November 4, 2022
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Eighth graders share their Capstone research questions during last week’s assembly.
Opening Message
A Spirited Celebration of the Whole Child
Brendan Largay, Head of School
Post Date: November 4, 2022
This week will close out with joyful anticipation thanks to the annual Friday Night Lights competition under the lights at Harvard that awaits us this evening and Saturday’s Massachusetts Middle School Cross Country Championship at Willard Field in Devens.
This morning’s Spirit Day celebration, complete with a community-wide, cross-graded parade, live music, and a pumpkin launch, helped build the excitement. Students (and faculty!) showed off their school spirit with festive Blue & Gold attire, and their pumpkins were adorned with beautifully designed paper “capes.”
The partnership between parents and teachers is a hallmark of Belmont Day. The thoughtful and authentic discussions about each student’s growth, successes, and challenges during conferences this week are essential to this partnership.
Our arts faculty—Anne Armstrong, Kassie Bettinelli, Tyler Cotner, Susan Dempsey, Chris Parsons, Kurt Robinson, Bill Smith, and Kathy Jo Solomon—spent Monday at Mass MOCA in North Adams in anticipation of bringing the entire sixth grade there later this year, and they returned inspired. Enormous, mind-expanding exhibits of engineering, sculpture, and other visual art left them joyful and full of ideas.
I am grateful for this week’s unique focus on our school’s commitment to whole child excellence—an inspired arts team, the partnership between parents and teachers, a community parade, and the prospect of a well-played victory tonight under the lights and tomorrow in Devens. Go BDS!
Upcoming Events
Monthly Calendar
State of the School 2022
Wednesday, November 9 at 6:30 p.m.
Palandjian Arts Center
We invite the community to join Brendan Largay, head of school, and the programmatic leadership team as they offer a snapshot of the excellence that lives within our curriculum scope and sequence, the innovative prospects of the future, the inclusive aspirations for all of our students, and the next steps of our strategic plan. The evening will focus equally on the present and on Belmont Day’s bright future.
Upcoming Auxiliary Programs Registration Period
Enrollment for the winter trimester of After School and enrichment classes will open on Wednesday, November 9. Please stay tuned for enrichment class details. Trimester dates and pricing for After School are on the Parent Portal. For any questions, please reach out to Blair Fross or Denali Kikuchi.
TONIGHT! Friday Night Lights
6:15 p.m. – Girls’ Varsity Game
7:30 p.m. – Boys’ Varsity Game
Jordan Field, Harvard University
Students, faculty, parents, alumni, parents of alumni, and friends are invited to fill the stands tonight at Harvard’s Jordan Field for the annual Friday Night Lights event. The girls’ and boys’ varsity soccer teams will face off against our friendly rival, The Meadowbrook School. The girls’ team will match up first, followed by the boys’ team. There will be pizza provided by the parents’ association. See you there! Go BDS!
We are working with Meadowbrook to encourage all fans in attendance to help reduce waste by bringing only refillable water bottles to the venue. We will have fresh water available for you to fill up.
Guidelines, Directions & Parking
Please remember that this is not a drop-off event. Parents are expected to keep an eye on their children to ensure that proper behavior is exhibited and that trash is thrown away in the trash receptacles. And please remember the following important guidelines for student conduct:
- Students are not to be unsupervised on the grassy areas around the field. These areas are dark and potentially unsafe. A parent must accompany a student to these areas. Volunteers will reinforce this rule, and we ask for your partnership in keeping this event safe for everyone.
- No food or drink is allowed on the turf field.
Address and Parking Information: There may be a charge for parking at the stadium, so please come prepared with cash just in case. The game will be played on the turf field behind Harvard Stadium (from North Harvard Street, enter and go past the Stadium towards Soldier’s Field Road). The stadium complex is at 65 North Harvard Street, Boston, MA 02163. Please see the map of the complex and driving directions. We will be playing on the field marked Jordan Field.
Lunch & Snack Menu
November 7 to November 11
Monday
Snack: apples; Teddy Grahams
Lunch: penne pasta with marinara; gluten-free pasta with marinara: crusty rolls; Romano cheese; kale, tomato, and roasted corn salad; steamed cauliflower; fresh fruit; canned fruit; yogurt; milk and water
Tuesday
Snack: fruit cup; granola bars
Lunch: tamari ginger chicken thighs; Basmati rice; soy ginger tofu; broccoli; mixed greens with Asian dressing; fresh fruit; canned fruit; yogurt; milk and water
Wednesday
Snack: bananas; Smartfood
Lunch: BDS beef stew; vegetable stew; buttermilk biscuits; crusty rolls; roasted butternut squash; spinach, goat cheese, and sherry vinaigrette salad; fresh fruit; canned fruit; yogurt; milk and water
Thursday
Snack: clementines; tortilla chips
Lunch: soup of the day; ham and cheese paninis; gluten-free ham and cheese paninis; potato chips; Caesar salad; fresh fruit; canned fruit; yogurt; milk, water, and chocolate milk
Friday
Snack: apple slices; Sun Chips
Faculty Lunch
For a more detailed and updated weekly menu, please click the button below.
BDS News
DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
Update Your Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Information Today
Grandparents and special friends are an important part of the Belmont Day community. Including them in our mailings helps keep everyone involved and connected to BDS–especially ensuring they are invited to community events like our Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Celebration, taking place in late May.
Please take a moment to update the contact information for your child’s guests using this Google form.
We look forward to welcoming them to campus this spring!
GREENING NEWS
Volunteers Sought for Garden Workday, Saturday, November 19
As we wind down our garden efforts for the season, please consider coming to the workday on Saturday, November 19, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Parents with their children are invited, and middle school students can come with a parent or on their own. Join community members to put the school garden to rest for the winter. Help rake, clear, mulch, and more! Please contact Kathy Jo Solomon with questions or if you plan to attend.
“No Idling” Magnet Challenge
We’re officially kicking off a month-long challenge for students of all grades to create a design for our next “NO IDLING” magnets. A group will review the entries and select one design that will be used for the new magnet to be distributed to the entire BDS community. Click here to download and print the template for students to use for their designs. Classroom teachers will have the template available, or they can be picked up during Early Birds in the Barn. For this challenge, students’ designs should only be made in black. I have black felt tip markers available in the art studio if needed.
Submissions can be given to a student’s classroom teacher or me. Have fun!
– Kathy Jo Solomon, visual arts teacher and sustainability coordinator
AUXILIARY PROGRAMS
After School Students Honor Veterans
In anticipation of Veterans Day, students attending After School have been hard at work writing letters to veterans for the last few weeks. We selected three veterans to draw pictures and write letters to, one of which is Alfred Armstrong, grandfather of After School teacher Mr. Dale. Mr. Armstrong is 98 and served as an engineer in World War II, first in Europe and then later in the Philippines. Pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students wrote over sixty notes, which will be mailed or delivered in person to our veterans.
– Blair Fross, director of After School and enrichment programs
COMMUNITY NEWS
Being Prepared for Colder Weather
You may not know it from the temperatures these past few days, but the calendar has flipped to November. As unseasonably warm as it has been, colder and wetter fall weather will soon be here. In 2020, if you remember, we even had a significant snowstorm in late October! We want students to be properly prepared to enjoy the outdoor classroom of the BDS campus each and every day.
Please plan ahead and start sending students to school with more layers and maybe even hats and mittens if they get cold easily. To be safe and comfortable, your child should always have:
- A warm coat (a sweatshirt, fleece, or vest is not enough below 40 degrees)
- A hat or hood
- Gloves or mittens
- Extra socks
- Boots and snow pants—students without this gear will be unable to join their friends playing in the snow
READ MORE
If you are able, it is a good idea to keep a set of outdoor gear in your child’s cubby/locker so that they are always prepared. It is also a great idea to keep a set of spare clothes at school (no matter your child’s age) in case clothes become wet or muddy while playing outside.
Athletes in grades 6 to 8 go outside throughout the school year and should have long pants/sweatpants available each day, as well as appropriate gear for the weather.
After School enjoys the outdoors daily as well, especially on Fridays. Along with lunch on Friday, please make sure that your child is outfitted for healthy and happy play outside.
Please let the nurses’ office know if you have any questions or concerns.
FOOD PROGRAM NEWS
Helpful Guidelines & Policies Related to Nutrition at BDS
Through the first weeks of school, the kitchen and nursing teams have received a number of questions related to nutrition and food at Belmont Day.
Below are the areas most frequently inquired about:
Food Service FAQs
Breakfast fuels the mind!
Belmont Day partners with families to ensure that students have nutritious and delicious foods, snacks, and hydration that fuel their learning, health, and wellness. Starting each day with breakfast improves concentration and increases energy, and it is expected that each student will eat breakfast before coming to school. We understand that for students who arrive at school early, this may be challenging. However, we urge families to plan ahead so that there is ample time to eat before leaving home.
Food Safety
Please remember that Belmont Day is a “nut-aware” campus.
- No foods containing peanuts or tree nuts are served in our food program or on school property.
- Bringing outside food items to school is strongly discouraged. If a student does require an outside food item, the school nurse must be notified in advance so the ingredients list can be reviewed and approved.
- The food program team works diligently to provide healthy, well-balanced snacks and lunch options for all students, and careful planning takes place to accommodate the specific health needs of students and faculty.
Allergies
- Snack and lunch modifications are made for students with diagnosed food allergies or autoimmune conditions.
- We encourage parents and guardians to partner with the school in educating children to be self-advocates if they have any concerns about the food being served to them.
- If signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction are observed, school personnel will immediately contact the school nurse who will attend to the student.
Hydration
Students should bring a labeled refillable water bottle to school each day. Filtered water stations are available where students can refill their bottles during the day. It is recommended that at the end of lunch, students refill their water bottles for the afternoon.
– Tara Lightbody, food program director, and Lauren Connors, BSN, RN, school nurse
CAMPUS TRAFFIC NEWS
Drop-off and Dismissal Traffic Concerns
We would like to remind parents and caregivers of our shared responsibility to ensure safety during daily drop-off and pick-up times. These are high-traffic periods for vehicles and pedestrians, and the risk of injury to students, faculty, and families is potentially high.
Since the start of the school year, faculty members who assist at drop-off and dismissal have witnessed and tried to stop various driver behaviors that could put others at risk. Please read our observations and follow the safety reminders compiled below:
Traffic Guidelines
Distracted Driving: Frequently, drivers are texting, reading, and talking on their cell phones while driving through campus. Please do not engage in these activities while driving on campus—or anywhere!
Follow Traffic Flow Directions: Please follow all instructions from those directing traffic. Our goal is to move vehicles through the line as quickly and as safely as possible. At the busiest times, we work to avoid traffic backing up onto Concord Avenue, which can raise concerns from our neighbors and the Town of Belmont, so please pull up as directed.
Stay in Designated Pick-up Areas: Please do not circumvent the pick-up line by pulling to the side and “standing” in the Coolidge parking lot and having your child meet you there. Students crossing through the parking lots with so many moving cars creates a potentially dangerous situation. Cars standing in the Coolidge lot also impede the flow of traffic.
Observe the 10 MPH Speed Limit: After the morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal, parents have been observed speeding through campus when there are no lines. Drivers should observe a 10 m.p.h. speed limit at all times.
Hi, Then Bye!: We love to say hi and catch up, but please avoid starting conversations with faculty or fellow parents in the drop-off and pick-up areas at peak times. Even a quick chat in line can have a big ripple effect.
Front Door Dismissal:
- Cars must line up in two lines along Coolidge Lane and then alternate entry into the front circle as directed by a faculty member.
- Do not park on Coolidge Lane during drop-off and dismissal times. Parked cars severely disrupt the flow of traffic during these times.
- Do not block the crosswalk where Coolidge Lane turns into the front circle.
- Do not speed up to jump ahead of the line. Please wait until turning into the front circle to wave to your child to come to your car. If students try to reach their cars before then, faculty directing traffic often cannot see children attempting to cross the inside lane to get to their car in the outside lane.
Safety is every community member’s responsibility. We ask for your cooperation by driving slowly, following directions, and avoiding distractions during pick-up and drop-off.
– Fred Colson, chief financial officer
Learning Updates
Celebrando El Día de Muertos
El Día de Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican tradition to celebrate life and honor the loved ones who have died. The holiday is celebrated from October 31 through November 2. Spanish students at BDS celebrated and honored this tradition; we watched videos and engaged in various activities. Sixth grade students learned about the history of this holiday, engaged with related text, learning words such as altares, calacas, ofrendas. They also learned about the geography of Mexico; this was a great warm-up to starting the Mexico unit next week. Seventh grade students created altars for the person they chose and watched videos about elements related to the celebration. Eighth grade students focused on this information to build altars and bake pan de muerto. Please click here to see the creative approaches students took to celebrate el Día de Muertos.
– Ana Maria Restrepo, Spanish teacher
Seventh Grade Studies Ancient African Civilizations
In seventh grade social studies, students are exploring ancient African civilizations through research, collaboration, and discussion. After finishing a unit on the Kingdom of Mali, students were introduced to the Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe. After a brief overview of the kingdom, students were tasked to engage in a jigsaw activity. A jigsaw activity allows students to develop their collaboration and leadership skills to accomplish a goal. Students work together to be the experts on a topic and then present their findings to their peers. As a way to gain an understanding of the three regions in Great Zimbabwe (Great Enclosure, Hill Complex, and Valley), students were placed into small groups to brainstorm, research, synthesize, note-take, and create a slideshow. I am very excited to see each group’s presentation demonstrating their newly acquired knowledge.
– Michael Marroquin-Castillo, assistant director of equity, inclusion, and belonging, and grade 7 social studies teacher
First Graders Design, Create Scientific Tools
First graders in Mrs. Gibson’s class have been studying what it means to be a scientist, what scientists do, and who can be a scientist—it’s anyone, by the way! After identifying themselves as scientists, the first graders thought about a tool that they could create to help them do science. They planned the tool by creating a sketch and thinking about what materials they might need to build it. First graders came up with a wide variety of tools, from special crayons to thinking caps to magnifying glasses. Once the tools are complete, they will share them with the class, explaining how each tool helps them be a scientist.
– Cicely Gibson, first grade teacher
Athletics Update: Varsity Soccer Teams Ready for Meadowbrook
It’s finally here, the day varsity soccer players have been waiting for since they made the team in early September: Friday Night Lights! Tonight, the boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer teams will square off against Meadowbrook under the lights at Harvard’s Jordan Field. This annual tradition has become one of the most anticipated events on the athletics calendar and one of the biggest community events of the school year. Coupled with Spirit Day here on campus, the entire Belmont Day community is ready to bring the energy (and the noise) to the field tonight. As for the soccer teams themselves, they come into tonight’s games on very different trajectories. The boys’ team currently sits at 5-2-1 with signature wins over Park and Fenn on their resume. On the flip side, wins have been hard to come by for the girls’ team who brings a 1-6-1 record into the big game. As the saying goes, however, you can throw the records out the door when (friendly) rivals meet. Regardless of the outcomes of tonight’s games, one thing is for sure, Belmont Day’s athletes will give every ounce of effort they have, they will compete with sportsmanship and class, and they will represent Belmont Day with pride. I. I BELIEVE. I BELIEVE IN. I BELIEVE IN BDS! I BELIEVE IN BDS! I BELIEVE IN BDS.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
Athletics News
- The XC team takes a 5-1 team record into the State Championships tomorrow. Good luck to all of our Blue & Gold runners in their grade level races.
- The JV soccer team squared off in a spirited Blue vs Gold scrimmage this week. Sophie Jean found her groove defensively and Mylo Rosenfeld continued his strong play.
- Despite early leads, the football program had a pair of tough losses this week. DCD came back to beat varsity 35-34, while Fay came back to beat JV 25-12.
- The field hockey team dropped back-to-back games against DCD and Nashoba. Lydia Scharer played both ends of the field while Madoka Hubbard stepped in at midfield.
- OA made journey sticks this week during practice. The activity was inspired by an aboriginal tradition in which people told stories of their lives by attaching objects to their walking sticks.
Eighth Grade Examines Blood Typing Data
In eighth grade science, students have been looking at applications of genetics in humans for the past two weeks. Specifically, students looked at traits that are controlled by one gene which have two alleles (forms of a gene), such as widow’s peak or smile dimples. They also looked at traits that are controlled by one gene with multiple alleles, such as human blood type. Students have also discussed how genetic disorders can be passed on to offspring via the sex chromosomes. One of the students’ highlights of the fall trimester is the lab in which they get to test their own blood to determine their blood type. Students were excited to practice what they had learned in class on themselves. Now that we have gathered the data, students will look to determine how closely the distribution of blood types in the eighth grade class matches the distribution of blood types in the human population. In our analysis of this data, we will look at the distribution of blood types in various ethnic groups to see how our data compare and also revisit the concept of probability to determine if our data is reliable based on the sample size that we used.
– Sandra Trentowsky, grades 7 & 8 science teacher
Parents’ Association News
Thank you to everyone who joined us this morning for hot apple cider and doughnuts, it was so much fun to see so many of you. Also, the Spirit Day hats were a big hit! If you did not get to buy yours but want one, please stay tuned as we plan to order more. Hope to see you all again at Friday Night Lights!
Book Fair
The Book Fair is coming! From Friday, November 11 to Friday, November 18, you can support the PA by shopping virtually at Belmont Books and using our special code at checkout. The code will be sent out when the book fair starts. There will also be a Book Fair website, where you can find a faculty wishlist, a library wishlist, and book recommendations from librarian Amy Sprung.
The in-store shopping event at Belmont Books will be on the last day, Friday, November 18, from 1 and 6 p.m. During this time, a portion of all purchases made throughout the store will go to support the PA. Please help us spread the word in our community and beyond!
Lost and Found
The lost and found items will be donated soon, so please check for your children’s belongings. The lost and found is available both in person and online. It is located in the entranceway to Coolidge Hall or online through the Parent Portal. Contact Caroline Gray for questions or to help out.
Mabel’s Labels
Help out lost and found! Labeled clothes get returned to cubbies. Mabel’s Labels provides customized clothing stampers and labels that you can put onto clothing, water bottles, lunch bags, ski gear, gloves, hats, etc. For each order you place, the PA earns 20% of the sale total. Click here to visit Mabel’s Labels’ website, go to “Support a Fundraiser” and enter “Belmont Day School” before ordering. If you have any questions, contact Lia Meisinger.
If you have any suggestions or questions about parents’ association-related activities, please reach out to us anytime at bdspa@belmontday.org.
Beyond BDS
MacDougall Scores Big Wins At Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Congratulations to eighth grader Ken MacDougall who notched a pair of impressive wins recently during a regional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition hosted by Grappling Industries of Boston. Ken, a veteran wrestler here at BDS, placed first in both Gi and No-Gi in the 13-year-old/125-lb division! Reports from his cheering section are that he had, “some tough fights and he showed a lot of grit.” Great job, Ken! We can’t wait to see you help lead the wrestling squad this winter season!
WELLNESS EVENT
Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Workshop
Thursday, November 10, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Stonehurst, 100 Robert Treat Paine Drive, Waltham
Mindfulness fills a great need to find physical, mental, and emotional calm in these busy, often overwhelming times. It promotes non-judgmental awareness of the present moment and fosters calm, better concentration, and more openness. The Waltham Land Trust invites the community to this free workshop, led by the Rev. Matt Carriker of Agape Spiritual Community. Participants will learn how to be kinder to themselves and others, more confident, and less judgmental. The program will include a mindful walk around the beautiful Stonehurst property, weather permitting. Co-sponsored with Agape Spiritual Community, Robert Treat Paine Estate, Waltham Council on Aging, and Waltham Public Library. Click here for more information.
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