Belmont High School Bars Public, Town Officials, Press From Student Walkout

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 Photo: Poster of the event

A student-led protest at Belmont High School will be a private affair as education officials are barring the public, town officials and the press from attending the “National School Walkout to Protest Gun Violence” event taking place on Wednesday, March 21 at 10 a.m.

“As you are aware, the public is not permitted on school grounds during this event,” said Kristen Murphy, community engagement coordinator for the district. It’s reported police will prevent traffic and people from traveling on the public access road fronting the school. Murphy noted that principals Dan Richards of Belmont High School and Michael McAllister of the Chenery Middle School will be able to speak in the subject after the event.

According to John Phelan, Belmont’s School Superintendent, only students, and staff will attend the event taking place outdoors on public space. 

“[S]tudent safety is our main concern,” said Phelan in a letter responding to William Fick, the father of one of the student organizers. Phelan defended the restrictions of outsiders attendance out of “concerns regarding student safety and minimizing disruption to the education process.” The ban includes those who only wished to observe the protest and publications and broadcasters reporting on the event.

Phelan did not provide examples how observers and media outlets would constitute a safety concern or how their presence constituted a disruption of education. A week earlier thousands of schools across the US held 17-minute  rallies without incident, including Belmont Day School located off Concord Avenue. The private elementary/middle school also invited the press to view the middle school students in their protest.

Last May, Belmont High students organized by then junior Barbara Joseph, held an impromptu rally against racism that circled Clay Pit Pond and ended by the flagpole at the school’s entry. Despite a large number of students attending, there was no public safety incidents.

Phelan was responding to Fick who raised constitutional issues on eliminating the public from the protest, specifically when it come to barring the press, calling that decision “unlawful” as the protest is a “newsworthy event.”

“In light of the nearly unfettered access BHS affords to local media for other purposes (sports, Promenade, performances, etc), the exclusion of media from the walkout is transparent “content discrimination” unrelated to any permissible basis to regulate the “time, place and manner” of protected speech activity,” said Fick, who is a Boston-based defense attorney who frequently works in partnership with the ACLU of Massachusetts. 

While the students agreed to stay on school property to respect the Administration’s “expressed concerns for decorum and safety,” “… the purpose of the protest is not simply for students to talk to each other, which they can do all day within the walls of the school, but to make their voices heard in the community and among elected officials,” said Fick.

Fick noted to Phelan that while the public will be restricted from entering school property, the access road and sidewalk running in front of the school are public ways as is the community path around Clay Pit Pond. Fick requested the school department to inform him of the “purported legal basis for any such closing of outdoor public property.”

While Fick reminded Phelan of the Supreme Court decision, Tinker v. Des Moines, that “students do not ‘shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression at the schoolhouse gate,” Phelan stated that “Belmont recognizes” that ruling, “however, there is a well-recognized legal principle that administrators must ensure safety of all staff and students as well as minimize the disturbance to the educational process.” 

Sold In Belmont: A Brick House A Smart Pig Would Love and Updated Antebellum on Lake Street;

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Photo: A two-family that sold for nearly one and a quarter million dollars? 

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.” 

• 60 Alexander Ave., Postwar Ranch (1951). Sold: $935,000. Listed at $850,000. Living area: 2,230 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 43 days. Last sold: Nov. 1976, $22,500.

• 140 Prospect St., Colonial (1940). Sold: $1,206,000. Listed at $895,000. Living area: 2,146 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market:  days. Last sold: July, 1941.

• 350 Lake St., Brick Colonial (1927). Sold: $905,000. Listed at $925,000. Living area: 1,598 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 64 days. Last sold: July, 2006, $590,000.

• 210 Waverley St., First-floor Condo townhouse (1880/Gut rehab 2016). Sold: $760,000. Listed at $799,999. Living area: 2,063 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths. On the market: 135 days. Last sold: Nov. 2016, $720,000.

• 55 Alma Ave. Unit 1, Condo (1916). Sold: $492,000. Listed at $499,000. Living area: 1,082 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 92 days. Last sold: Sept. 2017, for the building $855,000.

• 55 Alma Ave. Unit 2, Condo (1916). Sold: $520,000. Listed at $539,000. Living area: 1,301 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 91 days. Last sold: Sept. 2017, for the building $855,000.

• 354 Lake St., Antebellum Old-Style (1856). Sold: $1,150,000. Listed at $1,200,000. Living area: 2,800 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 6 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 127 days. Last sold: Oct. 2010, $525,000. 

The pair of Lake Street houses that sold last week may only be across the shortest street in Belmont from each other but they represent worlds of differences in terms of style and structure.

There’s the house at 350 which a smart little piggy would love own to keep the huffing, puffing wolf at bay. Talk about a brick house! This must have been a bear to construct compared to your typical wood frame around the area – it’s one of a pair with its sister just across Lake Street – even the garage and ornamentation is red brick with the roof slate and clay. A house of the earth, to say the least. It’s a relatively modest 1,600 sq.-ft.; it’s relatively easy to understand why there has been no expansion as it would mean carving out a hole in a wall of bricks. And while brick is the most popular exterior in the US, repointing this structure must be a constant drudgery. While there are lots of half brick Colonials and all brick Georgian Revival and Tudors around town, these two stand out in terms of location and the overwhelming use of the material. There has to be a story behind the twins but Dick Betts never got around mentioning it in his books. The interior is a bit tight but there’s a lot of original detail (doors, beams) remaining and it’s so solid it will be one of the few structures still standing if a meteor strikes the vicinity.

The second house at 354 on Lake that sold was built when the street was part of Arlington (then known as West Cambridge) as it predates Belmont’s creation by three years. Known as “old style” by the town’s assessors, it’s just that, a wood frame with strong corner treatment. While having a Lake Street address, the front porch now faces Belmont’s shortest street, Milton Street (Did you know that only one house (#15) has a Milton Street address?) although some may quibble and note Belmont Circle being smaller, it’s a dead end and edges into Watertown. While some people are wary of “old” homes and the surprises they hold, in the past decade the owners put a modern face on it. The renovations began with striping and reroofing ($34,100, yes, it’s expensive), replace all the windows ($25,000) and replastering walls and ceilings. Two years ago the big money ($79,000) went to remodeling the kitchen and baths. and last year $5,000 to renovate the front p0rch. Take a look inside and its actually quite nice, bright and spacy. Worth more than twice for it sold eight years ago as it lies a Tom Brady pass from the Route 2 on-ramp? Someone thought so.

Belmont’s ‘Talk Of The Town’ Set For Tuesday, March 20

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Photo: Barbara Joseph

There still is time to register to attend the Second annual Meet Belmont “Talk of the Town” event on Tuesday, March 20 presented by the Vision 21 Implementation Committee and co-sponsored by Belmont Public Schools.

Four notable Belmont residents will provided fascinating speeches in a “TED-talk” like format.  An exciting new development this year is that there will be two Belmont Public Schools students speaking.  

The event is free, but please reserve a ticket at the link below and forward to anyone you think might be interested; last year there were more than 400 registrants.  

WHEN: Tuesday, March 20, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

WHERE: Chenery Middle School Auditorium

TICKETS:  https://belmonttalk.eventbrite.com or through Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meetbelmont

COST:   None!

Host:
Jane Clayson Johnson

Journalist, Author and Radio Host

Speakers:

Graham Allison

American Political Scientist and
Douglas Dillon Professor of Government, Harvard Kennedy School

Debra Cash
Executive Director, Boston Dance Alliance

Barbara Joseph
12th-grade student, Belmont High School

Mariam Soliman

8th-grade student, Chenery Middle School

Preston Williams

Houghton Professor of Theology and Contemporary Change Emeritus,
Harvard Divinity School

Belmont World Films Opens 17th International Film Series Sunday, March 18

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Photo: From the movie “The Workshop” which opens the 17th annual Belmont World Film’s 17th annual International Film Series.

Nine films from the world’s top international film festivals will premiere at Belmont World Film’s 17th annual International Film Series, which runs to May 14 at Belmont’s historic Studio Cinema, 376 Trapelo Rd.

Opening night on Sunday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m. features the New England premiere of The Workshop, (“L’ateliera”) by French director Laurent Cantet that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

After the festival’s opening screening, films take place mostly on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. All films are followed by thought-provoking discussions led by expert speakers and occasionally cultural performances. The opening and closing night films are preceded by dinner receptions featuring culturally-relevant cuisine at the theater.

This year’s series, “Bound by Beliefs,” features films that show how difficult it is to implement change in the face of long-held societal or community beliefs. All but one film is either a North American, East Coast or New England premiere and several are also their countries’ submissions to the Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Language Film category. As in the last several years, a third of the films are directed by women. The festival also includes the most recent work by several well-known directors, including French director Laurent Cantet (Foxfire, The Class), Laurence Ferrerira Barbosa (Normal People Are Nothing Exceptional), and Tony Gatlif (Latcho Drom, Gadjo Dilo).

“We don’t have to look much farther than the Hollywood sexual harassment scandal to understand how long it takes or how hard it is to change the status quo,” says Belmont World Film Executive Director Ellen Gitelman. “The characters in each of the nine films are not always successful in standing up to their societies’ beliefs, and even when they are, it is often an uphill battle.”

The festival opener, The Workshop, takes place in the once bustling port town of La Ciotat on the Mediterranean where a group of young writers with multiple backgrounds is trying to reflect the town’s current rundown state in their group written thriller. The hostility and disturbing vision of one particular workshop participant soon alarm his peers and the instructor, a famous Parisian mystery writer. The screening is part of the Month of Francophonie sponsored by the French Consulate in Boston.

The rest of the line-up includes:

  • Monday, March 26: The Wound directed by John Trengrove (South Africa) New England premiere
  • Monday, April 2: All the Dreams in the World directed by Laurence Ferreira Barbosa (France, Portugal) North American premiere
  • Monday, April 9: Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts directed by Mouly Surya (Indonesia, France, Malaysia, Thailand) New England premiere
  • Sunday, April 16: Streaker directed by Peter Luisi (Switzerland) East Coast premiere
  • Monday, April 23: What Will People Say directed by Iram Haq (Norway, Germany, Sweden) East Coast premiere
  • Monday, April 30: Disappearance directed by Ali Asgari (Iran, Qatar)
  • Monday, May 7: Under the Tree directed by Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson (Iceland) New England premiere
  • Monday, May 14: Djam directed by Tony Gatlif (France) North American premiere

The Grass To Be Greener Along Sidewalks As Town Focuses On Separating People, Cars

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Photo: Along Bartlett Avenue.

Grass is good, according to Belmont Office of Community Development Director Glenn Clancy.

No, the longtime town engineer is not expressing his opinion on the future of marijuana sales in Belmont, but rather the grass strip between sidewalks and the roadways which are located on a majority of the town’s byways.

Now under a new approach prompted by the complaints of residents along Bartlett Avenue in the PQ Park neighborhood, the 10 percent of roads lacking a vegetative median can expect a greenway within five years, Clancy told the Belmont Board of Selectmen at its Monday, March 12 meeting.

The new initiative is a change in the town’s current sidewalk policy, said Selectman Adam Dash, coming after a comprehensive study rating the town’s sidewalks – which showed a majority of concrete paths were in good condition – was presented in the fall and after the public voiced concerns that walkways were being neglected in favor of roadway repair. 

The new policy, written by Clancy, will address the real issue facing not just the residents on Bartlett Avenue but throughout town is “the lack of adequate separation between the roadway and the sidewalks.”

After Bartlett Avenue was reconstructed, there was no buffer between the roadway and sidewalk which allowed vehicles to park or even drive onto the walkway, posing a dangerous condition for pedestrians especially so close to the Butler Elementary School.

In his research, Clancy found that the vast majority of streets have some curbing – either asphalt or granite – or/ and including a grass shoulder, as seen on most neighborhood side streets, which separates the road and sidewalk. 

“What I came to realize is the importance of that shoulder treatment,” said Clancy, noting that Bartlett Avenue only has an asphalt shoulder. “And that shoulder treatment must provide a buffer for pedestrians.”

He noted that only grass strip barriers without a curb do an excellent job keeping cars from creeping onto sidewalks. Grass also allow for trees to be planted in the barrier adding an “additional element as a buffer between automobiles and the sidewalk.”

In the new policy, “under no circumstances is an asphalt shoulder ever a good idea and that is the condition we are trying to get to the most,” Clancy said.

Clancy told the board that of the town’s 400 roadway “segments” (basically the road between intersections), only 10 percent or 40 portions of streets “have the need for either granite curbing because they are a major road (Cross Street and segments of Grove and School streets) … and 30 neighborhood streets that have asphalt shoulders where we want to reestablish [barriers].”

With the scope of work established, Clancy’s most significant question was funding. He told the board with updated data on roadway and sidewalk conditions and has made a considerable dent (of nearly 50 percent) in the cost of repairing the backlog of roads, his department has an adequate amount in its pavement management program to meet its current reconstruction cycle but also have “an additional $300,000 of capacity that we can put to curbing and sidewalks” over the next five years. 

Under the new five year plan, the sidewalks with non-grass, no curb barriers given the highest priority are along roadways which are:

  • School walking routes which will be retrofitted with curbing and a grass median. 
  • General walking routes – the main roads you use from neighborhood roads to main “collecting” roads (with granite curbs) leading to a destination site. 
  • Use-demand routes leading to parks, shops etc.
  • neighborhood roads, to re-establish a grass shoulder. 

With funding secured and a needed policy change before it, the Selectmen approved the changes unanimously. 

Blizzard Delays Belmont High Students ‘Enough’ School Walkout To March 21

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Photo: Poster image.

Tuesday’s blizzard has placed a hold on town high schoolers joining fellow students from across the country on Wednesday to collectively say “enough is enough.” 

According to the local student campaigners, nearly two feet of snow and the cancelation of schools on Wednesday will delay by a week Belmont High School’s participation in “ENOUGH: National School Walkout” by a week.

“Some … will go to the [Massachusetts] statehouse, but the walkout will be postponed until [Wednesday] March 21,” said Belmont High School senior Seneca Hart, who with Lydia Fick, Georgia Sundahl, and Gayané Kaligian is organizing the Belmont action.

The walkout – conceived and promoted by EMPOWER, the youth branch of the Woman’s March – will take place across the country on Wednesday, March 14, at 10 a.m. and last for 17 minutes to honor the students and teachers murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School exactly one month since the crime.

When Hart – who is also the student liaison to the Belmont Human Rights Commission – first heard of the walkout, she felt Belmont High students should participate in the action happening.

“I used the Action Network to see if there was an event at my school because I knew I wanted to participate, but there wasn’t yet one. I saw a need and I filled it because this movement is important to me, and more than that, it’s really empowering students across America,” said Hart.
 
The senior believes the time is now for teenagers and students to speak up on the issue of gun violence and safety at school.
 
“So often we’re dismissed because of our age, and this is the first time a lot of us feel like we can finally prove we’re serious about change and know what we’re talking about,” she said
 
Hart said she and her colleagues’ efforts have been met favorably by their fellow students.
 
“So far most of the students I’ve talked to have been supportive and eager to help. I have encountered a few students who disagree with our goal— that we need stronger gun control on a state and national level — but for the most part those people have expressed that they still respect what we’re doing because this is democracy at work,” said Hart.
 
The walkout’s agenda in Belmont and around the country will be short and simple.
 
“We will not be having ‘speakers’ per say, but we will have a moment of silence, a reminder of why we’re walking out, and the student volunteers will be reading anonymous statements from students,” said Hart.

Chenery’s Soap Box Derby Club Impress In First-Ever Competition

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Photo: The first ever Chenery Middle School Soap Box Derby Team.

The Chenery Middle School’s Soap Box Derby Team, led by Coach Leon Dyer, had a lot of fun on its first-ever competition in the Indoor Rally Race held in the parking garage of the Cambridgeside Galleria Mall the weekend of March 3. The team competed in the morning race on Sunday, March 4.

The team fared well in its first-ever event. Liam Mitchell came in 2nd (with Liam’s last race being a difference of .03 second), James Barmakian came in 5th and Ian Goentzel came in 8th (taking over the spot of Eamon Khan, a 7th grader who had to leave early).

The Chenery Team started almost a year ago taking a field trip in June 2017 to the Arlington Soap Box Derby Championship. After seeing that event, the group of students was sold in building a few cars. Over the past few months, Barmakian, Goentzel, Mitchell and Khan and coach Leon Dyer built four Super Stock Soap Box Derby cars in the Tech Ed classroom at Chenery Middle School.

Ryan Bauer, a Chenery 7th grader who has been participating in Soap Box Derby racing for roughly four years, served as the team’s racing advisor. He was first in his Stock division at the Cambridge race. Ryan was great at answering questions about the cars and competitions.

The team is planning to compete in one or two additional events before the Championship Race in Arlington on June 2. Moving forward, we are looking to add up to six additional cars to the fleet and a trailer giving a total of 8 to 10 students the opportunity to build, learn, race, and compete in Soap Box Derby.

If interested in sponsoring a Soap Box Derby Car, please email Dyer at ldyer@belmont.k12.ma.us.

The Soap Box Derby is a youth soapbox car racing program which has been run in the United States since 1934. World Championship finals are held each July at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio. Cars competing in this and related events are unpowered, relying completely upon gravity to move. There are three types of Soap Box Derby Cars. Stock, Super Stock, and Master’s Class.

A Musical For Today: BHS PAC Performing ‘9 To 5, The Musical’ March 22-24

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Photo: The performance poster for “9 to 5, The Musical”

With the nation focused on the #MeToo and Time’s Up movement, country singer Dolly Parton said last month that now is a good time to remake her hit 1980’s film, “9 to 5,” one of the first to highlight sexual harassment of women in the workforce.

So it’s timely that the Belmont High School Performing Arts Company shines a light on a major social issue with its spring staging of Parton’s musical version of “9 to 5.” Based on the hit movie, “9 to 5, The Musical” features music and lyrics by Parton. It is upbeat, funny, full of great singing & dance numbers and delivers a message about empowerment that is relevant and important today.

“9 to 5, The Musical” will take place at Belmont High School’s auditorium on Thursday, and Friday, March 22 and 23 at 7 p.m. and two performances on Saturday, March 24, a matinee at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets on sale online and at Champions in Belmont Center.
 ADULTS: $15 in advance, $18 at the door
STUDENTS: $10 (Belmont High students get half-price tickets for Thursday’s performance)

According to Performing Arts Company’s award-winning Producer and Director Ezra Flam, selecting “9 to 5” occurred after talking to the students “and looking for a show that met all of these demands and felt like it would inspire and excite the cast/crew and artistic team.”

“I didn’t know anything about 9 to 5 other than that it was ‘the Dolly Parton’ musical, and I didn’t know of any other high schools that had done the show. However, after we did one of the songs from the show at Broadway Night [in the fall], I decided to give it a read. I was only halfway through the script when I knew this was the show for us,” said Flam.

“The heart of the show is a friendship between three women, which inspires all of them to find strength in themselves and in one another. The backdrop of the show is a musical comedy: the songs are fun, there’s lots of humor, and tons of dance,” said Flam.

“However, against that backdrop is also a serious look at gender inequality in the workplace. We have taken the opportunity to talk in rehearsal about gender discrimination, sexual harassment, fair labor practices and the ways in which the landscape has – and hasn’t – changed in the last 40 years. With the current national awareness about many of these issues, students have been able to make some meaningful and thoughtful connections between the events of the show, the modern world, and their own lives,” said Flam

“9 to 5: The Musical” is set in the late 1970s at the fictional Consolidated Industries. Three female employees – Violet, Judy, and Doralee – are tired of being overlooked, belittled and harassed by their boss. What starts out as a fantasy of getting rid of him turns into a comical reality when they end up kidnapping him by accident. The three women then take control of the office and institute a series of new policies, which increase employee morale and productivity.

The original movie, starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Parton, was made in 1980, and the musical adaptation was written in 2008. Besides the title song was written for the movie, the rest of the music was written by Parton for the musical.

“9 to 5” is appropriate for Middle School and older audience members. The show contains language and moments that may not be appropriate for younger audiences: parents may want to read a synopsis or watch the movie before deciding to bring young kids. Scenes depict sexual harassment, adult situations, and some adult language.

“This production showcases what the Performing Arts Company does best: give our actors and stage crew the chance to learn about theater by creating a fully realized production,” said Flam.

“As always, the singing and dancing are sure to be a real highlight. There’s a wonderfully fun sequence of scenes when the three main characters fantasize about getting rid of the boss which takes us from a jazzy noir-inspired dance to a rodeo hoedown to a live-action animated fairy-tale. The opening number of Act 2 features tap dance, and there’s much more fun choreography throughout,” said Flam.

“The music in this show is also a challenge for students, but once they have been meeting well. Many songs feature complicated vocal harmonies and the cast sounds strong. 13 student musicians have been rehearsing with Orchestra Director Margot Reavey and will help bring all of that music to life,” he said

“It’s also been fun for the tech crew to find a way to make the late 1970s feel bright and vibrant. We have pumped up some of the classic colors of the era to give it a bit of a pop feel, and the scenery, costumes, lighting, and props will definitely lend a fun vibe to the overall experience,” said Flam.

Blizzard To Blitz Belmont Tuesday, Causing Commuter Chaos During Whiteout Conditions

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Photo: Good luck going out.

Near blizzard conditions will envelop Belmont beginning shortly before midnight and last for nearly 24 hours as a late winter nor’easter will sock the region with 10 to 18 inches of snow and sustained winds that could lead to power outages and tree damage to personal property.

The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning at noon, Monday, March 12 that would take effect from 11 p.m. Monday and last until 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 13. 

The service noted the near blizzard conditions in eastern Massachusetts will result in blowing and drifting snow. 

According to the NWS, a blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong sustained winds of at least 35 mph and lasting for a prolonged period of time, typically three hours or more.

The service said travel will be very difficult, especially during the Tuesday morning commute when snowfall rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour are possible. The Tuesday afternoon commute is also expected to be impacted. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.

Belmont Tracksters Bring Home All-American Honors from Nationals

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Photo: Flanked by Belmont High’s Boys’ (Bill Brotchie) and Girls’ (Brian Dunn) indoor track coaches are Belmont High’s All-Americans: (from left) Calvin Perkins, Max Serrano-Wu, Anoush Krafian, Emily Duffy and Soleil Tseng. 

In a week that saw Belmont High sports teams fall by the wayside seeking state championships, five Belmont High track athletes have come home from New York City as All-Americans after their performances in the New Balance National Indoor track meet held Friday through Sunday, March 9 – 11 at the New Balance Armory.

Senior Anoush Krafian took fifth in the girls’ pentathlon, less than a week after capturing the Massachusetts state pentathlon crown. Competing against the best in the country, the Dartmouth-bound multi-event athlete scored 3,392 points, edging out Chloe Royce from St. Lambe, Quebec, Canada (3,387) for fifth. She trailed the winner of the event, junior Anna Hall of Littleton, Colorado, who scored an impressive 4,054 points.

In the five events which were completed in six hours, Krafian placed sixth in the 60-meter hurdles (9.01 seconds, a PR), 11th in the shot put (27 feet, 4 1/2 inches), 6th in the long jump (17 feet, 4 inches), 4th in the high jump (despite being one of the shorter participants with a leap of 5 feet, 5 inches) and 10th in the 800 meter run (2:35.02).

Awarded All-American status were the four members of the mixed 4×400 meter relay, run for the first time at the meet. Seniors Max Serrano-Wu, Emily Duffy, and Calvin Perkins (who anchored in a scorching 48.23) joined sophomore Soleil Tseng in running the baton in 3 minutes, 38.73 seconds to come home in 6th place. The event was won by a team from Nansemond River, Suffolk, Virginia in 3:32.40.