We are at last fully into spring and weeks away from the end of school. However, there is no slowing down, as May and June are packed with events and performances highlighting all the hard work going on in the Belmont School District. Summer is just around the corner and plans are being made for activities. I invite you to look at our website for educational and fun opportunities through our Belmont Summer Enrichment Program.
The School Committee voted unanimously to approve the FY16 Budget of $49,660,070. As you know the FY16 Budget includes the additional funding from the override that was approved by the community in April. There was a presentation on the budget that demonstrated exact line items that were increased in the budget for next year and went into great detail as to the listing and rationale behind each of the 10 new positions added. Principal Daniel Richards presented the list of positions and class sections of offerings that would be available to high school students next year; including the addition of a Creative Writing course, added Economics and Global Leadership courses and expanded Drama and Wellness offerings to name a few. The entire presentation will be posted on the web in a few days.
I would like to thank the community for providing these additional funds and thank the Leadership Council for their hard work on ensuring that these needed positions were put to good use at each level of the district with the goal of lowering class size and creating enriching learning opportunities for our middle and high school students during the school day, thus reducing the amount of study halls and “frees”. With the adoption of the Financial Task Force budget by the Town, the School Department is able to implement the Three Year Fiscal Plan. Having these resources in place for future years allows the leadership and faculty to strategically plan what the next steps will be for our schools, students and staff.
Belmont Summer Enrichment Program is currently enrolling for classes that are the perfect blend of academics, social stimulation, and fun for grades Pre-K to six. Taught by the the talented teachers in the Belmont School District, the classes range from Enrichment to Computer Skills, to Green Art and a Sports Club. Time is running out--registration closed June 1. For more information and to register for classes, please go to the BPS website.
GOOD NEWS
- Where can you see cultural dancing, Hula hooping, martial arts, magic and a puppet show? Those are just some of the acts featured at the 10th Annual Burbank Elementary Talent Show held on April 10, sponsored by the PTO. More than 300 people gathered in the gym for an evening of memorable performances. Burbank Teacher Cliff Gallant kept the evening rolling as the Master of Ceremonies. Congratulations to the students, staff and faculty for a fun evening. Read more about it and see pictures here.
- On April 14, 2015 Wellington Elementary opened its doors to their first Science Fair organized by the PTO. Forty-seven teams and 111 third and fourth-graders proudly showcased their projects. Third-grade project themes spanned topics, such as Animal Adaptations, Electricity, and Water. Fourth-graders focused on the topics of Sound and Rocks and Minerals. Students worked in teams of 2 and 3 and developed projects with the help of their parents and peers. Students and their families were also invited to participate in three hands-on activities while viewing student projects.
- The WGBH High School Quiz Show has ended for our competitors; so why is this good news? Because they were in the top four out of the 120 competitors, and they made it to the semifinals with only one or two shows left to the battle. Congratulations to BHS students Thomas Zembowicz, Rahul Ramakrishnan, Clare Lai, Lucas Jenkins, and Sai Sriramanon, and Coach/Science Teacher Stacey Williams on a job well-done.
- Burbank Garden Classroom is almost complete featuring a butterfly garden, a fairy ring play area, a Colonial herb garden, and at Wetu wigwam. The garden is designed for hands-on learning aligned with curriculum co-sponsored by the Burbank PTA and the Foundation for Belmont Education, along with contributions from local landscapers and a partnership with Minuteman High School. The Garden Opening Ceremony, with ribbon cutting and activities, will be held on June 5.
- Twelve BHS students (three teams) completed the 2015 Technovation Challenge and presented pitches for new Android Apps at the Microsoft NERD Center on May 1. Technovation is an international program that challenges teams of young women to design and market an App for social good. The winner of this event will continue on to the Technovation semifinal round to compete in the World Pitch Event in June. The program instruction is in how to create an effective business plan and conduct market research in addition to using coding, and Engineering and Computer Science Teacher Diane Brancazio helped the teams work on creating pitches and business plans. Best of luck to the teams, for more information click here.
- We congratulate the 2015 recipients named Outstanding Teacher of the Year, a new annual event sponsored by the Foundation for Belmont Education (FBE) to honor teachers from the Belmont School District. Teachers are nominated and a committee of FBE Board members choose one teacher from each of the six schools from the nominations. This year's recipients are Katie Caritey, Burbank Grade Two; Audrey Ruddock, Butler Kindergarten; Steven Tenhor, Wellington Grade Four; Danielle Pandolfo, Winn Brook Grade Three; Ben Ligon, Chenery Grade Six Math; Suzanne Lijek, Belmont High School Science-Biology; and Katie Caritey, Burbank Grade 2. The FBE started the recognition program because they wanted to acknowledge the many talented and dedicated teachers working for the Belmont Public Schools.
- Wellington had a recent visit from a man who has a few things to say about the weather--WCVB Chief Meteorologist Harvey Leonard came to the school on May 12 to teach a guest lesson. The kids were inspired, engaged and a bit star-struck. They learned about the difference between weather and climate, how meteorologists gather information about weather and they talked a lot about the record-breaking snow we had this winter! He shared with them what it was really like to be a meteorologist in New England. What an great learning opportunity for these kids, and we thank Mr. Leonard for stopping by.
- Belmont School District recently received the 2015 Secretary’s Awards for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education. This is the 21 Annual award from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and the second year for Belmont to be recognized for efforts towards being green (last year Wellington received recognition). Mary Beth Calnan, Recycling Coordinator for the Town of Belmont, went to the State House May 11 to accept a certificate on behalf of the district. She has been at the forefront of helping the town and schools reduce and recycle, and submitted Belmont for this recognition. Congratulations to the faculty, staff, students, and town departments for working collaboratively to carry out these initiatives. For more information on ways to recycle and reduce, please look at the town website. To read more about this award, see the BPS website and the award website.
- The Burbank Geography Challenge will be held at 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on May 20 for grades K-1, and on May 21 for grades 2,3, and 4 in the cafeteria. Dr. Rose Feinberg, a former principal who established the Challenge, will be at Burbank for the 20th annual Geography Challenge. There is a coffee reception to meet Dr. Feinberg in the Library at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 21 for the Burbank community.
- Burbank Big Map Night is on Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. on May 21. Burbank will house a basketball court sized map of North America in the gym. This Big Map is part of the National Geographic Traveling Map program and was funded by a grant from the FBE.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
The 2015 Recognition Day took place at Belmont High School on May 12. This is the 24th annual service recognition day held, which celebrated 60 staff and faculty members of Belmont Public Schools for their years of service ranging from ten to 30. The well-attended ceremony had a reception followed by presentations of certificates and gifts by Human Resources Director Mary Pederson, Belmont Education Association representative John P. Sullivan, Jr., and yours truly. Please see the BPS website for the names of this year's recipients. Congratulations to all for their many years of service.
ARTS
- The Pops Concerts at BHS were a great success, with two wonderful performances serving as a successful fundraiser for Parents of Music Students (POMS). Aside from the music students and faculty sharing their work, the BHS Visual Art students and teachers also provided a display of the artwork they have created this year.
- The K-12 Art Show will open to the public on May 21 at the Belmont Gallery of Art, located on the 3rd floor of the Homer Building. The exhibit showcases the work of students from all six schools and will stay open until Sunday, June 7.
ATHLETICS
- Longtime BHS Boys Varsity Ice Hockey coach Dante Muzzioli was inducted into the Massachusetts High School Ice Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame on Sunday, May 3.
- On Thursday, May 7, the Belmont Girls Outdoor track team secures a share of the Middlesex League title with a victory over powerhouse Lexington by a score of 70-66. The team can win the title outright with a victory over Winchester . That meet is schedule for Tuesday, May 12 at Winchester.
- School outdoor track record falls: On Thursday May 7 BHS Freshmen Girl’s Track standout Anoush Krafian set a new school record in the long jump with a jump of 17’5.5”. The previous record was 16’11”.
- The Annual Brendan Grant Baseball Tournament which features the BHS Varsity baseball team as well as varsity teams from Reading , Lynnfield and Medford, will take place on Friday, May 22, and Saturday, May 23. Visit the BHS athletic web page for game times and match ups.
- BHS Spring Sports Awards Night is Scheduled for Wednesday May 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the BHS Auditorium.
- BHS 2015 Fall Sports sign ups for all current BHS students will be held on Thursday, June 11 at 2:40 p.m.
SAVE THE DATE
- Belmont After School Enrichment Collaborative (BASEC) presents Cultivating Calm and Compassion: Bringing Mindfulness to the Belmont Community with guest speakers Chris Willard, Psy.D.; Sara Lazar, Ph.D.; and Molly Payne, MA, LMHC. The free event is on May 18 at 6:30 p.m., and is sponsored by Belmont Savings Bank.
- This year's Lillian F. Blacker Prizes go to Sarita Shera, First Place; Devon Carter, Second Place; and Eunice Lee, Third Place. The Belmont High School English Department will present the annual Lillian F. Blacker Prizes for Excellence in Writing on May 20th at 6:30 p.m. in the BHS Library. Family and friends established the Blacker Prizes over twenty years ago in memory of Lillian F. Blacker, a longtime Belmont resident who was very active in community affairs, was the director of the Harvard Medical News Office, and is remembered by the school and community as a lover of literature and language. The Blacker Prizes are presented each year to three BHS seniors for outstanding writing ability on their senior theses. Each senior reads, researches, and writes a lengthy thesis paper investigating a literary topic. English faculty members determine the winners after an extensive reading process. At the awards ceremony, the three Blacker Prize winners will read from their papers and discuss the evolution of their ideas. A panel of seniors will discuss their topics and the senior thesis process. Teachers, parents, administrators, friends,and Belmont residents are invited to attend. Congratulations to the winners.
- The Belmont High School Classes of 2015 and 2016 would like to invite the entire Belmont community--parents, students, and senior citizens--to join them at Belmont High School on May 15 at 5:00 p.m. for "Promenade 2015", a spring tradition at BHS. This pre-prom reception will be in the BHS Auditorium where students attending the prom will be on stage to show off their tuxedos and dresses. All are welcome; please keep in mind parking is limited.
CALENDAR
Below are some events for May 1 through mid -June:
DATE/TIME - PLACE/EVENT
5/14, 15, 16 - 7:00 p.m. - Chenery Auditorium - "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" Tickets in advance ($8 Students/$10 Adults) from Ticketstage at www.ticketstage.com. Tickets at the door are $12 on the night of the show.
5/15 - 4:30 p.m. - BHS Auditorium - Prom Promenade
5/18 - 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - Chenery Large Community Room - BASEC presents Cultivating Calm and Compassion: Bringing Mindfulness to the Belmont Community
5/18 - 7:00 p.m. - Chenery Auditorium - CMS Honors Ensembles
5/19 to 6/7 - Homer Building - K-12 Art Show, BGA
5/20 - 6:30 p.m. - BHS Library - Lillian Blacker Awards
5/20 - Early Release - Elementary, Middle and High Schools
5/20 & 21 - 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. - Burbank - Geography Challenge
5/21 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - Burbank Gym - Big Map Night
5/22 - 10:00 a.m. - Burbank - Memorial Day Program - 3rd and 4th graders sing patriotic songs
5/21 - 7:00 p.m. - Chenery Auditorium - Grade 6 Concert
5/25 - Memorial Day Holiday - No Schools in Session
5/26 - 7:00 p.m. - Chenery Large Community Room - School Committee Meeting
5/27 – 6:30 p.m. - BHS Auditorium - BHS Spring Athletic Awards Night
5/27 - 7:00 p.m. - Chenery Auditorium - Grade7 and 8 Chorus and Orchestra
5/28-5/30 - 7:00 p.m. - BHS Little Theatre - One Act Play Festival ($12/adults, $5/students)
5/29 - 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - Butler Spring Picnic and International Fair
5/29 - 8:30 a.m. - BHS Field House - Underclassman Awards
6/1 - 9:00 a.m. - Wellington - 3rd and 4th Grade Concerts (4th at 9:00 a.m./3rd at 9:50 a.m.)
6/4 - 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Winn Brook - Ice Cream Social
6/5 - 9:00 a.m. - BHS Auditorium - Senior Awards
6/7 - 3:00 p.m. - BHS Field House - BHS Graduation
6/9 - 6:30 p.m. - Chenery Community Room - Retiree Reception (6:30 p.m.) and Recognition (7:00 p.m.) Followed by School Committee Meeting (7:30 p.m.)
6/10 - 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Butler Final PTA General Meeting
6/11 – 7:00 p.m. - CMS Auditorium - 7th & 8th Grade Band Concert
6/11 – 2:35 p.m. – BHS Athletic Fall Sign-Ups
6/11 - 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Winn Brook - Ice Cream Social
6/12 – 9:00 a.m. – CMS Auditorium - 5th Grade Concert