Put a ‘Bee’ in Your Bonnet: Register for the FBE Annual Spelling Bee

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Photo: Spelling teams.

Have your dictionaries at the ready. It’s that time of year when the younger students in the Belmont School District will be lining up to show off their spelling prowess as the 15th annual Foundation for Belmont Education Spelling Bee takes place on Saturday, Nov. 14

The yearly congregation of the town’s best spellers occurs in the Belmont High School Auditorium from 2 p.m. to until they have a winner.

Student teams from Kindergarten to 6th grade can register here: CLICK HERE. Deadline is Friday, Oct. 30.

And HERE are the rules for the Fall 2015 Spelling Bee Rules. 

Participants should check the FBE website the week before the Bee to determine approximately what time their team will be on stage! 

WORD LISTS
Spelling Bee 2015 Grade K Word List

Spelling Bee 2015 Grades 1 and 2 Word List

Spelling Bee 2015 Grades 3 and 4 Word List

Spelling Bee 2015 Grades 5 and 6 Word List

Students may review the appropriate grade word lists at home and with their team. Spellers may participate in three or four-person teams. On the day of the Bee, teams go on stage in groups (swarms) and are given words from the list to write on a small team whiteboard (teams can designate one writer or rotate).

The K-4 swarms are non-competitive. Teams will be told if their word is correct or incorrect, but there is no elimination.

The 5th and 6th grade swarms are competitive using our famous “two stingers before you’re out” rules. Challenging, off-list words may be used, if needed. 

In preparation for the Bee, each team picks a name and is encouraged to wear attire (shirts, hats, etc.) to show their team spirit. Pizza, drinks and desserts will be available for sale in the cafeteria. Family members and friends are welcome to come and watch. Participants should check the FBE website before the Bee to determine approximately what time teams will be on stage. 

More questions? Check out this year FAQ! Still have questions? Contact the Spelling Bee Co-Chairs, Christa Bauge or Jacqueline Kaiser, at beemaster@fbe-belmont.org

Volunteers are always welcome and greatly appreciated. Contact beemaster@fbe-belmont.org

‘Bee’ there!

Sports: Belmont Field Hockey’s Banner Day at Reading [VIDEO]

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Photo: The champions. 

The bus taking the Belmont High School Field Hockey team to Reading was late picking them up and was stuck in traffic last Friday, Oct. 23 for the final game of the 2015 regular season.

Finally arriving a half-hour late, the team was given ten minutes to warm up on the chilly late afternoon.

“Hurry up, hurry up,” said Belmont Head Coach Jessie Smith who arrived with 15 varsity players, the JV team and her three children. The team did a little hitting and running before they were called to go out and win their second Middlesex League Liberty Division championship in five years.

In their 16th game, the team was seeking its 14th victory and the chance to raise a banner on the wall of the Wenner Field House.

“We’ve played a lot this week,” said Smith, after guiding her team to victories over 10 win Lexington on Monday and 13 win Winchester Wednesday. While on paper the game against last year’s league champs should have been easier than the first two, “that’s why you play the game, you never can tell who shows up,” said the coach.

But the Marauders got out ahead quickly – scoring a goal on the first shot of the game after 45 seconds from junior midfielder AnneMarie Habelow and a second five minutes later from senior forward Kerri Lynch – and held the Rockets on their end of the field for large segments of the half.

When Reading put Belmont under pressure, this season’s defensive stalwarts of junior defensive sweeper Julia Chase and senior co-captain defender Molly Thayer were there to take the ball out of danger.

Co-captain senior midfielder Serena Nally scored at the end of the first and second halfs to finish off the scoring and with it, the victory and the championship.

“We’ve had some great teams but we’ve never finished a season with 14 wins,” said Smith, who praised the girls for exceeding all her expectations.

“Now they can show their grandchildren their banner,” said Smith.

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Discussing Inclusivity in Belmont with ‘The Laramie Project’ Tuesday

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Photo: Poster for the community dialogue.

The Belmont High School Performing Arts Company’s fall show is “The Laramie Project,” a play written after Matthew Shepard, a gay college student was kidnapped, beaten and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming.

In conjunction with the production, PAC and the Belmont High School Gay Straight Alliance are jointly sponsoring a community conversation examining Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual and Queer issues in Belmont.

The conversation, “Progress Since Laramie: A Community Dialogue on Inclusivity,” will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Belmont High School Library.

A panel of community members will offer personal stories and perspective, and then all attendees will be invited to ask questions, share stories or offer thoughts. There will be time for questions and answers, including an opportunity to submit questions anonymously to the group.

The event, which is free and open to the public, is co-sponsored by the Belmont High School Gay Student Alliance and PATRONS.

In addition to the dialogue, there will be a post-show conversation after the performance on Friday, Nov. 6. Director Ezra Flam and members of the cast will join the audience for discussion. This will be open to ticket holders for any performance.

The Laramie Project will run from Nov. 5 through Nov. 7 with all shows at 7 p.m. Tickets are free for BHS Students and Staff; $15 for adults and $10 for non-BHS students. Tickets are on sale at Champion’s Sporting Goods and on-line.

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Belmont High Marching Band Replace Roots Saturday as Jimmy Fallon’s Ensemble

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Photo: The Belmont High Marching Band with Jimmy Fallon at Harvard.

It’s not every Saturday that Cambridge Police will close down a portion of Massachusetts Avenue to let the Belmont High School Marching Band parade past Harvard College.

But on a gloomy Saturday afternoon, Oct. 24, the 100-strong Marauder Marching Band lined up near the intersection of Arrow Street to head up Mass Ave. with a police escort needed to keep the fans at bay.

Oh, did I mention that the Tonight Show’s host Jimmy Fallon was also there?

And while the band sounded top-notch, the thousands of cheering fans who lined the Mass Ave., Holyoke Street and Mt. Auburn Street came to see Fallon – wearing a black bow tie and sunglasses while riding in a chariot and wearing a laurel crown – named the “Emperor of Comedy” by the student social club, the Harvard Lampoon.

The students presented the former Saturday Night Live alum with the Elmer Award for Excellence in Humor along with a large check for 85 cents at the steps of its clubhouse on Bow Street. 

It was there that the band was mentioned, as one of the students told Fallon there was a mix up with the buses and his regular band, The Roots, was playing at the Belmont High football game. (Note: The game was played the night before.)

Performing the Tonight Show theme – arranged for marching band! – along with “Sweet Caroline” and “Final Countdown,” the band smartly followed drum majors Helena Kim, Gillian Tahajian and Eleanor Carlile through the crowds – screaming “Jimmy” all along the route – and the narrow side streets. The parade was halted for a few minutes as a red Mazaratti suddenly blocked the road at Holyoke Center. (It moved.)

Before the show, the band played selections at the courtyard of the Inn at Harvard with many band parents (including the chair of the School Committee).

The Marauders “replaced” The Roots, when the school received a call about a week ago from a former student who had connections with the Lampoon, which was seeking a marching band to lead the parade, said Arto Asadoorian, the district’s arts director.

If the Lampoon would pay for a couple of buses to ferry the kids to Harvard and back, then they could have their music, said Asadoorian, who came to the parade with the receipt. Band Director Paul Ketchen got the group up to speed with the new music, and it was all systems go for Saturday.

For the band, it was a thrill to play before the biggest collective crowd this year.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

“It was an out of body experience,” said Carloias, as she stood watching Fallon receiving the Elmer Award. “Everyone was friendly, and we got to take our phones and take photos.”

 

Snarl-Up: Paving on Both Concord and Trapelo Will Tie Down Belmont

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Photo: Paving on Concord Avenue.

Commuters and residents: you can run, and you can’t hide.

In a rush to beat the weather and cold, two major road projects will be underway simultaneously, leading to likely gridlock around Belmont as drivers attempt to bypass the two sites. 

On the Trapelo/Belmont Corridor project, the final paving of Trapelo Road from Mill Street to Cushing Square, which commenced last week has been moving at a snail’s pace, due to falling temperatures.

To combat the chilly conditions, work along the main thoroughfare will be performed during the day beginning today, Monday, Oct. 26, resulting in possible traffic congestion and snarl-ups as the final layers of asphalt is laid.

The Trapelo Road work will now occur concurrently with scheduled paving on Concord Avenue (eastbound) which also begins today, Monday, Oct. 26 at 6 a.m. 

The work will take place from the US Postal Service Office to Cottage Street, which itself will be under-construction from Concord Avenue to School Street. 

While Concord Avenue will be open, commuters and residents are being warned that traffic will be limited to one side of the roadway.

In addition, on-street parking will be banned from Goden to Common streets and along Cottage Street.

Officials are hopeful the work can be completed within the next few days. 

This Week: Concerts, Talks, Championships; It’s All Happening in Belmont

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On the government side of “This Week”:

  • The Belmont Housing Authority will meet on Monday, Oct. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall to discuss the fiscal year 2016 budget.
  • The Belmont Board of Selectmen will vote on amendments to the Land Development Agreement related to Cushing Village at an early morning Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 8:15 a.m. at Town Hall.
  • The Planning Board is meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall to vote on a special permit for a new house at 54 White St. and discuss the a Shaw Garden and Hittinger Farm Overlay Districts.
  • Community Path Implementation Advisory Committee will discuss a finalized list of identified challenges at its meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Town Hall.
  • The Warrant Committee and town officials are holding a public education forum on the committee’s recently-released pension report at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St. The meeting will give residents an opportunity to ask questions of officials and the committee. Michael Libenson, chair of the Warrant Committee, will preside.
  • The Tree Committee will be holding a hearing to discuss removing four five-foot tall Newport plum trees from around Belmont Savings Bank in Belmont Center at its 7 p.m. meeting, on Thursday, Oct. 29 at Town Hall.

• It’s a Teen Halloween at the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday night Oct. 26. Come for henna tattoos with Mandy Auberge, origami making with Anthony Khoory, pizza and snacks. Costumes/cosplay are welcome. For preteens in the 5th grade to teenagers. Questions? Email Kylie Sparks at ksparks@minlib.net.

Tuesday is story time at both of Belmont libraries.

  • Pre-School Story Time at the Benton Library, Belmont’s independent and volunteer-run library, at 10:30 a.m. Stories and crafts for children age 3 to 5. Parents or caregivers must attend. Siblings may attend with adults. Registration is not required. The Benton Library is located at the intersection of Oakley and Old Middlesex.
  • Pre-School Storytime at the Belmont Public beginning at 9:30 a.m.We’ll read longer books, sing and dance, and make simple crafts. For 3-5-year-olds with a longer attention span.

The Beech Street Center is holding a panel discussion on “Reducing Homeownership Costs for Seniors” on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 1:15 p.m. at the Beech Street Center. Join us for a panel discussion on cost-saving options for seniors who own their home and renters. Panelists will include:

  • Daniel Dargon, Town of Belmont Assessor;
  • Jennifer Shaw of the Metro Boston Housing Partnership;
  • Becca Keane of Belmont Light;
  • Mary McKenney of Community Teamwork, Inc.;

• Senior Leah Brams, one of the best harriers in Belmont High School history, will run one final time on her home course, Clay Pit Pond Cross Country course as Belmont, at 5-1, hosts Watertown at 3:45 p.m., on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Brams is undefeated at home and has lost only a single race in the Middlesex League in her four years as a varsity runner. 

• “Why are Vampires Sexy?” (If you have to ask!) Tom Greene gives us the backstory on the subject, from Dracula to Edward Cullens, on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. A professor of English at Northern Essex Community College, Greene outlines the evolution of the modern vampire legend and reveals how vampires captivate us by addressing not only our deepest fears, but also our most secret desires.

• “Progress Since Laramie: A Community Dialogue on Inclusivity,” will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Belmont High School Library, 221 Concord Ave. The discussion, in coordination with the Performing Arts Company’s fall play, “The Laramie Project,” will include panel discussion with staff members from the Belmont Public Schools, some students as well as community members. There will be time for Q&A, including an opportunity to submit questions anonymously to the group. The event is free and open to the public. This event is co-sponsored by the BHS GSA and PATRONS.

• It’s early release for the elementary and middle school students on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

• Chenery Middle School students are invited on early release Wednesday to head over to the library’s Assembly Room on Wednesday. Oct. 28 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., to do your homework while enjoying some hot chocolate. This is for middle schoolers only so high schoolers are on their own. This event is provided for free, thanks to the Friends of the Belmont Public Library.

• Students in second to fourth grades are invited to explore Lego WeDo robotics on Wednesday, Oct. 28 from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Flett Room. Register by calling the Children’s Department at 617-993-2880.

• It is the meet that will determine the Middlesex League Girls Swimming and Diving championship as Belmont, led by multiple individual state champion senior Jessie Blake-West, takes on Reading Memorial at the Higgenbottom Pool (at the high school) at 4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 28. If you have never been to a swim meet, this is the one to attend. Oh, and bring your ear plugs – it gets loud. 

• Everyone is invited to Chinese Storytime which will take place in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. 0n Wednesday, Oct. 28. 

• The annual Masquerade Concert, a family-friendly Halloween-themed concert, will take place on 7  p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 28 in the Belmont High School Auditorium. Admission is free. Wear your costumes!

• Belmont Storm Water Working Group meeting takes place in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library, Thursday, Oct. 29, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

• Jeannie Mack performs the perfect combination of songs, stories, rhymes and hand displays about pumpkins, trick-or-treating, jack-o-lanterns, spiders, and silly witches to delight children from 1 to 5 years old on Friday, Oct. 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. Halloween costumes are encouraged. 

• Learn about protecting your security online and avoiding malicious software and scams at a presentation by Belmont Police Officer Jim Schwab, experienced cyber crimes investigator, and Paul Roberts, town meeting member and writer for Security Ledger, held at the Beech Street Center on Friday, Oct. 30 at 1:15 p.m.

• Halloween starts early in Belmont as the Cushing Square Business Association sponsors the annual Cushing Square Halloween Extravaganza on Friday, October 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Common Street and Trapelo Road.

DPW’s ‘Drop Off’ Recycling Day, Saturday, Oct. 24

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Photo: 

The Belmont Department of Public Works is giving Belmont residents the chance to recycle items and material hard to place in the blue/green bins.

On Saturday, Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DPW’s Town Yard at 37 C Street, the DPW will take the following items from residents with ID:

Electronics: Small appliances, cell phones, iPods, cables, keyboards, hard drives. There is a $15 fee for monitors, laptops and TVs.

Bulky rigid plastic: old toys, lawn furniture, milk cartons, large water containers, buckets.

Textiles: Blankets, drapes, curtains, all sorts of clothes, sweaters, shoes. 

Styrofoam: coffee cups, coolers, pipe insulation, packing blocks and “peanuts” and bubble wrap.

Eyeglasses

Books, CDs, DVDs: Up to five boxes of books, no self-made CDs or DVDs (keep your mix tapes at home).

Paper shredding: There will be a portable shredder that will destroy all you personal records.

For more information, cal 617-933-2689.

Belmont Yard Sales: Oct 24-25

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Photo: Yard sale in Belmont.

Yard sales in the “Town of Homes.”

• 88 Dalton Rd., Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• 21 Hastings Rd, Saturday, Oct. 24, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• 44 Hastings Rd, Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• 55 Hastings Rd, Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• 55 Lincoln St. Rd, Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• 109 Winter St., Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24 and 25, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In addition, there is a giant Rummage Sale at Belmont Hill School, 350 Prospect St., Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Superheroes, Butler Students Run to Fund Programs

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Photo: Is that Supergirl or first-grade teacher Jenna McNulty? (Photos credit to Michael Desmond Cox.) 

For the second year running, Belmont’s Samuel Butler Elementary School was overrun by superheroes taking part in the Butler Fun Run, which took place this year last Friday, Oct. 16. 

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Principal McAllister as Spiderman.

In reality, the school-wide run allowed students to collect donations for each lap completed the course (up to 1 mile) that will be used to fund enrichment programs such as field trips, in-school enrichment, library books, teacher supplies and professional development for the Butler staff.

This year, the students raised close to $18,000 while enjoying a brisk run and or walk on the course designed by PE teacher Ted Trodden. 

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First grade teacher Caeli McGaunn with student Jonathan Weinstein and his mom, Kate Weinstein.

Support BHS Making Strides Team While Supporting Small Businesses

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Photo:

Here’s a chance to shop at local Belmont small businesses while supporting the American Cancer Society.

The following nine merchants are generously offering promotions on certain days to help the Belmont High School’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer team. 

Each will donate a percentage of proceeds or a specified amount on certain days in October to the American Cancer Society through our Making Strides team. 

Last year the team raised more than $15,100, making it the third-ranked team in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides High School Challenge for the metro area. 

Friday, Oct. 23: 15 percent of sales comes to our team at these stores in Belmont Center:

  • A CHOCOLATE DREAM
  • BELLS & WHISTLES
  • BESSIE BLUE
  • CHAMPIONS SPORTING GOODS
  • THIRTY PETAL

Sunday, Oct. 25: 40 percent of sales:

  • NICK’S PLACE II (Belmont Center) from 5 p.m. to 9 .m., either take out or delivery.  

Monday, Oct. 26: 15 percent of sales: 

  • MOOZY’S (near Cushing Square), Food and ice cream

Wednesday, Oct. 28: 15 percent of sales: 

  • BERTUCCI’S at ALEWIFE : 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Dine-in, take out or delivery
    You MUST present the coupon (either on your smartphone or as a hard copy)

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Until Oct. 31: 100 percent of sales from:

  • BODY TRIO (yoga, pilates, barre)

Purchase any number of $10 class cards for students. Online click on the “Class Sign Up” button, and buy “Pinkapalooza Class Tickets”  OR In person (21 Alexander Ave.)  OR By telephone 617-489-1319 and make a credit card purchase.