BHS PAC Presents Fall Play ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ Thurs.-Sat.

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Photo: “Peter and the Starcatcher” runs from Thursday, Nov. 2 to Saturday, Nov. 4

The Belmont High School Performing Arts Company presents the award-winning play “Peter and the Starcatcher” runs from Thursday, Nov. 2 to Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Belmont High School auditorium. Shows begin at 7 p.m.

Tickets are:

Adults: $12 in advance, $15 at the door.

Students/Children: $5 Thursday, $10 Friday/Saturday

Tickets on sale online at bhs-pac.org and at Champions Sporting Goods on Leonard Street in Belmont Center.

A theatrical adaptation of the young adult novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, “Peter and the Starcatcher” was a Broadway hit in 2012, with the stage adaptation by Rick Elice, featuring music by  Wayne Barker, telling the prequel of the Peter Pan story.

 

“[L]ike [one of] my favorite adventure stories, ‘The Princess Bride,’ this play is wickedly funny, filled with wordplay, clever gags and goofy mayhem that appeals to adults and children alike. Like the best works of the genre, it is a play is for all ages. For children, it is a new take on a familiar tale. For older audiences, it is a poignant story of loneliness and finding human connection, packaged inside a comedic gem,” said Performing Arts Company Producer and Director Ezra Flam.

“‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ is one of those stories, mixing fantasy and magic with a heartfelt tale of growing up, what it means to be a hero and the power of wishes,” said Flam.

The play is an adventure story, which tells the tale of how a young orphan boy ended up on a ship carrying a magical trunk full of “starstuff” that’s protected by an apprentice Starcatcher named Molly while the fearsome Pirate Black Stache determines to use the starstuff to become the most fearsome villain of all time. A shipwreck lands all three (along with a crew of pirates and orphan boys) on an enchanted island populated by mermaids and humorously terrifying “mollusk-people.”

A cast of 23 actors is supported by 75 students who are part of the production staff; working on building and painting scenery, making costumes, creating lighting and sound effects and working as production assistants. Under the supervision of an adult design team, these students are responsible for creating everything that appears on stage.

Through the collaborative efforts of the cast and student set crew, led by Scenic Designer Anna Moss and Technical Director Ian O’Malley, a collection of boxes, trunks, platforms and fabric become two ships at sea, a dark cabin below deck, a jungle, an island beach, and an underwater pool. The students on the costumes crew, under the guidance of Costume Designer Lila West, have created outfits for pirates, orphans, mermaids and more.

A Window Into Halloween In Belmont Center

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Photo: Third-grader Julia Zipkin with a four-eyed cat.

Kids and their parents brought brushes and watercolors to the fifth annual Belmont Center Halloween Window Painting Contest sponsored by the Belmont Center Business Association on Saturday, Oct. 28. 

Belmont Center businesses up and down Leonard Street saw their windows transformed into pumpkin patches, ghostly havens and other scenes of specters and ghouls by Kids from second to eighth grade – with parents in tow – paid for the privilege to express their scary vision of Halloween on the town’s main drag. 

Halloween-season window painting has a long tradition in other towns – several of Newton’s villages have participated for the past 20 years – and was brought to Belmont with the help of the owners of A Chocolate Dream.

Sponsored by the Business Association, the event’s proceeds were donated to the Foundation for Belmont Education.

Love Learning Science At Belmont High Thanks To Cityside Subaru

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Photo: (from left) Belmont Superintendent John Phelan; Belmont High School Principal Dan Richards; Cityside Subaru’s Meagan Taylor; Cityside’s General Manager Richard White; Belmont Schools Science, Health, Technology and Engineering Director Elizabeth Baker. 

Belmont High School’s science program will soon be the beneficiary of a little lovin’ as Cityside Subaru is donating 150 books to the high school’s science program through the Subaru Loves Learning Project, part of the Subaru Love Promise Campaign.

The presentation was made at the Belmont School Committee meeting on Oct. 10.

In partnership with the Science Books & Films (SB&F) Project at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the books will supplement existing curriculum by supporting K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, while also helping to build reading and literacy skills. The ultimate goal of the donation is to engage young learners in the world of science and inspire them to want to learn more.

“Education is very important to us, we spend a lot of time training our people,” said Cityside’s General Manager Richard White to the committee and Belmont Superintendent John Phelan, Belmont High Principal Dan Richards and District Science Director Elizabeth Baker.

“Anytime we can leverage our relationship with Subaru to help bring more money and programs to the community, we are all for that,” said White. 

Cityside’s General Manager Richard White speaking before the Belmont School Committee; Cityside’s Meagan Taylor is at left.

The dealership is located at 790 Pleasant St.

In 2015, Subaru created the Subaru Love Promise Campaign, a pledge to do right by the communities in which local retailers live and work. It is a promise to make a positive impact in the world by focusing on improving our neighborhoods and communities.

Other Belmont and Boston-area charities and non-profits that benefit from the Subaru Love Promise Campaign include:

  • MSPCA, Animal Rescue League of Boston
  • Foundation For Belmont Education
  • Dan Scharfman Memorial 5K race
  • Fenway Health Initiative.

Broadway Night 2017 At Belmont High Friday, Saturday

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The Belmont High School Performing Arts Company presents its annual musical theater showcase Broadway Night 2017 at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13 and Saturday, Oct. 14 in the Little Theater at Belmont High School.

Students will perform classic show tunes and contemporary works in an evening of song, dance, and storytelling. This year’s production features 23 solo, duet, and group songs, with a mix of humor, heart, romance and high-energy fun. The show will once again feature a dance number, choreographed by the PAC Musical Choreographer Jenny Lifson.

A highlight this year is the addition of a group number, directed by seniors Anelise Allen and Wonyoung Jang, featuring eight 9th-grade students. 

“Having these many freshmen make their PAC stage debut in the first show of the year is a real treat, and the song is going to be a highlight of the evening,” said Ezra Flam, the High School’s Theater Specialist.

Broadway Night represents the core mission of the PAC, with an emphasis on showcasing student work. The performers have selected, staged and rehearsed the songs almost entirely on their own, with just a small amount of guidance from Ms. Lifson. Also, the lighting design is done entirely by students, and the show ends with a student-directed number featuring the whole company, said Flam.

Tickets are $5 for students, $12 for adults and can be purchased online at bhs-pac.org or at Champions Sporting Goods on Leonard Street in Belmont Center.

Nearly 800 Runners Set Record For Scharfman Race

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Photo: Elsa Kimberly winning the 2K race at the Dan Scharfman Memorial Run.

A bright cool fall Sunday morning; just the right combination for a road race in New England.

And 784 runners took the opportunity to help Belmont school to best use technol0gy as a record number of entries took part in the fifth annual Dan Scharfman Memorial Run 5K/2K Road Races held Sunday, Oct. 1. 

While the amount was still coming in mid-week, between $25,000 to $30,000 will be raised to fund the Dan Scharfman Education Innovative Fund which supports professional development for teachers and supply technology to all students.

“We were so excited that the 5th annual race had the most pre-registered runners for the 5K,” said Jamie Shea, the chair of The Foundation for Belmont Education which hosted the race that started and finished at Harris Field.

“This was a very very good day for runners and the [foundation],” she said.

Merle Kummer, Dan Scharfman’s wife, spoke to the runners before the race how her husband lived by the phrase; “If not me, who? If not now, when.”

“After Dan died [as a member of the School Committee], it was overwhelming to think about filling his size 13 running shoes. Today, we’ve matched him and raising him thirteen hundred running shoes!” she said.

Race sponsors included Cityside Subaru which also sponsored a pace car for the race, Belmont Savings Bank, Belmont Orthodontics, and Didriks and Local Root, which will be opening stores in Belmont Center in the next few months.

Belmont High senior Zack Tseng powered home to an impressive 16:43 to win the race with Joe Shaw second and Tseng’s teammate James Kitch in third. On the women’s side, Cambridge’s Rachel Henke – who is married to Jonathan Henke, the owner of Didriks and Local Root – won the 5K in 19:34 followed by Heidi Kimberly and Becca Pizzi. Chenery 5th grader Elsa Kimberly won the 2K for women in 8:57 while 15-year-old HaiYaing Peng won the men’s division in 7:30. 

Wellington Principal Spangler Leaving In December

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Photo: Principal Amy Spangler

Amy Spangler, the respected and well-loved principal of the Wellington Elementary School, is leaving her position to return to the Pacific Northwest.

“I’m sad to be leaving such a great school and staff,” said Spangler to the Belmontonian at Wednesday’s annual International Walk to School event at the school.

Spangler said her effective resignation date would be in mid-December before the winter recess.

The reason for Spangler’s departure is the same that brought her to Belmont five years ago; she is following her husband as he takes a new corporate position across the country.

“Amy will be missed significantly. She runs an amazing school,” Belmont Superintendent John Phelan told the Belmontonian Wednesday. “She’s all about the students and the families. You could see that before school in the playground and inside the school when she’s with the children.”

Phelan said he is early in the process of finding a replacement for Spangler. He and his staff will first look at possible internal candidates before deciding whether to hire an interim principal or place an outside job posting. 

Phelan would like to have a quick turnover in filling the position so to allow Spangler time to mentor her replacement.

Spangler was hired in October 2012 by then interim superintendent Dr. Thomas Kingston to replace long-serving principal Amy Wagner. 

Belmont Educators Come Out In Mass To Support Contract Negotiations

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Photo: Kristen Bell speaking before the School Committee and her colleagues.

Approximately 125 teachers and educators jammed into the Community Room at the Chenery Middle School Tuesday night, Sept 26, to demonstrate its support of its union – the Belmont Education Association – before the Belmont School Committee as the two sides attempt to hammer out a multi-year contract in the next month.

“As educators and union members … we stand with our negotiators in support of our vision of the schools our students deserve,” said Kristen Bell, a first-grade teacher at the Wellington, Belmont resident and an official with the union, who spoke before a sea of colleagues in red T-shirts and school committee members during its scheduled meeting.

The past contract between teachers and the town ended on Aug. 31, just days before the school year began.

The BEA and the school committee have two remaining agreed-to negoitating sessions to resolve salary and benefit differences and craft a contract for the 500 union members, of which 330 are teachers in Belmont’s six public schools.

Bell said the union is seeking to:

  • Ensure curriculum-based learning is free from distractions and excessive mandates.
  • Allow time for educators to think, plan and collaborate in meaningful ways.
  • Provide educators the appropriate level of influence over decisions with their schools.
  • Maintain consistent and qualified instructional coverage for students, and 
  • Ensure the town continues to attract and maintain “exemplary educators.” 

While neither side would reveal how far apart they remain on wages and benefits, the union and school committee have only encouraging words about the talks. School committee members and teachers greeted each other with smiles and the amenity of friends. 

“We have faith and hope [the school committee] will reach agreement before the end of October,” said Bell. 

In a statement from the School Committee, Chair Lisa Fiore said she was glad to hear that the BEA supports the work on both sides.

“As with all union negotiations, the balance we always try to strike is supporting our educators and being accountable to our taxpayers,” she said.

Learn About Plans For New High School Tuesday, Sept. 19

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Photo: The project even has a logo.

It will likely be the largest and most expensive construction project in Belmont’s history. So don’t you want to know more about the new Belmont High School?

Join the Belmont High School Building Committee for a community engagement meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Chenery Middle School auditorium, 95 Washington St.

The night’s agenda will include:

  • High School Building Project updates
  • Introduction of the Project Design team
  • District Enrollment Update and Grade Configuration discussion
  • Results of Recent Education Visioning workshops
  • Questions and comments

“The Community Meetings will be a great chance for the public to hear and comment about the recent work of the Belmont High School Building Committee,” said Belmont School Superintendent John Phelan.

“This will include meeting the Project Team: Daedalus Projects and Perkins+Will who will be leading this work. The audience will also learn about the enrollment and space challenges of the school, the three grade configurations being considered (7-12, 8-12, 9-12) as well as the ‘visioning’ work of the school system as it relates to the design of the new building,” said Phelan.

Additional community meetings will take place:

  • Friday, Oct. 13 at 1:15 p.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St.
  • Saturday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. at Belmont High School.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Belmont Town Hall
  • Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. at Belmont High School

To sign up for email updates and to learn more about the Belmont High School Building Project, including project timelines, videos, meeting schedules, presentations, and more, please visit its webpage.

Email questions to BHS-BC@belmont-ma.gov

Boston Magazine Ranks Belmont in Top 25 In ‘Top Schools’ Issue

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Photo: The cover of Boston Magazine’s 2017 Top Schools Issue 
Boston magazine’s annual education issue which it names Greater Boston’s “Top Schools 2017” has hit the newsstands and the magazine ranked Belmont‘s public school district 23rd out of 125 districts within Route 495.
 
Using data from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Boston magazine’s determined its rankings using factors such as SAT scores, student-teacher ratios, graduation rates and more.
Some fun(d) facts from the study: Belmont spent the 20th lowest amount in dollars per student of the 125 districts, at $13,029. It also had the 7th largest class size, at 21.3 students. But some equally good schools such as Winchester (ranked 14th) and Westford (6th) spent around the same per student and Acton-Boxborough (15th) has even more kids in its classroom with 21.6. 
The entire “Top Schools 2017″ list can be found here, and can be sorted by various ranking factors.

Rain, Thunder To Greet Students On First Day Of School in Belmont

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Photo: Off to school.

In addition to the new backpack, pencils and lunch boxes, parents should add umbrellas, slickers and rain boots to the list of item students will bring to the first day of the 2017-18 school year in Belmont that commences today, Wednesday, Sept. 6. 

The need for added weather protection is due to the National Weather Service issuing a flash flood watch at 10:25 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Periods of showers and embedded thunderstorms are expected to begin in the late morning and lasting into the night with pockets of localized torrential rainfall. Hourly rainfall rates of one to two inches per hour will be possible with the strongest storms, which may lead to localized flooding of streets and low lying areas. 

Day one: 
  • It is a full day for students grades 1-12.
  • There will be no bus service available for Kindergarten students on Sept. 7, 8, and 9. Busing for Kindergarten students will begin on Monday, Sept. 12.
  • It is a Wednesday schedule for all students, meaning an earlier than usual dismissal time.

Purchase meals and plans online here.

Belmont High School

Wednesday is Opening Day for Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12: All grades will report to school at 7:35 a.m. for homeroom. After homeroom, students will attend each class on their Wednesday schedule and meet with teachers.

A Quick Reference Guide, including a list of items for Opening Day and the first week of school, has been uploaded to each ParentPlus and StudentPlus accounts. 

Dismissal times this year are:

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 2:25 p.m.
  • Wednesdays: 1:25 p.m.
  • Wednesday Early Release will be at 10:30 a.m.

Chenery Middle School

Start Time: 7:55 a.m.

Dismissal Times:

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 2:25 p.m.
  • Wednesdays: 1:15 p.m.
  • Wednesday Early Release will be at 11 a.m.

Burbank, Butler, Wellington Schools:

Start Time: 8:40 a.m.

Dismissal Times:

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 2:50 p.m.
  • Wednesdays: 1:40 p.m.
  • Wednesday Early Release will be at 11:40 a.m.

(1/2 Day Kindergarten: 8:40 a.m. to 11:55 a.m.)

Winn Brook School

Start Time: 8:50 a.m.

Dismissal Times:

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 3 p.m.
  • Wednesdays: 1:50 p.m.
  • Wednesday Early Release will be at 11:50 a.m.