Scharfman Race Sets New Record for Runners, Donations

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Charlie Conroy stationed himself at the final corner of the two-kilometer portion of the Dan Scharfman Memorial Run with a promise. 

“Keep going! Home is just around the corner! You can make it!” the race co-director encouraged racers as they ran the final meters on the track surrounding Harris Field.

And with that, scores of runners – from those barely four years old and three feet tall to election town officials – began sprinting to the line.

On a brilliant and brisk autumn morning, Sunday, Oct. 4, Belmont came out to run in memory of School Committee member Dan Scharfman and to support the Foundation for Belmont Education’s funding initiative that promotes two of Scharfman’s interests when he was on the committee: introducing technology to Belmont’s public school classrooms and provide professional development for teachers and staff.

The third edition of the Scharfman races proved a joyful exercise for those managing the race and those benefiting from the donations.

“We had over 620 pre-register, which is more than last year. If we get 10 percent walk ups, we are looking at more than 700 runners from both races,” said race co-director Paul Roberts. 

“I think by having the shorter race that younger kids do get entire families involved,” said Roberts.

The top prizes went to Scot Dedeo who won the men’s 5K with a time of 17 minutes and 34.1 seconds followed by a pair of 15-year-olds; James Kitch and Zack Tseng. The women’s race was won by Heidi Kimberly in 20:48 followed by 13-year old Madeline Celicitch and Christy Lawrence.

In the 2K, Chris Burge won the race in 7:30 followed so close by 12-year-old Shea Brams (she was leading the race until the final straightaway). Following Brams in the women’s race was Violet Whitmer , 11, and Charlotte Conroy, 12.

For Jamie Shea, FBE co-president, the day was all she could have wished.

“After days of cold and rain, the weather was an awesome surprise,” she said.

“Last year we raised about $22,000, and we have more runners this year so I would expect that dollar number will go up,” said Shea.

The donations from participants and sponsors will allow teachers to introduce “cutting edge methods in the classroom and to bring engaging material to our students.”

Funding in the past has been used to help bring iPads into the classroom “while a huge amount of money is used to help teachers understand innovative methods that are not technology related,” said Shea.

Sports: Belmont High Take Steps Back in Loss to Arlington, 42-14

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Photo: Belmont running back Ben Jones.

Belmont High School’s head football coach Yann Kumin was disconsolate crossing the Arlington High School football field after his team suffered a 42-14 drubbing by the host SpyPonders on Friday night, Sept. 25.

“We lost to them by the same score last year, and I know we can be competitive with this team,” said Kumin, whose squad drops to 1-2.

“We couldn’t do the little things, and we did not take advantage of our opportunities,” Kumin told the Belmontonian after a night of frustration that the program has not progressed as the coaching staff had hoped. 

Coming off an emotional victory the previous Friday – a final-minute win over Medford – and a solid week of practice, Belmont came to Arlington seeking to replicate the run/pass offense that proved to be a recipe for success for the Marauders.

But from the start, Belmont could not find a rhythm on either side of the ball. Last week’s star performer, senior running back Mekhai Johnson, was never the explosive factor as he was against Medford when he gained more than 200 yards rushing.                                                                     

On its second possession, the Marauders fumbled the ball deep in its end as the SpyPonder pounced the miscue and soon found itself in the end zone for a 7-0 at 1:31 in the first quarter. Belmont’s next sequence of plays told the glum tale of the night’s proceedings; the kickoff return went for negative yards as Belmont started from its 5-yard line. The Marauders’ offense stalled on three plays, and the subsequent punt traveled only 20 yards. Arlington capitalized by going 24 yards in six minutes to score its second TD. A third SpyPonder touchdown quickly pegged Belmont with a 21-0 deficit with less than two minutes remaining in the half.

With time running out in the half, Belmont turned to junior QB Cal Christofori who engineered an impressive 10 play, 80 yard drive with passes to junior receiver Trey Butler and seniors Justin Wagner and Joe Shaughnessy before dumping the ball to Johnson in the flat who scampered 21-yards in for the touchdown with 38.8 seconds remaining to cut the lead to

But on the subsequent kickoff, Arlington sophomore Alijah Woods took the ball 80 yards down the left sideline for a momentum killing touchdown, to up the halftime lead to 21, 28-7. 

With Arlington threatening early in the third quarter, the Marauder defense recovered a fumble as Arlington running back Patrick Conroy attempted to stretch the ball into the end zone. But two plays later, Christofori’s pass was intercepted by defensive back Abel Negussie, who ran it into the end zone for a “pick 6” touchdown and an insurmountable 35-7 lead.

Johnson would score on a one-yard TD to give him five touchdowns in the past two games.

The Marauders will be back home on Friday, Oct. 2 when they greet 1-2 Woburn High School at Harris Field.

 

 

MCAS Results Show Belmont High Students are Advanced and Proficient

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Photo: MCAS tests results for Belmont.

Belmont High’s student test takers demonstrated an advanced command of English and math while the registering some of the highest levels of science competence statewide, according to 2015 School and District MCAS results released by the state on Thursday, Sept. 24.

While there have been improvements with Chenery Middle School students in those scoring advanced placement, attention in science instruction will continue at the school.

And there will be a bit of a wait to get a peek at the elementary school results as the district was selected by the state last year to take the new Partnership for Assessment for Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test. 

“Belmont High School students’ MCAS results continue to be very high, demonstrating the positive results of well-aligned curricula, high-quality instruction, and high expectations for all students,” said Janice Darias, Belmont’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

“We are very fortunate in Belmont to have such skilled educators as well as curriculum and school leaders. These MCAS scores are the result of their dedication and focus on teaching and learning for all students,” said Darias. 

According to results released by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education of tests taken in Spring 2015:

• Grade 10 students (class of 2017, current 11th grade): English and Math.

In both subjects, there is a slight increase this year in the number of students earning Advanced status. In English, 99 percent of the students scored proficient or advanced; in math, 97 percent scored proficient or advanced.

• Grade 9 students (class of 2018, current 10th grade): Introductory Physics MCAS.

There is an increase this year in the number of pupils earning advanced on this subject. 97 percent of the students scored proficient or advanced. 

Over at the Chenery Middle School:

• Grades 5 and 8 students: Science and Technology/Engineering MCAS.

The 8th grade results are relatively unchanged for the past four years. This year 76 percent earned proficient or advanced levels. In 5th grade, the district saw an increase in the number of students earning proficient or advanced in the 2014 results at 81 percent, while the 2015 results were similar to previous years with 71 percent earning proficient or advanced, a 10 percent drop in the category at the school.

“Science has been and will continue to be an area of focus for the district,” said Darius.

“We began our work on science curricula revisions and updates with the release of the revised ELA Frameworks in late 2010, which include nonfiction reading and writing in science. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is preparing to release revised state frameworks later this year, and we have already begun planning next steps for updating our curricula, especially Kindergarten through 8th grade,” said Darias.

Results for Belmont Elementary and Middle school students in grades 3 through 8 are delayed by a month as the district was selected to be part of a two-year test of PARCC. While some PARCC results have been released, Belmont students took the test on paper forms rather than via a computer format. 

Sports: Graham Takes 300th Victory as Belmont Shuts Down Lexington, 1-0

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Photo: Belmont High head coach Paul Graham and the team after the coach’s 300th victory.

The white polo shirt said it all.

“300 WINS

Belmont Girls’ Soccer”

It took a little longer than he had hoped, but, finally, Belmont High Girls’ Soccer head coach Paul Graham secured his 300th victory with a 1-0 shutout victory at Lexington on a brilliant fall Thursday afternoon, Sept. 24. 

Sophomore forward Carey Allard’s goal midway through the first half was all the Marauders (3-3-0) needed to break a three-game losing streak and hand Graham the landmark victory.

“I’m thrilled,” said Graham, who has held the helm since 1993.

“This is a big weight off my shoulders and … the girls’ shoulders. After the loss to Woburn, a few had tears in their eyes because they thought they let me down. I don’t want that,” said Graham.

When asked where he placed the accomplishment, Graham said he’s been lucky to have been “able to coach in Belmont, growing up in the town, living here all my life. To reach this success in my own hometown, it’s just great,” he said.

After the final whistle sounded, Graham received a congratulatory hug from his assistant, Stacey Marino, while the team headed across the field to return with each player holding a placard spelling out “300!” The Lexington team provided Graham the game ball and the Belmont team presented their coach the celebratory polo.

“This is what it’s all about,” said Graham as he followed his happy team off the field.

“This is why I coach and this is why I’ll continue to coach. Just to see the smiles on these kid’s face. It’s worth a million dollars,” he said. 

Just being able to coach in Belmont, growing up in the town, living here all my life. To reach this success in my own hometown, it’s just great. 

 

Register for Dan Scharfman Memorial 5K Run on Sunday, Oct. 4

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Photo: A scene from last year’s Dan Scharfman road race.

Runners and residents can now register for the Foundation for Belmont Education‘s third annual Dan Scharfman Memorial Run being held on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 9:30 a.m. at Belmont High School’s Harris Field, 221 Concord Ave.

What is now a fall staple on the road running calendar, this family-friendly event offers a 5k and a 2k course that takes runners through a scenic route past many of the town’s schools as well as the Payson Park Reservoir and Clay Pit Pond. Awards follow each race’s end, including prizes for children of all ages.

The race is held in memorial of Dan Scharfman, a Belmont School Committee member, long-time runner and a dedicated advocate of technology and innovation in education. Last year, more than 500 runners raised $25,000 for the Dan Scharfman Education Innovation Fund in support of the FBE’s Innovative Teaching Initiative, a multi-year, $450,000 program providing teachers with the training resources that support math, science and reading instruction.

Registration for the USATF-certified and sanctioned event is available through the FBE website: www.fbe-belmont.org/race.

Contact: Amanda Theodoropulos, Foundation for Belmont Education, amanda.maria.mccarthy@gmail.com or call 617-947-4633.

Sports: With a Third of Season In, Field Hockey In Playoff Shape

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Photo: Belmont High Field Hockey’s co-captains Serena Nally (l) and Molly Thayer (r) and junior AnnMarie Habelow (center).

Belmont High School’s Field Hockey team lost a boatload of seniors to graduation from last year’s 11-4-2 squad, starting the 2015 season with a defense corp of underclassmen learning how to play as a cohesive unit.

So you would expect the Marauders to be treading water in the competitive Middlesex League Liberty Division during the first weeks of the new seasons.

But Head Coach Jessie Smith’s squad is doing just swimmingly. After another workmanlike victory Tuesday night, Sept. 22, a 7-0 win over Woburn, the Marauders have completed a third of the season undefeated at 5-0. 

Just as impressive as its record is Belmont’s scoring prowess, slotting in an Eastern Massachusetts-leading 29 goals. Only one other team, Quaboag, has matched the Marauders’ proficient rate.

What gives? 

“I sometimes ask that same question,” said Smith, who is entering her 13th season as head coach.

While Smith said the schedule has helped – only Wilmington, which Belmont dispatched quickly, 4-0, last week, has a .500 record – much of the early season’s success generates from a core of two- and three-year starters who’ve played together and know their way around a field hockey pitch.

That list starts with one of the most dominate players in Massachusetts (and the region) in junior midfielder AnnMarie Habelow on the pitch. The Division 1 Louisville-commit has been deadly within the shooting circle, sending whippet-like shots that scatter defenders and test goalies. 

But Habelow is not merely a shooting machine. The three-year starter’s arsenal includes fast and accurate passes, the skills to weave through defenders like Mikaela Shiffrin heading down a hill and the ability to lift the ball over a line of midfielders to clear the area and change the flow of play.

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Joining Habelow in the attack is senior forward Kerri Lynch, who has tallied ten goals scoring in each game, and senior co-captain Serena Nally, who registered a brace Wednesday, as did Lynch and Habelow. 

Youngsters are coming to the fore such as defender Lilly Devitt, midfield Bridget Gardiner and Morgan Chase (scoring a goal in each of last three games) joining veteran junior Julia Chase on the wings where they each have a deft touch with their sticks. 

The key to the defense is senior co-captain Molly Thayer, who Smith has positioned as a sweeper. Thayer’s job is straight forward; use her speed and defensive skills to track down offensive player who gets by the defensive line and running down any attempt heading towards sophomore goalie Christina MacLeod. 

“Molly plays a big role in every game. The defense doesn’t see much action, but that’s because she is stopping the plays before it gets to them,” said Smith. 

That young backline – which includes Thayer, Devitt and Molly Goldberg – will be tested in the next two games as the Marauders host rivals 4-1 Lexington on Friday, Sept. 25 at 3:30 p.m. and a resurgent Winchester squad, at 5-1, in Winchester on Monday, Sept. 28.

“It will be interesting to see how our defense reacts to a very strong offense that we haven’t seen yet,” said Smith.

Five Belmont Seniors Named National Merit Scholar Semifinalists

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Photo: (from left) Andrew Giorgio, Maggie Liu, Anya Zhang, Principal Dan Richards, Emma Pierce-Hoffman and Kaiwen Zhang. 

Five Belmont High School seniors were named 2016 National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists by The National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Andrew Giorgio, Emma Pierce-Hoffman, Maggie Liu, Anya Zhang and Kaiwen Zhang join 16,000 other semifinalists from across the country in the competition for nearly 7,600 scholarships worth $33 million that will be given out in the spring of 2016. 

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship and earning the title Merit Scholar.

District Enrollment Keeps Marching Higher as School Year Begins

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Photo: More students have entered Belmont schools in the past three months.

The news on student enrollment levels in Belmont’s six public schools from School Superintendent John Phelan continues along a familiar theme of the past five years: more are still coming.

At the Sept. 8 School Committee meeting, Phelan reported that between June 1 to Sept. 3, 72 net additional students in Kindergarten through 12th grade entered the system which now serves a total enrollment of 4,362.

Since 2009, approximately 400 additional students have been added to the district’s rolls. 

Phelan said he is “very optimistic” of the total figure as it was close to actual number of children counted on the first day of school, Wednesday, Sept. 2, which saw an attendance rate of 97.5 percent.

“Everyone came and were welcomed to class,” said Phelan.

Notable in the new enrollment data is the jump in the number of students at the Chenery Middle School which crossed the 1,300 student mark with 1,320 pupils, an increase of 38 students in the past 90 days.

But Phelan said he’s confident that total and middle school numbers will rise as every day “two or three more students” were being enrolled in the first week of school opening.

To keep up with the rising numbers, Belmont High has converted existing modular space behind the school into classrooms, the only school that will be using non-permanent structures this year. In June, Phelan said it looked increasingly possible that added physical space will be required in the 2016-17 school year to accommodate the new students. 

New Date for ‘Real World Career Day’, Young Professionals Wanted

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Photo: The poster for “Real World Career Night” at Belmont High School.
 
For Belmont High Schoool Senior Tess Hayner, last year’s first-ever “Real World Career Night” – her idea of having young professionals discuss with high school students the ins and outs of finding a career – is well worth holding again. 
 
“Based on positive feedback, I know the students appreciated the chance to interact with relatively recent college graduates, now working in the real world.” said Hayner 
 
The second annual “Real World Career Night” will take place on (new date) Monday, Sept. 21, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Belmont High School cafeteria.

“We were thrilled with the wide variety of professions that attended last year’s event, and now hope to recruit even more professionals from different fields,” said Hayner, who is managing this year’s event with junior coordinator Anya Sondhi.

And like last year, the event is seeking a wide-array of workers in their 20s and the early 30s who graduated from any high school between the years of 1999-2011, to volunteer and hold short, informal conversations with Belmont High juniors and seniors.

Registration to volunteer ends on Friday, Sept. 18.

“My goal is by the end of the night, after many conversations with various young professionals, the juniors and seniors of Belmont High School will feel less intimidated, and perhaps inspired when it comes to turning their hobbies and interests into lifetime careers,” said Hayner.

All professions are welcome. Business people, educators, graphic artists, technicians, medical workers, scientists, accountants, you name it!

An introductory video and volunteer entry form can be found here, or email Tess and Anya at rwcareernight@gmail.com for more information.

“Whether you’re in your dream job, working towards your dream job, or still unsure of what that dream job even is, we want to hear from all of you,” she said. 

Opinion: Time to Reset When Belmont Schools Start The Day

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Photo: Sleep deprivation among adolescents is a chronic problem across the country and here in Belmont.

By Andrea Prestwich and Steve Saar, Belmont Start School Later

For one Belmont High School senior, the beginning of the school year – which starts today, Wednesday, Sept. 2 – is a double edge sword; the excitement of their final year in the public schools is dampened in trying to stay awake to enjoy the moment. 

“It’s really difficult to maintain your focus in class when you don’t get enough sleep. Belmont High School is a great school with high standards, but it’s difficult to keep up when you’re chronically tired,” the senior said, who manages to sleep seven hours on a “good” night.

Our daughter is another example. She is a 12-year-old Chenery Middle School student who says she feels “heavy, slow, grumpy and lethargic” on most school mornings.

What’s wrong with these kids? As it turns out, NOTHING! Many – if not most – middle and high school students in Belmont struggle with chronic sleepiness as they are forced out of bed at 6:30 a.m. or earlier to get to school.

Numerous scientific studies have shown that as kids hit puberty their sleep rhythms change. They naturally fall asleep later and get up later. Asking a teen to get up at 6:30 a.m. is like asking an adult to get up at 4 a.m.; they are deep into their natural sleep cycle. Studies also show adolescents need eight-and-a-half to nine-and-a-half hours of sleep each night.

Depriving kids of sleep at such a crucial period of their development can lead to serious long-term health consequences, including:

  • increased risks of obesity
  • diabetes
  • hypertension
  • stroke
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • substance abuse
  • Accidents while driving.

Sleep deprivation among adolescents is a chronic problem across the country, linked to poor impulse control and self-regulation – sleepy kids make bad decisions – impairments in attention and memory and deficits in abstract thinking.

Student athletes are especially impacted by sleep deprivation. A study highlighted by the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that “athletes who slept eight or more hours each night were 68 percent less likely to be injured than athletes who regularly slept less.”

The scale of the problem has been recognized by the Center for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, the Society for Pediatric Nurses, the National Association of School Nurses, and the National Sleep Foundation, all endorsing later school start time, with middle and high schools opening no earlier than 8:30 a.m.

So, with just about every professional medical organization in the country endorsing later school start times, why does Belmont begin the Chenery day at 7:55 a.m. and Belmont High at 7:35 a.m?

Sometimes the reason is economics. Many schools set start times decades ago to save transportation costs by running the same busses in three cycles for the high school, middle school and elementary school. Starting schools early also leaves more time in the afternoon for athletics and other after-school activities.

The current schedule would make sense if adolescents had a “sleep mode” button, but sadly, evolution has not seen fit to equip them with one. You just can’t put teens to bed at 9:30 p.m. and expect them to go to sleep immediately and wake bright and early at 6 a.m. as the schedule is contrary to their natural sleep rhythms.

If you put teens to bed at 9:30 p.m. they will toss and turn until 11 p.m. when they will finally start to feel drowsy. The adage “early to bed and early to rise” doesn’t apply to adolescents; they are creatures of the night!

So why not change Belmont to a healthier, later schedule? First, there’s a widespread belief that if schools start later kids will stay up later. This is not true. A landmark study looked at 18,000 high school students in Minneapolis before and after the district’s school start time changed from 7:15 a.m. to 8:40 a.m. The main conclusion was that high school students slept an hour longer on average when their school started later. They went to bed at the same time as before the time change and slept longer. 

Athletics is another consideration. Currently, schools in the Middlesex League have early starting times. If Belmont were to shift to a healthier, later schedule, our athletes would be out of sync with the rest of the league. Practice times would also have to change, possibly causing a ripple effect and impacting youth groups who use the same facilities.

Other barriers to a later schedule include the need to re-think before- and after-school programs and the impact on some kids with part-time jobs. 

There are certainly obstacles to shifting Belmont High and the Chenery to start later but none is insurmountable. For example, bus schedules could be reversed so that Winn Brook starts first at around 7:45 a.m., then the High School just after 8:30 a.m., Wellington, and Chenery later. Elementary school kids are usually up with the larks, bouncing on their beds – they have sleep rhythms naturally suited to an earlier start. 

Start School Later has local chapters across Massachusetts working for later start times, and we are working with Massachusetts legislators. Hopefully, Belmont will join other districts as they shift times.

Even though there are difficulties in changing school start times, it is not acceptable for our kids to be sleep deprived, any more than it is acceptable for them to go without food or any other life necessity. And sleep is a necessity of life. Our kids should start the school day well fed and rested. The current start times make this impossible.

School districts around the country have shifted to healthier schedules with very positive results: kids are more alert and less grumpy, there are lower rates of tardiness and fewer missed school days. They arrive at school ready to learn.

We ask Belmont School Superintendent John Phelan and the Belmont School Committee follow the recommendations and shift Belmont schools to healthier schedules.