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Dance Performance A Huge Success
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One Midsummer Night
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February 17, 2017
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
On a morning when the entire community was able to come together to celebrate fifth grade and their Shakespeare mash-up, One Midsummer Night, the closing monologue of Robin Goodfellow Puck has given me pause as we move towards break.
Too often in schools—especially by the time February rolls around—the routine of the day-to-day, week-to-week experience of our children has a distinct rhythm to it: wake-up, get ready for school, breakfast, out the door, off to school, return from school, do you have any homework? great, let’s get to it, off to practice, how was practice?, dinner’s ready, everyone please clear your dishes, and on and on. It is a comfortable rhythm, yet we may forget to find the individual magic of the moment, the eighth-note rest in the day that invites us to take stock of just how special these days and weeks are in the lives of our children, and in our own lives.
It is my hope, both as a parent and as a school head, that we wrest ourselves from the slumber of the everyday. These moments of childhood are decidedly not visions but certainly are magical. We must seize and celebrate them. Enter February break, right on cue. I urge you to allow time to disrupt the everyday. Approach the week with a spirit of discovery, intentionally focusing on your child’s experience to see things through their eyes. How are they experiencing the world? Where are they finding wonder? Where do you see evidence of their learning? More than anything, though, it is my hope that our school community takes a breath in the course of this busy year—and that you take a moment to see something new in your child that perhaps you haven’t seen before.
Enjoy your break, everyone. May it be a joyful and restorative one.
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NEED TO READ
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Upcoming Events
Sunday, February 19 to Saturday, March 4
Monday, February 20: School Closed: Presidents' Day
Tuesday, February 21 to Friday, February 24: Vacation Week and Vacation Camp
A Week
Tuesday, February 28: Grade 5 Field Lab, Museum of Science; Barn Design/Utile, 8:15 to 10:45 a.m., Erskine Library; Coaches vs Students Game, 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 1: Auction Committee, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., Coolidge Hall
Thursday, March 2: Trimester 2 Ends; Faculty Appreciation Breakfast; Grade 8 Parent Coffee, 8 to 9 a.m., Erskine Library; Sports Sharing and Showcase Assembly, 8:50 to 9:35 a.m., PAC; Camp Admin Meeting 2, 6 to 8 p.m., Coolidge Hall
Friday, March 3: Trimester 3 Begins; Parents' Association, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., Coolidge Hall
Saturday, March 4: Belmont SaturDay Concert with Ben Rudnick, 10 to 10:45 a.m., Coolidge Hall; Summer Camp Info Session and Tour 3, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Erskine Library
Monday
Snack: Tostitos; fruit cup
Lunch: cheese ravioli with marinara sauce; warm rolls; greens with balsamic
Tuesday
Snack: Saltines; bananas
Lunch: pork fried rice; vegetable fried rice; hot veg special; Asian spinach salad with soy/ginger dressing
Wednesday
Snack: WG chocolate chip cookies; Go-Gurt and fruit
Lunch: chicken stew; warm baked biscuits; hot veg special; garden salad with tomato and ranch dressing
Thursday
Snack: Cheez-Its; oranges
Lunch: cheese pizza*; pepperoni pizza*; crudite; hot veg special; Caesar salad
*GF and DF available
Friday
Snack: cheese and apples |
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DIVERSITY NEWS
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Braiding Different Strands Meeting
Monday, March 6 in Erskine Library
Come one, come all to our next Braiding Different Strands meeting. Braiding Different Strands is a group that engages in lively conversation around equity and diversity, sharing resources, ideas, and challenges in a collaborative and safe environment. All adult members of the Belmont Day community are welcome to attend and contribute ideas or questions, whether you can make one meeting or all of the meetings. A light dinner will be provided at 6:15 p.m. and the meeting will start promptly at 6:30 p.m.
"There comes a time when silence is betrayal" - MLK
Race-Based Discussion Groups
Tuesday, March 7, 6 p.m. in Coolidge Hall
This will be the second of four sessions of honest, open, and supportive dialogue around race. Our hope is that you can attend many/all of the sessions so that work can continue from previous sessions and a brave space can be attained for all. Attendees will split themselves into race-based discussion groups (either Witnessing Whiteness or Person of Color (POC)). A light dinner will be served in Coolidge Hall and then we will begin our separate work at 6:30 p.m. Stay tuned for homework materials that will help you prepare for the meeting. If you have any questions please email Jill Seeber (parent co-chair) at jill.seeber@me.com |
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COMMUNITY NEWS
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Clothing Drive for Cradles to Crayons Coming Soon
March 14 to April 9
Belmont Day has hosted the annual Town of Belmont clothing drive for Cradles to Crayons for the past three years. Let's make this fourth effort our best ever! Cradles to Crayons collects and distributes clothing, school supplies, toys, and other essentials to children in need throughout the state. From March 14 to April 9, BDS will have a collection pod on campus in the back parking lot. As you do your spring cleaning, please set aside items that you can no longer use and bring them to the pod next month. The clothing drive culminates in a two-hour sorting event on Sunday, April 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the PAC. Save-the-date for this fun event. This is a wonderful opportunity to serve the greater community while working with your children, their teachers, and their friends.
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CAMPAIGN NEWS
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Grandparents are a special part of the Belmont Day community, and they have become a very important part of the Raise Y[our] Voice Campaign. We are thankful for the leadership of grandparent co-chairs Ronald and Joan Pokross Curhan ‘49 and David and Jane Otte and thrilled that an anonymous donor has created a $250,000 matching challenge gift to the campaign. This donor will match dollar for dollar every grandparent donation up to the $250k limit. Wow! So far we have raised $50k towards this goal. Let's not leave any of this very generous challenge donation on the table. If your child's grandparents would like to discuss this matching opportunity, please contact us, the grandparent co-chairs, or Mary Merrill in the development office. Have a terrific winter break.
Margaret Wade and Bradley Lewis, Campaign Co-Chairs |
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AUCTION NEWS
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Homegrown News
The Homegrown Online Auction is now closed. Thank you to the entire community for your support. We are so grateful for your participation as donors, volunteers, and bidders.
To our winning bidders: Congratulations! Your items are available for pick up in Coolidge Cottage. If you did not receive an email confirming your winning bids, please check your spam folder.
The online auction may be over, but we sincerely hope that you consider staying involved:
Underwriting
Place a winning donation! If you did not win a package online and would like to show your support, please consider purchasing a faculty ticket or table or underwriting general auction costs.
Become a Volunteer
Contact the auction committee at auction@belmontday.org to learn about current opportunities.
Attend the Auction
Mark Your calendars for our big Homegrown Auction and Community Event on April 29, 2017.
All-Auction Committee Meeting: Wednesday, March 1, in Coolidge
Join us for the next phase of auction planning as we get ready for our April 29 event. This meeting is open to all auction chairs, volunteers, and those interested in learning more.
Please contact auction@belmontday.org with any questions or concerns. |
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ENRICHMENT NEWS
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Third Trimester Enrichment Class Enrollment
February 27 to March 17
After reviewing our timeline and considering requests from parents to streamline the process, we are changing the enrichment class registration process for the third trimester. You will receive the registration form, as well as new class descriptions, via email over February break. Please print and complete the registration form and turn it in to Barbara Carey at the front desk, along with your check for payment. Registration forms will not be processed without payment. Registration opens on Monday, February 27 and closes Friday, March 17. Class enrollment is usually limited to ten students, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. |
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PA NEWS
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PA Meeting
Join us for our monthly PA meeting, open to all parents, on Friday, March 3 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. in Coolidge Hall. Learn about what's going on in the PA and school and meet other parents!
Coolidge Flowers
The PA would like to thank the Kim (Alexander and Sonia) family for the wonderful centerpieces that decorate the Coolidge Hall tables!
Lost and Found
Please take a moment to check the lost and found buckets for any of your child's missing items. In particular, there are a number of gloves, mittens, and boots in lost and found at the moment. Please remember to label personal items when possible so that items can be easily returned! |
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TECH TIP OF THE WEEK
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| Your new tool to beat hackers? A portable battery pack. Read more about how you can safely charge your devices here.
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BEYOND BELMONT DAY
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Anji Friedbauer Wins Scholastic Art and Writing Award
Seventh grader Anji Friedbauer won a Gold Key at the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, sponsored by The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, for this exceptional drawing.
The Alliance introduces the Boston community to new generations of young artistic talent. Anji also won an honorable mention for another drawing. Congratulations Anji on this outstanding accomplishment!
Raising Caring, Ethical, and Happy Children
Thursday, March 2 at 7 p.m.
Derby Academy, 56 Burditt Ave, Hingham, MA
Dr. Richard Weissbourd, author of The Parents We Mean To Be, will facilitate a discussion on raising caring, ethical, and happy children, focusing on why it’s more important than ever to help our kids develop empathy and tolerance. The event is free and open to the public. Dr. Weissbourd is a child and family psychologist on the faculty of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and School of Education. For a preview of his presentation, watch this video.
Science on Saturday: Chemistry
Saturday, March 4 at 10 a.m.
MIT Kresge Auditorium, 48 Mass Ave., Cambridge
The next free Science on Saturday event will be "Chemistry." Volunteers from the audience will be able to assist with on-stage demonstrations of fun chemical reactions. After the stage show, there will be many hands-on activity tables where children can do their own chemistry experiments. There is also half-price, same-day admission to the MIT Museum for Science on Saturday attendees. For maps of the event and parking garage locations, please see the attached flyer or visit Science on Saturday.
Upcoming Science on Saturday events:
- April 1, 2017 - How the Internet Works
- October 14, 2017 - Biotechnology
- December 2, 2017 - Nuclear Science and Engineering
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