Spring and April break is upon us. A gentle reminder spring break is from Monday, April 17 to Friday, 21 with a return to school on Monday, April 24. We hope everyone has a wonderful week.
In this issue:
School Committee
BPS Leadership Changes
BPS Summer Enrichment Registration is Now Open
Food Services New Items
School News
Visual and Performing Arts
Helpful Links
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Welcome New School Committee Members: We welcome Amy Zucarello and Jung Yueh to the School Committee, elected on April 4. We also want to thank outgoing members Kate Bowen and Michael Crowley for their years of service. Meg Moriarty will continue as Chair, and Amy Checkoway as Secretary of the School Committee as voted on during an off-cycle April 6 School Committee meeting.
Last Day of School: At the April 11 meeting the School Committee voted the last day of school for this school year is June 15. For those looking towards next year, the 2023-2024 school calendar is available on the BPS website.
ELL Update: Director of English Language Education (ELE) Lindsey Rinder presented the annual ELE program progress report to the School Committee at the April 11 meeting. The presentation included information on the makeup of the students and families, program size and growth over time, services and achievements, and responses this school year to the challenges seen last year, 2021-2022.
FY24 Budget Discussion: At the April 11 meeting, the school department presented an FY24 Budget Update to the School Committee for discussion before the final budget hearing/community forum on April 25. As you know, the school department was tasked by the town to reduce the FY24 Budget by $2.1M. The school department gave the School Committee this budget draft information at the April 6 off-cycle meeting for the purpose of receiving feedback from the School Committee before the April 11 presentation/discussion. The documents submitted for discussion are the FY24 Budget Update, a clarifying memo regarding positions reduced and positions retained in the proposed FY24 budget, FY24 Budget and World Language program, and the Grade 4 Strings Impact Summary.
The next School Committee meeting on April 25 will have the final FY24 Budget hearing/community forum on the agenda. This is when the final FY24 Budget will be presented before the School Committee votes on the budget on May 9, 2023.
Bus Fee Discussion: At the March 21 meeting, the School Committee passed a motion to support the school department proposed reduction of the school bus fee from $575 per year to $450 flat fee per year for all bus service (full day and half day) as a pilot for the 2023-2024 school year. This one-year pilot will allow families to ride one or both ways to and from school for one lower fee. Please see the presentation given to the School Committee. There will be more program details regarding the bus program pilot which will be communicated to the public at a later date.
Belmont Middle and High School (BMHS) Schedule Presentation: At the March 7 School Committee meeting, Assistant Principal Dan O'Brien and Theater Director Ezra Flam outlined changes and what remains constant in the middle school and high school schedule for the 2023-2024 school year when grades 7 and 8 are in the Belmont Middle and High School.
BPS LEADERSHIP CHANGES
As you know, we have had large leadership shoes to fill. The community was emailed announcements last month, detailing the hiring for the leadership positions listed below:
- Interim Assistant Superintendent Lucia Sullivan - effective July 1
- Belmont Middle School Principal Russ Kupperstein - effective July 1
- Director of Technology Matthew Kuzmeskas - effective May 1
- Interim Butler Principal Julie Babson and Interim Burbank Principal Brenda Maurao are now the permanent principals of these schools - effective immediately
I am appreciative of all of the stakeholders who proceeded through all searches in a collaborative, inclusive, and thoughtful way. Belmont is fortunate to have found such capable and qualified professionals to take these important positions on. I hope you join me in welcoming them all to the Belmont Public Schools family.
At this time, we also want to update you on the Winn Brook Principal search. The Winn Brook Principal Screening Commitee members have been identified and will meet on April 24 to begin the search for the new Winn Brook principal, replacing Anita Mecklenburg, who is retiring at the end of this school year.
We appreciate all the years of service given to BPS by Assistant Superintendent Janice Darias, Director of Technology Steve Mazzola, and Winn Brook Principal Anita Mecklenburg. We wish them all well in their retirement.
BPS SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
Belmont Summer Enrichment (BSE) registration is now open for summer 2023. BSE offers a variety of different classes for incoming Pre-K through incoming grade 7, in addition to an intern program for incoming grades 8 and 9, and an early drop off option. Please see more information on the BPS website.
FOOD SERVICES NEW ITEMS
Director of Food Services Jacqueline Morgan announces two new items now available at all Belmont elementary Schools. The food service team is offering two vegan choices in addition to the regularly planned menu. They are also serving new chicken tenders on their menus. Please see the food services page on the website for more information on this new option and other food services news.
SCHOOL NEWS
Belmont High:
BHS students planned a Cultural Exposition Day in place of Community Day held on March 15, an early release day. Students with staff supervision had team building activities and games and shared information about their culture and themselves through stories, food, and displays. At the end of this early release day, students discussed and reflected on what they learned throughout the day.
BHS National Honor Society ceremony was held at the high school on February 28. The inductees, 141 BHS students, heard opening remarks by NHS Advisor Brenton Lussier and speakers BHS Principal Isaac Taylor, and Faculty Speaker Kim Masterson. Current NHS Officers Angela Kim, Evvie Boas, and Kavya Thomas spoke about the attributes of a National Honor Society student. There were also musical performances by the BHS Chamber Winds led by BHS Band Director Alley Lacassse. Selection of students for membership is by a faculty council and is based on the criteria of “four pillars” students must demonstrate excellence in: scholarship, service, leadership and character, along with a qualifying cumulative grade point average. Once selected, members are required to continue to demonstrate these qualities through active involvement in school activities and community service and fulfill other responsibilities as outlined in the National Honor Society Constitution. Congratulations to all the 2023 inductees.
Marauder of the Week highlights students' accomplishments ranging from scholastic to extracurricular activities to community service. Marauders of the Week for April 14 are Faith Kwon and Cle'ment Rigoulot; April 7 are Daniel Lai, and Ava Emerton; March 31 are Noe' Aubanel-Battilana, Mel Currullo, and Gabrielle Kim; March 24 are Helena De Figueiredo Valente and Devin Malkin; March 17 are Xuetao Wu, Samima Rima, and Cam Fici; March 10 are Devin Kelleher, Nicky Mosharaf, and Theo Moustakas; March 3 are Bridget Gray, Diya Rana, and Faith Page; February 17 are Henry Melanson, Shelby Ball, and Val Detheux. To read more about these Marauders, please go to the BHS website.
Chenery:
Engagement at Chenery: Principal Nicolette Foundas says Chenery students worked collaboratively during math, ELA, science, and visual and performing arts classes this past month. Students also participated in hands-on science experiments and demonstrated their scientific thinking across all grade levels. CMS fifth graders collaborated on drawing conclusions about the importance of using chemical properties to distinguish between substances with similar physical properties, and sixth graders shared digital vision boards and explored a life-size coordinate grid in their classroom where they created and labeled coordinates. Seventh graders actively engaged in collaborative scientific thinking, and in World Geo had fun in a GDP (gross domestic product) exploration hands-on activity that helps students learn the definitions of GDP and per capita.
Elementary:
Elementary schools participated in Family Literacy Week, March 6 through March 10. There were daily activities including children's book readings from BHS seniors and Belmont alums, BINGO shees, principal read-alouds, and book character day. Pictured is Wellington Grade 2 Teacher Kate Ebdon dressed as a character in the book Giraffes Can't Dance.
Burbank held the Annual Dr. Feinberg Geography Challenge on March 24. Burbank students who signed up for the Challenge formed teams of three or four students who answered questions found in the Study Guide distributed before the Challenge day. This non-competitive educational event is always a fun activity for teachers, students, and parents. Burbank third grade artists created clay mugs with a focus on form versus function To celebrate the end of the unit, all third grade classes had a hot chocolate party where they used their mugs to drink from.
Butler had a visit from Crocodile River Music, performers who celebrate African cultures through art, music, and dance. Following a whole school assembly, the group had follow up sessions on drumming and dancing.
Wellington held a Science Night for Grades 3 and 4 on March 31. The theme was Outer Space. Students engaged in DIY telescope kits and kaleidoscope puzzles. Butler held a Math and Science night on March 24. Students engaged in projects at math and science stations and experiments and demonstrations.
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
BPS will hold a K-12 Visual Arts Show at the high school in the BHS lobby from April 27 to May 8. This annual event showcases art across all grades.
HELPFUL LINKS