September 9, 2022
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First swings of the new school year!
Opening Message
Welcome Back!
Brendan Largay, Head of School
Post Date: September 9, 2022
In May of 2020, I watched as eighth grader Camille DeStefano ‘20 taught her virtual audience all about the benefits of exercise, the perils of sugar, and the dopamine that comes with both. I was—as I am throughout our eighth graders’ Capstone presentations—riveted. I learned a great deal from Camille that afternoon, and ever since, I have paid particular attention to the healthy and not-so-healthy behaviors that send positive and energizing signals to our brains.
This week, I am considering what Camille would think about the notion of sending just such a positive signal not just to my brain but to the community as a whole. Because on Wednesday morning, I witnessed a glorious wave of joy and optimism as family after family, teacher after teacher, and student after student arrived at Belmont Day. Perhaps the source of this signal was our community’s collective resolve to move beyond the days of the pandemic and back to something close to normal, as one parent put it. Or perhaps it was the age-old wonder and excitement that comes with the first day of school and reacquainting ourselves with the rhythm of a school year.
Whatever the source, that energy reverberated through today’s first Friday carlines. Smiling students jumped into their vehicles with stories of reconnection, newly discovered friendships, and breaking bread together, family-style, in Coolidge Hall for lunch. Faculty, inspired by a week of opening planning meetings, offered an early glance at the promised excellence in their classrooms.
There is no doubt—the magic of Belmont Day is back. Time, perhaps, to get Camille back here for a coda to her Capstone: Can the same dopamine generated by a 10K run be achieved simply by reopening school after a restful, joyful summer with an inspired community of learners and leaders? In chorus with the rest of the Belmont Day School community, I would offer a resounding “yes” as she begins her research.
Welcome back, everyone! Have a great year.
Upcoming Events
Monthly Calendar
Ensembles Registration Still Open
It’s not too late to enroll in one of the ensembles program offerings for the new school year. There are many great options for students to follow their musical interests and build new performance skills. Options include lower and middle school choruses, orchestra, guitar ensemble, wind ensemble, cello ensemble, modern band, and world drumming. Visit the Music and Ensembles page on the Parent Portal for descriptions, schedules, and the registration form.
Curriculum Nights
Please join us for our annual back-to-school Lower and Middle School Curriculum Nights.
Both events will start in the Palandjian Arts Center before moving to classrooms.
Middle School Curriculum Night
Thursday, September 15, 6–8 p.m. (Refreshments in Coolidge Hall at 5:30 p.m.)
Lower School Curriculum Night
Wednesday, September 21, 6–8 p.m. (Refreshments in Coolidge Hall at 5:30 p.m.)
Lunch & Snack Menu
September 12 to September 16
Monday
Snack: apples; Cheez-Its
Lunch: spaghetti and meat sauce; crusty rolls
Tuesday
Snack: bananas and granola bars
Lunch: fish and chips (citrus roasted redfish and potato chips)
Wednesday
Snack: pears; animal crackers
Lunch: grilled chicken; Caesar salad; garlic bread
Thursday
Snack: clementines; Lay’s potato chips
Lunch: cheese pizza; pepperoni pizza; broccoli salad; chocolate milk
Friday
Snack: apple slices; Goldfish
Faculty Lunch
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
COMMUNITY NEWS
Student Picture Days
Pictures Days for all students will take place on Monday and Tuesday, September 19 and 20. Click the dropdown below to view the daily schedule.
Photos will be taken outdoors by photographer Porter Gifford, who has provided student and class images for Belmont Day for many years.
If you have any questions, please contact Jen James, assistant to the head of school and registrar, at jjames@belmontday.org.
Picture Days Schedule
Monday, September 19
All students in grades 2, 4, 6, 7, and 8
Tuesday, September 20
All students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1, 3, and 5
LIBRARY NEWS
Upcoming Author Visit: Karina Yan Glaser
We are delighted to announce that Karina Yan Glaser, author of the Vanderbeekers series, will be visiting Belmont Day on Tuesday, September 27 to talk with students in grades 3 to 5.
The sixth book in the Vanderbeekers series, The Vanderbeekers on the Road is coming out on Tuesday, September 20, and is available for preorder through our partner for the event, Belmont Books. Click here to preorder. Preorders are due by Tuesday, September 13. The author will be signing preordered books at Belmont Day School. Please write in the order notes if you’d like it signed and personalized and note that it’s for the author visit at Belmont Day School, so that we can pick it up from the store and bring it to your child’s cubby after she signs their book. You are also welcome to purchase one of the other titles from this series for signing. There will be an event that same evening at Belmont Books that all are welcome to attend.
We will also have many copies of her books available for students to borrow from the library and read in classrooms. Please reach out to Amy Sprung at asprung@belmontday.org with questions.
THEATER NEWS
You Saw It Here First! “It’s A Madhouse!” Now Available for Stages Around the World
Last school year, the theater arts department commissioned author Todd Wallinger to write a play for the seventh and eighth grade production. After brainstorming ideas and themes with students, theater teachers Mr. Parsons and Ms. Dempsey worked with Mr. Wallinger to create “It’s A Madhouse!” This original play premiered to loads of laughs and rave reviews on the Palandjian Arts Center stage in March.
We are very excited to announce that “It’s A Madhouse!” will now be available for productions around the world! Pioneer Drama (a premier play and musical script clearinghouse) picked up the play for publication on its international website (www.pioneerdrama.com). With its publication, the entire original Belmont Day cast and crew have been forever immortalized within the script as the world premiere presentation. Mr. Wallinger reports that there has already been a lot of interest in the script due to its large ensemble cast format and its attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Bravo BDS!
– Christopher Parsons, theater arts teacher
FACULTY NEWS
Welcome Associate Teachers
Join us in welcoming our 2022-2023 Associate Teacher Program (ATP) cohort! Our four new associates have been on campus since last week, participating in orientation, faculty meetings, and classroom set-up and planning with their mentor teachers. This fall, associates will be working and learning in our early childhood and elementary school classrooms while earning a master’s in education degree and teaching license through our school’s partnership with Lesley University. We’re thrilled they’re here, and they look forward to their work with our students.
The associate teachers and their placements for the fall are (from left to right in the photo):
- Cate Ruland (Vaniecia Skinner’s grade 5 classroom)
- Denise Williams (Missy Hartvigsen’s kindergarten classroom)
- Amanda Craine (Emma Nairn’s grade 5 classroom)
- Sophie Williamson (Katie O’Brien’s grade 2 classroom)
GARDEN NEWS
Summer Harvest Donated to Foodlink
This summer, the BDS garden was a thriving growing and learning space. We had a robust season despite the drought and were able to harvest and donate almost 200 pounds of fresh produce to FoodLink in Arlington, an organization that supplies food to people who are food insecure. The harvests included beans, basil, herbs, salad greens, kale, chard, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, summer squash, and more. Perhaps the most robust harvest was from our purple, yellow, and green bush beans with a total of 40 pounds, and we are still harvesting from these same plants!
The Belmont Day summer campers also enjoyed working in the garden harvesting, weeding, and planting as well as learning about how food grows and sampling the various fresh foods. We also had three volunteer mornings this summer and appreciated the help of staff and other hard-working participants, including a crew from FoodLink. Belmont Day faculty and students will now enjoy the fall harvests that will be featured in school lunches.
– Kathy Jo Solomon, visual arts teacher and sustainability coordinator
SUMMER UPDATES
Catch Up On Faculty Professional Development, Milestones
Whether stepping up to new career challenges or hiking to new heights across the White Mountains, our faculty had a busy summer. Check out the News section of the BDS website to read about the personal and professional milestones our team members pursued before returning for the new school year.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Follow BDS On Social Media!
A great way to catch a glimpse of the day-to-day learning experiences, joys, and challenges in the classrooms and across the BDS campus is by following the Belmont Day social media accounts. Updated with posts daily throughout the school year, our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts share the moments, both big and small, that make Belmont Day special. Follow and we’ll see you on social!
Learning Updates
Sixth Graders Dive Into the Meaning of English Class
Sixth grade English students began their school year with a conversation about what “English” class actually means: why it deserves its own subject; why it is no longer called “humanities” or “reading” alone; and what “doing English” looks like in the classroom. Students drew an analogy between English class and other languages they are learning, in effect framing English as a class about the many mediums that exist within a language—speaking, writing, reading, acting, and more—for communicating with others. Their discussion continued the next day as they used their summer read, One Crazy Summer, to consider the difference between the explicit and the implicit—the “black and white,” or the text itself, and what they might wish to infer or argue based on what lies “beneath the text.” Our week concluded with an exciting visit with Ms. Sprung in the Erskine Library, where both new and returning students learned about D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read), how to use the library catalog, and accessing the many resources available to them at BDS as they continue to develop and hone their reading skills.
– Galen Muskat, grade 6 English teacher
Athletics Update: Back in Business!
After a successful 2021-22 campaign, the middle school athletics program is back in business and hungry to continue the success of last year. One hundred forty middle school athletes took to the fields and trails this week for the first day of practice/tryouts for the fall season. Expectations are high across the board, and teams are primed for successful seasons thanks to strong eighth grade leaders, experienced coaches, and eager athletes.
– John O’Neill, director of athletics
Athletics News
- Caleb Frehywot and Eike Kiecza came out of the gates fast on the first day of soccer tryouts. The duo will be instrumental to the success of the boys’ varsity team this fall.
- Belmont Day welcomes Jade Morris to the physical education and athletics department. An experienced athlete and coach, Ms. Morris will be taking the lead with the girls’ varsity soccer team this fall.
- Dale McGhee returns to the coaching staff as the head coach of the varsity football team. The squad is returning five starters from a year ago and is ready to make noise this fall.
- The field hockey team has rostered a program-high 22 players this fall. Ilana Brauner, Aria Goodpaster, Aleta Sandoski, and Avery Schneider all looked strong on day one.
- Madeleine Wu returns to Belmont Day as one of five eighth graders on the talented cross country squad. Joining her are veterans Brendan Bandar and Gabriel Burd.
- The outdoor adventures team was off to a great start this week with their first hike of the year. Eighth graders Ben Dowers and Owen Huang return for their second season on the team.
Parents’ Association News
Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our welcome-back coffee on Wednesday. It was a fun way to kick off what promises to be a great year. There will be many more ways to join in community events, so keep checking this section of the Scoop to stay informed.
PA Meeting
The first parents’ association meeting is scheduled for Friday, September 16 at 8:30 a.m. in Coolidge Hall and via Zoom (link will be available on the Parents’ Association page of the Parent Portal). Please mark your calendar to join us. All BDS parents and caregivers are part of the parents’ association.
Grade Parents
Below are the grade parent volunteers for each class for the 2022-23 school year. Grade parents are a great resource for your questions and for events and are helpful liaisons. You may also contact any of the PA executive team for help or questions anytime.
Pre-kindergarten:
- Tim and Kelly Riedel kelly.riedel@gmail.com, timriedel@gmail.com
- Anita Lieberman anita.lieberman15@gmail.com
Kindergarten:
- Carolyn Atinizian catinizian@gmail.com
- Kelly Baker kelly.lawver@gmail.com
- Eden Embaye edenembaye19@gmail.com
Grade 1:
- Raku Martin martinraku@gmail.com
- Lauren Santucci lauren.santucci@gmail.com
Grade 2:
- Lara Dicrescenzo Lara.salahi@gmail.com
- Cynthia Chang cynth.chang@gmail.com
Grade 3:
- Doni McKeever doni.mckeever@gmail.com
- Celeste Peterson cnpeterso@gmail.com
Grade 4:
- Jamie Meredith jamie@meredithinc.com
- Alison Shnidman alison.shnidman@gmail.com
Grade 5:
- Claire and Paul Kamenski pjkamenski@gmail.com, cmkamenski@gmail.com
- Onur and Basak Kas onur.kas@ucb.com, ilginkas@gmail.com
Grade 6:
- Courtney Queen cqueen.rosenfeld@gmail.com
- Erica Casey Erica.casey@digitas.com
- Sarah Ward serw@mac.com
Grade 7:
- Meghan Wright meghanewright@yahoo.com
- Stephanie Cradick Stephanie.cradick@gmail.com
Grade 8:
- Mandie Fox mandiefox@gmail.com
- Maribel Sandoski mbsandoski@gmail.com
- Jen Cutie jennifercutie7@gmail.com
- Danielle Gottesman dbirdie@gmail.com
Fall Parent Socials
Another great way to take part in the Belmont Day community is to attend your grade’s fall parent social. Details to follow from your grade parents, but mark your calendars now. All parent socials will be held on campus from 6 to 8 p.m.
Wednesday, September 28
Pre-kindergarten & Grade 3
Thursday, September 29
Grades 4 & 5
Tuesday, October 11
Kindergarten & Grade 7
Wednesday, October 12
Grades 2 & 8
Thursday, October 13
Grades 1 & 6
Friendraiser Walks
The parents’ association friendraiser committee is hosting a walk every Thursday morning after drop-off, starting at 8:15 a.m. The first walk will be held on Thursday, September 22. Come discover the trails around BDS, reconnect with friends, and meet new friends. Gather by the benches at the front of the Schoolhouse and then journey through the woodland trails. The duration is about 40 minutes. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash at all times.
Parent Book Club
The first parent book club meeting of the new school year will be held on September 19 at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom (link will be available on the Parents’ Association page of the Parent Portal) to discuss Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior. If you haven’t read the book, don’t let it stop you from joining us. Our October book will be Jennifer Egan’s The Candy House. The book club loves to see new faces. If you have any questions or would like to attend, please contact Karla Bays.
Flower Bulb Fundraiser
Like to garden? Don’t know a thing about gardening, but like flowers? Planting bulbs is fun and easy to do with the kids. Click here to buy your bulbs and get started. You get great bulbs to plant now for surprise flowers in the spring—isn’t it almost like magic when they first come up?—or buy bulbs to bloom inside during the winter. The PA gets 50% of what you spend to help teachers and grade parents, fund enrichment assemblies, and more. Order online, and the bulbs will be sent to your door. And please share the link with family and friends. The last day to order is October 15. If you have any questions, contact Lia Meisinger or Mamie Cantor.
Mabel’s Labels
Back-to-school means missing items. Check out Mabel’s Labels to help keep track of all your child’s belongings at school. It’s an easy solution, one that benefits the PA and helps keep the school’s Lost & Found smaller. 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.
Beyond BDS
DANCE CLASS
Creative Movement for Pre-kindergartners
The Deborah Abel School of Modern Dance in Lexington is offering a new class this fall for pre-kindergarten students, ages 4-plus, taught by Noli Rosen and held on Wednesday afternoons for 11 weeks at the Follen Church in Lexington. Classes begin on Wednesday, September 21. Click here for more information and registration.
Return to the Parent Portal
