Belmont High Volleyball To Sectional Championship After Dispatching N Quincy

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Photo: Senior Jane Mahon winning a point blocking a kill attempt at the net.

Belmont High Volleyball’s historic run continues as the 3rd seeded Marauders are heading for the Central East Sectional Finals after defeating North Quincy, 3 sets to 1, (27-25, 25-17, 20-25, 25-22) in the semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 7. 

Belmont (18-3) will meet top-seed Newton North (14-2) on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. at Wellesley High School. With a win, the Marauders will secure its first-ever sectional crown in program history.

The Marauders came up big in its strength, defense from the back and at the net along with outstanding serving, to defeat North Quincy which in many ways mirrored Belmont’s tactics.

Belmont started the game tentatively falling behind 23-18 before a solid service run by senior defensive specialist Leah Babroudi brought the score level at 23. Down to set point at 24-25, Belmont took the first set on a North Quincy service error and a tip at the net by senior middle Jane Mahon.

North Quincy trailed throughout the second set as both teams went on long service runs with Belmont’s sophomore opposite hitter Kat Cosic hitting a pair of aces as she scored four points to up the Marauder lead to 16-7. Playing an outstanding game both serving and on the back line, junior outside hitter Nena Trifunovic ran down many “free” hits and kill attempts.

In the third set, North Quincy’s star senior captain and outside hitter Alexandra Qose stepped up as her teammates set her up for several crosscourt kills as Belmont appeared to need a breather.

The fourth set was close early with Belmont up 10-9 when they went on a small run to build a three-point lead, 18-15, after sophomore opposite setter Sam Lin’s hit broke a two-player block. Mahon then increased the lead by scoring on a little floater and then won a one-on-one block against Qose. North Quincy got close to the delight of their loud fan base to 23-22 but a net ball on their serve allowed Belmont to win the final point. 

Landslide! Debt Exclusion For New 7-12 School Passes By More Than 3 To 1 Margin

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Photo: Ellen Schreiber (right), co-chair of “Yes on 4” celebrating Tuesday night’s election result.

In a result that few could have predicted, Belmont voters overwhelmingly approved a debt exclusion to construct a new 7th through 12th grades school building by more than three to one margin on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 6.

The final vote total on Question 4 was 9,467 yes and 2,952 no with the “yes” vote receiving 76.2 percent support from the 12,833 voters – a whopping 72.4 percent turnout of registered voters – who crowded Belmont’s eight precincts throughout the mostly rain swept day. 

The night was a spectacular victory for two groups, the Belmont High School Building Committee which created a transparent and public-friendly process as the project moved from initial support by the state to a nearly finished design, and the “Yes On 4” advocacy group which promoted the new high school as, despite its costly label, fiscally responsible.

“When I first started seeing the numbers come in, I just couldn’t believe them. It says something when that many people in the town agree that we needed to do this,” said Ellen Schreiber, the “Yes on 4” co-chair with Sara Masucci at a large celebration with Question 4 supporters on Tuesday night. “It’s an amazing day for the town, for our residents, and for our children.”

The question now heads to next week’s Special Town Meeting on Nov. 13 where it will be presented before Belmont’s legislative body for approval, which is a near certainty. While the ballot question does not indicate a cost of the exclusion, the Building Committee placed a $213 million price tag for the town’s share of the $295 million middle/high school. The Massachusetts School Building Committee, which has worked in partnership with the town since it voted to accept Belmont’s application to build a new school in January 2016, will pony up the remaining funds. 

With approval at the Special Town Meeting, the construction of the 451,575 square-foot campus housing 2,215 students will get underway with the completion of the building design in April 2019 with actual shovels in the ground after the school year ends in June 2019 with the 9-12 grade portion of the school completed by July 2021. The middle school section will then be built on the site of the former high school. The school will be completed by September 2023.

Just how unexpectedly large the “yes” majority turned out was caught in the reaction to the vote total from Pat Brusch, a member of the Belmont High School Building Committee, who accompanied Belmont School Committee Chair Susan Burgess-Cox to a backroom in Town Hall where Town Clerk Ellen Cushman and volunteers were tabulating the 3,400 early voting ballots minutes after the polls closed at 8 p.m.

Ten minutes after the polls closed, the first two early voting results, for Precincts 1 and 2, showed the yes’ had scored widespread support, a cumulative total of 777 to 250 in favor.

“It’s still early,” said Brusch, a noted pessimist who had spent past elections anxiously waiting the votes from residents with a well-known skepticism to approving tax increases.

When the result from the precincts themselves began filtering in on Burgess Cox’ cell-phone showing Belmont voters in near complete support for the new school project, Brusch – who was also vice-chair of the Wellington Building Committee and served on the building committees for the Chenery and Burbank/Winn Brook school construction projects – stood to stare in stunned silence for several seconds.

“I’m truly shocked,” Brusch final said as it became clear that before even a quarter of the votes had been tallied the “yes” majority would take the day.

For Burgess-Cox, the result “is amazing. The number of people who voted and the number who voted for [the debt exclusion] is an affirmation for Belmont’s schools.” 

At the celebration at a supporter’s house midway between the Chenery and Wellington schools, Schreiber said the victory for the school was accomplished fully by the dozens of volunteers who did both the large and small activities; from knocking on doors, creating innovative videos, to those who spent Tuesday in the rain for hours holding signs at intersections and the precincts.

“We wouldn’t have won without them,” she said.

The pitch to the public was straight forward; a new school would resolve issues that were threatening the education of the district’s children, said Schreiber

“Everyone saw that we needed to do this. The problems in the school system whether it’s over enrollement or inadequate buildings is real and they need to be solved. And this is a really great solution, it’s well planned and vetted by the building committee and we had an unpresidented amount of community meeting to give their input,” said Schreiber, who praised the group for “kicking the tires” on the project to demonstrate to residents that the project has been thoroughly evalutated with a great deal of transparency. 

“Through the course of this campaign, all we’ve been doing is communicating what the building committee has done. And with 76 percent of the vote, the town agreed.” she said.

Nearly 1 In 5 Cast Early Ballots As Belmont Votes, Tuesday, Nov. 6

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Photo: I voted.

Approximately 3,4oo residents took advantage of two weeks of early voting as Belmont prepares to cast ballots in the state general election today, Tuesday, Nov. 6.

The early balloting makes up nearly 20 percent of the roughly 17,100 registered voters in town and is already more than the 2,820 who voted in the town’s annual election in April, according to Town Clerk Ellen Cushman. 

Strong interest in the election was expected with a major debt exclusion vote to pay for a new 7-12 school building along with races for all of Massachusetts’ state and federal constitutional offices. 

Here is some basic fact on voting in Belmont today:

Time

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Who can vote

All legally registered voters affiliated with any political party and the unenrolled. 

You may be asked for ID

Did you fill out your town census form mailed earlier in the year? If you did not, then you are known as an “inactive” voter. Luckily, an “inactive” voter may still vote but first must provide adequate identification proving the voter’s identity and current place of residence. Usually a Massachusetts Driver’s License or State issued ID are sufficient.

Who is on the ballot?

Find out about the federal, state and country candidates running.

What are the ballot questions?

QUESTION 1: Patient-to-Nurse Limits

QUESTION 2: Commission on Limiting Election Spending and Corporate Rights

QUESTION 3: Transgender Anti-Discrimination

QUESTION 4: Approve a Debt Exclusion to construct a 7-12 school building. 

View a sample ballot here.

FAQ

Most questions – including who is eligible to vote in Belmont – that arise during voting can be answered by the precinct warden at the polling station. Other questions should be addressed to the Town Clerk’s Office at 617-993-2600. 

Where do I vote?

Don’t know where to vote? Call the Town Clerk at 617-993-2600, or read or download the handy map included on this web page that includes a street directory.

Polling Places

  • Precinct 1; Belmont Memorial Library, Assembly Room, 336 Concord Ave.
  • Precinct 2: Belmont Town Hall, Selectmen’s Meeting Room, 455 Concord Ave.
  • Precinct 3: Beech Street Center (Senior Center), 266 Beech St.
  • Precinct 4: Daniel Butler School, 90 White St.
  • Precinct 5: Beech Street Center (Senior Center), 266 Beech St.
  • Precinct 6: Belmont Fire Headquarters, 299 Trapelo Rd.
  • Precinct 7: Burbank School Gym, 266 School St.
  • Precinct 8: Winn Brook School Gym, 97 Waterhouse Rd. (Enter at Cross St)

Editorial: Vote Yes On 4; An Investment In Our Shared Future

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Photo: An outward expression of our investment in the future of our community, our children and the nation.

A no vote on Question 4 Tuesday to approve a $213 million debt authorization for a new 7th-12th-grade school building is not a rejection of a tax increase but an admission Belmont’s collective futures are not worth the investment.

The numbers and facts concerning the design, cost, and history of the proposed high school (here and here) has been public for several months. Town Meeting spent $1.75 million in a feasibility study that breaks down the project to the cost of the final nut and bolt. The changes in taxes have been calculated by the town treasurer. The school district has forecast a continued increase in students enrolling in the six public schools that requires a large building project. Those are the facts. 

But Tuesday’s vote is more than a series of self-interested personal decisions; it is an opportunity to show how this community views the most important function for all municipal government, educating its children.

Marking the ballot “no” on Tuesday may feel penny wise but it is indeed pound foolish to the extreme. A negative response is not simply a rejection of the future, its a clarion call for the slow decay of the outstanding education system it took nearly five decades to create. 

My standard response to people who ask why people live here is “You don’t move to Belmont for the roads. You come for the schools.” What prospective homeowner would knowingly bring their children into a community that won’t make a commitment to education? Home values will likely begin lag behind surrounding cities and towns which have decided to make education a priority. 

Rejecting a decade of work by committed volunteers and professionals will require Town Meeting to vote over a decade on three ever increasing large debt exclusion measures to house the skyrocketing number of students entering the district for the next decade and extending the life of a fifty-year-old school building that has no business being renovated. How likely will a future Town Meeting be willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on putting lipstick on a pig?

If any of the three debt questions – totaling $50 million more than the debt exclusion being considered Tuesday – is rejected, the outcome would be jammed packed classrooms that will swiftly bring the school district’s accreditation into question. It’s truly an unimaginable conclusion to   

Tuesday’s vote is also an opportunity for Belmont to recommit itself to the great American uniter of public education which has increasingly come under attack by reactionary forces who believe “government schools” – a new pejorative created by the right – are wasteful, run by overpaid bureaucrats who spew progressive messages rather than “real” learning. They call for education to be run as a publicly funded business with vouchers, charter and private schools replacing our shared heritage.

But for communities that take pride in and nurture public schools, the benefits are boundless. Belmont ranks in the top percentile of public schools in a state which leads the country in the quality of schools. While the nation as a whole meanders with lackluster rankings in the core curriculum, Belmont students are on par with the top-ranked education provided in the schools of Europe and Asia. The education our students receive from first-rate teachers and educators provides a world of future options that children from too many communities lack.

And one important component to keeping the stellar standard the Belmont schools have created is for its residents to commit the financial resources in teaching, activities and, yes, modern facilities. There are no other options.

Public education binds us as Americans, it is in our common ethos that an enlightened young is the best path to preserving our country for generations to come.

The time is not to look inward with provincial expectations, but to approve a building project that will become an outward expression of our investment in the future of our community, our children and the nation.

Vote Yes on 4.

Belmont Girls’ Soccer Rolls Over Salem In Playoff Opener

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Photo: Belmont senior forward Morgan Krauss in action against Salem. (Credit: David Flanagan)

It was over before it started as 7th seed Belmont High Girls Soccer scored four goals in the first 20 minutes in its first-round Division 2 North Sectional game against an overwhelmed 11th ranked Salem High squad, defeating the Witches 11-0 on a blustery cold Saturday afternoon, Nov. 3.

After all was said and done, Belmont (11-4-2) was sparked by senior forward Ella Gagnon who had a five-point night with a hat trick and two assists. Gagnon’s linemates senior Morgan Krauss and junior Marina Karalis each had two goals and an assist. Salem (9-7-3) who play in the Northeastern South League, were just not in the same level of speed or skills as Belmont or likely most suburban schools with strong town programs that provides a constant supply of experienced players. 

It will be a quick turnover for Belmont as the Marauders is scheduled to play second seed and Middlesex League Liberty rivals Winchester (17-1-0) on Monday in Winchester at 4:30 p.m. Belmont has had its hands full with the League champion Sachems, falling 4-0 at Winchester and 5-1 at home.

“We have to worry about (Hannah) Curtin, that’s for sure,” said longtime Belmont head coach of Winchester’s star forward (who is also a champion indoor sprinter). “We’ll probably have to play her man-to-man but then we are playing much better than we have been even just a couple of weeks ago. When we played them here, we had our scoring chances and if we buried them, it would have been a different story.” 

 

Belmont Wellness Coalition Awarded $625K Grant To Support Youth Substance Use Prevention 

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Photo: A poster of one of the several services provided by the Belmont Wellness Coalition.

Under the auspices of Wayside Youth & Family Support Network’s Multi-Service Center in Watertown, the Belmont Wellness Coalition (BWC) was awarded a five-year Drug Free Communities grant from the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Belmont is one of only 120 communities nationwide to receive an award this grant cycle. The Town of Belmont is eager to bolster its youth substance use prevention efforts and to work collaboratively with a cross-section of town departments as well as community and youth members.

“This funding is a recognition by the federal government, that Belmont, through the establishment of the Belmont Wellness Coalition, is poised to roll up its sleeves and continue the work of reducing youth substance use through collaborative community efforts,” said Lisa Gibalerio, prevention specialist at Wayside, a long-time Belmont resident, and parent of three teenagers.

The BWC meets about once a month and enthusiastically welcomes new members.

Belmont will rely on the coalition to mobilize partners from across the community with the ultimate goal of implementing town-wide prevention strategies that reduce youth use of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs. The focus of the first year is twofold; identifying the problem and capacity building.

This past year, the Coalition made a NARCAN training available for Belmont residents, provided a workshop at the Chenery Middle School on best practices for parenting teens, instituted a “Relaxation Station” at the high school during final exam week, and implemented a mini YRBS survey to 335 eighth graders in order to establish a baseline of data concerning substance use, perception of harm, and rates of parental disapproval.

The BWC hopes to develop an awareness campaign and to support parent education in order to shift the community norm away from the inevitability of underage substance use, i.e., that substance use is a “rite of passage” for youth.

The Belmont Wellness Coalition was founded in 2017 to support substance use prevention and education efforts.  Its membership includes parents, youth, community leaders, clergy, local business representation, as well as school department and town employees, all of whom work collaboratively to support the Coalition’s mission: to use education and empowerment to reduce substance use and to promote healthy choices and positive decision-making. 

For more information about the Drug Free Communities grant or the Belmont Wellness Coalition, please contact Lisa Gibalerio, MPH, prevention specialist at lisa_gibalerio@waysideyouth.org.

Belmont High’s Ski Team Hosts Ski and Snowboard Sale Saturday, Nov. 3

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Photo: The Belmont High Ski Team.
The Belmont High School Ski Team will host its annual Ski and Snowboard Sale on Saturday, Nov. 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the high school cafeteria, located at 221 Concord Ave.
You will find great deals on new and used skis, snowboards and sports equipment. Rodgers Ski and Sport will have new skis and snowboards. All proceeds raised from the event benefit the high school Ski Team. Folks can drop off used skis, snowboards and sports equipment in good condition between 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the high school cafeteria. Sellers will receive 50 percent of their sold items with the other half going to the BHS Ski Team. Credit cards are accepted.

Letter To The Editor: A Better Diehl For Massachusetts

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Photo: Geoff Diehl on the campaign trail.
To the editor:
Our community is a special place. We deserve a senator who cares. I have been disappointed over the past 6 years with Senator Elizabeth Warren. Putting politics aside, she really hasn’t done her job. She has written books and gone on all the shows, but she has not put in the time for Massachusetts.
The office of senator should be to represent us. Warren has ignored us.
That’s why I am voting for Geoff Diehl for U.S. Senate. He led the successful fight to repeal automatic gas tax increases. He has saved drivers a ton of money. Warren has done nothing for us.
Geoff is committed to serving the full six-year term. He wants to be our Senator. I am going with the better Diehl.
Matt Sullivan   
Hammond Road

Opinion: The Closing Argument For A New 7-12 School In Belmont [VIDEO]

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Photo: Image from the video supporting the debt exclusion for a new 7-12 School.

By Ellen Schreiber and Sara Masucci

Why vote YES on #4?

A YES vote on Question #4 would provide the funding to replace Belmont High School with a new middle and high school – “two schools in one” – to serve grades 7-12.

A YES vote would solve the must-fix problem with overcrowding throughout Belmont’s schools – with one project, in five years, with the least disruption to students and residents.

A YES vote comes with an $80 million state grant that goes away if we do not use it now – and it can only be used for this project. Otherwise, we would likely wait 10+ years for another opportunity for state money.

A YES vote is the least expensive and best solution to the problems in our schools. The alternative is a series of piecemeal projects that will cost more for Belmont taxpayers, create 10+ years of disruption, and result in a much worse solution.

1. We get more and pay less.

High schools are expensive, complicated projects. And in Boston’s construction market, costs are rising 4% every year. If we wait one year, this school will cost another $12 million. Wait two years, and we are in for another $24 million. Wait three years, another $37 million. And so on.

We can’t afford to wait.

And there isn’t a cheaper solution. The state requires that we make prudent responsible decisions or we lose the state grant. This is just what a basic, 21st century high school costs. Want benchmarks? Arlington and Waltham are both planning new schools, but theirs will cost more than ours – over $300 million – for fewer students.

There is no good alternative.

If we vote no, Belmont taxpayers will spend more on a series of projects that do a poor job of patching the problems. We are voting on $213 million for the 7-12 school. The alternative is $247 million for an educational result that does not solve all of the problems.

Financially, the 7-12 school is the most responsible choice.

2. The Problem is Real and Urgent.

In 2012, Belmont High School’s accreditation was put on warning by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, calling it a “crisis” that our building “does not support the delivery of programs.” 

And that was before enrollment really spiked. Our schools are now bursting at the seams. We have added over 700 students in the last 7 years, and that tidal wave is rising through the system and will hit the high school in a few years.

There is no space.

We have “repurposed” every possible space in the buildings – converting closets into classrooms, tutoring students in lobbies, and using hallways as overflow space for classroom projects.

We have added temporary modular classrooms, but they cannot serve our long-term needs.

We have expanded class sizes, but it has gone beyond the tipping point and is impacting the education we provide to Belmont’s children.

The problems in our schools must be fixed. Now.

3. It’s The Right Thing to Do.

In Belmont, we care about our schools. They are a source of pride. Generations of Belmont children have been well-educated and gone on to happy and productive lives.

It’s who we are.

There are a lot of towns next to Boston and Cambridge, but few have what we have in Belmont. This is a great town with a strong sense of community, first-rate local businesses, friendly neighbors … and excellent schools.

Belmont is a great town today because of the decisions of generations who came before us. Now it is our turn to make an investment for future generations.

The choice is clear. Please vote YES on Question #4 on November 6.

Ellen Schreiber and Sara Masucci are leaders of the YES for Belmont committee.

Artists Will Explore Their Abstract Art On Saturday at the Belmont Gallery

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Photo: Visiting the art installation “Explorations of Abstract Art”.

The artists talk at the Belmont Gallery of Art for the show “Explorations of Abstract Art” will be held on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the gallery located on the third floor of the Homer Building located in the Town Hall complex.

Artists Kirsten Reynolds, Jeanne Arthur, Nedret Andre and Susie White will talk about their work at the Belmont Gallery of Art with guest speaker A. Melissa Venator, the Stefan Engelhorn Curatorial Fellow in the Busch-Reisinger Museum at Harvard, who will open with a brief talk about the foundations of abstract art in the early 20th century.

Snacks and drinks will be provided.