What’s Open (Coffee,CVS), Closed In Belmont On Thanksgiving

By 1 Comment

Photo: “Saying Grace” Norman Rockwell

Coffee and  in Belmont on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a national and state holiday – one of only ten recognized by the federal government – and while most businesses along with federal, state and town offices are closed shut, there are a few places where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen or pick up a coffee or hot chocolate (you’ll need it today!) before the annual Belmont/Watertown high schools football game, this year at Harris Field (kick off  at 10:15 a.m.)

  • Starbucks in Belmont Center is open from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • The signs in the windows at the Dunkin’ Donuts (which is being re-branded as Dunkin’) at Trapelo Road and Beech Street and on Church Street (in Waverley Square) read that the stores are operating under “normal hours”: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • CVS at 264 Trapelo Rd. is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. while the pharmacy is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • CVS in Belmont Center on Leonard Street is operating from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The pharmacy is closed.
  • Star Market in Waverley Square: Closed all day.

Belmont’s Student Musicians Excel At Senior District Festival

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High School musicians at MMEA NE Senior District Festival.

By Arto Asadoorian, Belmont Public Schools’ Director of Visual and Performing Arts.

This past Saturday, Nov. 17, 134 students from the Belmont High Music Band, Chorus and Orchestra programs auditioned for the 2019 Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) Northeast Senior District Festival.

Each student was asked to perform excerpts from a selected solo or choral work, as well as to demonstrate technical proficiency on a variety of scales and sight-reading exercises. Jazz musicians were also required to improvise solos to the selected piece for their audition.

The process of preparing for auditions like this is rigorous, and it takes a great deal of courage to walk into an audition room and put your work on display. Congratulations to all 134 BHS students who took the opportunity to audition on Saturday for your hard work and determination.

The following 74 students were selected to participate in the 2019 MMEA-Northeast Senior District Festival Band, Chorus, Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble, which will take place in early January 2019. It is worth noting that many of the students who were not accepted to participate were only within one or two points of being accepted, and we know that they are certainly Senior District-caliber musicians regardless of the outcome of this one audition.

In addition, 37 students earned the opportunity to audition for the MMEA All-State Festival. Those auditions will take place at the end of January, and students will compete for the chance to perform at the All-State Festival in Boston at the beginning of March.

Angus Abercrombie Chorus
Idris Abercrombie Trombone (All-State Recommendation)
Rebecca Anderson Tuba (All-State Recommendation)
Katherine Arkin Oboe
Zoe Armstrong Chorus
Pierre Ayer Chorus
Eli Barnes Chorus (All-State Recommendation)
Lot Bates Cello (All-State Recommendation)
Owen Chan Percussion
Alyssa Chen Violin (All-State Recommendation)
Jason Chen Clarinet (All-State Recommendation)
Katarina Chen Viola
Caleb Christensen Chorus
Grace Christensen Chorus (All-State Recommendation)
Liam Cmok-Kehoe Chorus
Andrew Cubstead Chorus
Margo Danahy Viola
Phoebe Derba String Bass
Chantal Dunn Chorus
Garrett Eagar Trombone
Joia Findeis Viola (All-State Recommendation)
Mariko Findell Euphonium
Jessica Giorgio Chorus
Christopher Giron Bassoon (All-State Recommendation)
Anthony Haddad Jazz Bass (All-State Recommendation)
Lydia Haddad French Horn (All-State Recommendation)
Honor Hickman Flute (All-State Recommendation)
Aditya Jain Jazz Trombone (All-State Recommendation)
Allen Jang Chorus
Seiyoung Jang Trumpet (All-State Recommendation)
David Jen Chorus
Ethan Jin Jazz Trumpet (All-State Recommendation)
Nate Jones Jazz Trombone (All-State Recommendation)
Tilly Jones Flute (All-State Recommendation)
Daniel Joh Kang Violin (All-State Recommendation)
Emily Kim Violin
Isabelle Kim Violin (All-State Recommendation)
Francesca Kitch Violin
Megan Kornberg Oboe (All-State Recommendation)
Isaac Laing Cello (All-State Recommendation)
Edward Lee Chorus (All-State Recommendation)
Gaeun Lee Clarinet
Miro Leeb Viola
Philip Lynch Trumpet (All-State Recommendation)
Yatin Mankan Chorus
Jackson Mann Chorus (All-State Recommendation)
Clare Martin Alto Saxophone (All-State Recommendation)
Colin Martin Bassoon (All-State Recommendation)
Elizabeth Mason Chorus
Noah Merfeld Chorus
Matthew Miller Clarinet
Charlotte Nilsen String Bass
Lora Ovcharova French Horn
Alex Park Jazz Trumpet (All-State Recommendation)
Chloe Park Trombone (All-State Recommendation)
Jessica Peng Flute (All-State Recommendation)
Lila Searls Alto Saxophone (All-State Recommendation)
Irene Son Clarinet (All-State Recommendation)
Ian Svetkey Chorus (All-State Recommendation)
Jason Tang Clarinet
Soleil Tseng Violin
Cooper Valentine Chorus
Shankar Veludandi Chorus
Joshua Wan Trumpet
Albert Wang Cello
Andy Wei Flute
Alex Wilk Viola (All-State Recommendation)
Bianca Windemuth Viola
Andrew Xu Bass Clarinet (All-State Recommendation)
Alex Yang Cello
Jimi Yao-Smith Trumpet
Daniel Zhang Tenor Saxophone (All-State Recommendation)
Kenneth Zhou Tuba (All-State Recommendation)
Henry Zuccharello Trombone (All-State Recommendation)

 

Chenery To Address Racist, Homophobic Graffiti At School-Wide Response Wednesday

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Chenery Middle School.

Every class at Chenery Middle School will spend a portion of the Wednesday, Nov. 21 school day to address the discovery of racist and homophobic graffiti in one of the building’s bathrooms.

In correspondence to parents sent on Tuesday, Nov. 20, Chenery Principal Michael McAllister said the profane and offensive markings were found last week in a first-floor bathroom by staff. McAllister said he was “stunned” finding “[r]acist language, homophobic language, and profane language adorned the side wall and the mirror.”

“[I]t was difficult to read such hateful language,” said McAllister.

Hate graffiti has been on the increase at nearby school districts. Reading Memorial High School has been plagued by someone who has been drawing swastikas more than 30 times in the past year and a half with eight in the past few weeks. Malden High School, Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School and middle schools in Reading have recently seen this sort of vile vandalism. A recent study by the Anti-Defamation League reported that hate crimes at all schools that includes graffiti have increased by more than 100 percent in the past year. 

But for McAllister, until last week’s incident, “Belmont had been the exception.” McAllister said despite an ongoing investigation, no one has been identified “responsible for such vitriolic language and disregard for the values we hold as a school community.”

McAlister said while the “culprit” may be hard to identify, the school will have a substantial response. “In times like these, we are reminded of the wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr that, ‘We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly,'” wrote McAlister.

“We cannot simply do nothing. As your school leader, I cannot let this incident be swept under the proverbial rug. A statement needs to be made that we are not a community that will simply let this kind of thing slide,” said McAlister.

On Wednesday, students will remain in their homerooms as teachers will review the facts of the incident. Educators will start a conversation with the students, emphasizing how the hate vandalism impacts each pupil and what message should be sent to the student who wrote the graffiti with the aim to show students the large-scale impact of a single action.

Responses will be written and posted throughout the school, especially in the bathroom in which the hate occurred.

“As one colleague stated, ‘We could post words of hope on that same wall where there were once words of hate. We can take back that wall,'” said McAlister. 

“We remind students every day in our school motto that we are all expected to be “Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to learn.” Actions like that clearly violate the expectation of respect. Actions like that violate the responsibility we must all feel towards each other in a community. Actions like that impact our ability to learn with a free and open mind, forcing us to focus on protecting ourselves from threats before all else,” said McAlister.

Belmont High Athletes Sign Letters Of Intent To Play In College

By 1 Comment

Photo: Signing the letter of intent.

A pair of Belmont High School students signed National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, Nov. 14 which commits the student-athletes to participate in their sports at National Collegiate Athletic Association colleges and universities. Nov. 14 was the first day that students can sign their letters of intent.

  • Cassandra Reed signed her National Letter of Intent for Rowing at Division 1 University of Virginia. Reed is joining the nine-time ACC champions which finished fifth in the 2018 NCAA national championships.
  • Nicoletta Kalavantis signed her National Letter of Intent to Swim at Division 1 College of Holy Cross in Worcester. Kalavantis currently swims for the Gator Swim Club and will be joining the Crusaders which competes in the Patriot League.

All Sides Prepping For Possible Ultimate Vote Monday On Community Path Route

By 1 Comment

Photo: The crossing at Brighton Street.

Paul Roberts is determined for one more time to rouse supporters to save the proposed community path as it nears a possible pivotal vote on its future course by the Belmont Board of Selectmen on Monday, Nov. 19.

“Once again into the breach, my friends,” declared Roberts, paraphrasing Shakespeare’s Henry V [“Once more unto the breach, dear friends”] on Twitter directing those to an impassioned post dated Sunday, Nov. 18 on his community-oriented Bogging Belmont site.

“[T]he Community Path faces a critical vote Monday evening by the Board of Selectmen and there’s at least a passing chance that staunch and sustained opposition to a common sense route along the Commuter Rail tracks by abutters on Channing Road will force a decision that could doom the construction of the path,” warned Roberts.

Monday’s agenda calls for the selectmen to review the draft application for the path and “possible discussion and vote on the path route,” which has been the most contentious issue facing the bike/pedestrian trail for the past two decades.

(In a rather interesting detail from the agenda, the selectmen are setting aside a mere 10 minutes on the item, apparently not taking public comment or conduct a lengthy discussion on the matter before a possible vote.)

For supporters and opponents of a northern route, until late this summer, it appeared the route was all but finalized. The recommendation by the consultant, Pare Corp., which produced the path feasibility study earlier this year was for the trail to stay on the north side of the commuter rail tracks than transitioning to a southern path via a new pedestrian underpass near Alexander Street than travel along the southern side of the tracks to Brighton Street. From there, travelers would need to cross over the tracks to meet an existing bikeway leading to the Alewife MBTA station.

As supporters of what is called the “direct” path observed, two important changes have occurred since the study was released; the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) declared the underpass and the route from Belmont Center to the Cambridge line would not longer be seen as a single but two distinct projects, thus decoupling the funding for each project.

In addition, during discussions in August with town officials, selectmen and Belmont’s elected reps – State Sen. Will Brownsberger and State Rep. Dave Rogers – MBTA and MassDOT stated clearly they would seriously object to doling out upwards to 90 percent of the estimated $10 million construction cost of the path if the town’s plans continued to show people crossing the tracks at Brighton Street, deeming the action “unnecessarily unsafe,” according to MassDOT. It became clear, to path supporters, that only one viable option remained, the path staying on a northern side of the tracks.

In recent comments made at open meetings, it would appear the Selectmen are leaning heavily on the route hugging the commuter track’s north side s from Belmont Center to Brighton Street where it will hook up with the existing trail. Speaking in favor of a $1 million request from the Community Preservation Committee to pay for an engineering study of the path last week, Selectmen’s Chair Adam Dash said he envisioned the study to determine “what is required to make the northern route viable.”

“You’ll make the Selectmen’s ‘tough vote’ a lot easier by showing up to their hearing room Monday evening and voicing strong support for a compromise with the MBTA that will send the path along the North side of the tracks,” wrote Roberts.

Widely sent email claim “clandestine” actions

While Roberts is issuing the clarion call for supporters of the route, email correspondences from those opposing the northern route is asking residents for pushback to the selectmen’s likely rejection of the conclusions of the $200,000 feasibility study and the recommendation of the Community Path Implementation Advisory Committee, a town-committee created to develop to move forward the preferred Community Path route, after a heated meeting in October. 

In an email that mirrors several others being sent to residents, the letter is urging the selectmen to “endorse the exhaustive, fully transparent public process of both the [CPIAC] and the Pare Corporation.”

But the letter also trumpets its own call to arms, predicting that despite a large number of public meetings which residents allegedly preferred a southern route, there [are] “subtle suggestions” that the “selectmen will ignore the vote of the Committee and the Consultant in favor of some unclear, undisclosed reason.”

And the opponents have taken to pointing fingers specifically at State Sen. Brownsberger as being part and parcel in “clandestine discussions” with the MBTA and Mass DOT to promote alternative route that “both the Consultant and the CPIAC [said] have no merit.”

Along with a litany of past “problems” facing a northern route – environmental, needed easement, safety and possible legal action by a number of opponents – the letter also hones onto the premise the southern route is “a much more pleasant choice,” a point driven home by Belmont resident and developer Brian Burke at the October meeting of the CPIAC which ended in a bitterly divided vote.

It is Burke who is also promoting a “solution” to the need to cross the tracks at Brighton Street, predicting that a developer of a large commercial complex in Cambridge will build sometime in the next decade a pedestrian “bridge” over the commuter rail tracks allowing a southern route that will eventually connect with the current bike path to Alewife. 

What was noted at the October CPIAC meeting was Burke’s proposed solution has not passed further than the idea stage, as the development and bridge lacks a plan, an architect, a design or an OK from the MBTA and Mass DOT. 

Belmont’s Butte Powers To State Div. 2 Championship in 50 Free Sprint

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High’s Sophia Butte with her Middlesex League champions banner from 2017 which she finally received in September.

In her final high school meet, Belmont High’s Sophie Butte goes out a state champion as the senior co-captain out-touched the two co-favorites to capture the 50-yard freestyle sprint at the MIAA State Division 2 Swimming and Diving Championships held at Harvard on Sunday, Nov. 18.

Seeded third, Butte completed the up-and-back race at Harvard’s Blodgett Pool in 24.59 seconds to edge out Wellesley High’s junior Nellie Thompson (24.68 ) and number-one seed Reading Memorial High’s senior Alana Loughman (24.79) to win the title in the “splash and dash.” Butte took more than 2/10th of a second off her time (24.80) finishing third in the North Sectionals last week at MIT.

After winning the 50, Butte returned to the pool to finish fourth in the 100-yard freestyle in 54.40, showing the best improvement over her seeding time of 55.08 of all the finalist. 

Just as impressive as the 50 individual was, Butte topped her effort in the first event of the day, the 200-yard medley relay (with teammates Angela Li, Luisa November and Samantha Fogel) where she anchored the Marauders home swimming the final 50-yard leg in 24.19, the fastest sprint time during the meet, as she overtook two teams to take eighth in 1:57.14.

Butte ended her night leading off the 400 free relay (with Chloe Park, Anna Bauerle and Li) with a 55.13 split to set the team up to finish seventh, the Marauders best relay performance. 

Co-captain Li was also a two-time scorer in individual events. She stayed in contention for third in the 200 individual medley until the final 50, finishing in fourth in 2:14.42. She would come back to repeat in fourth in a Belmont specialty, the 100 breaststroke, nearly catching Natick’s Helen Zhao in the run in only to be out touched, 1:10.20 to 1:10.21. Alicia Lugovskoy (1:12.27) and Katarina Chen (1:12.61) gave Belmont three in the top 10 as they finish 9th and 10th.

The team of Park, Meredith Chasse, Lugovskoy and Mayura Thomas took 10th (1:47.43) in the 200 free relay. 

Belmont’s trio of sophomore divers showed promise through the rounds as Marina Cataldo (359.25), Sophie Cormier (359.05) and Sarah Firth (345.85) finished in 12th, 13th, and 14th. 

Under second-year head coach Gretchen Turner, Belmont finished in 7th with 153 points, trailing Reading which won its third consecutive D2 title with 402.5 points.



Belmont Volleyball Falls To Powerhouse Newton North In Sectional Finals
 

 By  Leave a Comment 
Photo: Belmont High Volleyball Captains (from left) Leah Barbroudi, Jane Mahon and Mindee Lai along with Athletic Director Jim Davis and Head Coach Jen Couture with the runners up trophy.


At least the Belmont High School volleyball team could smile coming off the court at Wellesley High School early Saturday morning, Nov. 10. 


In the team’s historic season – a record 18 wins and a place in the Central East Division 1 sectional finals – the players and coaches have met a number of very good teams. On Saturday, they met a program that has dominated the Central East for more than a decade. Number one seed Newton North, who just happened to be last year’s Division 1 state champions, had won six consecutive sectional titles and was looking for its seventh against the Marauders.


“We knew it would be a challenge,” said Head Coach Jen Couture. “They are simply a great team.” 


After an impressive 3-1 set victory over second seed North Quincy in Wednesday’s semifinals, Couture believed her team had to transition its strengths on the defensive side of the ledger to scoring quickly against a Tiger team that brought back most of last year’s state title team.


And while Belmont had its moments, especially in the third set led by setter Mindee Lai and senior middle Jane Mahon, the power and skills built into the Tigers DNA was far too much for the Marauders to overcome as Belmont fell to Newton North, 3-0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-15), in a display of power and tactics.


The one person on Newton North who dominated the match was senior Ashley Wang, a strong and tall player who was not only adept at the net where she was deadly with her kill attempts but also quick on defense. Her service game was “on” in the first set when she went on an eight-point run to take the Tigers from a 7-4 lead to a 15-4 advantage. Wang’s skill to drive serves to vacant spots on the floor forced Belmont to place four players on the back line.


Joining Wang in pushing Belmont was senior Chelsea Simmons – who is a teammate with Wang and three other Tigers on a successful Newton-based AAU-type club – who was one of the morning’s most impressive blockers, while stepping in as setter and taking the ball down the line as an opposite hitter. 


Belmont did demonstrate a strong defensive game but the offense was hampered by the Tigers dominate front three which threw up walls of blockers against Belmont. 


The Tigers built an early second set lead at 7-2 and stretched it to 16-5, Belmont began putting up some effective blocking, including senior Gabby Viale stopping Wang one-on-one at the net. But Newton North was too strong on the offense, always looking for the quick kill. 


After going down 11-4 in the third, Belmont started its best rally chipping away with some strong net play to reduce the lead to 16-13 after a big block by Mahon and 17-14 from a Viale floater that just dropped inside the line. But once again, Newton North had so many options to go on a seven point run to extend the lead to 24-15. The final point found Belmont tied up in the net and Newton North getting ready to take on undefeated Lawrence in the state semifinals.


“[Newton North] was a fun team to play. It was the best serving we’ve seen all year,” said Couture. “By the third set, we showed them why we are here. But ultimately, we were overpowered as they were hitting to great spots to beat us.” 


Couture said reaching a sectional final should be a great motivator for future players in the program.


“No more should Belmont just settle with making the state tourament but to see us winning championships. I hope this game opens doors at some point where we no longer look at ourselves as underdogs,” she said.


		
		


Bells Rung In Belmont To Commemorate Armistice Day Centennial
 

 By  1 Comment 
Photo: Belmont Veterans Agent Bob Upton reading the names of each Belmont resident who died in WWI.


It was just about two dozen veterans and residents who came out on a cool, bright Sunday morning, Nov. 11 to the World War One memorial just outside of Belmont Center to mark the day 100 years ago when the guns fell silent for the final time.


Belmont’s commemoration of the Armistice Day Centennial was likely one of the smallest and shortest in the state, if not the country. But thanks to Bob Upton, the town’s veteran agent, the Town of Homes was able to join the ceremonies around the globe to honor the young and in some cases not so young who fought and died in “the war to end all wars.”




“I’m so glad that there are people in this town that will come out for what is a truly historic remembrance,” said Upton.


The steeple bells of First Church Belmont and the United Methodist Church in Cushing Square were ready to ring out while a bell was set up in front of the memorial to record the losses Belmont bore a century ago.  


At 11 a.m., on the 11th day of the 11th month, traffic was stopped along Common Street and the church bells chimed. Finally, the bell at the memorial tolled 10 times for the residents who died in combat and from illness during the war: 


    

  • Joseph Cirino
    • 

  • Victor Craigie
    • 

  • William Finn
    • 

  • Frederick Lincoln
    • 

  • Dearborn McAleer
    • 

  • Hugh Nimmo
    • 

  • Carleton Patriquin
    • 

  • William Smith
    • 

  • Leon True 
    • 



In the past year, another resident, John Cormier, whose name and sacrifice was lost for nearly a century, was added to the roll of honor.


Veterans from Korea, Vietnam and the recent conflicts in the Middle East stood at attention, residents had hands over hearts in paying their respects.


And just like that, the ceremony was done. Vehicles resumed driving along Common, the bells around town were quiet and people went on with their weekend chores.


Belmont High Volleyball To Sectional Championship After Dispatching N Quincy
 

 By  Leave a Comment 
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
 

 By  1 Comment 
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.