October 11, 2024
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Third graders took to the stage for “Phantom of the Music Room”.
Opening Message
Planting the Seeds of Independence
Betty Chu Pryor, Lower School Head
Post Date: October 11, 2024
Yesterday, I had the rare opportunity to leave campus during school hours when I joined our fifth grade at The Farm School–a non-profit educational farm on 400 acres of land in Athol, Mass. Formerly a sixth grade trip back when our middle school was smaller, the three-day, two-night excursion is now a landmark experience for our fifth graders and an introduction to the wonderful journeys that await them in our middle school.
For many of our fifth graders, the overnight trip to The Farm School represents their first time away from home and family. Understandably then, we had several students and their parents express some trepidation about embarking on this journey. Fortunately, the trip to The Farm School is now in its second year, and teachers Emma Nairn and Vaniecia Skinner were able to call upon our current sixth graders to share with the class their experiences of overcoming their fears.
“I was nervous to sleep there at first,” one sixth grader recalled, ”but once I settled in I had a really good time, and I felt very comfortable.” Another explained that there are so many activities and responsibilities– harvesting crops, chopping wood, repairing equipment, and milking cows–that you soon forget you’re away from home. “The food was delicious! And we got to help prepare the meals,” the student fondly remembered.
When I arrived at The Farm School, I checked in with the students who had said they might get homesick. As predicted by our sixth graders, our fifth grade farmers were settling in comfortably and were excited and confident about their Farm School adventures. “It was a little hard to be away from my family since I had never done that, but brushing the horses helped me a lot. And it is also really fun here,” a student told me.
In a very thoughtful strategy, the teachers also invited parents to write two letters to their children. One letter was distributed each evening, during a downtime when the students might feel a twinge of homesickness. One student reported that his mom’s jokes gave him a chuckle and made bedtime easier. Some fifth graders even focused on how unusual it felt to be apart from their siblings. “I guess I didn’t realize I missed my brother … but I bet that he is missing me too!”
As our Head of School Brendan Largay detailed in a recent column, off-campus trips assist our students in navigating their feelings of anxiety and ultimately help them build confidence and find joy in new experiences. Psychologist and author Dr. Lisa D’Amour, speaks and writes about the unavoidable connection between anxiety and avoidance. She asserts that while avoidance may make the anxiety go away in the moment, it is not a long-term solution and may only cause the issue to worsen over time. Dr. D’Amour suggests that we encourage our children to take small and manageable steps toward engaging their fears and help them understand that they can do hard things.
When I was about to depart the farm to return to Belmont Day, a couple of students asked half-jokingly if there was room in my car for them. However, even those students soon realized that they were nearly halfway through their Farm School adventure, and the excitement of seeing what was up next at the farm far outweighed the immediate comfort of leaving early.
By the time you read this column, our fifth graders will have already safely returned to the familiar surroundings of school and your homes. The fifth-grade teachers and I are so proud of our oldest lower school students for taking this risk and for embracing the opportunity to explore and bond with their classmates. The students will probably spend this weekend resting and recovering from the exhausting farm chores and the emotional ups and downs of being away from home. We hope that they will soon realize that their Farm School adventure was a first and significant step towards the increased freedom and independence that awaits them in middle school.
We can’t wait to hear about their Farm School adventures when they return to campus next week! Have a wonderful long weekend, everyone.
Upcoming Events
Coming Up This Week
Monthly Calendar
Friday Night Lights
Friday, October 25
Girls’ Varsity Game at 6:30 p.m.
Boys’ Varsity Game at 7:45 p.m.
Jordan Field, Harvard University
Friday Night Lights returns to Jordan Field at Harvard University. Our boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer teams will face off against our friendly rival, The Meadowbrook School. Join students, faculty, parents, alumni, parents of alumni, and friends to fill the stands and show Meadowbrook how much spirit we have!
ICYMI: Third Grade Play Recording & Photos
Third graders kicked off the year’s theater productions this week with two performances of “Phantom of the Music Room.” In the musical mystery, students entertained us as they discovered who was playing the piano in the music room after dark. If you missed the songs and laughs, or just wish to enjoy it again, a recording of the production is now available. Click here to watch the video. And click here to see a photo gallery!
Parent Conference Days and Childcare
Fall parent conferences will be held on Thursday, October 31, and Friday, November 1, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day.
The school will be closed on both days except for parent conferences. Childcare will be available during conference hours.
Faculty emailed conference sign-ups to all families this morning, Friday, October 11 at 8 a.m.
Childcare information:
- Sign-up is not required
- Join us in the Barn
- Coverage is only available during the time of conferences–please do not drop off earlier or pick up later than the end of your conference
- All children of school age are welcome (even if they are not BDS students)
- Children should bring a book or activity; some activities will be provided
- Children should not bring electronics, including iPads, phones, or other devices
- No food will be provided
– Liz Gray, middle school head, and Betty Chu Pryor, lower school head
Lunch & Snack Menu
October 14 to October 18
Monday
School Closed for Indigenous Peoples Day
Tuesday
Snack: applesauce; Smartfood
Lunch: spaghetti and meat sauce; spaghetti and marinara; gluten-free pasta and meat sauce; garlic breadsticks; seasoned broccoli; Mediterranean salad with artichokes and feta
Wednesday
Snack: bananas; pita chips
Lunch: crispy cheesy chicken; vegan nuggets; seasoned roasted chicken; herb roasted potatoes; green beans; spinach salad with pickled onion, cranberries; goat cheese, and sherry vinaigrette
Thursday
Snack: clementines; Popcorners
Lunch: BDS tomato soup; warm turkey and cheese sub; warm vegan cheese sub; gluten-free turkey and cheese sub; zucchini and summer squash belnd; Caesar salad
Friday
Snack: apple slices; chocolate chip muffin
Faculty Lunch
Please click the button below for a more detailed and updated weekly menu.
BDS News
BUSINESS OFFICE NEWS
Invoices Issued for Grades 5-8 Fall Trips
The business office has issued invoices to parents of students who participated in fall field trips. Payments for the field trips are due by Friday, November 15, 2024. For those who pay via AutoPay, the AutoPay payments will be processed on Friday, November 15, 2024. Please plan accordingly.
Invoices can be accessed and payments can be initiated through the parent portal. Please login to the parent portal and click on the blue “Invoices & Payments” button on the right side of the screen to review your account and initiate payment. Payments may also be submitted by mailing a check to: Business Office, 55 Day School Lane, Belmont, MA 02478.
Please note that if you are not enrolled in autopay for incidental invoices and would like to, go to the Manage AutoPay tab on the parent portal to do so. You will need to assign your bank account to incidental invoice types.
Please email business@belmontday.org with any questions about invoices and payment processing. Thank you!
– Hilary Berkman, chief financial officer
COMMUNITY NEWS
Share Your Expertise! Capstone Students Seek Interviewees
Would you like to be involved in the Capstone Program? Take a moment to check out our eighth graders’ research topics in the dropdown below. You’ll be amazed by the variety! Do you or someone you know have expertise or experience in one of these areas? If so, we’d love to hear from you!
Eighth grade students are hard at work on their Capstone research and writing. The research and resulting papers represent the first part of the “triathlon” that is the Capstone experience. After concluding the research they began last spring, eighth graders have begun outlining their papers. They are showing lots of determination and pride as they refine their research into thoughtful papers.
Starting after Thanksgiving break, students will embark on the second leg of the triathlon. They will design a project that grows out of the knowledge they have gained during the research and writing phase, as well as what they still want to learn. In this phase, students take charge of their own active learning. One aspect of the project phase is an interview, and this is where YOU come in! If you have contacts who could prove useful to students during the project phase, please be in touch with me, Jennifer Friborg, Capstone coordinator. The eighth graders thank you in advance for your interest and support. Hope to see you at the students’ presentations in April.
– Jennifer Friborg, French teacher and Capstone coordinator
Capstone Research Topics
- NFL Injuries in the Brain
- Early Detection of Cancer
- Architecture in the Middle East
- The Evolution of GPS Since WWII
- Future of Drones
- Artificial Intelligence and Global Health
- ACL Tear: Prevention and Recovery
- Type 1 Diabetes: How it affects everyday life
- Rising Sea Levels from 2000 to the Present Day
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Social Media Effects on Mental Health in Growing Minds
- Threats of Dead Stars
- Bacteriophages
- How Hip Hop Became Hip Hop
- History of Sketch Comedy
- The Evolution of Rocketry
- Victorian Beauty
- Art Therapy and How it is Used
- Women In Sports Media
- Female Spies in WWII
- Internal Combustion Engines
- Social Media and its Effects on Adolescents
- Deindustriaizlation in the Midwest
- US Government Policies and the Effect on the Dollar
- How Commercial Fishing Affects the Environment
- Starting an Online Business
- The Importance of the Colosseum in Ancient Rome
- Juneteenth and How It Became a Federal Holiday
- The Battle of Adwa, Ethiopia
- Petroleum
- Perfectionism
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Athletics
- Animal Navigation
- Shackleton and Survival in the Antarctic
- Growth and Trends in the Sports Card Market
- Political Polarization in our Partisan Country
- Challenging Stereotypes in Fashion Design
- AI Image Generation
- The Link Between Medieval Fashion and Modern-Day Fashion
- Social Media in the Marketing Industry
- The Italian Mafia’s Involvement in the Gardner Museum Heist
- Deep Learning Networks
- The Impact of Music in Your Movie-Watching Experience
- Economics of Airplanes in World War II
- The Ecosystem and Animal Life in the Great Barrier Reef
- Gemstone Identification
- Metal Music vs. Classical Music
- Space Junk
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Love Zines? Join Us At Zine Fest!
The innovation team is pleased to announce that Belmont Day School will be taking part in Zine Fest at the Watertown Public Library on Saturday, October 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This will be our second year participating in this exciting event. We were selected to participate again due to the overwhelming support from parents and students last year. Zine Fest is a community event that celebrates creativity and self-expression through zines—small, self-published magazines that cover a wide range of topics and artistic styles.
Stop by our table to say hello and explore some BDS artwork. We will also be giving away limited copies of zines created by our talented students. This is a fantastic opportunity for young creators to learn about the zine-making process and connect with other budding artists in the community.
We hope to see you there for a day of creativity, exploration, and fun!
– The Innovation Team (Brit Conroy, Amy Sprung, and Annie Fuerst)
Auxiliary Program’s Trunk-or-Treat!
Saturday, October 19, from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Our auxiliary programs department hosts this event and will bring our summer camp community back to campus to enjoy an afternoon of fall fun alongside our After School Program students. Everyone in the school community is invited to join us!
There will be trunk-or-treating, scavenger hunts, snacks, drinks, music, and other fun activities. There is no need to RSVP, and you do not have to decorate a trunk to attend. We hope you can join us in your favorite costume or outfit to gather with the auxiliary programs community to share in some fall joy.
SIGN UP to decorate your trunk! If you would like to decorate your trunk and reserve a parking space, please sign up here, as space is limited.
– Blair Fross, director of school-year auxiliary & specialty programs
HEALTH NEWS
Limiting Community Exposure to Food-Related Allergens
Belmont Day is an allergy-aware environment, and we want to remind all families of the importance of adhering to our school’s policies on allergens. Our community members have a wide range of food-related health needs and concerns, and to ensure the safety of those with allergies, we need everyone’s efforts to limit the possibility of exposure by keeping the most common allergens (peanuts and nuts) off our campus. While we recognize the difficulties involved in monitoring and maintaining a healthy and peanut-and nut- restricted environment, we are committed to our community’s physical and emotional safety.
We are thankful for your actions to ensure everyone’s well-being. If you have questions about our expectations or your participation, please contact me at lconnors@belmontday.org.
– Lauren Connors, school nurse
ADMISSIONS OFFICE
Invite a Friend to Our Open House!
Sunday, October 20, 2024, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Do you have a friend, relative, or neighbor who may be interested in learning about Belmont Day School and the benefits of an independent school education for their child? We will be welcoming families to campus for our open house in a little over a week. It’s a great way to introduce them to the school and what makes BDS special. Student ambassadors will provide campus tours, and our dedicated faculty will be available to share insights into their curriculum.
Registration is required. Click here for more information and registration.
Learning Updates
Arts Update: Look Up To See 3-D Painting In Progress
Seventh and eighth grade students in the Painting on the Unexpected arts elective class have started working on their second major challenge: transforming a small wooden chair into a 3-D painting. This week, students took down the chairs–the very same chairs that have been hanging from the Coolidge Art Studio ceiling for the past 5 years–to sand and then prime each one in preparation for painting. Students are now researching different painters, and will ultimately choose one as the inspiration for their work. Keep an eye out for the completed pieces after Thanksgiving; until then, pop into the studio and look up for a peek at the works in progress!
– Anne Armstrong, visual arts teacher and arts coordinator
Third Graders Write To Pen Pals In Italy
This year, third graders have the exciting opportunity to exchange pen pal letters with third grade students in Northern Italy. Third graders reviewed how to properly set up a letter and brainstormed topics that they would like to share with their pen pals. They decided on what important questions they wanted to ask their pen pals and considered polite and engaging ways to start and end their letters. The letters will be sent out this week, and the BDS third graders are already eagerly anticipating getting responses!
– Larissa Rochford ’93, third grade teacher
Athletics Update: Varsity Football Outlasts Carroll
The varsity football team improved to 2-1 on the season following a gritty win on the road against Carroll this week. The Blue & Gold came out fast, opening up a 20-6 lead early, but Carroll stormed back in the second half and closed the lead to 20-18 with 4:00 to play. With the game on the line, Belmont Day turned to their team captains to steady the ship and produce a score. Calum Dunbar (QB) and Jun Murakami (RB) marched the team down the field with big play after big play. Dunbar capped off the scoring drive on a fourth and goal pass to Lee Piechota and then sealed the game with another strike to the sure handed wide receiver to seal the game. Carroll added a final score as time expired but failed to convert the conversion. The Blue & Gold will look to keep it rolling next week against Shady Hill.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
Athletics News
- Ethan Zipken and Vicente Aguerrevere played solid defense during boys’ varsity soccer’s 2-1 loss to Pike. Sam Rodriguez netted the team’s only goal on a penalty kick.
- Girls’ varsity soccer stayed unbeaten with a 4-3 win over Pike. Team captains Julia Casey, Lila Green, and Claire Huang dominated both sides of the field for the home team.
- The varsity volleyball team improved to 4-0 on the season with a straight-set win over Carroll. Genevieve von Rekowsky played great all day including a huge dig on the match-winning point.
- Marina Hubbard and Rosie Smith were active up top during girls’ JV soccer’s loss to Shady Hill. Fatoumata Bah played courageously in net while facing a ton of shots.
- Henry Mallet and Harvey Borisy had strong defensive showings during boys’ JV soccer’s loss to Shady Hill. Ewan Wheeler and Silas O’Brien were strong in net for Belmont Day.
- Frankie Dowers shined at center mid for the field hockey team this week, while newcomers Nuria Kumar-Warikoo and Anna Bantham-Livermore made positive impacts in both games.
- The XC team toppled Carroll with strong performances by Jacob Jarbeau, Ben Bradshaw, and Mika Elsner. Emma Katz had a great closeout. Nem Zivanovich finished 7th overall.
Pre-Kindergarten Continues the Harvest
Our pre-kindergarten students have been very busy in the garden this fall! A few weeks ago, we harvested the potatoes that were planted by last year’s pre-k class. We washed, dried, and delivered the potatoes back to the kitchen, where Chef Lightbody roasted them and served them for lunch in Coolidge Hall. Then, this week, we went back to the garden with some scissors and harvested a variety of baby lettuces and tomatoes. We washed and dried them and turned them into a delicious salad with the help of Ms. Solomon. We love our BDS Garden and all of the valuable lessons it teaches us!
– Kim Edwards and Nicole Siverls, pre-kindergarten teachers
Parents’ Association News
Fall Flower Fundraiser
LAST DAYS! The sale ends at midnight on Tuesday, October 15!
Planting bulbs is easy, fun for kids, and will help the BDS community. Bulbs purchased during the fundraiser will be shipped directly to your home in time to plan this fall and enjoy beautiful flowers come spring. 50% of your purchase price will go to the PA’s Faculty and Staff Appreciation Fund. Click here to place your orders.
Spirit Day
Ready for more community fun? Please plan to join us Friday, October 25, from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. for coffee, apple cider doughnuts, and hot apple cider leading into the Spirit Day festivities, including the annual Spirit Day Parade.
Friday Night Lights
The Friday Night Light event showcases our middle school athletes and celebrates the Belmont Day School community. We encourage all students, faculty, alumni, and families to attend. We will have pizza and drinks available during the event. So make sure to wear your blue and gold as we fill the stadium in support of our athletes!
Parent volunteers are needed to help with food and clean-up. Please sign up here if you are interested in volunteering.
Fall Socials
A cherished tradition in our community, the fall socials are wonderful opportunities to connect with parents and guardians in your children’s grades. All fall socials will be held on campus and are for adults only. Stay tuned for more details from your grade parents. Meanwhile, the schedule is as follows:
- Tuesday, October 22, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. – Grade 8
- Thursday, October 24, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. – Grades 1, 3, and 4
- Wednesday, October 30, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. – Grades 2 and 7
BDS Connections Walk
Our first BDS Connections Walk will take place on Monday, November 4, starting at 8:30 a.m. Join fellow parents and school administrators for a fun, casual walk through the woods surrounding campus after morning drop-off. We’ll meet at the exterior entrance to Coolidge Hall to start the walk. This is a great opportunity to get to know parents in other grades and school administrators.
Contact the PA
Please feel free to reach out directly to any of the PA ambassador team or to email us at bdspa@belmontday.org:
President – Shanying Zhang
Vice President – Megan Akkina
Treasurer – Andy Stevenson
Clerk – Jeff Wang
Beyond BDS
MIDDLE SCHOOL BOOK CLUB
Village Table Hosts Dinner & Book Discussion
Middle School students and parents are invited to join Village Table Wellesley at a special “Pop-Up Book Club” focused on the middle-grade memoir Free Lunch by Rex Ogle. The book club-style event will be held on Wednesday, November 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Village Church, 2 Central Street in Wellesley, and will include a dinner and an engaging discussion of the book. There will also be an opportunity to donate your copies of Free Lunch (hardcover preferred) to a classroom in the local area. For more information and to RSVP, scan the accompanying QR code.
Village Table Wellesley is a vibrant, multi-generational team of volunteers who welcome the greater community into the church kitchen every two weeks to make and distribute over 600 meals each month for those who are food insecure. Belmont Day School Chef Tara Lightbody has been a member of the volunteer team there since 2020.
CHILDREN’S THEATER
See Belmont Day Students in Matilda: The Musical!
Come see the magical world of Matilda brought to life by an amazing cast of young performers with the Menotomy Musical Theater. Performances will be held on Friday through Sunday, November 1-3 at the Belmont Town Hall Auditorium. Belmont Day School first grader Carina Lieberman, third graders Edith Nelson, Delia Norton, Juliana Lieberman, and Maeve Leeson, and fifth graders Anahita Stuti-Bala and Jack Hargrove are members of the cast for this heartwarming and inspiring production.
Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved novel, Matilda: The Musical, tells the story of a brilliant young girl with extraordinary powers, who, with her courage and cleverness, stands up to the oppressive Miss Trunchbull and transforms her world–with the help of her kind and caring teacher, Miss Honey.
The show will feature two different casts performing on separate days, giving each cast a unique chance to shine. Whether you know the story from the book or movie, don’t miss this chance to see it live! Fun, music, and laughter await for audiences of all ages. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.menotomymusicaltheater.com
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