We are getting closer to spring: Daylight Savings Time began, St. Patrick’s Day is March 17, and the Red Sox are at spring training. My thanks again to the Custodial and Maintenance staff for cleaning up after this relentless winter. Our staff is continually looking at the safety of our school roofs, and we have had the roofs reviewed by an engineer and a roofing expert. Snow banks narrowed some streets to one lane which greatly increased traffic for all commuters, resulting in delays for school buses getting to school. Thank you for your patience and cooperation in the safe transportation of students to and from school.
Quote of the Month: “Give a bowl of rice to a man and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own rice and you will save his life.”
― Confucius
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The School Committee discussed the FY16 budget at the March 10, 2015 meeting. School Committee members and the Central Office Leadership Team have scheduled nine (9) meetings for the public to hear and see the information on what next year will look like if we are to implement the Financial Task Force (FTF) Budget or we are forced to implement the Available Revenue Budget. Please see link to the budget presentation.
As you know these two scenarios mark a stark difference in what our schools will look like next year. The FTF budget will bring our funding to a point of support in areas that have caused our district to be in deficit over the last two years and would bring on additional positions to support our students and staff as we grapple with the ever increasing enrollment wave of students. The Available Revenue budget will result in a $1.7 million deficit that would result in the reduction of 27.6 staff members ranging for teachers, aides, clerks, administrators, and facilities staff.
Given the severity of these potential reductions we urge parents to attend one of the scheduled meetings and review the budget presentation online to get informed.
We have already presented at the Winn Brook, Burbank, School Committee, and Warrant Committee meetings. We will be presenting at the following dates and times during the month of March:
Dates Remaining
Thursday, March 12 – Beech St- Precinct Meeting with the Board of Selectmen
Monday – March 16th at Butler
Thursday – March 19th at Chenery
Friday – March 20th – at Beech St - (3:15-4:30) for seniors, parents, community members--anyone who needs a daytime presentation is welcome
Monday – March 30th at Beech St – Precinct Meeting with the Board of Selectmen
A quick reminder: The current last day of school for the 2014/15 school is currently Tuesday, June 23, 2015. We want to be sure to communicate to all parents and staff that this date may fluctuate as we still could have some weather related issues before the full warm weather takes over. The School Committee discussed next year’s calendar and will have further discussion at our March 24, 2015 meeting.
The School Committee also discussed an update on the process for applying to the state to renovate our high school. The state board that oversees this work is the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The administration is putting together the application that outlines the needs of our high school as it relates to the condition of the physical structure and the classrooms space issues due to enrollment that are hampering the faculty’s ability to deliver the high quality instructions our students deserve.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
- Grades three through eight are participating in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments between March 23 and April 13 in English Language Arts and Mathematics. PARCC was created by a multi-state consortium. The assessments will eventually be administered on the computer, however, this year Belmont Public Schools will be using the paper version of PARCC. The tests beginning this month are called Performance Based Assessments, which will ask students to do more reading and writing in English Language Arts sections and will include multi-step problems in the mathematic sections. Later, in May, students will be given the multiple choice components of the test in both subjects. Unlike MCAS, PARCC is a timed test. PARCC has replaced MCAS for grades three through eight, and high school students will continue to take MCAS until further notice from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). For more about PARCC, please see the websites of the BPS, the Massachusetts DESE, and PARCC.
- Teachers in all elementary schools in grades two to four are piloting a new approach to reading comprehension with “Shared Inquiry”, an active and collaborative search for answers to interpretive questions about a text. Teachers facilitate student discussion circles while utilizing a common piece of text. The teachers are also developing interpretive questions—questions that have more than one answer to help further discussions and sharing. The goal is to provide common classroom strategies to improve critical thinking in reading, writing, speaking and listening, and for those strategies to be across the elementary schools. The teachers took the professional development last summer, which is funded through an Innovation Grant from the Foundation for Belmont Education. In addition, teachers participated in a district study group and have begun using common grade level text to promote these inquiry circle discussions in their classrooms.
GOOD NEWS
- The results are in for the nationwide Green Cup Energy Challenge, held January 14 through February 11, sponsored by Green Schools Alliance and the PTO/PTA Green Alliance Teams at the elementary schools. The Wellington Elementary School placed ninth out of 63 participating schools in the Northeast Region for Day Schools, and placed third in the Northeast Day category followed by a fourth place for Winn Brook Elementary School. All the Belmont Public Elementary schools reduced their electricity use with Wellington seeing an 18 percent reduction; Winn Brook a ten percent reduction; and Burbank and Butler Schools a nearly two percent reduction. Read more about the Challenge here. Belmont schools had some closures during the four-week challenge due to snow days, and experienced some cold and dark days where heat and lights were going strong, but even with factors perhaps not scientifically ideal, all the elementary schools can congratulate themselves in achieving a reduction in energy use.
- We are kept in suspense as BHS students advance to the quarter finals in the WGBH High School Quiz Show. No studio audience needed, but you can cheer for them from your home during the airing of the next episode on Saturday, April 11 at 6:00 p.m. See more information and video of Belmont High School Students on the WGBH website.
- All the Belmont Elementary Schools are participating in a food drive the week of March 16-20 benefitting the Belmont Food Pantry sponsored by the PTA/PTO. Frequently requested food items are peanut butter, pasta, rice, sugar, flour, canned vegetables, canned soups, chicken/vegetable stock, coffee, tea, cereal. Frequently requested toiletry items are toothpaste, toothbrushes, body wash, shampoo, deodorant. Please contact your school’s PTO/PTA for drop off locations in the schools and for more information or to volunteer to help transport the donations on March 20th.
- Seventh grade students from the Chenery Middle School raised more than $875 during this year’s microfinance coin drive. After studying the work of Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai and how small amounts of money can make a big difference, the students collected loose change, which they then pooled together to give to people in the developing world. This year’s total fundraising, added to the two previous years, gave a grand total of over $2300. The projects they have helped to fund this year include buying hybrid seeds for Kenyan farming cooperatives, helping a Colombian teenager start her own sewing business, funding part of a Ghanaian medical student’s education, allowing a Peruvian coffee farmer to afford fertilizer, and helping a young Bolivian family to supply running water to their home for the first time. Congratulations to these Belmont students for acting as global citizens for positive change in the world.
- The Wellington PTO recently hosted its annual Multicultural Night. A long time tradition at the Wellington School, children with their parents, grandparents and guardians came out on a Friday to learn about artists around the world. Children had great time learning about the artists and how the culture from each country influenced their art. The night finished with a performance by a group of Taiko drummers. It was a first for many to experience this powerful musical performance from the country of Japan. Kids from the audience were invited to play the drums and we hear even Principal Amy Spangler beat the drums! It was a great night for everyone.
- Belmont High School honored the second group who received the Model Marauder Awards for Excellence and Creativity. The students and staff are nominated on a quarterly basis. BHS students are eligible to be nominated for the Award in the areas of scholarship, art and citizenship (three finalists for each category). Staff is eligible to be nominated in the areas of teaching, learning and meeting the needs of students and their families (three finalists). Student and Staff nominations are reviewed by a committee of staff members who forward finalists to the school administration for evaluation. The second group is:
Scholarship: Neal Mulani for his hard work, intellectual curiosity and ability to lead students to complete creative projects.
Citizenship: Meghan Alper for her student leadership, understanding of and participation in the democratic process, and successfully advocating for the addition of a new Ceramics course to the BHS Program of Studies.
Staff: Anne-Marie Fant for her commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, as well as her creative and thoughtful approach to new technologies and teaching strategies.
Congratulations to all for your hard work.
FINE ARTS
There are a tremendous amount of events and performances happening in the visual and performing arts. Congratulations to all the students and staff for the honors bestowed and on the upcoming concerts and events.
- Two students from Belmont, Olivia Pierce (Grade 9) and Samuel Haines (Grade 8) travelled to Salt Lake City, UT last week to perform in the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Honors Choirs. They were selected from a pool of several thousand candidates to apply for this honor.
- The Boston Globe Scholastic Art Show opens on March 7 and runs through March 15 at Boston University’s 808 Gallery (808 Commonwealth Ave.) The exhibit showcases the works selected for honors in the annual Scholastic Art Competition. Several students from BHS and CMS will have their work displayed. Gallery hours are 10 AM – 6 pm, and admission is free. See the BPS website for more information.
- The first 6th Grade Concert of the year takes place at CMS on March 12 at 7 pm. The program includes the Grade 6 Band, Chorus and Orchestra. The concert is open to the public and admission is free.
- Artwork by CMS students will be on display at the Arlington Center for the Arts (41 Foster Street, Arlington), Friday, March 13 at 7 pm.
- The Honors ensembles at CMS will present a concert on Monday, March 16 at 7 pm in the CMS Auditorium. The CMS Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Select Chorus and Chenery Winds will be on the program. Admission is free.
- The Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) All-State Festival takes place in Boston, March 19-21. Nine students from BHS have been selected to participate in the festival, which culminates in a performance at Symphony Hall on Saturday, March 21.
- The BHS Spring Musical, “Anything Goes”, music and lyrics by Cole Porter, takes place March 26-28. Tickets are available at www.ticketstage.com/T/BHSPAC
KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION NIGHTS AND REGISTRATION
Kindergarten Parent Information Night: A general information and orientation program for all parents of incoming kindergarten students is scheduled, as follows. Each elementary school will host its own program at each school.
Butler School Tuesday, March 24th at 7:00 PM
Burbank School Thursday, March 26th at 6:30 PM
Wellington School Thursday, April 9th at 5:30 PM
Winn Brook School Thursday, April 2nd at 6:30 PM
Please note that the annual Kindergarten Registration Day for children entering kindergarten in September 2015 combines registration, visiting, and screening into a single kindergarten orientation event held, *by appointment, according to the following schedule:
Butler School *Thursday, 4/30 and Friday, 5/1, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
Burbank School *Thursday, 4/30 and Friday, 5/1, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
Wellington School *Thursday, 4/30 and Friday, 5/1, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
Winn Brook School *Thursday, 4/30 and Friday, 5/1, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
In order to qualify for admission to kindergarten, a child must be five years old on or before September 1, 2015. Proof of residency is required. See additional Registration information on our website. www.belmont.k12.ma.us
At the time of their orientation appointment, parents will meet, with both a school nurse and a counselor, to discuss their child’s developmental history.
Letters describing the process for kindergarten orientation will be sent to all families, listed on the town census, who have children of kindergarten age. Letters will describe the process for making an appointment.
INCOMING KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS AND NEW FAMILIES ELEMENTARY DISTRICT PLACEMENTS
Due to the ever increasing class size/enrollment numbers, the principals and I have developed a time line for determining elementary district placements.
- Students whose application has been completed by May 1 will be assigned to their district school.
- Students whose registrations are completed between May 2 and June 30 will be notified of their district placement by June 30.
- Students registering after June 30 will be notified of their district placement by the last week of August.
Students registering after May 1 may be assigned to a district other than their own, based on enrollment numbers.
Please visit our website for additional registration information.
SAVE THE DATE
The following are two special events the Foundation for Belmont Education (FBE) has announced. We are grateful for our partnership with the FBE and look forward to these celebrations:
SOLD OUT BUT STILL WAYS TO SUPPORT - The Foundation for Belmont Education (FBE) is holding its Annual Spring Dinner & Auction themed “Mad for Education” on March 21. There is a raffle with three prizes—1st Prize $1,000; 2nd Prize two Red Sox Tickets ($188 value); and 3rd Prize Morton’s The Steakhouse ($150 value). For more than 20 years the FBE has funded innovative programs and equipment for students in the Belmont schools. The event is sold out, but the FBE is keeping a wait list. If you would like to be added to the wait list, please email FBE Administrator Chris Kochem at info@fbe-belmont.org. Other ways to support the event are to buy a raffle ticket (advance sales available until Thursday, March 19, then available at the dinner) by emailing Wendy Conroy at raffle@fbe-belmont.org and bid on an online auction item during March 16-29 by going to www.fbe-Belmont.org/auction .
The Foundation for Belmont Education (FBE) in partnership with Belmont Savings Bank Foundation announces a new teacher recognition program to recognize the contributions made by teachers in the Belmont Public Schools. Community members and high school students can submit nomination papers for a teacher, and a sub-committee of the FBE board will pick one teacher from each of the six schools in the district. Winners will be announced on April 17 followed by an awards presentation ceremony on April 30 where family, friends, students and colleagues can gather to celebrate the teachers. For more information on this special event please see the FBE website. To nominate a teacher go to the Belmont Savings Bank website. The nomination deadline is March 31.
"NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR…"
March 7 launched a new television show in partnership with Belmont Media Center called “Belmont Schools Now”. The School Committee and Superintendent in partnership with BMC decided to air a monthly show about district news to aide our efforts to keep the Belmont community informed about all the news in the schools. Shows will highlight the many people and programs that make up the school district with topics such as athletics, arts, and academics as well as interviews with teachers, staff, students, and Belmont community members. “Belmont Schools Now” will air Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m., Saturdays at 11:30 a.m., and Sundays at 11:00 a.m. on Comcast Channel 8 and Verizon Channel 28 and on belmontmedia.org. The first guest is Jamie Shea, President of The Foundation for Belmont Education. Their website is fbe-belmont.org. Let me know what you think!
CALENDAR
Below are events for March 12-March 30, 2015:
DATE - TIME/PLACE - EVENT
3/7-3/15 - 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. - 808 Gallery at 808 Commonwealth Ave. - The Boston Globe Scholastic Art Show
3/12 - 7:00 p.m. - CMS Auditorium - Sixth Grade Band/Orchestra Concert
3/12 - 7:00 p.m. - Beech Street Center - Precinct meeting with Budget Presentation by Superintendent Phelan
3/13 - 7:00 p.m. - Arlington Center for the Arts at 41 Foster Street - Artwork by CMS students on display
3/16 - 7:00 p.m. - CMS Auditorium - CMS Honors Ensembles Concert
3/16 - 6:00 p.m. - Butler Library - Butler PTO Meeting with Budget Presentation by Superintendent Phelan
3/17 - 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m./BHS Library - Gap year panel for students and parents
3/18 & 3/25 - Elementary Schools Early Release - Parent Conferences
3/19 - 7:00 p.m. - CMS - Chenery PTO Meeting with budget presentation by Superintendent Phelan
3/19 - 5:30 p.m. - CMS - CMS PTO Science Fair
3/19, 21 - 3/21 Performance - Symphony Hall - BHS students selected for the MMEA festival perform
3/20 - 3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m./Beech Street Center - Budget Presentation by Superintendent Phelan for seniors, community members, parents--anyone who needs a day time presentation
3/21 - 6:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m./Belmont Hill School - FBE Annual Spring Fundraiser, “Mad for Education”
3/23 - 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m./CMS Auditorium-BASEC parent series lecture Got Conflict?
3/24 - 7:00 p.m. - CMS Community Room - School Committee Meeting
3/24 - 7:00 p.m. - Butler - Kindergarten Parent Information Night
3/26 - 6:30 p.m. - Burbank -Kindergarten Parent Information Night
3/26, 27, 28 - 7:00 p.m. 3/26, 27 and on 3/28 at 1:30 and 7:00 p.m./BHS Auditorium-“Anything Goes” BHS Spring Musical
3/30 - 7:00 p.m. - BHS Auditorium - All Town Ensembles
3/30 - 7:00 p.m./Beech Street Center -Precinct meeting with Budget Presentation by Superintendent Phelan
CONTACT US: If you have any questions or comments about the Superintendent’s Newsletter/Blog, please email me at jphelanblog@belmont.k12.ma.us.