Belmont Day Magazine: The Power of Music at BDS

The Power of Music at BDS

2024 | 2025

Head of School

Brendan Largay

Editor, Director of Communications and Marketing Koreen McQuilton

Graphic Design Good Design, LLC gooddesignusa.com

Writer Christine Foster

Photography

Tom Kates Photography Jim Walker BDS Faculty

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55 Day School Lane | Belmont, MA 02478 or email bdsalumni@belmontday.org

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Founded in 1927, Belmont Day School is a bold, remarkable, inspiring community of learners and leaders in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

mission

Inspire and challenge. At Belmont Day School, we foster intellectual curiosity, honor differences, and empower meaningful contribution with excellence, respect, honesty, responsibility, caring, and joy.

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Making Beautiful Belmont Day School Music

Brendan Largay Head of School

One of the first lessons a child learns from music is about working together. When babies learn to clap, they have an a-ha moment: There is something special about clapping in sync with a beloved parent, sibling, or caretaker. The magic continues when children learn to collaborate with others, creating something beautiful in their first ensemble or choral performance.

In this magazine issue, we celebrate the magic of music at Belmont Day. The most important lessons we learn from music—how to harmonize, when to step forward and lead, and when to play a supporting role—are about community.

Community is the through line of everything we do at Belmont Day. Belmont Day is unique because we are rooted in bringing people together in a world that

signals competition and division and retreating to our respective corners. Parents founded Belmont Day nearly one hundred years ago so their children could thrive, thanks to connected relationships with devoted teachers. Check out the profile of Angus Thies ’09 on page 10. There is something special about an elementary and middle school education that would inspire a scholar to thank his middle school science teacher in his PhD dissertation.

As we started this school year, I spoke to our faculty about the importance of rowing in the same direction. One rower out of rhythm can disrupt the team like an out-of-tune clarinetist or off-beat drummer creating dissonance. That’s why we always return to our mission, vision, and core values to keep us playing the same tune in harmony, rowing in the same direction.

The community at Belmont Day is a significant part of what makes this place special. Even a few years removed from the pandemic, I still sense a strong desire for connection. Whether through music, our upcoming centennial celebration, Friday Night Lights, or a Sharing Assembly, there is a yearning for events that bring us together in joyful and familiar ways. Even our annual meeting of the corporation and parents’ association last spring got a little oomph with a performance by our faculty band. There’s nothing like a bit of music to make reviewing financials more fun!

The sound the Belmont Day community produces together is rich and beautiful. I feel lucky to be a part of this exciting time at our school, and I can’t wait to hear what kind of music we make next.

The Power of Music at Belmont Day School

How Learning to Sing and Play Makes Better People

It was the night of Belmont Day’s first spring Music Showcase. Thirty-five middle school students worked behind the scenes to put the event together, picking a venue, promoting it, and preparing the acts and tech needed to create a successful experience for an audience gathered on picnic blankets that turned the BDS Far Field into a cool outdoor performance venue.

Well before the event, Griffin Targum ’25 asked if he could perform an original song. He gathered a band and rehearsed outside of school and during lunchtime and recess. “It was neat that he had written something outside of the classroom that he then wanted to share,” says Kassie Bettinelli, music and ensembles teacher.

Then, the night of the event, Griffin strode onto the stage, wearing a pickle costume, ready to sing his song “Ferret Time”— which, yes, is all about ferrets.

It was obvious to everyone who knows Griffin that, of course, he would come out and own the moment, playing his drums with a pickle costume on. “He got on stage with confidence, and his band sounded incredible. He sang and played the drums, and the song and performance were a hit,” Kassie says.

What Kassie recalls most, though, isn’t the clever song or the funny costume. It’s seeing Griffin demonstrate so many skills Belmont Day values and supports that made that moment special.

“The agency that he had to be a leader, saying to five other students, ‘You’ve got this part, you’ve got that part,’ People are still talking about it,” she recalls, mentioning that he reprised the song at an in-school assembly. “We provided the space for students to lead, and I think they felt supported because structures were in place. Griffin and his band were able to take this opportunity and run with it.”

Griffin was by far not the only one who stepped out that evening to show how music at Belmont Day allows students to shine.

Rhys Kaplan ’24, was part of a whole team of students behind the scenes doing all sorts of technical jobs: running and wrapping cables, positioning microphones, checking monitors so musicians could hear themselves, and mixing all of the sounds together for the audience at a mixing board to prevent feedback and make sure every sound is balanced together. This group also helped with planning in advance, testing and selecting the ideal microphones for each instrument and solving the problem of how to amplify every musician onstage given limited audio equipment. Rhys got so excited about his role that he made a custom staff t-shirt. “Rhys has always been willing to try things,” says music and chorus teacher and ensembles coordinator Tyler Cotner. “He’s one of those students that you can rely on to take new risks. The showcase was a big moment for him. Rhys was very detail-oriented and courteous to the performers. He acted like a true professional.”

“We are helping develop good people who are considerate and thoughtful. Music is how some people find their voice—it can be a way for students to feel more deeply expressive.”

– Tyler Cotner Music and Chorus Teacher and Ensembles Coordinator

Music at Belmont Day is about so much more than notes and rhythm. Devoted faculty members say it is about learning to share space with others, practicing leading and following, appreciating different cultures, and internalizing skills that make students better friends, students, and people.

“We want students to feel seen and heard and have a voice and confidence in our classes,” says Kassie. “We want them to be active musicians or playmakers in that space. We are dedicated to making our middle school music program one where everyone can feel

like a leader and think about what that means for themselves as a group member. The Music Showcase was a magical place where it all came together.”

Music Throughout the Years

Creating these musical learners begins in pre-kindergarten. The music curriculum is intentional, just like every academic department. Teachers have plotted the scope and sequence, and students enter each year ready to build on what they learned the previous year. In pre-k and kindergarten, students have music twice a week— double what many schools offer. Kassie and Tyler get to know each student over the years because they alternate the grades they teach. “We’re able to create relationships with students and see them through eighth grade,” Kassie says.

Music is about movement and finding one’s voice in the youngest years. Students are encouraged to consider musical opposites—loud and soft, high and low, short and long. They also learn musical words accompanying those ideas, such as forte, mezzo forte, and fortepiano. “We teach these words because they are the ways that classical musicians think about and talk about classical music, and it’s how Western standard notation talks about those ideas,” Cotner says. “We also use more contemporary language when talking about contemporary music: ‘loud/soft,’ ‘build up,’ ‘break down,’ ‘playing down,’ and ‘down chorus’.”

Students experiment with instruments—hand drums, tambourines, and xylophones—and play with rhythm and sound. They also

play many games, sometimes with scarves, in circles, practicing listening and then moving and learning to coordinate movement with a beat.

“Instruction in the early grades is mostly about kinesthetic movement,” says Kassie. “Activities prompt students to explore ‘How am I a person among others? Who can I be musically, individually, and in a group?’ The music classroom is unique because students learn to move freely and creatively without impacting someone else.”

Even at the youngest ages, students hear, sing, and play music from many cultures and genres. Tyler’s unit on djembes, cylindrical drums from West Africa, includes showing videos in which people who play djembes speak about their cultures and traditions. “We explore many different ideas through listening and expressive movement,” she says. “Where does music come from? In what kinds of settings is music played?”

Tyler emphasizes that learning in the music classrooms is also about growing as a person.

“Something that Kassie and I like to say to each other is that we are helping develop good people who are considerate and thoughtful,” says Tyler. “Music is how some people find their voice—it can be a way for students to feel more deeply expressive.”

By the middle of lower school through fifth grade, students learn more about the specific characteristics of music and different

instruments. They learn about how string instruments function, what makes them make sound, and how they differ from wind instruments and percussion instruments.

For the strings unit in second grade, the school rents a class set of violins, and students play and sing with them throughout the fall. In seventh and eighth grades, students branch out, getting a choice of arts electives, including many musical options.

The teachers aren’t afraid to experiment with their elective offerings. Tyler recently taught one that used Boomwhackers—sets of plastic tubes that make different sounds—to create an ensemble. Kassie pulled together a mallet ensemble at the same time, and the pair combined classes for a performance.

What About Music Fundamentals?

Music is fun—and it is also an opportunity to learn. Students learn Western standard music notation, and they also go beyond that. “Something Tyler and I care about is developing the fundamental skills of reading music in multiple ways,” Kassie says.

Teachers work with students on solfège syllables—the classic “do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and ti,” developed for teaching singing in the classical tradition and familiar from The Sound of Music. They also teach rhythm syllables, which tell students how long a sound should last. This approach helps students learn how to read and understand music in written and aural form.

Musical Ensemble Offerings

WIND ENSEMBLE WITH TWO LEVELS

ORCHESTRA

CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

ORCHESTRA EXTENSION

MODERN BAND

CHORUS

WORLD DRUMMING ENSEMBLE

JAZZ BAND

LOWER SCHOOL GUITAR ENSEMBLE

Musical Middle School Electives

ACAPELLA

VOICE LAB

SONGWRITING

AUDIO TECHNOLOGY

POP STRINGS

KEYBOARD SKILLS

PRODUCING SONGS

FILM MUSIC COMPOSITION

MALLET ENSEMBLE

BOOMWHACKER ENSEMBLE

UKULELE LAB

In ensembles, teachers use different notations. Chorus members learn music notation and sight reading and notice the contour lines in a piece of music. But in the modern band, made up of forty-eight vocalists and instrumentalists playing pop music, students learn the vernacular of that genre. “Most pop musicians don’t rely on reading classical notation in order to do their job,” say Kassie and Tyler. “They rely on speaking a language of chords and melodies, learning and playing things by ear, and focusing on lyrics. That’s the musical language that they know how to work in. So that’s the musical language students use when talking about pop music.”

“Students can access music in different ways and see themselves as musicians because we provide multiple windows for them,” Tyler says.

Belmont Day suffers from an overflow of riches: so many students want to be in ensembles that scheduling them during the academic day is impossible. So, generally, starting in second grade (except for the lower school chorus, which includes first graders), students come in an hour before school to participate in ensembles. The program relies on the expertise of gifted musicians and teachers to lead the ensembles, including Kristian Baverstam (winds), Meghan Carye ’91 (strings and orchestra), Warren Levenson (guitar), Timur Rubinshteyn (world drumming), and Arlene Kunardi (piano accompanist).

Bringing Music to Life: Musicals

Students in first through fourth grades perform in a musical. Two theater arts teachers, Susan Dempsey and Chris Parsons, work with the music teachers to choose a script and the music. In theater arts classes, students learn choreographed movements and blocking, and then they rehearse with the music teachers to prepare the production.

Theatrical performances allow students with a special interest in vocal performance to shine. There are opportunities for solos, duets, and singing in small groups. “Students who are ready for it have that chance to step into the limelight,” Susan says.

“Some students love singing, so they can sign up to do a solo and then have their moment there. Others love acting on the stage, and they want to have a lot of lines. Then the entire cast performs the full-scale songs,” adds Chris.

The musicals are another opportunity for students to experience working together to create something beautiful. “There’s a lot of ensemble work, being aware of each other and themselves on stage, their bodies, their voices, like learning to cut off at the same time or to raise their hands together,” Susan says. “There’s a real sense of community and coming together in that way.”

That experience continues in middle school when students can participate in a full-length musical. This is where the fruits of the musical instruction in those young grades are apparent. “Students can easily sing in different harmonies because they’ve had that skill building over time.”

Making Musicians into Leaders

Teachers are looking for opportunities for musicians to perform. “Finding lots of opportunities for students to shine and share their music has been a focus for us over the last two years,” Tyler says. Weekly middle school meetings designed to amplify student voices and build school culture are one logical place to do this. Students also have opportunities to perform at Sharing Assemblies, evening concerts, and other community events.

Music teachers also model being performing musicians. Tyler, for example, works as a professional musician playing at weddings and at venues around New England (and the country), mostly playing in dance/pop bands but also a lot of rock, jazz, R&B, and some country. She also runs a dance band called The Femmes, which is a collective of women and non-binary musicians from all around the Boston area.

But it isn’t just the music faculty. Two years ago, the music teachers asked all their colleagues to share photos of themselves performing as children or teenagers to create a bulletin board to inspire students. Kassie thought a few people would share; more than thirty wanted to participate.

A group of faculty came together to perform at the year-end annual meeting of the parents’ association and board of trustees. The band included classroom teachers, specialists, a tech department staff member, and Head of School Brendan Largay, who sang in acapella groups throughout high school and college.

“It was great to bring people together. We had a blast preparing for that. We hope to perform for other community events,” Kassie says.

The teachers hope this modeling helps students see how valuable music is, even if they never use it in their careers.

“Theater and music are crucial to your ability to think and make connections,” Susan says. “You use your brain differently. Many mathematicians are also accomplished musicians. Also, through theater and music, your public speaking is enhanced, not just what you say but how you present yourself.”

They know they have succeeded when young alums invite them to attend a performance. “We love when a student invites us to a high school or a college play. It is fantastic to see all the growth that’s taken place and the little pieces we set in place,” Chris says. “I always tell my students, ‘If you continue this journey, please let us know. We want to be there for you. We’re your biggest cheerleaders.’”

An Alumna Who Continues to Make Music

Alisa Amador ’10 performed in Beauty and the Beast and Oliver when she was at BDS. In 2022, she was the first person ever to win NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest with a Spanishlanguage song. Based in Boston, Amador has released a full-length album, Multitudes, and tours the world, sharing her music with others.

SCAN to visit Alisa Amador’s website

SCAN to visit NPR’s winner of the 2022 Tiny Desk Contest

The Seeds of a Scientific Career Planted at Belmont Day

Angus Thies ’09 Studies Symbiotic Animal-Plant Relationships

Angus Thies ’09 put off writing the acknowledgments for his dissertation because he knew it would make him emotional. His journey to a PhD began more than a decade earlier when he began studying marine biology at the University of California at San Diego. It included the difficult years when a pandemic canceled field projects. The journey also included learning to use pioneering techniques to predict coral reef susceptibility to environmental stressors.

When Angus finally sat down to write those acknowledgements, he realized that the first person he wanted to thank was part of the early years of his education. “I started thinking about my earliest memories of wanting to be a scientist. It jumped

to mind that Sandra [Trentowsky] was the person who got me interested in biology and chemistry, those nitty-gritty subjects that can be intimidating for young students,” Angus says.

He wrote, “I would also like to thank the many mentors who helped me cultivate my passion for science. To Sandra Trentowsky, my middle school science teacher, the impact you had on my life as my first scientific mentor will always be special to me. Your humor, kindness, and passion made science approachable and inspired me to study the natural world; thank you.” This is the kind of recognition and impact teachers dream about.

Angus also reached out to Sandra, who has taught science at Belmont Day since 2006.

“Hi, Mrs. Trentowsky,” his email began.

“This is Angus Thies! I’m sure it feels like a long time, but I was a student in your science classes at BDS back in 2008-09.

How have you been?”

Then he continued: “Reflecting on my path through science, I felt a need to reach out and let you know the impact you had on the trajectory of my life, especially helping

to foster my love for biology. I consider you my very first mentor, and the experience of learning from you fueled my love for the natural world. I will always remember the patience, genuine caring, humor, and passion you brought to the classroom. Thank you.”

Where the Science Spark Started

Angus is a lifer who arrived as a pre-kindergarten student in the fall of 1999. It was a different time—that year the board

of trustees had just voted to expand the school and add a middle school program. The Barn was not yet built or even imagined, but for a curious little boy, the same magic that exists at Belmont Day today launched him on a life of learning.

He recalls observing chicks hatching as a kindergartner and examining lichen through a microscope as a first grader. By middle school, he was conducting chemistry experiments that included challenging math. “That was the core memory of when

it all started for me, especially the biology and chemistry pieces,” Angus says.

He thrived in small classes where patient teachers appreciated his curious mind. “Having the space and attention to get thoughtful answers to questions is one of the most important things any young student can have. I had well-informed teachers willing to admit when they didn’t know something. I learned that it’s okay not to know the answer. We weren’t spoken down to.”

“It was a fun place to go to school,” recalls Angus. “I grew up with a core group of people for ten years. I still see a couple of them occasionally.”

One of his Belmont Day classmates, Colin Trimmer ’09, also studying and working at UC San Diego, attended Angus’s PhD defense in August. “It’s funny to see the full circle from the very first day of school to the very last day of school,” Angus says.

A Passion for Marine Life

From his earliest years, Angus recalls being intrigued by marine biology. If there was a tank with lobsters in the grocery store, his mother could drop him off there, do the shopping, and return later to find him still mesmerized, watching, observing. He avidly watched Blue Planet, the BBC program narrated by Sir David Attenborough that took viewers through the depths of the world’s oceans. He loved taking trips to the nearby ocean, too. “Growing up in Boston, my family was close to several beaches. We spent time at the shore and ponds, too. I was always interested in that world.” Angus says.

As he headed toward his eighth grade year at BDS, marine biology was the obvious choice for his Capstone project. “My Capstone had the catchy title of something like ‘Marine Oddities,” Angus laughs. “I focused on three or four marine animals that had peculiar physical characteristics and how they got them, how they applied to the biology of the animal, and then our understanding of that animal’s ecology.”

After BDS, Angus attended Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge. For college, he was ready for a change. He knew that UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography is

top-notch. “It’s essentially the Woods Hole of the West Coast.”

As a freshman, Angus began working in labs on everything from algae culturing to bioacoustics to working in a deep sea drilling lab that takes sediment cores off the ocean floor for paleoclimate reconstruction.

Eventually, he volunteered in a physiology lab. He fell in love with that area of research, studying symbiotic systems and looking at how plants that live inside animals exchange nutrients back and forth between the two partners to support life. “I found symbiosis to be a fascinating system,” Angus says. “It’s two living things sharing the same space. I find that pretty captivating.” Angus stayed on for a master’s program and then a PhD.

“It’s one of those things: you say you’ll be a marine biologist when you’re a kid, but you don’t quite understand what that means. You say it over and over, and suddenly you find yourself in a PhD program, deep in it, actually doing the thing you’ve talked about for a very long time.”

“It’s one of those things: you say you’ll be a marine biologist when you’re a kid, but you don’t quite understand what that means. You say it over and over, and suddenly you find yourself in a PhD program, deep in it, actually doing the thing you’ve talked about for a very long time.”

Research That Touches on the Threat to Coral Reefs

Climate change is a global issue that connects to Angus’s research. He has studied the symbiotic relationship between coral and the algae zooxanthellae, one of the most critical mutualistic relationships within the coral reef ecosystem. Zooxanthellae are microscopic, photosynthetic algae that live inside coral. The hard coral provides protection and the compounds needed for photosynthesis to occur. In return, the zooxanthellae photosynthesize organic compounds from the sun and then pass the nutrients, glucose, glycerol, and amino acids, which are the products of photosynthesis, to their coral hosts. Zooxanthellae also aid in the excretion or removal of waste, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

“Coral reefs are massive structures when seen from space,” Angus says. “They provide about $7 trillion yearly in ecosystem services—the direct and indirect benefits ecosystems provide humans—for storm surge protection along coastlines. They produce material used in pharmaceuticals, from antacids to antiviral drugs. Millions of people worldwide depend on reef fish for food and livelihoods. So, coral

reefs are massively important ecosystems based on this symbiotic relationship.”

Unfortunately, excessive carbon dioxide caused by the burning of fossil fuels threatens this relationship.

“We’re not sure why, but we notice that corals undergo a bleaching phenotype during marine heat waves—when the water is too warm, they expel the zooxanthellae, and a reef will go from fully colorful to bone white in a week or less. I am looking at the molecular level and asking what the chemistry is in this situation. What are the proteins involved? It’s essential to develop a treatment or strategy to help preserve these reefs.”

For his first permanent postdoctoral job, Angus is shifting his focus. He is a field applications scientist at Meso Scale Discovery, a technology company developing, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative assays and instruments for measuring molecules in biological samples. “Their molecular tool for labeling proteins of interest is widely used in almost every field of research, whether that is pharmacology, immunology, or cancer studies. I travel to different labs to support users when things are not working well or they

want to develop a new workflow for a different antibody.”

Outside of his academic career, Angus has developed a passion for rock climbing and mountaineering, another piece that traces back—at least a bit—to his Belmont Day years.

“One thing stands out about the old gym,” Angus says, “There was a ropes course tucked up in the ceiling. One day a year, the PE teachers would drop it down— the harness, the rope, the whole nine yards. I remember that being something I always looked forward to. It was amazing.”

Today, his climbs are a bit bigger— outside of San Diego, in Nevada, in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and in Yosemite National Park—and he is more of a teacher than a student.

“After my dissertation defense, like a good student, I took three weeks off, and then I enrolled in community college,” says Angus, laughing. “I went to Lake Tahoe, where there is a massive wilderness education program, and I got a professional certification as a mountain guide. So now I work as a part-time mountain guide and a professional scientist.”

But science still comes first. “At the end of the day, science is the most important thing I’ve known,” Angus says. “I love the discovery. I love solving problems, and doing a PhD, no matter what research you’re doing, is about solving problems. And especially in my field, where I don’t work with biomedical models, nothing ever works the first time for me! [laughing] So it’s a lot of troubleshooting and learning how to do it all yourself and on the fly, which is stuff I love.”

He points to those early years at BDS as pivotal in shaping his journey. “Many teachers from my time at BDS clearly loved their job and being in that setting, and they had the freedom to teach about things they were passionate about,” Angus recalls. “That was a meaningful way to start a long academic journey, with people who genuinely cared and were willing to answer your questions in a detailed way, especially for a kid like me who was always like, ‘But what about? Why?’ Having people who are patient enough to answer those questions early on was very important to where I’ve ended up.”

Taking the Small Steps to Innovation

Annie Fuerst Director of Innovation

When I introduce myself as a director of innovation, people often assume that my job is to make waves, whether reinventing programs, jumping headfirst into new technologies, or pushing for big, bold changes. While I love brainstorming and tapping into some futurist thinking, in reality, innovation is often quieter and more incremental. I’ve always defined innovation as “doing things differently enough to achieve better results,” and I’ve found that, more often than not, that difference comes from small but meaningful shifts.

Brainstorming big and far-off ideas in innovation team meetings is always exciting and inspiring. However, the true moments of joy and the heart of our work lie in figuring out how to adjust and tweak what we already do to make it more empowering for our students. How can we pull in a design element? What technology platform might enhance this lesson? Can we seek out an expert to learn from? Questioning what we are doing, why we are doing it, and how we might do it a little differently and better

Pre-kindergartners ventured to the Barn for the culmination of a unit that combined learning about the Lunar New Year with lessons in art, technology, and basic coding. They decorated Bee-Bots with the animals of the Chinese Zodiac and then raced them in a fun recreation of The Great Race.

is where we start to see the real power of innovation.

As our sixth and seventh graders were in the final stretch of preparations for the STEAM Expo this winter, they made small tweaks to their projects, reinforcing the structures of their models, revising gameplay rules after testing, adjusting lines of code to improve functionality, and fine-tuning the mechanics of their LEGO builds. Meanwhile, our eighth graders were engaged in Capstone Studio Week. They were taking their project ideas from concept

to reality. Spaces across the Schoolhouse and the Barn were filled with a creative buzz— hallways lined with sketches and prototypes, classrooms transformed into studios, and students naturally engaged in conversations about refining their work. “I like this layout, but something still feels off … Should I shift this section over?” “Do you think this material will hold up better?” “I think I need to add a delay here to make the animation smoother.” These moments of collaboration

and iteration happen organically, with peers and faculty mentors offering feedback and suggestions that shape each project and student experience in meaningful ways.

Supporting and celebrating our students’ small but deliberate changes improves the quality of each project. It also builds critical skills like resilience, reflection, and problemsolving, shaping an innovative mindset.

Most importantly, it allows our students to experience real, authentic

innovation firsthand. It enables them to understand that innovation is not always flashy or big and is not always about inventing something new. It’s about the balance of taking care of what we already have that works and keeping an eye on continuous growth. It’s about asking the right questions, engaging in thoughtful reflection, making deliberate choices, and embracing the small changes that lead to better outcomes.

The COVID Class Hits College

Members of the Class of 2020 Reflect on Their Journey

Zoom Classes. Zoom Capstone. Zoom Graduation.

For the Class of 2020, the spring of their eighth grade year meant lots of virtual experiences. This group was in its final stretch at BDS when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down everything. They are now in their first year of college. We caught up with four of them to hear about their memories of Belmont Day, look back on that unusual spring, and learn how the school prepared them for high school and college.

Memories of their earlier years at BDS

Miranda Harlow

University of Vermont ’28

Elena Ferrari

Harvard University ’28

I started in pre-kindergarten and went through all the way, so I am a BDS lifer. I remember cross-graded partners—it was a special thing at BDS. I loved being on both sides of the partnership. I still have a memory of a field trip to Kimball Farms when I was in pre-k. I was on my cross-graded partner’s shoulders and showed them I had learned how to make my ponytail. For a couple of years, when I was the older partner, I happened to have the same cross-graded partner. That was really sweet. We got to know each other quite a bit.

I remember the community—a small, nurturing place. I have loved to read since I was really little, and it was a really big thing for me to go to the Erskine Library and get new books with the help of Ms. Sprung, the librarian.

I started Belmont Day in fourth grade. I had gone to a great public school, but my family and I realized I needed a smaller place to be. I was nervous but immediately welcomed into a very tight-knit community and such a good group. I remember only three months into fourth grade, thinking my teachers knew me better than they ever did at my old school. What they noticed about me and their willingness to help made me comfortable. My birthday is at the end of October. One year on my birthday, my homeroom teacher was reading us a book about baseball, and she came to me and said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I know you don’t like sports, and it’s your birthday, but it’s World Series time.’ I appreciated that.

Miles Sandoski

Tufts University ’28

I started at Belmont Day in pre-kindergarten. I liked getting into a small group of kids early on and staying with my class for the next ten years. I had a community and I felt very comfortable because I knew all the kids in my class, which I’m grateful for.

Theo von Gottberg

Carnegie Mellon University ’28

I am a BDS lifer. I remember a lot of individual projects—the bean plant project, building pyramids and learning about ancient Egypt and Greece, doing the plays, and designing a prosthetic arm. I also remember how it felt to be with people I had been close to for many years.

When It All Shut Down

Elena

Right before everything shut down, our English teacher gave us a book we would read for class. I don’t remember what book it was. We left school that day saying, ‘Oh, probably nothing will happen, but just in case, everyone has the book.’ That night, we got the email closing school.

I spent a lot of time on the phone or FaceTime with friends—it was an adjustment—but I was grateful to be working together, even though in a very different mode of group work than we would have had before. The school tried to organize a couple of socials for us, which worked to varying degrees because we were eighth graders on Zoom, but the effort was there.

Miranda

We were old enough to understand what was happening, which was a benefit. I’m sure the younger kids were much more confused. I remember the school already planning for remote learning in February.

Early on, I adjusted to what was happening. Some people were upset that the musical was canceled, but I accepted it as

I remember Capstone, even though we lost the experience of being in the Kiva together for our presentations. After you presented, people would text you and say, ‘Congratulations. You did great.’ We still tried to stay connected throughout the process. Even on Zoom, we found ways to have the sort of small talk that happens in the classroom. Teachers allowed this because they knew we weren’t getting as much of it otherwise.

We met one or two times on Zoom with our pre-k partners. Even though it was strange to say hi to their parents and see them at home, it was really sweet. That’s a testament to how well we got to know each other over the year.

an opportunity. It was okay for me. I know other people had different experiences, but I thought, okay, this is happening. What can we do?

I was a graduation speaker. My speech was recorded on Zoom, which was better because it would have been way more nerve-wracking if I had done it in front of everybody.

Miles

I remember the day school closed because we had just received our high school decisions, and that was a very memorable day for me. Initially, I thought school would be closed for a couple of weeks. Eventually, I realized I might not see BDS before graduation.

Theo

It was abrupt. The day before, we cleaned everything in our classrooms to be more careful. Then, the next day, we didn’t go to school. Pretty quickly, we went to Zoom. It didn’t take that much getting used to, but it was a bit different.

I remember Capstone, which was very different. We all pre-recorded our presentations, and I decided to watch myself

The school did an excellent job. The Capstone experience was memorable, even though no one wanted to have virtual presentations. The process was conducted well, and I enjoyed hearing other people’s presentations.

present my Capstone, which was an interesting experience. We were expecting things to get better around graduation, but a couple of weeks into the pandemic, we realized it would not end up that way. Graduation was on Zoom. Some people played an instrumental piece, which worked well given the circumstances.

How Belmont Day Prepared Them for High School and College

Elena

Milton Academy ’24

I was very involved in Echo magazine, the BDS literary magazine, and Milton Academy’s magazine. It was cool to carry much of what I learned at BDS to Milton. One of the things that happens at BDS, almost without trying—you learn that it’s the norm to get to know and care deeply about the people around you—to get to know them more fully. That’s a habit I have carried with me—reaching out to people and being very excited to get to know them.

Miranda

Arlington High School ’24

I was very well prepared. The best example of that is French. I really liked studying French in middle school. I had two great teachers. At Arlington High, the highest class offered for freshman year was French Two Honors. In that class, my teacher recommended that I skip French 3. I got to take French 4 Honors as a sophomore. I loved it. In my junior year, I took AP French and scored a 5. Then, last year, I took French cinema.

I’m studying communication science and disorders at UVM. As a counselor at Belmont Day’s camp, I had a camper with a communication disorder, and I remember thinking how cool it would be to be the person who helped him communicate and express what he needed.

Miles

Belmont Hill School ’24

Belmont Day prepared me well. One particular way is essay writing. I got a really good baseline there. I also got to know the teachers well. That transferred to high school, so I was much more confident approaching my teachers and making one-on-one connections because I was so used to it from day one.

My Capstone was on how the brain affects endurance performance. I’m a track athlete. [Director of Athletics] John O’Neill

Theo

Concord Academy ’24

Belmont Day helped in general. The transition from eighth grade work to ninth grade work was smooth. Other people I noticed would say, ‘Oh, it’s a massive transition,’ but coming from Belmont Day, it seemed relatively smooth, and the workload increase wasn’t that crazy for me.

A sense of community and socializing with people, both in the context of friendships and when working with people for academics, was ingrained.

We learned to collaborate. We got a deeper understanding of what was taught beyond being given something, memorizing

What I plan to study now is close to what I was doing at BDS. My Capstone was on stem cell therapies and regeneration. As part of my project, I wrote and illustrated a children’s book explaining how regeneration works, which was very cool. I’m considering majoring in chemical and physical biology or bioengineering, with a secondary field in English, comparative literature, or philosophy.

My Capstone was on ballroom culture, a community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people of color who competed together in pageant-like contests. I had a final paper for linguistics, and it’s five pages. Well, I wrote twelve pages when I was fourteen, so I think I can write five pages now.

We also learned soft skills during Capstone. I had to interview somebody by phone. I have a hard time talking on the phone, but I could do it. With Capstone, I learned that you can approach people and ask questions. I made a friend at dance the other day whose mom is a speech-language pathologist, and I might ask her, ‘Can I have your mom’s email and talk to her about this job?’

introduced me to track and field, my favorite sport. He helped me authentically figure myself out.

There was a lot of security from Belmont Day to high school to college. At Tufts, I am most likely to major in biology. I have really good study and time management skills. I also developed solid social skills, which makes meeting people here easier.

it, and moving on, making learning in the future much easier and more valuable.

I am considering majoring in chemical engineering, which links back to my Capstone and what I was passionate about at BDS. I studied how climate change affects the ski industry. I looked at how it affects something I enjoy—skiing—and what drives it. What is the science behind it? I’ve also done projects on carbon capture or hydrogen energy and ways to limit and slow climate change. These are all linked together from that first project in eighth grade.

Associate Teacher Program and Coaching Make Those Who Teach Even Better Teaching Teachers Teachers

At Belmont Day, adults are always learning, too. Two ways that happen are the Associate Teacher Program, which brings a cohort of student teachers to campus each year, and the role of programmatic advisor and instructional coach who supports the goals for professional growth for current BDS teachers.

Associate Teacher Program

For thirty-one years, Belmont Day has welcomed Lesley University graduate students to campus as associate teachers. These student teachers offer new, diverse perspectives and additional minds, hands, and eyes in classrooms, and they build connections with students every day.

The associate teachers are earning a master’s degree in education and becoming fully licensed Massachusetts teachers. They spend a school year working with and observing mentor teachers, attending seminars taught by BDS faculty, working with students, and eventually designing and teaching their own lessons.

The program benefits the students, the associates, and the mentor teachers, each in their own way. Director of Curriculum and the Associate Teacher Program Anthea Lavergne notes that students benefit from developing relationships with many different adults. Students often gravitate toward the associates who are themselves still in school and can engage differently than they might with veteran teachers.

Heather Woodcock, who oversaw the Associate Teacher Program before Anthea and is now programmatic advisor and instructional coach, says, “It’s powerful for students to realize that the associates are learning, too. It opens the door for mentor teachers to acknowledge, ‘And I’m learning too.’ We are all learning together—this is a valuable lesson for everyone.”

Associate teachers benefit in part by simply being in the classroom. They spend one semester with one mentor teacher and class and then switch to a different one,

“We are all learning together—this is a valuable lesson for everyone.”

exposing them to various teaching styles. They observe, engage, and teach. Associate teachers also participate in weekly seminars to synthesize the knowledge they gain during their hands-on time in the classroom. Off-campus professional growth opportunities ensure they engage with other experts; for example, associate teachers received training in Responsive Classroom, an approach that combines engaging academics with social-emotional learning.

“Associate teachers are fully integrated into the school and the community, and this

offers them first-hand experience before they embark on leading their own classrooms,” Anthea says.

Mentor teachers, in turn, learn by engaging with the questions and insights of their associate teachers. “Mentors value the time they spend guiding and evaluating the associates,” Anthea says. “Self-reflection is embedded in the process because they have to deeply consider the what, how, and why of their practices.”

Coaching Teachers

Heather Woodcock is in a new role at Belmont Day after leading the Associate Teacher Program for six years. As a programmatic advisor and instructional coach, Heather, who has worked in independent schools for over three decades, says, “I’m in and out of the classrooms, observing and consulting with teachers.” In just the first two months of school, she had already visited twenty classrooms in a non-evaluative role.

“The model involves teachers naming something that they are interested in working on or something that they want feedback about, and my job is to support them in getting better at it,” Heather says.

Heather handles some questions in just one visit. Others are ongoing, so she works with teachers over time. Her guidance includes:

Observation and feedback: Heather can observe classroom management, materials management, differentiation,

assessment, clarity of language and directions, and interactions with a particular student or group of students. Using her fresh perspective, she helps teachers develop new ideas about tackling any of these areas.

Troubleshooting: When teachers want a partner to discuss a particular student, Heather offers to review the student file and brainstorm how to handle learning challenges.

Plan a lesson or event: When a teacher wants to try something new, she can be a sounding board in advance, helping to identify areas that might need tweaking. She can also observe and debrief afterward.

Make a connection: Heather has visibility into every corner at BDS. She can point teachers looking for a thought partner to someone on campus who might be the right fit.

Review progress on goals: Heather can revisit a teacher’s instructional goals developed at the start of the year and help them brainstorm strategies for moving forward.

Students at Belmont Day benefit from well-supported teachers who can inspire and challenge them in their classrooms.

Associate Teachers (from top): William Hart, Paula Vasiliadis, Marissa Nardone, Tim Gore, Giuliana Blanca, Casey Reed

AISNE Accreditation Process Update

On Sunday, October 6, 2024, the AISNE accreditation team began a three-day visit to Belmont Day. This team, composed of independent school teachers and leaders from across New England, was tasked with closely examining our program and community. The nine-member team, led by Walter Landberg, head of school at St. Michael’s Country Day in Newport, RI, had two busy days on campus, followed by a day of writing. Their time was spent interviewing community members, reading documents, observing classes, and meeting with students. Their work encompassed learning about curricular offerings, leadership models, operations,

governance, student experiences, community partnerships, finances, fundraising, and each meaningful component of the culture and mission of Belmont Day.

Faculty and trustees spent two years in preparation mode to ensure the team had a successful visit. The work during the 2022-2023 school year focused on curriculum documentation, and the school published a comprehensive scope and sequence document. During the 10-year AISNE accreditation cycle, the year before the accreditation visit is known as the self-study year. The school dedicated the 2023-2024 school year to a

self-investigation. Faculty collaborated in heterogeneous teams of lower and middle school teaching faculty, non-teaching faculty, and administrators to examine the series of standards set forth by AISNE. These standards each speak to how the school functions tactically and strategically.

Before departing, the visiting team wrote a report on their findings, which the school has reviewed and will act upon in the coming years. This report centers on major commendations and recommendations for our work as a community. Belmont Day is excited to celebrate our commendations and consider what lies ahead.

Building an Even More Excellent Belmont Day

Intentional Efforts Link Curriculum Review and Professional Development

Belmont Day’s Strategic Plan features excellence as one of three key pillars and defines it as “one program, one philosophy that ensures we fulfill our mission for each and every student.”

The comprehensive plan includes goals such as “Evaluate current program efforts against program vision; identify and address gaps” and “Direct professional development to support program priorities.”

Annie Fuerst, the director of innovation, who oversees professional development, and Anthea Lavergne, the director of curriculum and the associate teacher program, are working together to align their work to meet those goals.

Anthea began this year by establishing a committee on curricula, policy, and

pedagogy. “Establishing the committee was an essential step to get everyone on the same page,” she says. “This allows the educators directly working with students to define what excellence looks like in teaching and learning.”

The thirteen-member committee is working to establish a structure to guide the articulation of a mission-aligned and shared vision for curricula, schoolwide policy, and a pedagogical model that honors teachers’ autonomy. Anthea emphasizes that the committee will use data to inform its decisions.

Annie is working to connect professional development with the framework that the committee creates. “We are staying in line with each other to support

faculty in choosing opportunities that reflect best practices and scholarly research and are relevant to their roles, goals, and aspirations,” Annie says. “We will also consider what ongoing professional development people need to be able to fulfill what has been set out by the committee.”

Anthea and Annie highlight Head of School Brendan Largay’s guidance in this effort. “During opening meetings, Brendan emphasized the importance of returning to basics and ensuring everyone is rowing in the same direction,” Annie says. “If you row in a different direction, you’re still getting stronger, but you’re not helping your boat move forward. We want our boat to move forward.”

“I don’t think the people applying realize how special BDS is . . . You can’t find this energy anywhere else.”

– Sebastian Colberg Reyes ’23

Giving Back by Speaking Up

Young Alumni Share their Belmont Day Stories with Prospective Parents

Every year, young alumni return to campus to give back. Prompted by their positive experiences, they share on admissions panels what they remember about their experience and why they love the school.

Sebastian Colberg Reyes ’23, who now attends Belmont Hill School, says he enjoys tackling questions on homework, leadership opportunities, and curriculum from prospective parents. “I don’t think the people applying realize how special BDS is,” he says. “I recently went to Friday Night Lights, which is the big soccer game, and I thought, ‘You can’t find this energy anywhere else.’”

Natalie Jean ’23, who now attends Middlesex School, says she appreciates the chance to give back to the school she attended beginning in kindergarten. “Cross-graded partners were super special. The projects and class trips were, too. I think the community is awesome.”

Ken MacDougall ’23 shares his powerful story of transformation. Belmont Day changed him from a fourth grader focused solely on math and science, with no interest in history or sports, to someone open to trying sports who loves history and social studies. Ken continues to wrestle as a sophomore at Noble and Greenough School. “BDS allowed me to experience everything,” he says. “It opened so many doors for me, and it’s given me lifelong hobbies. It gave me one of my best friends. Teachers let you be yourself and actively try to engage you in new things. I’m grateful for that.”

Sebastian Colberg Reyes ’23

Natalie Jean ’23

Ken MacDougall ’23

A Spot for Collaboration and Alumni Connections

Using the New Space at 37 Day School Lane Well

In 2022, the Belmont Day campus grew in a small but powerful way.

For nearly six decades, Trudy Eyges, a loyal friend of the school, lived in the yellow, one-story ranch at 37 Day School Lane. After Trudy died in 2021 at the age of 100, her family sold her home to Belmont Day.

The renovated house has added space for the advancement and business office teams to be close, providing

valuable opportunities for those two groups to collaborate. The house also expanded the meeting space available for those who love the school. On any given afternoon, you might encounter parent volunteers assembling an annual fund appeal for mailing or find a trustee committee meeting or an advancement staff member meeting one-on-one with an alum.

Associate Director of Development Kyle Beatty appreciates that the house looks out onto athletics fields. “It allows us to observe what we cherish most—our students—engaged in team-building during athletics or enjoying time with one another at recess,” Kyle says. “To see students in

action reminds our teams of our purpose in the work that we engage in every day.”

The school plans to upgrade the back patio to make it a welcoming space for smaller events, such as new family coffees or recognition events for our board members.

“I often find myself sitting at the conference table looking out the big windows on the backside of the house, absorbing the joyful energy reflected towards the building,” Kyle says. “When the slider doors open, we hear a wonderful melodic sound of children, which is just energizing.”

LOWER SCHOOL

Curriculum: Tradition and Innovation

Betty Chu Pryor

Lower School Head

How Lower School Teachers Are Working to Assess Curriculum

For schools dedicated to excellence, intentional and critical curriculum reflection is a regular and ongoing practice. Curricular review cycles identify current strengths, recognize areas for development, and make recommendations for the future.

This year, these efforts have been especially intentional. Teaching faculty in both divisions have met together regularly as part of either a science or social studies team to review what students learn from pre-kindergarten through

eighth grade. The group began by auditing our curriculum, closely examining what topics and skills students are learning and in which grades. The educators collaborate, share, and clarify where redundancies or gaps have emerged since the last review. By the end of this review, the groups will articulate a scope and sequence both vertically—across the grades—and horizontally—across subjects. In addition, some lower school teachers are key members of the new Committee on Curricula, Policy, and Pedagogy, which

Anthea Lavergne, the director of curriculum and director of the associate teacher program, spearheaded. {See page 20 to learn more about the committee and faculty professional growth.}

The curriculum review process is an opportunity to celebrate our missionaligned, long-standing curricular units and reveal the programs and lessons that need adjustment. Belmont Day teachers are dedicated to doing what is best for students and eager to adapt and innovate.

Studying the Ancient World

One great example of a long-standing curricular tradition is the study of the ancient world in fourth grade. Writing and social studies focus on this topic, which is developmentally appropriate for this age group because students are ready for more challenging academics and still possess vivid imaginations. Studying cultures rooted in rich mythological traditions is particularly engaging and interesting.

The year begins with students exploring the geography of the ancient world, and studying parts of the world they are interested in. Those locations are sometimes chosen because of family or ancestral connections. Then, they turn to studying ancient Egypt and Greece. The Erskine Library has a rich collection of grade-level research resources.

Field trips are intentional and thoughtful extensions of the curriculum, and visiting the Museum of Fine Arts Boston is a special highlight for the fourth grade class. The museum’s collections include statues of Egyptian kings and queens, sarcophagi and figurines, and an exhibit about daily life in ancient Greece in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. During the visit, students searched for

artifacts related to their earlier mapping project and became tour guides for their peers.

In January, students began writing research reports, which they presented at the Ancient Egyptian Symposium. They spend time in the Erskine Library learning how to look for sources in the catalog, assess sources for useful information, and create book citations. Later in the winter, they tackled a group pyramid-building challenge, recreated tomb paintings, and

created trading cards for Egyptian gods and goddesses.

The culminating event of this yearlong study is the Greek Storytelling Festival for families. The festival celebrates what fourth graders have learned throughout the year in all their classes. They make lyres in woodworking that they learn how to play in music, create a planetarium and learn constellation myths in science, design tiles in art, participate in the Olympics in PE, and practice their stories in theater arts.

Sharing Affirmations: Building Relationships Through Summer Reading

This year, a new and special connection has grown between pre-kindergarten and second grade students. The journey began over the summer, when the summer reading books assigned to pre-k through second grade featured

themes of resilience, taking risks, and embracing affirmations.

The pre-kindergarten selection was Repeat After Me: Big Things to Say Every Day, a New York Times best-selling picture book by parents and actors Jazmyn Simon and Dulé Hill. Each spread features a child experiencing something wonderful—being lifted into the air by a loving parent, making snow angels, enjoying a bowl of ice cream—alongside encouraging text. One, featuring a child as an astronaut walking bravely in space, says, “I am important: You’re here for a purpose. Your life has great meaning. Believe in yourself, and never stop dreaming.” Another, depicting a girl playing a saxophone, tells the young reader, “I am gifted: capable, artistic, creative, and bright.”

At the start of the school year, pre-k and second grade teachers met and looked for ways to encourage their students to see the

best in themselves and engage with words and ideas that affirm their value. They were keen to build a connection between their two grades, groups that aren’t already crossgraded partners.

Second graders visited pre-k, and the younger students shared their affirmations, teaching them to their new, older friends. Then, the two classes shared these positive words at a Sharing Assembly. It was a chance for the pre-k students to get comfortable standing up and teaching the community. The second graders had the opportunity to assume a leadership role, encouraging their younger friends.

Teachers have continued to build on those summer reading books, extending learning throughout the year. On curriculum night in the fall, the pre-k parents participated by writing and sharing an affirmation for their family.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Liz Gray Middle School Head

A Phone-Free Education

Belmont Day is committed to helping students build positive digital habits and emphasizes mentoring over monitoring as our students grow. For this commitment to be effective, we recognized the importance of shifting our structures and policies on smartphones and other internet-enabled devices at school.

Growing research indicates that using smart devices and social media impacts attention, focus, and mental

health and can have long-term health and learning effects for children. In response to this research and parents’ concerns, this year, smartphones and wearable smart devices are collected at the start of each school day and returned to students before dismissal.

We have found that this approach has reoriented the relationship between school and home, reinforcing for parents that their children are safe and well

cared for during the day without constant check-ins. It allows middle school students to deal with challenges during the school day by working with a trusted adult on the Belmont Day faculty or digging into their toolbox of skills developed through our Growth, Development, and Belonging curriculum for options. Distance from phones allows students to problem-solve independently, and we see them succeed.

A New Seventh Grade Orientation Trip

Seventh graders started the school year with an orientation trip to a new location: The Leadership School (TLS) at Kieve Wavus Education in Nobleboro, Maine. We picked TLS because it is structured, inclusive, and aligned with Belmont Day’s mission. The program’s mission is “to empower people to contribute positively to society by promoting the values of kindness, respect for others, and environmental stewardship through year-round experiential programs, camps for youth

and adults, and guidance from inspirational role models.”

Our seventh graders enjoyed three days away focused on developing social-emotional skills, team building, goal setting, teamwork and collaboration, problem-solving, and comfort and challenge zones. Physical activities included rock wall climbing, nature walks, and high- and low-ropes courses.

We value fall orientation trips because they launch the year well, allowing students to connect and reinforce the

school’s values. When students know themselves and relate well to their peer group, they can access our rigorous curriculum and engage in higher-level thinking. The program sets up teachers for success, too. Adults leave the TLS campus with a number of new resources to use in their classrooms and with a better understanding of who each of their students is and what they need to learn effectively for the rest of the school year.

New Teachers Lift Students Even Higher

Two new teachers have already shown leadership in helping our eighth graders think and write more deeply.

Emma Alexander

Grade 8 Social Studies Teacher

Emma Alexander is partnering with Capstone Coordinator Jennifer Friborg, to help students structure their research papers well. Through one-on-one meetings, Emma guides students to effectively synthesize their ideas and research. She asks thoughtful questions to get students to consider the credibility of sources and introduces them to NoodleTools, a resource for making an MLA-compliant bibliography a breeze. Emma’s goal is for students to complete this big project and have confidence in their abilities as they head into high school.

Emma also brought back a Facing History & Ourselves unit on the Holocaust

and Human Behavior. Using readings, primary source material, and short documentary films, students learn about the history of the Holocaust and reflect on our world today. This topic and curriculum are personal for Emma—her interest in teaching social studies grew from her own eighth grade experience in Cambridge. She recalls the way her peers grappled with choices that ordinary people face. In addition, Emma’s grandmother is a Holocaust survivor, and her family published a book of her writings that she shared with her students.

Emily Phan

Grade 8 English Teacher

Eighth grade English is all about diving deeper, and Emily Phan is helping her students do just that. She has them discuss literature in student-led Socratic seminars.

Each student comes to class ready to ask questions, citing specific details and quotes from the text. Discussions are followed by reflection. They consider how much each person participated. How evenly did the group share time? Did some people dominate? Did the questions push the group to come to new understandings, or were they repetitive?

The choice of rigorous texts encourages students to engage in high-level thinking. Students discussing short stories pointed to works by Chekhov and Octavia Butler. In a unit on the Harlem Renaissance, students read thirty poems and considered the themes across them.

The class format dials up the seriousness and purpose of their work. Emily says she wants her students to close the school year by asking more questions than they began with.

Emma Alexander Emily Phan

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING

Teaching History and Exploring Identity

Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging & Social Studies Teacher

Trinity Johns Shares Her Story

Trinity Johns didn’t always imagine she would be an educator, but then she fell in love with the work. She grew up in rural McAlester, Oklahoma, a little dot on the map in the middle of Choctaw Nation in the state’s southeastern part. Trinity attended Duke University, majoring in sociology. When she graduated in 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she moved to Massachusetts and saw that

the Meadowbrook School of Weston was looking for teaching assistance.

“I started my first year of teaching with weekly COVID testing and still ended up loving the profession,” she recalls. “My dad is a teacher. Several family members are invested in education. It is something my family values.” She was drawn to the DEI space at the school, and during her second year at Meadowbrook, she became the school’s fellow for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Trinity describes the opportunity as “kind of like kismet.”

After those first two years in the classroom, Trinity earned a master’s degree at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, focusing on policy work. Then, she

returned to Meadowbrook for a third year and became the associate director of equity and inclusion.

Identity has always been important to Trinity, who is both Black and Native American. “My racial identity is something that I hold close to me, and connects me to my family, and also is impactful to understand the world around me. My students often hear me say that I’m a tribal member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.”

Trinity joined Belmont Day in the summer of 2024 as the assistant director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and a seventh grade social studies teacher. After being in a role solely focused on DEI work, Trinity yearned to be in the classroom again, developing the long-term connections with students that are possible when you see them daily. She appreciates the connections between the curriculum and her identity work so the combined DEIB and classroom role is a perfect fit for her.

“When I heard that this role would combine teaching and administration, it made a lot of sense to me,” she says. “Being in the classroom helps my practice as an administrator. I love connecting with students, and I love watching teachers grow, especially when talking and thinking about identity

for themselves and how that impacts and helps them aid students in the classroom.”

The intersection of social sciences and DEI is where Johns can best connect with students and show them how her identity is part of the history they are studying. In the fall, she teaches ancient African kingdoms. Then, in the winter, she focuses on the transatlantic slave trade.

“As a Black American, the history in the United States is close to my heart,” Trinity says. “I’m talking about things that have happened historically to my family. My family members moved through the forced relocation of the Trail of Tears and then ended up in Oklahoma.”

With the youngest students, Trinity often reads books about diversity, equity, and inclusion topics, which she loves. “I’m not as good as librarian Amy Sprung at doing the funny voices, but I’m working on it,” she says, laughing.

Recently, she read a book with the second graders about being part of a community. In the story, the young children speak different languages but can connect over tea from their various cultures. “We had a fruitful conversation about how even if we’re different from our friends, there are things that we can enjoy together that bind us,” Trinity says.

For older students, she helps coordinate the Growth, Development, and Belonging program, where middle schoolers connect health and wellness and social-emotional learning with equity, inclusion, and belonging. “My job is to help them have the tools to explore these topics. Sometimes, that means we’re going over basic definitions, and sometimes, that means we are diving deep to talk about our different identities and how we show respect to people, not just at Belmont Day but when we’re outside of our school spaces.”

One of the best parts of teaching is learning from the curious questions of students. “I was in classrooms with the kindergartners, and one of them asked, ‘Why is your job important?’ recalls Trinity. “I wasn’t expecting that from a kindergartner because they usually ask me what my favorite animal is. I explained that there were not a lot of students who looked like me in my classrooms in Oklahoma. That means there were many times when the curriculum didn’t reflect my experiences or family or help me navigate who I was at the time. And so my job is important because that’s what I do for them.”

SPOTLIGHT Ar ts

Anne Armstrong Arts Coordinator

The IMPACT Lab: Beyond the Acronym

Imagine. Make. Play. Adapt. Create. Tinker.

The IMPACT Lab and innovation program are now the age of our prekindergartners, and like our students, the Lab and program are blossoming as they grow! Myriad projects, interdisciplinary studies, and cross-curricular activities in which students engage with the IMPACT Lab provide them with opportunities to imagine, make, play with and adapt ideas, to create, and to tinker as they turn their ideas into tangible things. On a typical day, a visitor might see the sometimes messy hands-on learning that helps children grow and thrive. Students make models of ideas using cardboard and yarn, print a 3D model

of a project, or write code to bring a project to life.

The three-person innovation team— Director of Innovation Annie Fuerst, Innovation Coach Brit Conroy, and Librarian Amy Sprung—is pivotal in helping students use the IMPACT Lab’s resources to generate ideas, prototype, fail, and iterate. While helping students seamlessly integrate technology across disciplines, the team works with faculty across the school to design rich learning experiences that engage students in the core capacities of an innovator.

In thinking about how innovation and art have been explored this year,

the first grade created self-identifying stickers to put on spray-painted skateboard decks—combining identity exploration and art. Middle school students made zines—marrying art and writing in small, handmade publications. They shared them for the second year in a row at Zinefest in Watertown. Eighth grade Latin students learned how ancient Romans invoked deities to right wrongs and then etched “curse tablets.”

Our students engage with the IMPACT Lab with grade-appropriate guidance and the permission to explore and experiment. The Lab features 3D

Reflecting on Teaching and Learning: The Arts Team Goes Back to School

All eight arts teachers spent one of the parent conference days in October visiting several local public and independent middle and high schools. Visiting and observing in schools offers unique insights, provides ideas and examples of teaching practices to adopt or adapt, and is an amazing avenue for professional growth for the visiting and host educators.

As a team, the last time we formally visited other schools was during the arts curriculum review process, when we looked at elementary and middle school programs. The wealth of knowledge and information we gathered about teaching, learning, and different school structures while observing other arts educators created a lasting impression, and we were eager to focus our visits this year on middle and high school arts programs. While our primary goals were to observe teaching practices and confirm our program is indeed preparing our students for their high school experiences, we also had our eyes on school culture and other aspects that shape the learning experiences of students and the overall school community.

printers, a Cricut digital cutter, a laser cutter, and a vinyl cutter, robotics equipment, the Gif-O-Graf (a machine for making stop-motion animation), computers with many software options, and a wide variety of materials for building and creating.

Each project aims to help students develop logical thinking, complex problem solving, iterating, synthesizing information, and creative communication skills. The idea is that the capacities students develop in the IMPACT Lab transfer to other areas of their academic and social lives.

One teacher we met during our visits—an award-winning educator—was surprised to see experienced, veteran teachers visiting, rather than new. After explaining our arts curriculum review process and the ongoing work that guides our curricular and educational goals, including observing in other schools regardless of whether we are new to the field, or have been teaching for threeplus decades, the teacher replied, “That is amazing . . . I wish we did that.”

The positive energy and generative conversations that immediately followed the school visits have continued to spark connections and ideas for the arts team. As we design new facets of curricula and rethink how we engage students in our studios, the Belmont Day mission will provide the foundation for our work across all arts disciplines. Inspire and challenge, indeed!

Engaging with Belmont Day Parent and Architect Jonathan Evans

Have you visited the 1965 Freedom Plaza in Boston, which includes The Embrace Memorial, a gorgeous sculpture that recalls the hug that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shared with his wife, Coretta, after he won the Nobel Peace Prize? If you have, you have seen some of the work of Belmont Day parent Jonathan Evans P ’27 ’30.

Jonathan, an architect with MASS Design Group, was the lead architect for the project, which opened on the historic Boston Common in 2023. The memorial sculpture and the plaza surrounding it create a cultural symbol of equity, justice, and the diversity of the City of Boston.

We are grateful that Jonathan has generously shared his wisdom and expertise with BDS. Last winter, Jonathan was our guest speaker at the MLK Day Assembly, where he described the impetus for and process of creating the 1965 Freedom Plaza. Conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas was selected to design a monument to remind Boston’s residents and visitors of our shared human connection and the

ideals of inclusion that the Kings defended in their activism. The city, funders, architects, and designers realized their vision after five years of collaboration, iteration, and problem-solving.

Last June, Jonathan met the second grade class at the 20-foot-tall by 25-foot-wide bronze sculpture. They learned that the materials for it came to Boston in seven truckloads, and they found the names of Boston-area Civil Rights and social justice leaders inscribed in the marble plaza.

Jonathan’s presentation about the sculpture and plaza also inspired a new middle school visual arts elective course. As a collaborator and consultant during the planning stages for the class, Jonathan’s input and perspective were crucially important while framing various scenarios and design challenges for the middle school artists. In “Thinking Big, Making Small,” students will design sculptural work for common spaces on campus, and for public spaces frequented by children beyond Day School Lane.

compelling representations of

These

Dr. King were created for Freedom Night, a part of a sixth grade civil rights study. Top left: painting by Te Palandjian ’13; top right: drawing by Shi Shi Jacobs ’16; bottom: LEGO brick portrait by Lucas Galante ’16 and Erik Bjork ’16.

BELMONT DAY

Celebrating Every Student as an Athlete —the Belmont Day Way

THE ATHLETICS BANQUET AND COACHES AWARDS

John O’Neill Athletics Director

Middle school students have finished the year with the annual athletics banquet for at least the last decade and a half. Of course, most schools have year-end awards for athletes, usually recognizing the stars—those who run the fastest and score the most points. But Belmont Day does it differently.

Our unique approach to athletics begins in the youngest grades when our physical education teachers focus on how students explore the BDS values of respect, honesty, responsibility, caring, joy,

and excellence through physical activities. In middle school, this happens through competitive and non-competitive athletics.

Then, in June of their eighth grade year, every graduating student is honored in front of the whole middle school for their athletic accomplishments. It is a special culmination of our athletic year.

About 400 people pack into the Barn for the event, including nearly all our middle school students and many faculty members. Family members accompany eighth graders to celebrate with them.

The hour-long program begins with highlights from the year and a thank-you to

everyone who makes the program possible, from the nurse and kitchen staff to families and coaches. Then, we show a video in which every eighth grader says a quick thank-you to the coaches.

The heart of the evening is honoring those eighth graders. Each stands, and a coach shares a few thoughts about their athletic journey at BDS. It’s a real touchstone where our eighth graders are recognized as athletes and thanked for their time in the program.

At Belmont Day, every athlete is known and celebrated. We highlight the stereotypical three-sport athlete just as

much as someone who opts into our mountain biking, rock climbing, and cross country programs. Those students get equal recognition. We collectively celebrate the eighth grade class and the uniqueness of each athlete’s experiences and contributions.

That approach—focusing not solely on the athletic superstars but on those who reflect the core values—is also part of the banquet. That is when four young alumni rise to speak. They are the winners of the Coaches Award from the previous year, returning with wisdom from high school to share with the soon-to-be graduates.

Nebiyou Elias ’23, who now attends Concord Academy, told the future high school athletes in the room to embrace failure. “View setbacks as learning opportunities,” he advised. “Each failure teaches you something new and brings you one step closer to success. Understand that failure is not the opposite of success

but a part of the journey. Keep a positive mindset, learn from your mistakes, and never give up.”

One of his classmates, Quincy Treisman ’23, a student at The Rivers School, told the group that Belmont Day prepared her well for high school sports. “Getting to participate as a captain at Belmont Day taught me how to be an effective leader, and it also taught me the value of being a hardworking teammate,” she said.

Liam Brodeur ’23, now at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, talked about humility. “At Belmont Day, I was a leader on my teams, being both a captain and a contributor on the field,” he recalled. “I have taken all that I’ve learned about leadership and teamwork to my new school, but I’ve also had to take a step back in some ways, knowing that the upperclassmen at my school have more experience than me and I can learn from them.”

Now at Noble and Greenough School, Avery Schneider ’23 shared, “I will always remember what Coach O’Neill said to our basketball team: ‘Make mistakes at full speed.’ We cannot let the fear of failure deter us from taking risks; otherwise, we will not grow.”

Then, the four young alums shared the framework of Coaches Awards, which recognizes the four eighth grade students who best embody the Belmont Day values through athletics. “Please know that this award is not about the individuals at the podium but about promoting a culture of excellence among every Belmont Day athlete,” said Avery.

The Class of 2024 honorees were Andrew Green, Rhys Kaplan, Annika Vittal, and Liv Dawson.

Finally, the evening ends with the Year in Pictures slideshow, featuring a sampling of all the joy and experiences of being part of athletics at Belmont Day School.

Coaches Award Honorees

These are the short speeches given for the four award winners. A similar speech is given about every eighth grader on the night of the banquet.

Rhys Kaplan

Rhys finished his career as a three-sport varsity athlete, participating in the soccer, basketball, and tennis programs. His work ethic was second to none in all three venues. Rhys is a skilled athlete and a great teammate, but most importantly, he led by example, always competing with sportsmanship and class.

Annika Vittal

A talented athlete and natural leader, Annika was the heart and soul of the soccer, basketball, and lacrosse programs during her tenure. She finished her career as a three-sport varsity captain and led her team to multiple Friday Night wins thanks to her aggressive style of play, physical toughness, and fierce competitive drive.

Liv Dawson

As one of only three athletes to serve as a team captain in all three seasons this year, Liv’s impact on the program extended beyond her performance on the field. She excelled at bringing teammates together, leading by example, and creating a positive environment.

Andrew Green

Andrew’s impact on the program can not be overstated. He was a nine-season varsity athlete, a three-sport varsity captain, and one of the most prolific scorers the school has ever seen. Andrew dominated the football field, basketball court, and lacrosse field for three years and led his team to victory in four straight Friday Night games.

BELMONT DAY ATHLETICS BY THE NUMBERS

These stats from the 2023-2024 season all represent the most in their categories.

144 ATHLETES 52 CAPTAINS 30 TEAMS 33 COACHES 175 GAMES

110-58-7 RECORD 62% WINNING PERCENTAGE

Teams with Undefeated Seasons

VARSITY FOOTBALL

CROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS’ JV BASKETBALL

VARSITY FENCING

TRACK & FIELD

SOMEONE YOU SHOULD KNOW

Director of Operations Anderson Santos P ’26 ’34

How long have you been at Belmont Day?

This is my twenty-fifth year. I started in part-time roles, first as a camp counselor, followed by coaching soccer, teaching in the After School Program, and then as part of the summer camp administrative crew. In my first full-time role here, I was the assistant director of athletics and worked with after-school and summer programs. Following the passing of the school’s longtime facilities director, Lenny Corso P ’99 ’04, who I admired as a role model and friend, I stepped into his shoes to manage the school campus.

A fully administrative role was a hard change for me because what I love about this place is the connection with the students. I accepted the job on the condition that I could continue to coach! So, I’ve also been a coach for twenty-five years, leading our studentathletes in soccer, basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, badminton, and track and field. Being a Capstone mentor and middle school club advisor also keeps the connections with students going strong.

As the school grew, I went from overseeing facilities to overseeing school operations. Right now, I am responsible for facilities, the nurse’s office, summer programs, rentals, and event and incident management.

When did you take over the operations role?

Right before COVID, which was so much fun [laughter]. At the time, it was the hardest thing I had ever done. The time, effort, tears, and anxiety were worth it because Belmont Day did not miss a beat. We reopened fully in the fall of 2020 and stayed open 100 percent in person. My team measured classrooms, created more teaching spaces, managed food service so lunches could be served in classrooms or outdoors, and managed PCR testing.

“[In this role] You wear all the hats. You do everything from unclogging a toilet to managing a $15 million project.”

How did you develop a passion for coaching?

I was born and raised in Brazil, where soccer is a big deal. I came to America at twelve-years-old, the age my son is now. While working as a summer camp counselor, I met then Head of School Lenesa Leana, who said, ‘We’re adding a new middle school program, and we will need an excellent coach for the boys’ soccer team. Would you be interested?’ So, I coached our inaugural boys’ soccer team in 2000. I’ve been part of the evolution of our athletics program, which has also been an amazing experience. Now, I get to coach my son, who is a seventh grader.

Besides steering the school through the pandemic, what else are you proud of?

I was very involved in building the Barn. I was inside the construction process and here on nights and weekends to learn as much as possible. Without the Barn, we wouldn’t have had the options we did during the pandemic. We had space to spread out and maintain safety. We used a gym as an art studio, and a science lab and woodshop became homerooms. The space made flexibility possible. I think that has been the biggest accomplishment.

How do you connect with your peers outside of Belmont Day School?

I am the head of MISPO, the Massachusetts Independent Schools Plant Operators. This group was formed by facilities directors who wanted to share ideas and information. Since I didn’t have formal training in facilities management, this group has been my university—my Facilities Management University.

MISPO has more than fifty-five members. This is my fourth year as president. I organize meetings, recruit speakers, and update the group. I’m also creating a website right now. The group is about making connections and sharing expertise and wisdom, whether you need a vendor recommendation or advice on dealing with a town inspection.

What do you think would surprise people about your role? You wear all the hats. You do everything from unclogging a toilet to managing a $15 million project. You have to be flexible and prepared for the unknowns and behind-the-curtains work to make everything run. I am involved in every part of the school to ensure that our students and their families have the experience they deserve. The role requires problem-solving, critical thinking, and investing in the community.

FACULTY FOCUS

2024 Bellwethers

Faculty Milestones

Traditionally, a bellwether was a sheep with a bell around its neck that led the rest of the flock. In a more modern context, bellwethers are celebrated as people of influence and insight who are at the forefront of trends. At Belmont Day, we mark tenure milestones by celebrating the dedication and expertise of our colleagues, each of whom is a bellwether when it comes to making a difference in the lives of our students.

Anne Armstrong 25 years

The Coolidge Art Studio is admired for its scenic views, bay windows, high ceilings, pottery wheels, and kiln. However, the true magic of the studio resides in Anne. She places her students at the center of the magic, and the studio reflects the excellence of her approach: the hanging smocks are a reminder of the rituals of an artist’s mindset and symbolize that students are why we gather here each day. The studio bursts with vibrant voices and colors, and visitors experience organized chaos—art is meticulously displayed everywhere.

For twenty-five years, the Coolidge Art Studio has reflected Anne’s dedication as a teacher, coach, leader, and professional, whether as the arts coordinator, cross country coach, Capstone coordinator, middle school visionary, caring and thoughtful colleague, or tireless and dedicated teacher.

The great painter Henri Matisse once noted that “creativity takes courage.” Anne has both in abundance. Congratulations, Anne, on twenty-five years of service to Belmont Day.

Sarah Barrow 15 years

With an incredible work ethic, acute attention to detail, and an inspired understanding of why we all do what we do as members of a school community, Sarah Barrow has arrived at school each day ready to put her community first. With her steady and committed leadership, the school has successfully navigated a rapidly changing and challenging financial landscape. Her work considered in the context of that landscape becomes that much more remarkable: stewarding our school through a capital campaign, playing an essential role in the financial management of the Barn construction project, establishing a ten-year model for our operating budget that has become the Rosetta Stone for our decision-making processes, managing every departmental budgeting process, leading finance committee meetings, and always keeping the Belmont Day experience for the students front and center in her work. Ever humble, Sarah works to the highest of standards and, in so doing, has positioned the school for future success, even as she sets the bar higher for each of us every day. We congratulate Sarah on her fifteen years of service to Belmont Day.

Christopher T. Parsons 10 years

For ten years, one of our most consequential community gatherings, the Sharing Assembly, has begun with a greeting from Chris Parsons. A talented director, actor, and teacher, Chris’s understanding of tone-setting and community has helped to shape how we see and receive one another when we gather in the Barn or the Palandjian Arts Center. As a director, Chris always centers the student experience, and his recent playwriting innovation has ensured that productions showcase every student’s voice. His vision has been instrumental to the success of our students, and we are deeply grateful for his excellent work over ten years.

Charis Liu

Cassie Greiner

Brynn Franklin

Carter Bradshaw

Zach Cash

Ariel Duan

Alexander Meredith

Anna Bibler

Andrew Green

Sam Leviton

Sophie Jean

Sal Pattisall

Quinn Clark

Rami Flummerfelt

Rhys Kaplan

Kaden Flummerfelt

Liv Dawson

Louis Cantor

Owen Bantham-Livermore

Madoka Hubbard

Luke Brenneman

Olivia Garrity

Theo Kelman William Li

Tadhg O’Sullivan

Clem Cradick

Eva Peregudov

Jaden Park

Foster Larrabee

Gideon Borisy

CONGRATS

2024 GRADS

Class of 2024 High School Matriculation List

Beaver Country Day School

Belmont High School (4)

Belmont Hill School (3)

Brimmer and May School (2)

British International School of Boston

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (3)

Cambridge Rindge and Latin School

Cambridge School of Weston (3)

Chapel Hill Chauncy Hall School

Commonwealth School (4)

Concord Academy (4)

Deerfield Academy

Governor’s Academy

Middlesex School (2)

Newton North High School

Noble and Greenough School

Phillips Exeter Academy (2)

Rivers School (3)

Williston Northampton School

Winchester High School (2)

Winsor School (2)

August Wilmot

Yaseen Saeed

Annika Vittal

Simon Wright

Roudi Youssef

Kalkidan Shiferaw

Julia Street

Lucy Yin

Veronica Wang

Charlie Rossi

Clive Sutton

Eleanor Stine

Jovana Živanović

Grace Sullivan

Class of 2024 Graduation Speech Excerpts

Zach Cash

When I came to BDS, everything I knew and had been told about middle school was shattered. Instead of a place where no one cared about school, I was introduced to a community of people who were dedicated to learning—not only learning but making memories that would last a lifetime. In many representations of middle school, kids are in cliques or separated into jocks or nerds. At BDS, we were all encouraged not to separate ourselves into a certain group. We were all athletes, artists, learners, travelers—the list goes on. Before BDS, I would not have considered myself an athlete; however, after going to a school that required sports for three years, I discovered that I enjoy sports. With the support of teammates and coaches, I improved not only in my playing but also learned many leadership skills through being a team captain.

There is much to be said about the adventures we have had as a class together, but the often overlooked and undervalued day-to-day shared experiences are much more important.

Sam Leviton

Through my BDS journey, I have come to realize that being weird is awesome. I joined BDS in sixth grade, and I was super weird. Almost as weird as I am now. Through all nine trimesters here, I realized that we all are strange in our own ways.

Some of us spent our free time building a currency to use in sixth grade. Some of us were obsessed with a fantasy trading card game and spent every recess trading, arguing, and dueling. Some of us, actually almost all of us, believed that the door in a sixth grade classroom was a portal to another universe. In seventh grade, we created a huge rubber band ball that weighed enough to make a dent in the ground. Some of us made a music video to a bizarre beat. I even heard that my peers had dance parties in the bathroom. People joined unconventional sports teams, and I thought, “That isn’t even a sport.” In eighth grade, as ideas floated during loud Capstone classes, I kept thinking of a single thing. You guessed it—why are these topics so weird? I also began to think about leaving BDS and starting high school. Like many others, I see the start of high school as the end of our childhoods. We’re still kids, but we’re going to have a lot of responsibilities.

As I looked back on the last three years, I realized something. I had gotten so caught up in getting good grades, having cool friends, and being mature that I forgot that doing these weird things was necessary. We love having our strange hobbies, playing our whacky sports, and liking our silly memes. And that’s how it should be. I realized the weirdest people are the nice people, the interesting people, and the cool people. When you look back on your time in middle school, high school, and your life in general, I’m betting that you will wish that you were weirder. Chasing popularity and making conventional choices might make you feel good in the short term, but being yourself and doing what you love is what will really pay off. So play those odd sports, join that unconventional club, and be friends with the kids that have different interests.

To the seventh graders here, embrace your weirdness and enjoy the environment BDS offers for you to be weird. To the families, friends, and teachers, it’s never too late to try being weird. And last but not least, BDS Class of ’24, as you continue your education in high school and just go about your life, keep being weird.

Sal Pattisall

I hope this speech serves its purpose: celebrating my classmates’ growth through our shared experiences. Because of the amazing faculty, I have gone from the kid with undiagnosed ADHD who wasn’t quite secure in her skin to the person who stands before you today—strong, happy, and ready to take on the world. And this is just my metamorphosis. I have had the privilege to watch my peers grow and change into better people as well. Life is a balancing act—staying in the moment while keeping one eye looking back at the lessons you learned and the other on the road ahead. My class has done an incredible job balancing past, present, and future as we move ahead. You have all challenged me in ways that helped me be better, and for that, I am grateful.

Luke

Charis Liu,

Sal Pattisall,

Pictured left to right, beginning with the back row: Zach Cash, Anna Bibler, Liv Dawson, Clem Cradick, Eleanor Stine, Quinn Clark, Alexander Meredith, Andrew Green, Rami Flummerfelt, Foster Larabee, August Wilmot, Carter Bradshaw, Roudi Youssef, Jovana Živanović, Clive Sutton, Theo Kelman, Kaden Flummerfelt, Veronica Wang, Ariel Duan, Cassie Greiner, Rhys Kaplan, Jaden Park, Gideon Borisy, Yaseen Saeed, Lucy Yin, Kalkidan Shiferaw, Madoka Hubbard, Simon Wright, Brynn Franklin, Grace Sullivan, Sophie Jean, Sam Leviton, William Li,

Brenneman, Owen Bantham-Livermore, Julia Street,

Tadhg O’Sullivan,

Annika Vittal, Louis Cantor, Charlie Rossi, Eva Peregudov, Olivia Garrity

Where Are They Now?

Members of the Class of 2020 attend the following colleges and universities:

Berklee College of Music

Boston College

Brandeis University

Brown University

Carnegie Mellon University

Clark University

Colby College (2)

Georgetown University

Hamilton College

Harvard University (2)

Middlebury College

Sewanee: The University of the South

Skidmore College

Spelman College

Trinity College

Tufts University

University of California, Santa Cruz

University of Chicago (2)

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Massachusetts Amherst (2)

University of Toronto

University of Vermont

University of Washington

Wellesley College

Wentworth Institute of Technology

class notes

1950s

CAROLYN MUGAR ’55 writes, “I visited my fifth and sixth grade teacher at BDS, Jane Roland, where she lives. She gave a concert on piano and is writing a new book.”

1960s

LISA SERINI ’69 is volunteering at an animal shelter for cats. Lisa writes, “I grew up with cats and always loved them, and am therefore really enjoying this new adventure.”

As we continue to expand the class notes section of this magazine, we are looking for class representatives to help oversee the collection of news and updates from former classmates and friends. If you are interested in serving as a class representative, please contact Assistant Director of Development Kyle Beatty at kbeatty@belmontday.org. PLEASE EMAIL US . . .

. . . so we can return the favor and keep you up-todate on all things BDS. Share your news—your classmates will be glad you did!

Reach out to the alumni relations team at development@belmontday.org

1970s

VIKI BOK ’73 writes, “I am still in regular touch with several BDS classmates, miraculously: Vicky Suescum, Adam Frost, and Greg Fried. I live in Boston and have worked for years as a grant writer, working with clients on affordable housing, climate change advocacy, and child care.” Viki’s latest news includes welcoming her first grandchild in May 2024 and competing in a World Triathlon Championship in Spain in October 2024.

CHARLES PINCK ’76 has produced a fourth short documentary for The OSS Society, Filming Under Fire: John Ford’s OSS Field Photo Branch. The film tells the story of Hollywood director John Ford’s heroic service as commander of the Office of Strategic Services Field Photographic Branch during World War II. It was an official selection of two Academy Award-qualifying film festivals last year. The CIA also showed it to its personnel worldwide, and at Normandy by the US Special Operations Command, to commemorate the 80th

anniversary of D-Day. Charles met Steven Spielberg at the D-Day ceremony and shared his film with him. After watching it, Spielberg thanked him for “preserving this history and keeping it in our conversations eighty years later.” Charles is president of The OSS Society, a nonprofit organization that honors the OSS’s legacy as the predecessor to CIA and the US Special Operations Command, and educates the American public about the importance of strategic intelligence and special operations to the preservation of freedom.

visit

VIKI BOK ’73

SCAN to

The OSS Society Filming Under Fire: John Ford’s OSS Field Photo Branch website.

1990s

CARRIE SCHWABER

ARMSTRONG ’91, lives in Seattle with her two children. She co-founded the real estate startup Tomo and serves as its board director.

2010s

In May 2024, JULIEN HERPERS ’11 received an EdM from Boston University and the 2023-24 Pine Crest DeHaven W. Fleming Award for Excellence in Teaching. He is an upper school social science teacher at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. After completing his undergraduate degree, Julien started his career as a history teacher at a small New England boarding school more than five years ago. He did not know what to expect when he applied for the role that became available after an unexpected faculty departure. Julien recalls that on the day of his interview, he felt sparks of confidence, creativity, and a hunger for growth from the interactions with the students, which completely drew him in. He hasn’t looked back since. Julien says, “I don’t know if I’ll teach forever, but I do know that I will forever be dedicated to helping students develop empathy, self-confidence, and the ability to feel connected to their environment and the history that has shaped it.”

EMILY TAN ’11 married Erik Laats at a beautiful lakeside ceremony in Vermont on August 10, 2024.

ELIZA HUNT ’11 was Emily’s maid of honor. Erik was a BDS camper and later a counselor from 2004 to 2009.

NICO RIMER ’19, a sophomore at Colorado College, engaged in The Teaching and Research in Environmental Education (TREE) Semester, a 16-week residential program at the Catamount Center outside Woodland Park, Colorado. The TREE Semester is designed for undergraduates exploring environmental and educational fields. It offers them 100 hours of experiential teaching with K-12 students, including environmental stewardship and fostering

Ash Kopperl, a first-year student at Skidmore College, visited Belmont Day during college break in January. Ash is considering becoming an art teacher and reached out to Anne Armstrong to coordinate an opportunity to observe her classes.

respect for the natural world. Nico is also on the men’s swimming and diving team. As a first-year diver, Nico was named a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Diver of the Week, and in February 2025, his team won the SCAC conference.

2020s

XANDER LIGHTBODY ’20 signed on to help coach the

BDS wrestling team during the winter season. Xander was introduced to wrestling at Belmont Day during middle school and had a successful high school career on the mat. In his freshman year at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Xander wrestles recreationally. Xander teamed up with long-time assistant coach Vlad Hucko and impacted the team thanks to his technical knowledge and ability to connect with the athletes.

KENDREE CHEN ’21 (pictured in the front row, center) is a student at Boston University Academy and co-president of the Greater Boston STEM Program (gbSTEM). This nonprofit organization provides free mathematics, computer science, engineering, science, and robotics enrichment programming for over 1500 Massachusetts elementary and middle school students. It gets them involved in extracurricular activities and projects to build their passion for STEM. Kendree ran the coding and robotics programs at gbSTEM this fall and taught the weekend robotics class, which some current BDS students attended.

XANDER LIGHTBODY ’20

JULIEN HERPERS ’11

ASH KOPPERL ’20

Art teacher and longtime cross country coach Anne Armstrong caught up with some of our fast-running alums at a cross country meet at the Brooks School in Andover. Pictured from the left are SEBASTIAN COLBERG REYES ’23 (Belmont Hill School), HENRY BUCKLEY-JONES ’21 (Belmont Hill School), ALEXANDER COLANGELO ’21 (Lawrence Academy), SAM LEVITON ’24 (Belmont Hill School), and QUINN MCCAFFREY ’23 (Lawrence Academy).

RIPLEY BRIGHT ’21 and Concord Academy classmate LUCY TARGUM ’22 participate in the school’s Directors’ Workshop. Last year Ripley was the stage manager and Lucy was the light board operator for a seniorwritten and directed play. This year, Ripley was selected as the senior director for the spring play, I Heard You Were Dead by Don Zolidis.

LUCY TARGUM ’22, a junior at Concord Academy has always been interested in voter engagement and voting accessibility. As the 2024 presidential election approached, Lucy and a classmate decided to host an event for people from the Belmont-Arlington area to join them in writing letters to undecided young voters or those people who haven’t voted in recent elections to encourage them to vote. The pair used the Vote Forward website to reach their target demographic. The non-partisan letters emphasize

why voting is important. They also provide information on the policies of the representatives in the voters’ district so they can make an informed decision.

Lucy’s letters discussed issues like gun violence and climate crisis and her belief that voting can make a real difference. Lucy is interested in a career combining politics and her passion for social justice.

ALETA SANDOSKI ’23 Aleta’s fiber arts work was part of Concord Academy’s Spring 2024 Art Show.

CLIVE SUTTON ’24 writes, “After graduating in June, I’ve worked at Hi-Rise Bakery in Cambridge as an intern over the summer, and during the school year, helping with tasks like store management, packaging, or baking tasks. I’ve also continued my hobbies in art and began doing watercolor painting and sketching in my free time, as well as expanding my endeavors in running. I’m running

On the trails around Belmont Day, art teacher and cross country coach ANNE ARMSTRONG caught up with BRYNN FRANKLIN ’24 and GRACE SULLIVAN ’24, both freshman at Belmont High School.

ROUDI YOUSSEF ’24

A freshman at Commonwealth School, Roudi Youssef was back on campus in January as part of Commonwealth’s “Project Week.” She helped our youngest learners while observing the pre-kindergarten teaching team in action.

for my high school’s cross country teams this year and am in a track organization outside of school. I hope to continue my hobbies and improve myself through my journey every day, and I am glad to share my story with the Belmont Day community.”

FORMER FACULTY & STAFF

We were thrilled to welcome former HEAD OF SCHOOL LENESA LEANA (1999-2011) who stopped by for a visit in September 2024.

HEAD OF SCHOOL

LENESA LEANA (1999-2011)

IN MEMORIAM

DANA CHANG ’21

Belmont Day alumna Dana Chang ’21 died unexpectedly at the age of 17 on April 11, 2024. She was a junior at Walnut Hill School for the Arts at the time of her passing.

At Belmont Day, Dana was known for her remarkable gifts as a performing artist and musician, tireless commitment on the cross country course, and diligence as a scholar. A loyal friend, classmate, and yearbook editor, Dana pursued each of her endeavors with enduring and enviable joy. Dana was also a competitive figure skater, self-published author, and a fan of K-pop.

She was a track and cross country runner and an aspiring marathoner in high school. At 16, Dana won first prize at the Boston Civic Concerto competition, earning the chance to perform as the solo violinist with the orchestra at the New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall—an achievement her parents point to as her proudest.

The Walnut Hill School renamed one of its annual senior awards to honor Dana. The Dana Chang Friendship Award recognizes a student whose “interest and consideration of others is genuine and constant.”

Dana’s parents, John and June, created the Dana Chang Foundation to honor their daughter’s legacy. The foundation will provide opportunities and resources to support young musicians. The conversion of the space above John’s dental office in Cambridge into a recital space and classroom will be a nod to Dana’s interest in reading and writing.

Our sincerest condolences to John and June and the entire Chang family.

DEOLINDA (LINDA) CORSO

Linda Corso GP ’99 ’04 passed away on August 13, 2024, at 97. The Corso family’s legacy at the school began in 1981 when Linda joined the food service team. She worked in the kitchen and lunchroom until her retirement in 1998. Along the way, Linda’s son Lenny joined the faculty as maintenance director (1983 to 2006) and her grandchildren Steven ’99 and Lisa ’04 are graduates. Over the many years of her retirement, Linda remained connected to the school—accompanied by her daughter Maria, Linda attended many school events and celebrations. She was a beloved member of the BDS community and a loyal and longtime supporter of the school’s mission and values. She is dearly missed by all those who knew her.

MARY LISTON

Mary Liston died peacefully on July 18, 2024. Mary was a consummate professional, wise and grounded, who had a profound and lasting impact on students and their families, colleagues, and pre-service teachers over her eighteen-year tenure at Belmont Day.

As the inaugural director of the Belmont Day Associate Teacher Program, Mary brought the first cohort of eight Lesley University graduate students to the school in 1992. Before stepping in to this administrative role, Mary was a lower school reading specialist with a keen interest in the science of reading. She contributed to the middle school academic program design when the school expanded to add seventh and eighth grades. She was a thoughtful listener and creative problem solver who was a guiding light during curricular

reviews and developing professional development avenues for faculty.

Mary retired in 2001, and her daughter Kate Morrison shared that Mary lived a full life after retiring, while always fondly remembering her time at Belmont Day School.

Patient, fair, responsible, and playful, Mary touched countless lives with her warmth, dedication, and passion, and her memory will always be cherished here.

MEL DALAKLIS P ’86

Mel Dalaklis P ’86 passed away on December 30, 2024 after a brief illness. Mel was the devoted husband of Tanya Dalaklis P ’86 who was the school’s receptionist for nineteen years before retiring in 2005. Mel and Tanya’s son Mark is a member of the BDS Class of 1986.

Mel was a member of the St. Athanasius “The Great” Greek Orthodox Church of Arlington for over forty years, serving as its president, treasurer, and on the parish council for many years. Additionally, he served as the Grand Master of the Boston Chapter of Free Masons Lodge. Mel acquired two fastener distributor companies to found Lehigh-Armstrong Inc. in 1982. Mel’s passions and interests included family, his lifelong friends from his Somerville roots, summering and boating in Popponessett Cape Cod, and most recently snow birding in Lauderdale By the Sea, Florida with Tanya.

Tim Good was a founding partner of Good Design, a marketing strategy firm that helps independent schools and nonprofits articulate their unique identities to connect with their communities. He passed away unexpectedly on October 9, 2024.

Belmont Day has the extraordinary good fortune to be one of Good Design’s clients. With Tim’s leadership, the Good Design team has helped the school authentically elevate its position in the independent school marketplace and produce print and digital materials showcasing excellence and community. Tim had great integrity, a brilliant mind, and endless curiosity. He reveled in the creative process and brought vast and eclectic knowledge to his work with his clients. Director of Communications and Marketing Koreen McQuilton notes that she will especially miss Tim’s wit and storytelling.

TIM GOOD

SCAN to see Dana Chang ’21 perform as the solo violinist with the orchestra at the New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall.

LINDA CORSO, accompanied by her daughter and grandchildren, was at BDS to celebrate Director of Technology Dolly Ryan’s retirement in June 2023.