Diversity Matters
November 4, 2016

Belmont Day had the great fortune, through the generosity of the Ko Family and Wellesley Toyota Speaker Series, to welcome Rosetta Lee to campus today. Ms. Lee, a nationally recognized leader in diversity, inclusion, and anti-bias work, spoke to families this morning about strategies for difficult conversations about current events—a particularly salient topic with the election nearly upon us—then met with and led workshops for our middle school students, concluding her day doing professional development work with our teaching and non-teaching faculty.

Her visit highlighted what we have known for a long time at BDS: diversity work is critical for the health and vibrancy of a learning community. To place it in the frame of our core values, diversity and inclusion are a key element of our commitment to excellence, and not a supplement to it.  Increasingly, research in education from around the country is highlighting the myriad benefits to our students’ learning experiences in classrooms that engage in conversations and activities around inclusion and anti-bias. Most critically, the notion that we believe in creating a safe space for all of our students, regardless of their socio-economic status, racial or ethnic identity, ability, gender, or sexual orientation, has benefits well beyond the safe space we seek to create for them. The are important learning benefits that come from such diverse classrooms as well: greater diversity of thought and perspective, a stronger foundation of trust, caring and kindness, a greater appreciation for and interest in globalism and a reduction in the ethnocentrism that can often stifle a learning experience, a stronger self-esteem borne of a greater understanding of one’s own identity. The list goes on and on, but the sentiment remains the same: diversity and excellence are not mutually exclusive notions in the classroom, they are mutually reliant ones.

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Upcoming Events
Saturday, November 5 to Friday, November 11

Saturday, November 5: Cross Country Invitational, Willard Field; Admissions Open House, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; AISNE Middle School Student Diversity Conference, 9:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Thayer Academy; Belmont SaturDay Concert with Vanessa Trien, 10 to 10:45 a.m., PAC

B Week
Tuesday, November 8: Barn Design/Utile, 8:15 to 10:45 a.m., Erskine Library

Wednesday, November 9: Parents' Independent School Network Meeting. 9 a.m., PAC; Boys Soccer at LCA, 3:30 p.m.; Girls Soccer vs LCA, 3:30 p.m.; Field Hockey vs LCA, 3:30 p.m.; Cross Country at LCA, 3:30 p.m.; Flag Football at Fessenden, 3:30 p.m.; Braiding Different Strands, 6:15 to 8:30 p.m., Erskine Library

Thursday, November 10: Faculty Appreciation Breakfast; Finance Committee, 8 to 10 a.m., Bungalow; Board of Trustees, 7 to 9 p.m., Coolidge Hall

Friday, November 11: Grade 8 Parent Coffee, 8 to 9 a.m., Coolidge Hall; Sharing Assembly, 8:50 to 9:35 a.m., PAC

Lunch & Snack Menu

From Nurse Liz—Check Those Heads and Bodies

There have been a few cases of lice reported over the past weeks which serves as a great reminder to all of us to check heads! A representative from NitWits, a local lice treatment service, gave a presentation to the PA in October. Lice experts recommend that parents check their school-aged children's heads once a week, and do a conditioner comb-out once a month. Cases caught early are much easier to treat—and far less communicable.

We do not do full-class head checks at school—you can do a much better check at home taking your time than we can, trying to check a whole class in a few minutes. That said, I am happy to check your child's head, with you, if you have doubts or questions. There are also great resources on the BDSG parents' page including facts, helpful online videos on how to check for lice, and a treatment plan if you do find something. You can find the resources here.

And check those bodies! Even with the cold weather, we are still finding ticks. It is important to check your child for ticks after any outdoor play. Ticks especially like warm, protected places—in joints (behind knees, in elbows, armpits, groins) and on the head, behind ears, and in hair. Click here for info from the CDC on ticks and how to remove them.

Last Chance to Visit Online School Spirit Store 

Our fall flash sale will be closing Sunday, November 6, so be sure to stock up on BDS spirit items. Go BDS! Access the school store here.

Details:

• The site is hosted by Tricon Sports in Lexington
• Orders will be shipped directly to your home or other address
• Orders will be fulfilled 2-3 weeks from the flash sale closing date
• Merchandise is offered at cost (this is not a fundraiser for the school)
• Minimum orders apply for some items; we will contact you if your order cannot be fulfilled for any reason

Two Down, Four to Go!

Don't forget to RSVP for one of the town gatherings for the Raise Y[our] Voice campaign. Brendan Largay and the faculty are excited to share new developments—both building and programmatic—for The Barn. In addition, these gatherings are a great opportunity to connect with other Belmont Day families who live in your town/neighborhood. Let us know you're coming here.

Community Service Cooking a Success!

With help from fourteen students and many parent volunteers, students created a meal using ingredients from our school garden and locally sourced produce that included: butternut squash, sage, garlic, parsley, greens, and apples. This meal was delivered to a local shelter, On the Rise. In addition, these cooks created a special dessert that the whole school will enjoy later this month. Thank you to all who participated!

School Garden Work Session
Saturday, November 19, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Families are invited to help put our garden to rest. We will be clearing the beds, adding mulch, and working to clear perimeters to get ready for the winter months. Students from grades 6-8 can come without an adult. To RSVP, or if you have questions, please contact Kathy Jo Solomon.

Next Greening Meeting is Thursday November 17 at 7:30 a.m. We will be getting things organized for the garden workday!

Braiding Different Strands Meeting
Wednesday, November 9, 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. 

This month we will have a riveting conversation recapping Rosetta Lee's visit to BDS as well as reflections on Election 2016. 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

Keep the Conversation Going with One Drop of Love

What promises to be amazing one-woman show is happening at the Arsenal Center for the Arts tonight and Saturday—Friday, November 4 and Saturday, November 5 at 7:30 p.m. 

One Drop of Love explores the intersections of race, class and gender in search of truth, justice and love. Written and performed by MA native Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni and produced by Cox DiGiovanni, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. 

View the trailer here. Learn more and get tickets here.

Animal Adventures

Students marveled over meeting and learning about many different exotic animals during this week's enrichment assembly. The kangaroo was a highlight of the morning! Thank you to enrichment assembly co-chairs Lia Meisinger and Dan Cantor for their work coordinating this assembly with the Animal Adventures Family Zoo and Rescue Center, and to the many parents whose PA dues make enrichment assemblies like this possible.

Committee Thank Yous

• Hospitality co-chairs Jeana Colangelo and Nareeluck Stephenson for providing the refreshments at the Halloween parade.
• Novemberfest co-chairs John Finnerty, Tom Moore, Zack Morris, and Spencer Harlow for the delicious and festive tasting!

PA Dues

Reminder: Auction Challenge!

Only 14 days left to win 4 front-row seats AND a reserved parking spot for the Belmont Day Winter Concert! Here's how:

For every donation or gift card you bring in from a local business or donate yourself by November 18, your name will be entered into the drawing. The more donations you bring in, the more chances you have to win premium Winter Concert seating and parking! 

The winner will be drawn at the Thanksgiving Assembly on November 22. Here are some of the ways you can gather donations:

1) Visit Time to Sign Up and sign up to solicit a few local businesses or restaurants in your town.

2) Do you own a business, or have a friend that owns their own business and looking to get some exposure to the BDS community? Share this form with them! You can also download it from our website, or pick up a green donation folder in the development office. If they would like to advertise a business in our catalog, you can send them this form.

3) Do you have an item you would like to donate or a special talent that you are willing to share with some students and or parents, such as sports tickets, vacation home, leading a baking class, knitting class, a private yoga session, etc.? Contact auction@belmontday.org.

Parents Share Strategies Around Technology Use

Wednesday's tech talk for parents centered around topics raised in the movie Screenagers. After an overview of the film, we discussed strategies that parents can use to keep the conversations going at home around screen time. Suggestions included instituting family "Tech Talk Tuesdays" to set aside time for these important conversations and moving the charging station out of the kitchen to eliminate distractions during dinner and family time. Other tips included information about parenting apps and services that can help with managing screen time at home; you can find these tips on the parents' site under From the Tech Office. You will also find a new resource link about IAD or internet addiction disorder. The key for us as educators and parents is to work together to help children find the balance between home and school screen time and to foster the development of self-control and productivity.

Make it Count! "Mini-Workshop"
December 3, 2 to 3:30 p.m.

This mini-workshop for moms and girls (grades K-3) is the perfect chance for over-scheduled moms and girls to squeeze in quality "together time." The Make It Count! programs center on engaging activities that foster financial empowerment and an entrepreneurial spirit. The workshop features activities designed to explore money values like needs vs. wants and saving/spending decisions. Moms will leave with take-home resources to help encourage girls' application of these important fundamentals. Register here.
 

Science on Saturday: Physics
December 3, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

• February 4, 2017  (Your Developing Brain)
• March 4, 2017  (Chemistry)  
• April 1, 2017  (How the Internet Works)
• October 14, 2017  (Biotechnology)
• December 2, 2017  (Nuclear Science and Engineering)

The Scoop, Print Edition - November 4

Click here to find all of the articles from this week’s Scoop, formatted together for easy printing or conversion to a single PDF.