September 6, 2024
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Welcome to the new school year, everyone! Have a great year!
Opening Message
Welcome Back, Belmont Day!
Brendan Largay, Head of School
Post Date: September 6, 2024
A row of trees lines the fence that separates the Osborne Tennis Courts from Big Blue. Over my years at Belmont Day—this year will be my ninth—I have come to anticipate that one of those trees, the last of the line as you move towards Claflin Field, usually offers an early signal that fall and a new school year are around the corner.
Autumn is my favorite season, thanks to a lifetime of living in New England. The shock of orange leaves among the green lets me know that Mother Nature herself has noticed that, after a week of faculty meetings and preparation, we are ready for the end of summer and the start of a new school year.
This week, our halls have filled again with the sounds of joyful connection. There were cautious steps into new spaces, new responsibilities in and beyond the classroom, and the renewed pursuit of excellence for students and faculty alike. And we are ready.
This summer, the administrative team has reflected on the feedback we solicited from parents in the spring. Our work has been comprehensive. We designed a new smart device policy for students. We aligned our behavior management guidelines with our six core values. We designed curriculum review schedules and practices for the coming year to sharpen our focus on teaching and learning.
Through it all, our goal will be to keep it simple as we meet the promise of inspiring and challenging every student.
For my part, summer was great the way it is always—time for relaxing, reflecting, and considering the things that can often get swept up in the pace of the school year. But nothing beats that first shock of orange along the path to Claflin Field, and nothing beats the start of a new year at Belmont Day. Welcome back, everyone.
Upcoming Events
Coming Up This Week
Monthly Calendar
School Picture Days
Pictures days for all students will take place on Monday and Tuesday, September 16 and 17.
- Monday, September 16
Students in pre-kindergarten and grades 2, 4, 5, and 8 - Tuesday, September 17
Students in kindergarten and grades 1, 3, 6, and 7
Photos will be taken outdoors by photographer Porter Gifford, who has worked with Belmont Day for many years.
If you have any questions, please contact Jen James at jjames@belmontday.org.
Curriculum Nights
Please join us for our annual back-to-school curriculum nights.
Middle School Curriculum Night
Thursday, September 19, 6 to 8 p.m.
Lower School Curriculum Night
Thursday, September 26, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Both events will start in the Palandjian Arts Center before moving to classrooms.
Display Name Placards at Dismissal
Please remember to display your student name placard in a visible spot on your vehicle’s dashboard at dismissal and leave it displayed until you have exited campus. This helps us ensure that the pick-up process is safe and efficient. Thank you!
Lunch & Snack Menu
September 9 to Septemeber 13
Monday
Snack: applesauce; granola bars
Lunch: spaghetti with meat sauce; spaghetti with marinara; gluten-free pasta with meat sauce; crusty rolls; steamed broccoli; greens with grape tomatoes and balsamic
Tuesday
Snack: bananas; animal crackers
Lunch: turkey tacos with corn tortillas; vegan black bean, squash, and quinoa tacos; honey carrot coins; taco salad with chipotle ranch dressing, tomato, avocado, and cilantro
Wednesday
Snack: clementines; Goldfish
Lunch: beef hot dogs vegan hot dogs; beef hot dogs with gluten-free buns; potato chips; roasted corn; arugula salad with pickled onions and sherry vinaigrette
Thursday
Snack: apple slices; Fritos
Lunch: cheese pizza and pepperoni pizza; vegan cheese pizza; gluten-free cheese pizza; Mediterranean roasted vegetables (zucchini, summer squash, peppers, eggplant, and red onion); Caesar salad
Friday
Snack: apples; banana chocolate chip oatmeal rounds
Faculty Lunch
Please click the button below for a more detailed and updated weekly menu.
Dining In Coolidge Hall
Along with the main menu, students have access to a hot bar with the “hot veg of the day,” as well as a salad bar with fresh vegetables, fruit, deli meats and cheese, roasted tofu, hummus, organic yogurt, greens and a salad of the day. They also have access to cereal, bread, bagels, cream cheese, Wowbutter, and jellies. 1% milk and soy milk are available.
Each table is set with the entrée of the day. There are plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options for those who follow a specialized diet. We also ask that any children with allergies introduce themselves to the kitchen team so that we can make sure that everyone enjoys a safe meal.
BDS News
OPERATIONS NEWS
Greeting the New Year With Safety & Security
It was a joy to see our students’ smiles as they walked through our doors on Wednesday for the first day of the new school year. I am happy to report that as we returned to school year activities, we focused on our internal safety procedures. During our opening meetings, our faculty met with the Belmont Police Department school resource officer to review safety procedures and protocols. Faculty also surveyed their spaces with an eye on emergency planning and lockdown preparedness. We tested safety features such as door locks and window shades and repaired or replaced any as needed.
On Thursday, we conducted a fire drill with the Belmont Fire Department. By all reports, students followed directions extremely well, exiting classrooms and other spaces in a very quiet and orderly fashion.
I thank the incident management planning team for its continued work reviewing and updating our safety plans and guidelines. Finally, I look forward to being a guest at the parents’ association meeting in early October to speak about campus safety. I hope to see you there.
If you have any questions, please reach out to me at asantos@belmontday.org. Have a great school year!
– Anderson Santos, P ’26, ’33, director of operations
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Ensuring Responsible Use and Digital Wellness
As we start a new school year, it is a great time to review and reset technology use at home. Throughout the first few weeks of school, students will be receiving their school-issued devices and reviewing the responsible use policy (RUP) with their teachers and the technology team.
We encourage parents to review the RUP with their child and discuss how the expectations for technology at school may be the same or different from expectations at home. The RUP is available on the Parent Portal under the “Technology” tab.
Further, we offer the following resources for families as they establish healthy habits in their use of technology:
– Annie Fuerst, director of innovation
GARDEN NEWS
Summer Harvest Helps Community
The school garden has had a great season and continues to produce a variety of vegetables. This summer, we harvested over 175 pounds of fresh, chemical-free vegetables and herbs that included cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, garlic scapes, beans, tomatoes, basil, parsley, sage, thyme, and chives. Our summer produce was donated to Food Link in Arlington, an organization supporting under-resourced communities and advocating systems change. Now that school has started, we will enjoy the continuing harvests in school lunches. Students from many grades use the garden as a learning space and help to maintain the garden. This week, second graders harvested 30 pounds of tomatoes, beans, and zucchini and will continue to visit the garden weekly this fall.
– Kathy Jo Solomon, visual arts teacher and sustainability coordinator
COMMUNITY NEWS
BDS Pulls in for Park(ing) Day
On Friday, September 20, Belmont Day will participate for the second year in Park(ing) Day! Launched in 2005, communities worldwide transform parking spaces into temporary parks, promoting community engagement, environmental stewardship, and creativity.
Our sixth grade innovation arts students will lead the design of the park itself and collaborate to develop programming created last year. All grades will be invited to stop by the “park” and participate in fun activities to educate our community about the importance of public space and biodiversity. Last year, some Park(ing) Day highlights included examining and planting native seeds, reading about pollinators in our curated library, sharing bee puns, and learning about Rudbeckia.
While this event is only for students and faculty, we want to get the word out about Park(ing) Day and hope that families can promote the spirit of the day at home!
How can you support Park(ing) Day at BDS?
- Talk it up! Ask your students about Park(ing) Day and the creative ways they would take over their own parking space.
- Wear Black and Yellow! On Park(ing) Day, we’ll be buzzing about bees and learning all about their importance in the environment.
Although one parking spot will be unavailable at BDS on September 20, in its place, our students will be creating something wonderful.
– Brittany Conroy, innovation coach, and Kathy Jo Solomon, visual arts teacher and sustainability coordinator
ADMISSIONS NEWS
Open House Lawn Signs Available Next Week
Our vibrant new Admissions Open House 2024 lawn signs are here!
All next week, keep an eye out for admissions team members Judy Bright and Elena Jay distributing them at pick-up and drop-off times. They will be at the corner near the Palandjian Arts Center and will happily slide them right into your vehicle.
Posting a sign at your home is an easy and effective way for us to get the word out about the upcoming open house events. We appreciate your help introducing prospective families to Belmont Day School.
If you’re interested in reserving signs ahead of time or need to pick one up at a different time, please email Judy Bright.
Join the BDS Digital Outreach Team
We’re looking for a handful of parents to join our small but mighty band of digital outreach ambassadors. Powered by a shared mission, we’ll spread the word about our upcoming admission events. Share what you love about BDS and invite future BDS parents to learn about our inspiring community of learners and leaders.
As a parent of school-age children, you know best where and how to connect with your peers via local listservs, parent groups, NextDoor neighborhoods, community newsletters, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
If you want to learn more, please email Judy Bright. Thank you!
Learning Updates
Athletics Update: Eighth Graders Ready to Lead
The eighth graders who arrived on campus this week are markedly different from their former seventh grade selves who walked out the doors in June. Sure, they may be an inch or two taller, but the confidence with which they carry themselves is more pronounced. These student-athletes understand their charge and recognize they are now the school’s student leaders. One of the first ways this group will demonstrate their leadership at Belmont Day is through athletics. This fall, BDS will field ten interscholastic teams, and each one will rely on the experience, knowledge, and leadership of eighth grade athletes who will strive for excellence every time they take to the fields, courts, and trails.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
Athletics News
- The varsity volleyball team will return a trio of eighth graders this fall. Melisa Adhikari, Penelope Bern, and Isla Smith are all back for their second season on the court.
- Eighth graders Calum Dunbar, Henry Kiraly, Jun Murakami, and Kiernan Patel are the only returning players from last year’s undefeated varsity football team.
- The girls’ varsity soccer team returns a program-record eleven players this year, including three seventh graders, Violet Hancock, Colby Schneider, and Harper Treisman.
- Zeke Fine, Alexander Kiraly, Leeul Miteku, and Ethan Zipkin aspire to join the boys’ varsity soccer team for their final season on the BDS pitch.
- Laurice Bandar and Cordie Goldstyn highlight a talented group of eighth grade athletes returning for their final field hockey season with Head Coach Abbey Nyland.
- The cross country team will roster twenty-one athletes this fall, including newcomers Reema Wulfsberg and Jordan Levine, who switched sports this year.
Parents’ Association News
Welcome Back!
It was wonderful to connect with so many of you at the Opening Day Coffee on Wednesday. We hope the school year is off to a happy start for all.
As parents and guardians of BDS students, you are all members of the parents’ association (PA). The PA is a vibrant, parent-led volunteer group that helps foster community within our school and support our outstanding faculty. We are excited to work together with you to nurture our community!
Guiding the PA this year is a team of four parents’ association ambassadors. We are here to support you, offer a platform for your ideas, address any questions, and enrich the overall parent experience at BDS. 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
First PA Meeting
Our first PA meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, October 4, in Coolidge Hall. Our featured guests will include Brendan Largay, Head of School, and Anderson Santos, Director of Operations. We hope you will join us to learn about upcoming PA events and initiatives. All parents are invited, and coffee and light refreshments will be served.
Casual Coffee
We invite the parent community for some casual mingling over coffee in the Barn lobby before all Sharing Assemblies! The first date will be Friday, September 20, from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Seeking Volunteers for Coolidge Hall Flowers
Help us beautify Coolidge Hall and enhance our children’s lunch experience! We are seeking volunteers to donate twelve small potted plants to be placed as centerpieces on the lunchroom dining tables. The plants should be no taller than 11” with a maximum pot diameter of 4.5”. If you wish to participate, please sign up here. Thank you!
Beyond BDS
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Mr. Parsons Pens a Pair of Dog Tales
Congratulations to Belmont Day theater teacher Chris Parsons, who has not one but two new children’s books hitting the shelves. His first children’s book, “Rufus Finds His Way Home,” is now available on Amazon, and the sequel, “Rufus Finds His Calm,” will be released on September 15.
“Rufus Finds His Way Home” is set in a bustling international school in Thailand and follows Mr. Parsons as he cares for a family of lost dogs, forming a special bond with a frail puppy named Rufus. Based on Mr. Parsons’ real-life experience, this heartwarming story teaches kindness, compassion, and the power of love.
The sequel, “Rufus Finds His Calm,” continues Rufus’s journey as he moves from Thailand to the U.S., exploring themes of anxiety and adaptation. It’s a great resource for helping children manage change.
Click here to order “Rufus Finds His Way Home” and check back after September 15 for “Rufus Finds His Calm.”
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