Letter to the Editor: Understanding Minuteman Enrollment

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To the editor:

Let’s talk about Minuteman enrollment.

Total enrollment at Minuteman today is at its second-lowest level in history, as reported by the Minuteman Superintendent on Monday night.

Member town enrollment in Minuteman has fallen from 1,214 in 1977 to 331 in 2015 (not including the six towns that are leaving the district). That is a 73 percent drop.

As a result, Minuteman has become dependent on students from non-member towns to bolster its budget. Nearly half of the students at Minuteman come from (current or soon-to-be) non-member towns.

There will be space for Belmont.

In addition, there are two more factors putting new downward pressure on Minuteman enrollment:

  • Minuteman is already the most expensive vocational/technical school in Massachusetts. New capital fees from the debt would make it even more expensive, giving non-members a financial incentive to leave Minuteman.
  • Changes in state regulations prevent many non-member freshmen from attending Minuteman. Fewer students are likely to transfer in their sophomore year, leaving their sports teams, friends, etc.

There has always been space at Minuteman for non-member towns like Watertown, Waltham and Cambridge. They are not worried that a new school will change that, and they continue to refuse to join.

Why are we worried?

This wouldn’t matter if non-member towns paid their fair share. But member towns pay much more than non-member towns. In 2017, Belmont will pay $30,602 per student, compared to $19,702 by non-member towns, and it will only get worse with the new, $144 million Minuteman debt.

Build it and they will come.

That’s what Minuteman would like us to believe, that 40-year enrollment trends will reverse themselves overnight. Minuteman’s financial projections are based on best-case scenarios that assume 40 percent enrollment growth from member towns in just three years.

They want us to be afraid that the new school will fill up.

To the contrary, based on both long-term and short-term trends, Minuteman will need many non-member students to fill the 300-plus extra seats in the new school. And we can feel confident that there will be space at Minuteman for Belmont students for the foreseeable future.

Please join us in voting “No” on the $144 million Minuteman debt.

Pat Brusch and Anne Marie Mahoney

Sports: Volleyball Rebounds for First Win, Girls Swimming Tested by Melrose

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Photo: Jane Mahon serving.

Volleyball stones Stoneham, 3-0, to even season

After meeting one of the toughest opponents it will see this season in its opener, Belmont High Volleyball rebounded to grab its first victory of the young season, downing Stoneham 3-0 (25-10, 25-23, 25-21) in a warm Wenner Field House on Friday, Sept. 9.

With a strong defense digging numerous balls from the floor, Belmont was the beneficiary of some fortunate bounces including one of the more bizarre incidents you’ll see on the court. During the third set, after clawing back from nearly a ten point deficit to take a slim 20-19 point lead, a Stoneham player put the ball into her net, causing the Belmont players to turn to celebrate the point.

But the ball was still in play and a Stoneham player hit the ball over to the Marauders’ side where it hit sophomore Jane Mahon on her head. Realizing the situation, Belmont’s Katrena Daldalian stuck the ball over to Stoneham which lost the point due to a returning error. 

Head Coach Jen Couture named Daldalian the player of the match “for helping to shift the momentum” in the critical third, as she started serving at 12-18 and brought us to 21-19.

“It was very clutch,” said Couture, who added that Mahon also had a great match hitting 17 for 18 with 9 kills.

Belmont is 1-1 and will take on Wilmington away on Tuesday, Sept. 13.

Depth propels swimming to victory over a strong Melrose squad

Anyone who thought the first meet of the year for Belmont’s swimmers against Melrose High School would be a cakewalk has not been following the local swimming scene lately. The Red Raiders are a young but strong team that finished last year’s Div. 2 state championship in 7th place. And the 2016 team brought back all its top rate competitors including junior freestyle sprinter Samantha D’Alessan and a slew of good relays.

The Red Raiders are a young but strong team that finished last year’s Div. 2 state championship in 7th place. And the 2016 team brought back all its top rate competitors including junior freestyle sprinting champ Samantha D’Alessandro and a slew of good relays.

“I knew we had to be on our toes to get by this team. They have wonderful girls and great coaches,” said Belmont’s long time head coach Ev Crosscup.

With the help of a sophomore stalwart and surprising depth in several events, Belmont was able to secure a hard-won victory, 90-75, with scoring stopped with two events remaining. 

Taking over from recently graduated swimming star Jessie Blake-West – she is competing for Brown this year – is 10th grader Nicole Kalavantis, who came off three state championship swims last year. And the sophomore picked up where she left off, powering through some very impressive times this early in the season, winning the 200 and 500 yard free with ease (2:05.57  and 5:37.07) and anchored the 200 medley and the 4×400 free relays to victories.

The Marauders’ deep bench was seen in events such as the 200 individual medley as Dervla Moore-Frederick, Angela Li and Molly Thomas finished 2, 3 and 4 to secure 9 of 16 points while Sophie Butte, Stephanie Zhang and Lulu November performed the same feat in the 100 free with Butte chomping at D’Alessandro’s heels coming home in 58.68. 

Butte came back to finish second in the 100 backstroke as Molly Thomas secured first in 1:05.66 with Moore-Frederick winning the 100 breaststroke. 

“It was a nice victory because it shows that I have some talent to work with this season,” said Crosscup.

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Letter to the Editor: Support Minuteman on Sept. 20

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Photo: Image of the interior of a proposed Minuteman school building.

To the editor:

I’m asking Belmont residents to join me in voting “yes” to support the financing of a new Minuteman school building on Sept. 20.

Some of our local leaders have raised issues about Minuteman. Some say that we can avoid financing the new school and continue to send our kids there. But we won’t be sending our kids to Minuteman if the vote on financing fails. Others say that we can send our kids to other vocational schools. But no specifics have been offered, and there is no plan, just wishful thinking. Some say that Minuteman represents a broken model because many attendees go to college. We want our kids to go to college if they can and to get good jobs if they can’t and this is the role of modern vocational education.

Why does Belmont need to help finance a new school? Minuteman’s current campus was constructed in the 1970’s and needs replacement or costly repairs. Masonry is cracking and buckling. The roof needs to be replaced. The building is not up to ADA compliance standards and is not suited for modern instructional approaches. In fact, the building is at risk of being condemned. If the building is not replaced, repairs are estimated to cost almost as much as the construction of a new building, but would fail to solve many of its problems.

Replacing Minuteman’s school building to meet current enrollment will cost $144 million, of which the state has pledged $44 million. Ten Minuteman district towns, including Belmont, will share the remainder. The state also is imposing a capital fee to ensure that any non-member towns sending kids to Minuteman will pay a fair share. Belmont’s cost is estimated to be $335,000, something that our town can easily afford. One member of our Warrant Committee has suggested that the annual cost to the average Belmont household would be equivalent to ordering a few take-out pizzas.

Some claim that the financing approach carries risk. For example, the other nine Minuteman district towns could all file for bankruptcy, leaving Belmont on the hook for the entire cost. This is as likely as space aliens zapping nine communities out of existence. More realistically, Belmont could face a slightly higher financing cost, perhaps as much as $500,000 a year, if the state does not set the capital fee for non-member towns high enough. We need to lobby the state to make sure this doesn’t happen.

Some argue that the new school will be too big and that it should be radically downsized to exclude non-member towns’ students. There’s just no good argument for this, and the state of Massachusetts will not contribute to a construction plan that does not build to current enrollment.

We need Minuteman to succeed. It’s a critical educational resource. We have to do something for our kids who are not going to college to help them succeed. In fact, the state mandates that we provide vocational education for those wanting it.  But Belmont High School just isn’t equipped to provide vocational training, and we cannot afford to provide these kinds of programs on our own.  Some kids need more and different kinds of attention and instructional approaches to doing well. Minuteman has a student to teacher ratio about half that of Belmont High School. Belmont High School just isn’t equipped to give that kind of attention to kids who need it.

Won’t you show your support for Minuteman on Sept. 20? Please join me in voting “yes.” Polls open at noon.

Michael F. Crowley

Belmont Town Meeting Member, Precinct 8

Bright Road’s Milo Substitutes Lemonade For Cookies

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Photo: Service with a smile.

Now, you would think that on a hot summer Friday, Sept. 9 that the best service a young entrepreneur could provide the public is to set up a lemonade stand and rake in the quarters.

But in a tasty counterintuitive marketing strategy, young Milo of Bright Road thought, “Who doesn’t like freshly baked chocolate-chip cookies?” 

So with a little help, Milo made a batch and sold them for two-bits to eager editors and people stepping off the MBTA bus stop near his house. 

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League of Women Voters/Warrant Committee Holding Minuteman Forum Monday Night

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Photo: Michael Libenson

The public is invited to attend a Forum on the Minuteman Regional Career and Technical High School Election Warrant, this evening, Monday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St.

The forum will be moderated by Michael Widmer, Belmont Town Moderator

The panelists will be:

  • ‘Yes’  John Herzog
  • ‘No’  Michael Libenson

Members of the Warrant Committee, the Board of Selectmen, and Belmont School Committee; and the Town Administrator, the Town Treasurer, the Town Clerk, Superintendent of Belmont Schools, Minuteman Superintendent, and Belmont Representative to the Minuteman School Committee, Jack Weiss, have been invited to answer questions.

The evening is co-sponsored by the Belmont Warrant Committee and the Belmont LWV Education Fund.

Instrumental Music Information Nights This Week For 3rd, 4th Graders

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Photo: Musical instruments.

Attention Grade 3 and Grade 4 parents: Attend one of the Instrumental Music Information Nights this week to learn about the amazing opportunities available to your students this year playing a musical instrument.

You’ll learn about the program, which instruments are available, and how you can sign up. And if you can’t make it to the Info Night in your school, you are welcome to attend any of the other sessions.

  • BURBANK: Monday, Sept. 12 (6:30 p.m., Burbank cafeteria)
  • WELLINGTON: Tues., Sept. 13 (7 p.m., Wellington cafeteria)
  • WINN BROOK: Wed., Sept. 14 (7 p.m., Winn Brook cafeteria)
  • BUTLER: Thursday, Sept. 15 (7 p.m., Butler cafeteria)

Questions? E-mail Arto Asadoroian, director of visual and performing arts.

Sports: Boys’ Soccer Resilient In Fight To Tie Stoneham ‘At The Death’

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Photo: Belmont’s Simon Sivers’ shot alludes Stoneham’s goalie Caio Barbosa for the tying goal.

The term “at the death” is the very British way of meaning the dying moment of an event, popularly used in sports matches.

On Saturday, Sept. 10, Belmont High Boys’ Soccer was attempting to breath a little life into the final minute of its match with Stoneham High at Harris Field. Despite having the best chances throughout the game – including a penalty kick (missed) and hitting the wood work in both halves – Belmont was preparing to leave the field with a loss, down 2-1 with less than a minute remaining.

As Belmont continued pressing, a last glimmer of light came to the Marauders in the form of a penalty at the left edge of the box. The resulting free kick “at the death” was directed to the feet of senior midfielder Simon Sivers who roped the ball beyond the hands of Stoneham keeper Caio Barbosa high into the back of the net to insure a 2-2 tie, keeping Belmont undefeated after two games of the season.

For Belmont Head Coach Brian Bisceglia-Kane, “the biggest positive from this game is the resilientcy the team showed” especially after the Spartans’ Giovanni DeVargas scored his second goal midway through the final half on Stoneham’s only scoring chance in the second 40 minutes.

“They let themselves be disappointed for like 30 seconds before becoming composed again … and continued to work to salvage something which is something we can build off for the rest of the season,” he said. 

After going down 1-0 midway in the first, Belmont used some pretty combination passing to control the game and tempo. The Marauders finally broke through 17 minutes into the second half when senior captain Daron Hamparian pounced on the rebound of a shot from fellow senior Luckson Danbo to power a shot by Barbosa from six meters out.

Marauders take opener vs. Melrose

The weekend tie came after Belmont won its opener, 1-0, over Melrose on Thursday, Sept. 8, at Harris Field on what is an early candidate for goal of the year. With less than two minutes left to play in the first half, sophomore midfield John Campbell took a high pass in traffic about 15 meters out of goal, turned in one movement and struck ball in the air where it cleared the Red Raider’s goalkeeper before curling in. 

“I got the ball and wanted to go for the corner but it went straight at the [keeper]. But it was high enough to clear him before dipping into [the net],” said Campbell scoring his first varsity goal in his first varsity game.

Bisceglia-Kane said he was proud of the team as they worked on holding each other accountable throughout the game , pointing to Danbo as being the best player on the field.

“He’s really composed. There’s no sense of being anxious on the ball. He’s alway composed, calm and collected and makes the right decision,” said Bisceglia-Kane.

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Sports: Allard Lead Belmont Girls’ To Late Win At Stoneham, Now 2-0

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Photo: A happy Belmont team swarm Carey Allard after the junior scored the winning goal at Stoneham.

Give Carey Allard an inch … well, you know the rest.

Belmont wins.

The junior all-star forward used a moment of indecision by Stoneham defender Mari Avola who had dogged her successfully for 74 minutes, charging by her using track sprinter speed to break alone against Stoneham’s keeper. The Division 1 commit quickly slipped the ball into the left side of the netting to give Belmont a 1-0 win on a warm, humid Saturday afternoon, Sept. 10, keeping the Marauders’ perfect after its first two games.

On Thursday, Sept. 8, Belmont opened the season with a 5-1 win at Melrose with Allard scoring Belmont’s first four goals of the season.

For Belmont Head Coach Paul Graham, the team’s performance at Stoneham was “just good enough for us to win.”

“Something always happens on this field,” said Graham of the grass surface that is noticeably narrow.

“I’ve been 22-0, and I can only win 1-0 here. I don’t know what it is,” he said.

“Thank goodness we have Allard. She’s a difference maker,” he said.

But for much of the match, Allard could not shake her shadow Avola who played Belmont’s main scoring threat tight and physical including a yellow card Avola picked up with 10 minutes remaining in the game. While Belmont did have its chances – junior Emily Duffy breakaway in the second half was parried away as well as a post being hit – the team did not dominate the game as it did against Melrose.

Stoneham’s pressure put Belmont’s midfield and defense on the back heel for portions of the match especially in the second half, as Stoneham hit the crossbar and narrowly missed the post on a header midway through the half. The one shot the Spartans had within the box was stopped by senior goalkeeper Georgia Parsons who recorded her first clean sheet this season.

With both sides having chances in the final minutes, it was likely the first goal by either team would be the winner. After a threat by Stoneham was kicked downfield by sophomore forward Ella Gagnon, it was time for Allard to make her mark on the game.

“Ella played a great ball, and I saw that [Avola] was getting in front of me, so I just went with her and then cut her off,” said Allard, who lost her voice after the game.

Allard said her scoring prowess is due to her “teammates playing me great passes. I’m just the one who finishes them for goals.”

Allard will need to be at her best as Belmont meet ranked Wilmington at home on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m.

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Sports: Belmont Volleyball ‘Stands Tall’ in Loss to Powerhouse Melrose

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Photo: Mindee Lai (left) and Jane Mahon for Belmont at the net.

It was going to be a tough opening match of the 2016 season for Belmont’s volleyball on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

But every season for the past five years has started with the Marauders taking on Div. 2 powerhouse Melrose, this year at home at the Wenner Field House.

And while the scoreboard showed a 3-0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-12) victory for the visiting Red Raiders, the performance by Belmont (0-1) – a mix of young first-time varsity performers and veterans – kept Head Coach Jen Couture “jumping up and down off the bench.” 

“We were serving great, very aggresively and consistantly throughout the game while on defense we were digging balls off the court for the entire match,” said Couture. 

“We fought for every point and every point was very exciting even though we didn’t win them all,” she said, pointing to the play of senior captain Su Jing Chen who was “playing out of her mind” from the back row. 

Sophomore Jane Mahon led the team with four kills followed by senior Kendra Valerius with three as Belmont ended the match with 13 of 30 set.

Couture praised “player of the match” freshman Sophia Estok for her work setting plays and on defense.

“I’m pretty excited about the season after this performance,” she said. 

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One in Ten Took the Time to Vote in Party Primaries

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Photo: The votes are counted.

Approximately one in ten registered voters took out primary ballots in Belmont Thursday, Sept. 8, as turnout of light everywhere as the state held party primaries elections.

And could you blame those who stayed home? If you were a Republican, Green or United Independent party member, your ballot consisted of no one to vote for. That’s right, no one ran from the parties for US Representitive, State Senate and House, General Council and any other position. There was only an opportunity to write-in potential office holders.

And while not as bleak, the Democratic ballot was nearly as sparse. With the exception of two contested races – Middlesex Sheriff and the Governors Council – all other ses s were an office holder against no challenger. 

In the pair of contested Democratic races, the incumbents came out on top in Belmont as they did in their races district and county wide.

For Middlesex Sheriff

  • Peter Koutoujian          1,358
  • Barry Kelleher                 200

Governors Council

  • Marilyn Petitto Devaney  711
  • William Humphrey          507
  • Peter Georgian                  335

With 98 percent of the precincts reporting, Devaney retained her seat on the council garnering 12,751 votes (48 percent) to Humphrey’s 7,795 (30 percent) with Georgiou trailing in third with 5,834 votes (22 percent).