSVP’d for your child’s guests by Monday, May 6. If you have any questions, please contact development@belmontday.org.
Middle School
Thursday, May 9
7:30 a.m. – Coffee and Registration, Barn Gym
8 a.m. – Assembly
9 a.m. – Classroom Visits
11 a.m. – Event Concludes
Lower School
Friday, May 10
8 am – Coffee and Registration, Barn Gym
8:45 a.m. – Assembly
10 a.m. – Classroom Visits
11 a.m. – Event Concludes
COMMUNITY EVENT
Spring Parent Celebration & Annual Corporation Meeting
Thursday, May 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Coolidge Hall
Join us for a Spring Parent Celebration and the annual open meetings of the Belmont Day School Corporation and Belmont Day School Parents’ Association (PA)—both of which include all current parents of the school.
As we approach the end of the school year, this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and socialize, and attend to our brief annual Corporation and PA business that will include:
- A vote to elect new trustee nominees to fill vacancies on the board
- Renewal of trustees whose terms are expiring
- A vote on the incoming PA executive team roles
7 p.m. ● Welcome
7:10 p.m. ● Board of Trustees business
7:30 p.m. ● Parents’ Association business
7:40 p.m. ● Head of School’s remarks
7:55 p.m. ● Faculty Band Performance
8:10 p.m. ● Celebration
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Pre-k Teachers Attend the In Bloom Conference
Last Saturday, pre-kindergarten teaching teammates Nicole Siverls and Kim Edwards spent time at Wright Locke Farm in Winchester for the annual In Bloom conference organized by Antioch University. The conference offers community and inspiration for nature-based early childhood programs. Kim and Nicole engaged in discussions with other teachers about the equity and social justice of outdoor education and learned new ways to utilize emergent and integrated curriculum in their nature time with students. They can’t wait to bring what they learned into their classroom and continue their journey as outdoor educators.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Garden Springs to Life With a Little Help
With the awesome efforts this past Saturday of a great crew of students, parents, and faculty, the Belmont Day garden is now ready to spring into the growing season. We weeded, mulched, added compost, cleaned, and prepped the bee boxes, and a new crop of sugar snap peas was planted by several helpful students in the first and fourth grades. Get in touch with Kathy Jo Solomon if you want to be apprised of several volunteer opportunities this summer during the peak of our growing season. Thank you to all who participated! Hope to see you all in the garden again soon.
– Kathy Jo Solomon, visual arts teacher and sustainability coordinator
BUSINESS OFFICE NEWS
Invoices Issued for After School & Enrichment Classes
The business office has issued invoices to parents of students who are participating in the After School program and enrichment classes during the third trimester and for those who used drop-in After School care in Trimester 2 and thus far in Trimester 3. Payments for these programs are due by Wednesday, May 15, 2024. For those enrolled for autopay, payments will be processed on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Please plan accordingly.
Note that Trimester 3 drop-in After School charges incurred after April 12, 2024, will be billed in June.
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To view invoices and make a payment, please log in to the Parent Portal and click on the blue “Invoices & Payments” button on the homepage. Payments may also be submitted by mailing a check to the attention of the business office.
If you are not enrolled in autopay for incidental invoices and would like to, go to Manage AutoPay. You will need to assign your bank account to incidental invoice types.
For questions about any of the charges for After School and enrichment classes, please contact Blair Fross, director of school year auxiliary and specialty programs.
Please contact the business office with any questions about the tuition invoices and payment processing.
2024-25 Tuition Payments: Ten Payment Plan
Tuition invoices for the 2024-25 school year for those who opted for the monthly Ten Payment Plan were published two weeks ago on the Parent Portal. The first monthly payment was due on Wednesday, May 1. The full schedule for payments and more detailed information are in the dropdown below.
Payment Schedule & Details
The schedule of payment plan due dates for the 2024-25 school year is as follows:
- Wednesday, May 1, 2024
- Monday, June 3, 2024
- Monday, July 1, 2024
- Thursday, August 1, 2024
- Tuesday, September 3, 2024
- Tuesday, October 1, 2024
- Friday, November 1, 2024
- Monday, December 2, 2024
- Thursday, January 2, 2025
- Monday, February 3, 2025
Autopay payments will also be processed on these dates. Please be sure adequate funds are available in your account on the scheduled payment date. Any changes to bank or credit card accounts must be made by 4 p.m. of the last business day before these dates. If the payment due date is on a Monday, any payment method changes made over the weekend might not take effect in time.
The invoices for the Single Payment Plan and the Two Payment (60%/40%) Plan are also available for viewing on the Parent Portal. Currently, those invoices show the activity for the enrollment deposit fee and payment. The tuition charges will appear on the invoices later in May. Parents will receive an email when those invoices are ready for review.
The payment plan fee will be due and payable with your first payment for those using the Ten Payment or Two Payment (60%/40%) Plans. Additionally, families who elected the Tuition Refund Insurance Plan will see the charge for the insurance plan on their first bill.
Please contact the business office (business@belmontday.org) with any questions.
– Sarah Barrow, business manager
COMMUNITY EVENT
Friday Night Scoops
Friday, May 17
The Meadowbrook School, 10 Farm Rd., Weston
Boys’ game at 5 p.m. | Girls’ game at 6 p.m.
Join us for the third annual Friday Night Scoops event at The Meadowbrook School, featuring games between the two schools’ varsity lacrosse teams. The entire Belmont Day community is invited and encouraged to attend. Bring a picnic dinner or purchase food from the food truck, some folding chairs, or a blanket.
Bonus cheering opportunity! Get to Meadowbrook at 3:30 p.m. and root for varsity tennis as the team gets the triple-header of great athletics started! See you there!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
Help Needed for Faculty Appreciation Luncheon
Next Friday, May 10, the parents’ association will host a special buffet-style luncheon in Coolidge Hall to show our amazing Belmont Day faculty how much we appreciate them.
The lunch is made up of all sorts of wonderful homemade and purchased contributions. The PA is looking for donations of main dishes, side dishes, salads, desserts, and drinks. Belmont Day is a nut-free campus, so please keep that in mind when planning your contributions. Please plan to bring your donations to the morning drop-off on Friday, May 10. There will be a table in front of the PAC. We are also looking for help with set-up and clean-up.
If you are interested in making a donation or can help with set-up or clean-up, please sign up using the online form. Please note that the form has two pages.
If you have questions, please contact the Faculty Appreciation Luncheon co-chairs,Jamie Meredith, Danielle England, Priya Vaidya, and Dawn Rossi.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
GSA Launches Book Drive for QT Library
The Belmont Day GSA (Gender/Sexuality Alliance) is excited to announce a book drive supporting QT Library! QT Library is a future brick-and-mortar library and sober community space to support the LGBTQIA+ community in Boston. They are currently organizing their collection and securing a physical space for the library with the goal of opening to the public this summer. Our GSA members identified this project early on and have been working directly with QT Library to create a book list based on the needs of the organization and the books our students love.
To donate, visit our customized book registry on Bookshop.org. Purchased books will be shipped directly to Belmont Day School, where they will be sorted and delivered by our student GSA members. Families are also welcome to buy books on their own and donate them. Look for a donation box near the Schoolhouse entrance next week.
– Zach d’Arbeloff, director of summer programs and GSA adviser
Learning Updates
OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS
After School Celebrates Bird Week
In collaboration with the innovation team, After School students soared into Bird Week. Our young bird enthusiasts in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten started the adventures by learning about bird nests, crafting cozy cup nests outside, and discovering what makes the perfect bird nursery. We learned about local birds from backyard buddies to woodland wonders. We then honed our bird call skills by tuning into chirps and tweets of all kinds, perfecting our impressions. Next, we enjoyed a lively reading of Mo Willems’s Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus! Finally, and we flew into Friday painting birdhouses to celebrate our feathered friends.
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First and second graders started things out by coating pine cones in Sunbutter and seeds to make bird feeders and hanging them outside the After School classroom in front of a trail camera. Students wondered what we would get pictures of … birds, squirrels, squirrels and one bird, or just pinecones blowing in the wind? By the next day, we had proof that the squirrels had taken every last pine cone! Students also painted exotic birds (and their ancestors) for a display in the Gallery that shows bird evolution and variety. We also played “Jays and Juncos,” a running game in which students collect food (pompoms) and bring it back to their nests (cups). They learned about the importance of the proximity of nests to food sources as well as the relationships between species.
Third, fourth, and fifth graders were on the case compiling the bird data that was recorded over April break. Be sure to drop by the Gallery and check out the display or ask an After School student about what they discovered and learned from the data.
What’s better than learning about and celebrating birds? Actively helping the environment! On Friday, students learned about invasive species before helping to remove garlic mustard around campus. Garlic mustard originates from Europe and was brought to America to be used in cooking. Unfortunately, it spreads quickly with no native predators, pushing out local plants and reducing the food available for our native species. We collected two bags full and made a big impact in reducing the garlic mustard population on campus.
– Blair Fross, director of school year auxiliary and specialty programs
Fifth Grade Math Tackles Volume Calculations
Fifth graders have been studying how to calculate the volume of rectangular prisms using the length times width times height formula. This week students explored various ways to calculate volume, including constructing with unit cubes, arts and crafts to solve volume formulas, and filling prisms to capacity. Next up in math, students will be navigating the coordinate grid, learning how to represent different data sets as they prepare for the upcoming fifth grade curriculum showcase.
– Patrick Murray, fifth grade teacher
Arts Update: Spring Music Showcase
Wednesday, June 5, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Far Field
The first BDS Music Showcase was held this fall in the Palandjian Arts Center. Student participation and audience attendance were incredible, and we are excited to announce that we are planning a spring version of this event, We hope you will join us to celebrate the amazing talent here at BDS!
Seventh and eighth graders in the BDS Spring Music Showcase and Audio Technology electives this spring are collaborating to assemble a musical talent show in which all middle school students are invited to perform. The line-up is going to be awesome and we don’t want you to miss it! It would mean a lot to us to have as many BDS families attend this event as possible.
Families are welcome to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic dinners. Please be mindful that we are a nut-free school community.
Check the Scoop in the coming weeks for more information.
– Clive Sutton, eighth grader, and Mrs. Bettinelli, music teacher
Athletics Update: Varsity Tennis Opens Season With Two Wins
After an extended pre-season and a couple of canceled matches, the varsity tennis team finally got their season off the ground this week traveling to Nashoba Brooks and hosting Charles River. On Wednesday, the Blue & Gold swept Nashoba, winning all eight matches in commanding fashion, the closest result being a hard-fought 6-4 win at second doubles from Olivia Garrity and Henry Kiraly. Co-captain Lucy Yin was excellent at second singles, dictating play by varying the location of her shots, which kept her opponent moving throughout her 6-2 win. Also of note was the teamwork of Louis Cantor and Isla Smith at first doubles. Smith was consistent with her groundstrokes all afternoon and Cantor finished points at the net en route to a 6-1 victory. On Thursday, the team kept things rolling, winning six of eight matches against CRS. Co-captain Rhys Kaplan remained steady at third singles, relying on consistent groundstrokes during his 6-1 win. Coach Walker was particularly impressed with the doubles pairing of Griffin Targum and Suryavir Nallari-Jhala who recorded their second win of the young season. “They’re really clicking, communicating like they’ve been playing together for years. Suryavir was very solid on his groundstrokes and Griffin was finding empty spots with his volleys and ending points.” The team will take their 2-0 record into a showdown with a talented BB&N team next week.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
Athletics News
- The track & field team remained unbeaten (3-0) with wins over Charles River and Fenn/Nashoba this week. Grace Sullivan and Roudi Youssef continue to provide great leadership and recorded a pair of third-place finishes in field events.
- Anna Bantham-Livermore shined on defense during junior varsity lacrosse’s loss to NBS this week. Penny Gottesman and Genevieve von Rekowsky provided the offense for the Blue & Gold and Christian Samuel continues to impress.
- Lila Green and Sophie Cutie led the defense during girls’ varsity lacrosse’s 13-10 win over Nashoba. Julia Casey led all scorers with eight goals. Sara Colangelo netted a goal and played well on offense. The team lost to DCD the following day, 13-7.
- The junior varsity tennis team improved to 2-1 on the season by beating Nashoba this week. Vatche Balikan showed great patience and keen strategy during his hard-fought win at first singles and Sophie Jean had some tremendous shots in her doubles match.
- The boys’ lacrosse team won the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late against DCD, losing 6-3 on the road. Mylo Rosenfeld netted a scrappy goal in the waning minutes and Sam Rodriguez fought hard on both ends of the field.
- Wren Kass continues to improve their serve thanks to lots of hard work at practice and Henry Ward has been bringing his A game to all aspects of IM tennis. The team capitalized on some serious court time this week and is getting better every day.
- Ben Fleming and Copeland Maier played well for varsity ultimate during their two games this week. Emmett Mack (numerous points), Jordan Levine (tactical throws), and Christian Atem (epic catches) all shined for JV ultimate.
Parents’ Association News
Cradles to Crayons Thank You!
We are pleased to report that the Belmont Day community collected fifty-seven 55-gallon bags of donations during our Cradles to Crayons drive, over twice the amount of previous collections! These donations will help over 300 children living in homeless or low-income situations in Massachusetts. A huge thank you to co-chairs Carolyn Atinizian and Adrienne Mugar, who organized the drive and sorting event, to those who rolled up their sleeves and got to work on Sunday, and to all who contributed their donations.
Order Your BDS Gear
Friday Night Scoops is just two weeks away! Please join us at The Meadowbrook School on Friday, May 17, and wear your BDS spirit gear to cheer on our student-athletes! Check out the school’s online store and place your orders today. Keep an eye out for great new summer offerings—shorts! slides! Jibbitz!—coming soon.
Parent Book Group
Our next book group meeting will be Tuesday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Menotomy Grill & Tavern in Arlington to discuss North Woods: A Novel by Daniel Mason. We hope you will join us. If you have questions, please contact Karla Bays at karla.bays@gmail.com
Committee Volunteers Sought for 2024-25
Are you interested in serving on the PA in some capacity next year? Consider joining one of these great committees. Please email us at bdspa@belmontday.org with any questions, or to express interest. Thank you!
- BDS Connections
- BDS Spirit Merchandising
- Baby Welcoming
- Book Fair
- Book Club
- Coolidge Flowers
- Cradles to Crayons
- Earth Day
- Enrichment Assemblies
- Erskine Library Events
- Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon
- Family Fun Night
- Friday Night Lights/Hoops/Scoops
- Library Shelving
- Lost & Found
- Lunchroom Flowers
- Music and Ensembles
- Pumpkin Patch
Beyond BDS
CONTEST WINNER
Fifth Grader Wins Endangered Animal Art Contest
Congratulations to fifth grader Bella Tan who recently won the grand prize in the 2024 Roger Williams Park Zoo Endangered Species Youth Art Contest. For the contest, Bella painted the vibrant and endangered golden-cheeked warbler. As the grand prize winner, Bella receives a cash prize, a year’s membership to the zoo, and gets to “adopt” an animal (sloth, anteater, cheetah, giraffe, elephant, tamarin, macaw, red panda, river otter or snow leopard!), and her artwork will be displayed at the Roger Williams Park Zoo for a year! To learn more about the contest and see past winners, click here.
MUSICAL MILESTONE
Young Musicians Excel at Regional Program
Congratulations to Belmont Day students Amelia Chang, Adam Cong, Ruyi Xiao, and Isla Smith, who participated recently in ASTA CAP (American String Teachers Association Certificate Advancement Program). This challenging national string curriculum provides definite goals for students across the country, from beginner to advanced levels, through regional examinations. The exams were held at Dana Hall School in Wellesley.
ENVIRONMENTAL EVENT
Middle School Students Invited to EcoSummit
Arlington’s second Youth EcoSummit is open to all middle and high school-age students. The EcoSummit will take place on Monday, May 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Robbins Library Community Room. At the summit, students will participate in interactive discussions and activities, and hear about local youth-led waste reduction and climate action projects. Dinner will be provided by La Victoria’s.
Registration is required for this free event. Click here to register.
CLASSICAL CONCERT
BDS Musicians to Perform with NEC’s Youth Repertory Orchestra
Join the New England Conservatory’s Youth Repertory Orchestra (YRO) for their concert on Sunday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. at Jordan Hall in Boston. Violinist Jovana Zivanovic, trumpeter Nem Zivanovic, and cellist Clara Min are members of the NEC YRO and will be performing. Musical pieces will include Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 13, Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, and Shostakovich’s Festive Overture.
Tickets are required but are available at no cost. Click here for tickets.
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