Sports: Boys’, Girls’ Hoops Push To Playoffs By Rocketing By Reading

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Photo: Sophomore guard Daniel Yardemian scoring against Reading.

After a brief respite for midterms from Middlesex League play, Belmont High Basketball teams got back on the court Friday, Jan. 20, to continue their march towards the playoffs with dual victories over Reading Memorial High.

Boys batter Charlestown, out work a physical Rocket squad

Belmont Head Coach Adam Pritchard said when he looks to out-of-league games to play, he tries to schedule the toughest teams he can.

“I have to play the best to be the best,” he said targeting “city” teams the squad would be punching-up in games.

Earlier in the season, the Marauders took on Everett (83-67 loss) and New Bedford (55-52 win) before heading to Boston’s Cathedral High School for a match on Sunday, Jan. 15, against an 8-3 Charlestown team. In the pregame warm-ups, the Townies had three players demonstrating various dunk shots in front of a Belmont team that might have a single player who could slam the ball on the rare occasion.

But the BABC Winter Classic matchup proved to be a showcase for Belmont’s captain and senior center Paul Ramsey who scored 19 points in the first quarter, hitting five baskets and nine free throws in just eight minutes as Belmont took a 28-19 lead over the Division 1 powerhouse.

But equally as important was Ramsey play against Charlestown’s big men putting them in foul trouble and forcing them to sit for long stretches.

“[Ramsey] is a special player because he plays both ends of the court,” said Pritchard.

Ramsey stayed hot in the second with nine more points (of a game-high 34 points) followed by eight from junior forward Tomas Donoyan (19 points) and exciting sophomore Daniel Yardemian (12 points) with six as the Marauders built its lead to 15, 52-37, at the half.

Belmont bombed away with three 3s from Donoyan, senior Cal Christofori (4 points) and senior guard Nick Volante (3 points) while its swarming defense left Charlestown with only 12 points in the third quarter giving Belmont a big cushion of 22 points entering the fourth. 

“It was a satisfying win against a class team,” said Pritchard. 

Belmont came home on Friday and dealt a physical and tall Reading squad an 11 point loss, 71-60, in a tight game until the final four minutes of the fourth quarter.

Belmont relied on Christofori who scored 14 points that included several spinning drives and one long range 3 to give the Marauders an 11 point margin at the half. Belmont outscored Reading 9-1 in the final 2:17 of the second as senior guard Bryan Goodwin (3 points) drained an NBA-range 3 pointer and junior forward Will Ellet (7 points, 4 in the second) came off the bench to spark the offense.

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Reading came out for the third going to their big man, 6’4″ senior center Corey DiLoreto (who like Christofori plays football, hoops and baseball) who scored four of his 10 points in the third, which allowed guard junior guard Matt Panacopoulus (14 points) to slash to the basket, scoring twice and going to the free throw line twice going 4-4. Reading cut the lead to 2, 49-47, with 10.5 seconds remaining, which was 10.4 seconds enough for Yardemian to hit a 15 footer with no time on the clock. 

The rough and tumble game resulted in a confrontation for the ball midway through the quarter in which Chistofori and senior Joe Bradley got a bit too physical resulting in Bradley being assessed a technical foul.

Reading cut the lead to 2, 49-47, with 10.5 seconds remaining, which was 10.4 seconds enough for Yardemian to hit a 15 footer with no time on the clock. 

“We were playing one-on-one basketball which allowed [Reading] which is a very good team to come back,” said Pritchard. “But this team has shown they can regroup without panicking.”

The fourth quarter was a tightly fought affair until midway through when a Yardemian stop and pop, a Hamparian 3 pointer, one of two from the line by Ellet and a pair of free throws from Christofori basically put the game on ice, 64-57, with two minutes to go. 

“It’s great to have a sophomore [Yardemian] who can come off the bench as a point guard and wants to drive to the basket,” said Pritchard.

Next up for Belmont is a home game vs. Burlington on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m.

Another game, another player steps up for Marauders as Girls’ push back Rockets

Someone should tell junior captain and all-star point guard Carly Christofori about the concept of  “bulletin-board material.”

It all started when the Belmont High Girls’ basketball team won a contest – the High School Hoops Challenge – to appear on a Boston radio station 103.3 AMP Radio. While there, which included Jenny Call beating the DJ (that would be “JD” the DJ) in a free-throw contest, Christofori was asked to predict the score of the upcoming match with Reading.

“170,000 to 3,” said Christofori.

“I thought, ‘Let’s hope Reading’s not listening,'” said Belmont Head Coach Melissa Hart.

This edition of Reading is nothing like the team Belmont met two years ago when the Marauders nearly shut out the Rockets, allowing a single three-pointer to lead 23-3 at the half and then stretching it to 37-3 advantage midway through the third quarter in the 2015 game.

This season Reading found a shooter in sophomore forward Haley Lightbody and plays a very physical game on both ends of the court, bringing in a 5-3 record as it hosted Belmont Friday.

Belmont ran off to a slim 17-15 lead after one quarter before Lightbody (with a game high 18 points) started scoring as it looked that Reading would take a three point lead into the half before junior forward Greta Propp scored to keep the game within one.

It was Propp on the inside (who finished with a team-high 14 points) and sophomore center Jess Giorgio (12 points and numerous rebounds) dominating the key that brought back Belmont to retake the lead by four points entering the fourth, 43-39, before pulling away through Christofori going to the free throw line, winning by 11, 56-45.

Propp’s breakout performance – after having been sick for a few weeks – was the second time in two games in which player came off the bench to top the team in scoring; senior guard Riley Haight scored a game-high 13 (including a trio of 3s) in Belmont’s doubling up of Winchester, 68-34, last Friday.

Belmont will be away at Burlington on Tuesday before come home for a homecoming Friday night against 9-1 Wakefield.

Search to Replace Town Administrator as Kale Heads for Home

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Photo: David Kale

The novelist Thomas Wolfe famously said, “You can’t go home again.”

Apparently, David Kale is ignoring that advice.

The lifelong Cambridge resident will decamp as Belmont’s Town Administrator in mid-March to become his hometown’s Assistant City Manager for Finance, according to a press release issued late Thursday, Jan. 19 by Cambridge City Manager Louis DePasquale.

Kale returns to Cambridge city government having served previously as the city’s Director and Deputy Finance/Budget Director from 2003 to 2012.

Kale was in the final six months of a second three-year contract ending in July 2017.

While sudden, the news of Kale’s departure was not shocking to most in Belmont government circles.

“It was really no surprise that [Kale] would be leaving,” said Selectmen Chair Mark Paolillo Thursday, noting Kale’s strong ties to Cambridge and the knowledge that Belmont’s neighbor would be seeking his expertise in finance and budgeting for its operation. 

“It’s a great job for him, a real step up in his career,” said Paolillo.

While saying Kale’s departure “will be a real loss to the town,” Paolillo said a committee would be assembled “soon” to begin the search for Kale’s replacement.

We have a fiduciary obligation to do a broad search for a replacement,” said Paolillo. 

Paolillo said he hopes the board will appoint Assistant Town Administrator Phyllis Marshall as interim Town Administrator until a new chief administrative officer for the town is selected. Paolillo said Marshall would be welcomed to apply for the position. 

Kale was named Belmont’s town administrator in June 2012 after a contentious decision. Paolillo said Kale was instrumental in implementing the successful “one town, one budget” process in which schools and municipal departments worked collaboratively in creating the annual budget.

“[Kale] was politically astute … and he really tried to work towards a consensus on what was best for Belmont,” said Paolillo. 

“He was not a reactive town administrator. David was always thinking about the next step and working towards filling the needs of the town. I’ll miss that the most,” he said. 

Paolillo said Kale would stay to lead the town through the initial part of the budget process which is currently underway.  

According to the town’s website, the town administrator serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Town and has three primary responsibilities:
  • Directs and manages the delivery of municipal services, except those under the jurisdiction of the independently-elected authorities;
  • Provides leadership to the Selectmen for strategic planning; and,
  • Serves as the Director of the Office of the Board of Selectmen. 

Cushing Village Update: Municipal Lot Closed To Public Wednesday

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Photo: From parking lot to construction site.

In the first tangible indication construction on the long delayed Cushing Village development is about to commence, signs notified the public the municipal parking lot adjacent Starbucks was official closed to vehicles.

“THIS PARKING LOT Located on the corner of TRAPELO ROAD and WILLISTON ROAD WILL BE CLOSED EFFECTIVE JANUARY 18th, 2017” read several signs in the near empty lot.

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At the Williston Road entry, another sign said “Construction Entrance Only” and “Lot Closed 1/18/17,” placed by Nauset Construction, the Needham-base constructon management firm hired by the project’s national developer, Toll Brothers. 

Toll Brothers officially took possession of the town-owned lot on Oct. 19, 2016 after purchasing the parcel for $1.335 million, according to town records.

Despite assurances the lot would be closed within days of the sale, it would take three additional months for the Pennylvania-based Apartment Living subsidiary to secure the first of several permits from the town and state’s environmental protection agency to allow construction to precede and to finalize a long-term lease with Starbucks to secure a space in the project.

Cushing Villiage is a 165,000 square foot, three building development with approximately 38,000 square feet of commercial space, 115 apartments – 60 two-bedroom units and 55 one-bedroom units – and 225 parking spaces including 50 municipal spaces.

Bill Lovett, a senior development manager at Toll Brothers’ Apartment Living, said in August the earliest date for construction to begin on Cushing Village is late spring of 2017 with a completion date of the summer of 2019.

Sports: Boys’ Hockey Focusing On First Playoff Berth in Six Years

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Photo: Junior goaltender Kevin Dacey has a .951 save percentage at the midpoint of the season.

By William Findlay

Belmont High School Boys’ Ice Hockey Head Coach Fred Allard had a few words for his team as it takes aim for a playoff spot at the midpoint of the season. 

“We just need to stay focused on what we do well and keep pushing towards our [tournament] goal, and to not take anything for granted,” said Allard, as the Marauders seeks its first playoff berth since 2011. 

Entering a de-facto bye-week (Jan. 16-20), the Marauders (6-2-2 overall, 4-2-0 in the league) will look to hone its skills on the practice ice before a tough stretch of games; facing perennial league leaders Reading High (5-3-0, 5-0-0 in the league) league twice in a week and playing away to a strong Burlington High team (3-4-1 overall)

“The Middlesex League is the toughest public school league in the state year in and year out so the strength of schedule is no surprise to us.” said the second-year coach on the difficulty of the upcoming games. 

Despite a rigorous upcoming game schedule for the Marauders, efforts to meet their season goal of making the tournament have become significantly easier following a 4-1 win over Middlesex League opponent Winchester. Although a physical game throughout, the Marauders used their overwhelming speed and skill to outplay the Sachems last Saturday, Jan. 14 at Skip Viglirolo Rink.

“We knew they would be physical but also that [we] would be able to match the physicality and felt we had a slight advantage in team speed.” said Allard on the brand of hockey played by the Marauders.

The Marauders totaled 103 hits in the game, with the hard-nosed Junior defenseman Dennis Crowley leading the team with 12, followed closely by Sophomore blueliner James Nally, who tallied 11. Crowley also leads the team in total hits with a solid 70.

At times during the contest, the chippiness of this Middlesex League clash got out of hand, starting with a big scrum in front of the Winchester net at the end of the second period resulting in Winchester’s Chris Wilson receiving a game misconduct penalty.

“For the most part we did a good, job restraining ourselves in order to take advantage of power-plays,” Allard commented on his team’s overall grittiness in the game.

At the start of the third period, the Marauders found themselves a man up. Unfortunately, Connor Dacey and Kevin Quirk, members of the Marauders first power play unit, were themselves in the penalty box. Allard decided to add Austin Cole and Junior Asst. Captain Ben Brody to the power-play unit.

“For the boys to respond with a power-play goal [by Junior winger Will Domeniconi] so early in the third [period] was just awesome,” said Allard. 

“We are pretty deep at forward and Alec Morin stepped in for Connor [and moved Domeniconi to center] and gave us some quality minutes!”

The Marauders power-play goal was one of two they scored in the final frame, and the second of a two-goal performance by Domeniconi. Domeniconi also chipped in with an assist, placing him second on the team point totals behind his linemate Connor Dacey, who also scored and had an assist versus Winchester. Domeniconi played a hard-working, two-way game, finishing with nine hits for the Marauders. Junior Stevie Rizzuto used his speed and size to score a goal and assist for one, putting him at seven points on the year.

Junior goaltender Kevin Dacey played a stellar game between the pipes, facing 40 shots with 39 saves, bringing his season save percentage up to a .951. A key moment for Dacey was a kick save in the second, pushing left to right to rob Winchester of what could have been a momentum-shifting goal.

“Kevin has always been a great goalie but the extra, time he spent in the gym during [the] off-season has allowed him to be even stronger. He is our backbone.” noted Allard.

The win against Winchester has been particularly momentous for players of this year’s graduating class. 

“We awarded [the player of the game] to our seniors Cam Jefferson, Adam Cronin, Austin Cole, Kevin Quirk Mike Pergamo, Kevin Martin and Curtis Marusiak. This is their first win vs. Winchester in their careers, with a low-light of 10-0 loss at home to close out their freshman year. The senior leadership is a big reason for our early success.” commented Allard. 

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The seniors were big factors in the win over the Sachems, with blue-liners Kevin Quirk and Adam Cronin making their presence felt on offense. Quirk had two assists and eight hits, bringing his total to 59, while Cronin assisted on a goal and bruised the Winchester wingers for nine hits.

The Marauders 4-1 win over the Sachems moves them to just six points out of the playoffs, and Allard looks poised to take the Marauders there for the first time in his career.

The Marauders play next at “The Skip” on Monday, Jan. 23 against Reading, another powerful Middlesex League foe. 

Grand Gesture Allows High School To Purchase a Special Piano

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Photo: What $35,000 will get you on the market.

If you have attended a concert or the spring musical in the Belmont High School auditorium, you’ll have heard the school’s grand piano accompanying choral and singing groups and soloists for nearly 80 years, moving from the former high school (the site of the old Wellington Elementary School on School Street.)

It was also used to begin annual Town Meetings with Sandy Kendall’s rendition of “God Bless America.”

But eight decades of nearly daily use had affected the instrument’s sound quality and tuning mechanism to the point now where the piano needed to be retired

The cost of replacing the existing instrument will not come from a capital budget request but the generosity of a Belmont resident. Last week, Belmont Superintendent John Phelan accepted an anonymous gift of $35,000 allowing the High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Department to purchase a new grand piano for the school.

Phelan – who hopes one day to thank publically the person who made the gift – said groups like the Foundation for Belmont Education, the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation and people who time to time want to help the schools in ways big and small “makes this such as great community.”

Belmont High Medical Club Has Good Taste In Fundraiser Wednesday

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Photo: Poster for Wednesday’s fundraiser.

Belmont High School junior Mahima Sindhu is the founder and president of MedExplo, an initiative created to educated her peers about the opportunities in the medical field through guest speakers, fundraisers, tours, and experiments. 
Sindhu’s club is hosting a fundraiser for the Boston Children’s Hospital at the Alewife/Fresh Pond Chipotle in Cambridge on Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. where 50 percent of a purchase goes to the hospital. All you have to do is mention the fundraiser “MedExplo Helps BCH.”

Town Election ’17: Carbone In, Dash On The Way, Waiting on Baghdady

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Photo: Guy Carbone.

If anyone was wondering about Guy Carbone‘s commitment to the race for a seat on the Board of Selectmen, you could rest assure the octogenarian is serious about winning a three-year term on the board as the Woodfall Road resident is the first resident to turn in his nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s Office on Tuesday, Jan. 17. 

If 50 signatures are verified by Town Clerk Ellen Cushman, Carbone will be the first official candidate on the ballot for the Selectman’s seat now occupied by Sami Baghdady. 

In an earlier conversation with the Belmontonian, Carbone said his run for office will focus on repairing and improving Belmont’s notorious roads and sidewalks.

“We pay a lot of taxes to maintain our streets, but at this stage of the game, there is no leadership among the Selectmen,” said Carbone, who touted his experience as a four-term member of the Watertown School Committee and two terms as a selectman in Watertown. 

Carbone said he would help Glenn Clancy, director of the Office of Community Development, deliver on the promises made to neighborhoods such the Hillcrest community where he lives.

While Carbone is first, in the next few days, another challenger is expected to walk into Town Hall with a stack of papers with signatures to be certified.

Adam Dash, a Goden Street resident and a member of the Warrant Committee, told the Belmontonian Monday, Jan. 16 he has 50 residents’ John Hancocks and wanted to collect a few more than needed before handing them over to Cushman.

It was expected that Dash was committed to a run for selectman as he has created a slick website for his campaign and building a team of community members to back his race.

With two potential candidates moving forward with their campaigns, the person still up in the air on a possible run is incumbent Sami Baghdady. The Arlington-based attorney has yet to take out nomination papers to retain his seat on the board he won three years ago in a race against another non-officeholder, Roger Colton. 

But before anyone makes any conclusions, hopefuls have until Feb. 14 to submit nomination papers. 

In other races, incumbent Tom Caputo will be seeking a full three-year term on the School Committee while Elyse Shuster, who is holding a partial term seat, told the Belmontonian she was still considering whether to run. 

Sold in Belmont: A Pair of Million Dollar Splits That Took Different Tacks

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Photo: A highlight of smart, architectural sensitive renovation in a split level in the Winn Brook.

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

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• 58 Crestview Rd., Split-level ranch (1959/2016 renovation). Sold: $1,500,000. Listed at $1,775,000. Living area: 4,200 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths. On the market: 79 days.

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• 544 Trapelo Rd., Two-family (1890). Sold: $680,000. Listed at $699,999. Living area: 1,747 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 157 days.

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• 61 Hoitt Rd., Split-level ranch (1957). Sold: $1,100,000. Listed at $1,100,000. Living area: 1,962 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 95 days.

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• 66-68 Chester Rd., Two-family (1917). Sold: $1,100,000. Listed at $1,025,000. Living area: 1,747 sq.-ft. 14 rooms, 6 bedrooms, 3 baths. On the market: 67 days.

After WWII, the rapidly growing middle class was seeking to leave the urban neighborhood and move to the expanding suburbs to find new homes with a modern design that wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. Into that void came the Ranch, the sprawling single family with its long, close-to-the-ground outline, and wide open layout inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie homes. You can see many great examples of this architectural design on Belmont Hill, notably on Spring Valley Road. The design doesn’t particularly work well in New England: it’s best located in a flat landscape with few trees allowing sunlight to filter in which is hampered by the hills and wooded areas of the Northeast.

But by the 1970s, the design grew out of favor – the lack of natural light and the “wide-open spaces” of the run-on rooms – as hybrid postmodern homes with cathedral ceilings, skylights, island cooktops, and other ugly features dominated the demands of homebuyers.

In the past week, a pair of ranches, split-levels with upper “private” (bedrooms and baths) and lower “public” (living room/kitchen/dining rooms) levels, were sold taking different tacks to get to a seven-figure sales price.

On Crestview Road, the 57-year-old split was given an extensive makeover by the developer who bought the house for $1,025,000 million in August 2015 to flip it. He dropped $178,807 into the structure, adding nearly 1,300 sq.-ft. (the size of a two-bed condominium) with an expanded and renovated kitchen (with quartz counter tops!) with a pair of dishwashers (Two dishwashers?). But likely done anticipating what buyers would want, the developer added a vaulted ceiling in the living area which destroys the architectural integrity of the ranch design.

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With an assessed value of $1.36 million, the developer rolled the dice and marketed the place for an ambitious $1,775,000. But soon someone named “The slowing local real estate market” – Boston has dropped out of the top 20 strongest residential locations in the US at the end of ’16 – told the developer he was still selling a ranch. Soon the listing price fell three times by October to $1,575,000. And he still took a haircut on the final price of $1.5 million. Profit, but more of a razor-thin margin.

The ranch on Hoitt Road in the Winn Brook neighborhood – a block from the school – also saw a $34,000 kitchen renovation in 2013/14 that included a center island, custom cabinets, new appliances and … quartz counter tops! A trend worth praising.

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But rather than blow up the rooms, the updates in the “public” areas were faithful to the split-level history, keeping the architectural details – ornamental iron railing, flat brick fireplace, high windows – during the makeover. The highlight is expanding the patio into a three-season living space (what a great way to use the patio’s support beams as an aesthetic focus) opening up into the living room. 

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Purchased for $700,000 in ’11, listed and sold at $1.1 million.

Panels, Discussion, Singing and Speeches at Belmont’s MLK Breakfast

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Photo: The poster for the event.

Belmont’s 23rd annual Martin Luther King Day Community Breakfast takes places on Monday, Jan. 16, from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. in the Belmont High School Cafeteria, 221 Concord Ave.

The guest speaker is Dorothy Stoneman, Belmont resident, Belmont High School graduate, civil rights activist and Founder of YouthBuild. In addition to speaking, Stoneman will moderate a panel of Belmont METCO graduates and friends. While METCO started in Belmont in 1970, it is the 50th anniversary of the METCO program.   

In addition to Stoneman and the panel, the program will include 

  • Belmont District Superintendent John Phelan, 
  • Belmont High Principal Daniel Richards,
  • Dr. Constance  Williams, associate professor emerita, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management,
  • Pastor Amos Jean Philippe, Belmont Community Church of God, 
  • Muneeb (Moe) Khan, The Islamic Center of Boston in Wayland,  
  • a trio comprised of BHS students Lara Zeng ’19 (violin), Alex Wilk ’19 (viola) and Annalise Schlaud ’19 (cello),
  • BHS student singers and METCO program participants Jaelyn Creech Moise ’18 and Janae Creech Moise ’19 (“Amazing Grace”).

The METCO Panel of METCO Graduates and Friends, will include three METCO graduates from Belmont’s first class of METCO students. These students spent 12 years in the Belmont Schools from 1st grade at the Butler Elementary to graduating from Belmont High School.  The panel will include:

  • Angela Simpson, BHS Class of 1982
  • Lee Williams, BHS Class of 1982, coming from Baltimore for the event
  • Anthony Lumley Sr.,  BHS Class of 1982, now a METCO parent, Wellesley Schools
  • Marrcus Henry, BHS Class of 2004
  • Melvin MacKenzie, BHS Class of 2004
  • Lorraine Kermond, BHS Class 1984, Belmont resident and Belmont Against Racism Board Member

As in the past, there will be a request for donations to support the Belmont Schools’ METCO Support Fund.  A member of the board of Belmont Against Racism and Belmont Schools’ METCO Director Ms. Diane Wiltshire will make the request.  As stated above, all checks should be payable to Belmont Against Racism re METCO Support Fund.

$5 per person/$10 per family (at the door) 

Pastries, fruit and beverages will be served.  Student musical entertainment will be provided.  Ample parking. Accessible to persons with disabilities.  Join with old friends and meet new friends.  Children of all ages are welcome and childcare and gym activities will be provided for children 2-12 during the program.

Schools To Start After Labor Day This Year. After That, We’ll See

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Photo: The calendar.

After a spirited give and take over three meetings, the Belmont School Committee agreed the 2017-18 school year will begin, as it has traditionally over the years, usually after the Labor Day holiday.

But after that? Well, we’ll see.

At last week’s meeting, the committee – by a five to one vote – decided far too many Belmont families have already started or completed their vacation or summer camp plans to upset the apple cart of tradition, voting to begin the 2017-18 school year on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Kindergarteners would not start full-day schooling until Monday, Sept. 11.

Under this schedule, the last day of school – with five snow days already added – will be Wednesday, June 20.

The vote continues the School Committee policy of beginning school on the first Wednesday of September.

“I would lean towards sticking to the policy we have now,” said Committee member Elyse Shuster who in earlier meetings was willing to take a new look at the policy.

Under the alternative start day, the 2017-18 year for students would have commenced on Wednesday, Aug. 30. Students would return on Thursday, Aug. 31 before taking a four-day holiday recess before coming back on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Championing a pre-Labor Day start date is Belmont Superintendent John Phelan who said students and staff would benefit from entering school before the holiday to decrease start-of-the-year anxieties and begin the school year “ready to go” on the Tuesday after Labor Day.

Member Susan Burgess-Cox, the lone “no” vote, said while she understands the reasoning behind the later start date as “not shortening summer,” she noted if the school year ends earlier “so will your summer in June.”

While the committee stuck with current convention, it will discuss possible policy changes for future school years and will update the public in coming meetings.

Shuster said she’d like for the policy subcommittee to draft a note which would allow for flexibility in starting the school year much like what occurs in the Weston schools. Its policy, adopted in 2011, starts school on the Tuesday after Labor Day if the holiday occurs before Sept. 5; if Labor Day is on the 5th or later, the year begins on the Wednesday before the holiday.

“This would be a good compromise to have a consistent policy” that would allow for a flexible start date concerning Labor Day, said member Murat Bicer.

In addition to keeping the status quo on starting the school year, the committee approved an

  • One additional early release day for Chenery Middle School student; to allow more time for parent/guardian/teacher conferences.
  • The first districtwide early release day will be in the first week of October, moving from the traditional last week in September.
  • And since Veterans’ Day in 2017 falls on a Saturday, which under state law is celebrated on the day and not on the following Monday, the holiday does not appear to impact a school day in the coming school year.