Curriculum
All Belmont elementary schools have the same basic comprehensive elementary school curriculum. All students receive instruction in the
Grade Level System-Wide Curriculum Overviews are distributed via the school newsletter prior to Curriculum Night. Each child brings home the overview for her or his grade. During Curriculum Night in the fall, the classroom teachers and specialists describe their programs.
MCAS TESTING AND ASSESSMENTS
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System is administered to students in grades 3 and 4 in the spring, per state requirements. Classroom teachers are encouraged to use performance observations, writing folders and projects as part of the assessment of student learning.
Special subjects (music, physical education, art, library, instrumental)
Students attend some special subjects as a whole class. Their classroom teacher need not be present during these "specialist" periods. Currently, students in kindergarten have physical education, music, and a library story and book borrowing time once a week. First through fourth graders also have art once a week and they have two periods of physical education ("gym"). Students in grades 2-4 have general music classes twice weekly and they visit the library weekly with their classroom teacher (with volunteers present) for exchanging books, and to learn relevant library skills.
Instrumental Music
Children have the opportunity to participate in the instrumental music program in grades 3 and 4. Lessons are held during the morning one day per week and again on Saturday morning. Saturday morning lessons are optional and are fee based. For more information visit Saturday Morning Music School web page.
grade 3: strings
grades 4: strings, woodwind, etc.
The music department informs all families of these offerings in September.
 Instrument Choice Form GRADE 3
Instrument Choice Form GRADE 4
Read more about the Music program and Fees here
Field Trips
Field trips are designed to enrich the curriculum and provide learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Teachers, individually or by a grade level, make arrangements for field trips. Permission slips for each trip are sent home with children prior to the scheduled event and should be signed and returned to the classroom teacher. Room parents sometimes are asked to assist teachers in arranging parent chaperones. Children may not ride in private cars for field trips. Transportation is by foot, public transportation, or rented busses. The cost of transportation and any admission fee is assumed by parents/guardians. In situations of financial need, the cost for a given child is assumed by the PTA so that no child misses a field trip for this reason.
HOMEWORK SYSTEM-WIDE GUIDELINES
Homework is any assigned activity done outside of school which relates to any phase of learning. It can be an enrichment, a refinement, or a reinforcement of learning activities.
Purpose of Homework
- To supplement and reinforce skills and work done in class.
- To enrich the child's school experience.
- To provide opportunities to use skills/knowledge learned in school in creative ways outside of school.
- To promote individual responsibility.
- To teach ability to budget time and organize one's materials.
- To promote independent study and research skills.
- To help children make up work lost through absence after appropriate instruction has been given in school.
Role of Teachers
- to design homework to accomplish a specific purpose closely related to the curriculum for the grade level.
- to assign the homework carefully making sure the assignment is clear.
- to assist the pupils in learning how to study.
- to examine completed homework assignment so that the instructional program can be adapted to meet observed needs.
- to communicate with pupil and parent when problems concerning homework arise.
- to vary types of assignments to address different needs.
| Assignments |
Time and Frequency |
| Grade 1 |
Discretion of the teacher, Monday - Thursday |
| Grade 2 |
Discretion of the teacher, Monday - Thursday |
| Grade 3 |
30 minutes - Monday - Thursday |
| Grade 4 |
30 minutes - Monday - Thursday |
For all grades, reading aloud or independent reading are encouraged whenever there is time.
Role of Student
- to be responsible for the completion of assignments.
- to confer with parents and/or teachers if assignments are not clear or are too difficult
Role of Parents/Guardians
- to encourage the child to accept the responsibility for completing home assignments.
- to provide a quiet study environment.
- to assist the child when the teacher and parent have conferred, and agreed that this asistance would be helpful.
- to confer with the teacher if assignments are unclear or too difficult.
- to notify the teacher if an unforeseen occurence prevents the child from completing an assignment.
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