A Love of Reading
December 2, 2016

Thanksgiving break always seems to arrive just in time—Labor Day to Thanksgiving provides the longest stretch of uninterrupted school days we will have all year long and everyone is ready for some down time, family time, turkey time or, as is the case in my house: curl-up-with-a-good-book time. Annually, the quiet that comes with that tryptophan-induced sleepy Thursday afternoon offers an ideal time for our family to reacquaint ourselves with the magic of literature.

This year, before finding my book-du-jour, I was drawn to articles reinforcing and rearticulating the value of reading longer texts. One article in particular, the Wall Street Journal’s “The Need to Read,” linked here, captures the essence of my belief about the magic. Reading is not simply an exercise in escapism, neither is it an antiquated approach to learning. To the contrary, reading helps us reconcile the here-and-now in meaningful and 21st century-relevant ways—as critical thinkers, strong communicators and, perhaps most importantly, excellent and creative storytellers in our own right.  

Consider some of the great storytellers available to us: from non-fiction autobiographies by McCullough to multimedia graphic novels by Satrapi to the fiction brilliance of Rowling or Haslett. These writers graciously and seductively invite us in to challenge our sensibilities, provoke our thinking, reimagine our world, and highlight the critical skills we all need in our day-to-day. These texts are the sentinels of critical thinking and excellence in communication. They create worlds that are simultaneously recognizable and distinctly unique. They demand our flexibility and adaptability of thought, even while they themselves remain relics of place and time. To wit, no one would confuse Mark Twain as a 21st century author, but no one would argue that the lessons of his writing don’t hold up either.

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Upcoming Events
Saturday, December 3 to Friday, December 9

Saturday, December 3: Belmont SaturDay Concert with Stacey Peasley, 10 to 10:45 a.m., Coolidge Hall

B Week
Monday, December 5: Winter Athletics Season Begins; After School, Extended Day, and Enrichment Session 2 Begins; Grade 1 Parents' Library Coffee, 8:15 to 9 a.m., Erskine Library

Tuesday, December 6: Barn Design/Utile, 8:15 to 10:45 a.m., Erskine Library

Wednesday, December 7: Canceled: Auction Committee, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., Coolidge Hall

Thursday, December 8: Faculty Appreciation Breakfast

Friday, December 9: Sharing Assembly, 8:50 to 9:35 a.m., PAC; Eighth Grade Poetry Slam, 11:30 a.m. to 12:25 p.m., PAC; Hour of Tech 2016, 1 to 3:30 p.m., Coolidge Hall

Lunch & Snack Menu

Monday
Snack: Garden Salsa SunChips; fruit cup
Lunch: penne pasta with marinara sauce; bread sticks; hot veg special; greens with balsamic

Tuesday
Snack: Saltines; bananas
Lunch: waffles; scrambled eggs; bacon; pancake syrup; hot veg special; arugula salad with roasted potatoes, onion, and sherry vinaigrette

Wednesday
Snack: Tostitos; apples
Lunch: beef tacos; veggie tacos; taco shells; flour tortillas; diced tomato, cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream; hot veg special; taco salad with tomato and avocado

Thursday
Snack: RF Cape Cod chips; grapes
Lunch: cheese pizza; pepperoni pizza; hot veg special; Caesar salad; chocolate milk

Friday
Snack: cheese; apples

Send-off Assembly, Share the Warmth, Pajama Day
Tuesday, December 21, 11:15 a.m.

On December 21 we will gather in the PAC for the final assembly of 2016 to celebrate our first months of learning together and the start of a new year. We will also hear from fifth graders about Share the Warmth—their annual collection of warm winter clothing for Cradles to Crayons. Pajamas welcome! Stay tuned for more information in next week's Scoop.

Please note: school closes at 12:30 p.m. for all students and there is no after school and no enrichment classes.

Food and the Holidays

As the holidays approach, a gentle reminder that we do not have food-based celebrations in classrooms. A special all-school snack will be provided on one of the days leading up to winter vacation. [Shh! It will be gingerbread people (safe for all students except those with gluten allergies; a gluten-free version will be provided for those who need it) and candy canes!] As you are exchanging gifts with one another, please also remember that we are a nut- and peanut-free campus. Wishing you all a peaceful, restful holiday season filled with love and joy!

Winter Concert Reminders
Monday, December 19, 6:30 p.m.

Concert Dress: 
Pre-k to grade five: dressy attire; Ensemble members: dark bottoms and white tops/shirts; optional ties; comfortable shoes for all

Arrival at Belmont Day:
Ensembles
Orchestra: 5:45 p.m. (gym); Wind Ensemble: 5:45 p.m. (PAC); Guitar Ensemble: 5:45 p.m. (green room); Chorus: 5:45 p.m. (music room); Rhythm & Harmony: 6 p.m. (after school room); World Drumming: 5:30 p.m. (gym)

Concert Seating:
Pre-k and K families are seated in the first two rows; grades one to eight families may sit anywhere in the gym, except the first two rows and in seats reserved for classes.

Parking: 
Parking is limited, especially if there is snow. Please carpool if possible and allow sufficient time for driving carefully and parking so that we may begin the concert on time.

Departure: 
Following the concert, children return to their homerooms where parents will gather them for the ride home.

After School Students: 
Students who are usually enrolled in after school on Mondays and who will NOT be going home before the concert should bring a bag dinner and their concert dress. The after school teachers will supervise dinner and dressing. They will send the students to their classrooms/meeting areas at the times listed above. Please inform the after school staff if your child will be staying through until the concert.

Share the Warmth Drive
November 22 to December 20

There is still time to participate in Share the Warmth, fifth grade's annual drive to help kids get warm clothes for the winter. All donations go to Cradles to Crayons, which is a non-profit organization that helps children (age newborn through age 12) in need of supplies.

The most needed items are:

• winter coats for boys and girls (size newborn to size 18 or adult small/medium)
• diapers and diaper wipes
• warm clothing for boys and girls (size newborn to size 7/8)
• new hygiene products (shampoo, soap, baby lotion, brushes)

The drop-off boxes for donations are in the front lobby and the fifth grade classroom. Thank you! 

Toy Drive for Bridget Brigade
Monday, November 21 to Friday, December 16

Consider donating a toy drive for the Bridget Brigade Foundation, a charity that supports local families with a critically ill child. New, unwrapped toys in the $10 to $15 range for children of all ages are welcome in the collection boxes located in the gallery. Please remember that these toys are for children in the hospital and be mindful of the size of the toys.

Braiding Different Strands Meeting
Monday, December 12, 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 our meeting will focus on allyship. 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

Girls On The Run 5K

Sunday, December 4, 10 a.m.
Dedham HS Track, 140 Whiting Ave, Dedham, MA

The BDS community is invited to cheer on the girls who will participate in a 5K run on Sunday. Over 200 girls from a variety of Boston teams will come together to complete their goal. Look for a BDS meet-up area at the track.  Congratulations to our Girls On The Run team for a season of learning, accomplishments, and great memories!

Enrichment Enrollment

Enrichment enrollment and the first trimester close at the end of day today. Please contact Blair Fross if you have any questions regarding registration or enrollment. Our second trimester begins on Monday, December 5.

The deadline for the winter ski program is extended to December 14. For questions regarding programs, please contact Sandra Rhone. To register, please coordinate with Barbara Carey at the front desk.

Only One Town Gathering To Go!

If you have not yet had a chance to attend a town gathering for the Raise Y[our] Voice campaign, be sure to join us in Belmont on January 5, 2017. 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.

Book Fair

Gamewright

Table Arrangements

Students Stand Out at Model UN Conference

On Saturday, November 19, eleven middle school students took part in a Model UN Conference at Northeastern University. These students were “delegates” of France. During middle school clubs period, they worked hard to research their country and the issues they were preparing to debate. They joined 550 middle school students from 33 schools around Massachusetts to discuss important world issues and worked to pass resolutions to solve global problems. The issues on the table at this particular conference:  

• Climate Change (Robin Huntington and Dennis Jin)
• The Islamic State (Miranda Harlow and Isabella Kim)
• Child Labor (Julian Tinmouth and Elena Dainora-Cohen)
• Civil War in Syria (Altea Thompson and Sam Dornstein)
• Malnutrition (Anyara Zapata and Tim Sandin, as well as Maoz Bizan representing India)

Preparing for a Model UN conference involves extra work outside of school, a commitment to effective collaboration, and a desire to make a difference in the world. Our students were recognized publicly for their level of participation, and many of them will be taking part in future Model UN opportunities this year. At the Saturday conference we heard a short address from a college student in civil engineering. She inspired us by reminding us of key skills developed in Model UN work: tact, humility, and diplomacy. Now more than ever we need these qualities in public discourse. Be sure to ask one of our BDS delegates about their experiences as international diplomats!

Class of 2016 Reconnects for Yearbook Signing and Dedication

On Monday, November 21, we were thrilled to welcome the Class of 2016, along with alumni from the classes of 2013, 2014, and 2015, back to campus for a delightful annual tradition—the Alumni High School Panel and Yearbook Signing. These young alumni spoke with current eighth grade students about their high school experiences and answered a series of thoughtful questions crafted by the eighth graders. Following the panel, the Class of 2016 and eighth graders dove into an delicious twelve-foot sandwich and received their yearbooks in Coolidge. Before the signing began, the Class of 2016 recognized its fabulous yearbook dedicatee, Ms. LaRocque. Meanwhile, the older alumni served on a second panel for current and past parents. Thank you to all who attended this fun and informative event!

iRobot & Apple to Present at Hour of Tech
Friday, December 9, 1 to 3:30 p.m., Coolidge Hall

Beyond Ferguson: Bridging Class, Cultural, and Racial Separations
Sunday, December 4, 7 p.m.

The First Church in Belmont UU - Parish Hall 
404 Concord Street, Belmont, MA

Please join Belmont Against Racism, The First Church in Belmont Social Action Committee, the Belmont Religious Council, the Belmont police department and graduates of Youth Build as we continue our discussion about how to end racism in Belmont and in the wider world.

Chenery Gay Straight Alliance for Social Justice
Tuesday, December 6, 3 p.m. 
Chenery Middle School Cafeteria

Speaker: Rev. Ray Hammond and Rev. Mariama White-Hammond
Thursday, December 8, 7 p.m.
Temple Isaiah, 55 Lincoln Street, Lexington, MA

The quality of race relations in this country impacts all of us. Together, let’s learn how we can be part of the process that promotes social justice for everyone. Join Rev. Ray Hammond and his daughter Rev. Mariama White-Hammond will be speaking on the Fight for Racial Justice. For more information on this event, view the flyer here.

The Scoop, Print Edition - December 2

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