Changing Lauries: Slap Selected School Committee’s New Leader

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In a changing of the guard but not first names, Laurie replaced Laurie as chair of the Belmont School Committee last night Tuesday, April 8.

That would be Laurie Slap, who is known for her stellar, thoughtful work on budgets and financial matters, was installed as the new chair of the six-member board replacing Laurie Graham who has held the position for the past several years.

(It shouldn’t come as a surprise that it was Lauries switching seats; the name – the “pet” form of Laura, derived from the Latin “laurus,” the evergreen shrub or tree whose leaves were woven into wreaths by the ancient Greeks to crown victors in various contests, according to babynamewizard.com – reached its popularity as a girl’s name from the 1950s to the 1970s (in the top 50 list of names) before plunging off the charts today.

The Long Avenue homeowner, who has been a Belmont resident since 1993 with her husband and three children, said she sees no reason to change the committee’s course.

“I think the team has been working well together, so if we follow in [Graham’s] footsteps we’ll be in really good shape. I am looking for continued continuity,” said Slap.

Slap, who won her seat on the committee in 2010 and was re-elected comfortably in 2013, is an economist by trade matriculating at Colby College earning a BA in Economics/Mathematics and earned a MA in Management from the MIT’s Sloan School with a concentration in finance/corporate strategy.

 

Starbucks’ Chief Honcho in Belmont? Hmmm

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The rumor is that Starbucks’ CEO Howard Schultz was in Belmont Center Monday night, most likely dining at il Casale restaurant. Despite there being a great little Starbucks store across Leonard Street from the first-rate eatery, he didn’t stop by; but then it was past the store’s closing time.

No word from Starbucks’ PR Department about Schultz’s travel plans – they tend to be tight-lipped about everything – Schultz is known to attend events at the Harvard Business School and has been working with a B-School professor on some future plans so a Boston sighting is not that unusual.

Beautiful Music: Belmont High Ensembles Garner Highest Honors

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Tonight, at Belmont High School, the elementary schools will be holding its concert with many of students performing on stage for the first time as they begin their artistic journey through the district’s music program.

The result of the district’s commitment to music in those early grades was evident this past week as Belmont High School’s numerous musical ensembles took home a Priam’s treasure of top honors at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association festivals.

On Friday, April 4, the Chamber Singers and the Concert Chorale, both led by long-time director Sean Landers, earned Gold Medals at the MICCA’s festival site in Norwood.

On Saturday at Lexington High School, the Concert Orchestra under conductor Margot Reavey earned a Gold Medal, the Symphonic Band, directed by Lauren Haley, earned a Bronze Medal and the Wind Ensemble earned a Gold Medal.

“Each ensemble performed at a very high level, and the students represented our music program and our school with a great deal of pride and professionalism, as usual,” said Arto Asadoorian, Belmont School District’s director of fine & performing arts.

Today, Monday, April 7, Asadoorian received notification that the Wind Ensemble was selected through a lottery to perform in the the MICCA Gold Medal Showcase at Boston’s Symphony Hall on Saturday, April 12 at 12:30 p.m.

Anyone interested in hearing the Wind Ensemble should arrive by noon to be seated in time for the performance at 12:30 p.m. Performances by top groups in the state will begin as early as 8 p.m. and are all open to the public.

BAT’s Can Swim: Three PR at National Junior Championships

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They made names for themselves in Massachusetts swimming circles this season and now three members of the Belmont Aquatic Team , the Belmont-based USA Swim Team and member of New England Swimming, have begun to make their presence known on the national scene.

Lead by long-time BAT and Belmont High School Girls’ Swimming Coach Ev Crosscup, Jessica Blake-West, Belinda Donohoe and Andrew Kelley swam many personal best times, including six top-ten times in the 16 & Under age group at the NASA (National Age-Group Swimming Association) Junior National Championship Cup held in Clearwater, Fla during the last week of March.

In their specialties, Blake-West swam a 55.39 in the 100-yard butterfly for fourth and 24.83 in the 50-yard butterfly to finish third, Kelley swam a 51.57 in the 100-yard backstroke for seventh and Donohoe swam a 52.45 in the 100-yard freestyle, all personal best times.

Belmont High sophomores Blake-West and Kelley were crowned state Div. 2 champions (Blake-West in the 100 butterfly and 4×100 medley relay, Kelley in the 100 backstroke) during their swim seasons while Dana Hall student and Carlisle resident Donohoe was named an Eastern Independent League All Star as a freshman.

 

This meet, which wrapped up the team’s short course season, rewarded the hard work and dedication of the coaches and swimmers throughout the season.

Additional highlights from the meet included 17-year old Simone Manuel of Texas-based First Colony Swim Team breaking Natalie Coughlin’s three-year old American Record in the 100 freestyle with a time of 46.83, and Indie Swimming member, 14-year old Michael Andrew breaking two of his standing National Age Group records in the 100 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke.

The Week to Come: All-Town Elementary Concert,
Shakespeare, Bunker Hill

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• Music students from the town’s four elementary school who participate in the Saturday Morning Music School and the All-Town Chorus perform will be performing in the All-Town Elementary Concert on Monday, April 7 at 7 p.m. at Belmont High School’s auditorium.

• Shakespeare comes to Belmont as The New Rep’s Classic Repertory Company presents Will’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on Tuesday, April 8, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St. It’s a fun rep show that is a great way for people who never had a chance to see the Bard’s works up close or as an introduction Shakespeare to children. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 kids under 16.

• Here is a great primer on getting a community project from idea to reality: “Rebuilding Joey’s Park: A Community Success Story” will be held Thursday, April 10 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the community room of the Wellington Elementary School between School and Orchard streets.

Sponsored by the Belmont League of Women Voters, it is the story how a small group of parents organized private businesses and more than 2,000 volunteers, raise $450,000 and planned and constructed Joey’s Park, the new playground at the Winn Brook School. Presented by Diane Miller and Ellen Schreiber, co-chairs of the Friends of Joey’s Park effort to Rebuild the Park

• On Monday, April 7 from 11 a.m. to noon, the Belmont Public Library’s monthly book review series, Books and Bites, in conjunction with One Book, One Belmont 2014, will examine life during the American Revolution from three very different viewpoints: “Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin” by Jill Lepore, “1776” by David McCullough and “Chains: Seeds of America” by Laurie Halse Anderson.

• The Board of Selectmen will take up the long-standing issues with ambient noise coming from the Wellington Elementary School at its regular Monday meeting at 7 p.m., April. 7, at Belmont Town Hall.

• The Belmont Board of Health will be holding an informational public meeting on the proposed bylaw amendments on animal kennels in town. The meeting takes place at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium. 

• Want to know what’s in the school committee’s fiscal 2015 budget? Here’s your chance: the Belmont School Committee is holding a community meeting on Monday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. where they will review the budget and will answer public questions. The action’s taking place in the community room in the award-winning (and noisy) Wellington Elementary School between Orchard and School streets at 121 Orchard St.

• We usually just hear the kids on the stage; this week it’s the grown up’s chance to show their chops. The Parent/Teacher Band Concert takes place Wednesday, April 9 at 7 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School auditorium.

National Grid’s Gas Repair Complicates Waverley Square Road Work

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It’s now official: Waverley Square is going to be a mess!

In a release issued today, Friday, April 4, the Belmont Police Department report that in addition to the closure of the Waverley Square municipal parking lot and Chruch Street as part of the Trapelo/Belmont Corridor Reconstruction Project beginning on April 14, National Grid announced it will begin work on April 15 on the gas main that traverses the Trapelo Road bridge over the MBTA’s commuter rail tracks.

Work on the gas main is expected to be completed on April 25. The street and lot closures will conclude a month later.

The Belmont Police recommend that motorist seek an alternate route and avoid this portion of Trapelo Road during the last two weeks in April. Expect delays if you are driving through this area, said police.

Belmont Boys’ Lacrosse Gets A Slow Start to the Season

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It was perfect conditions to play a lacrosse match in Belmont on Wednesday, April 2: bright sunshine and temperatures in the low 50s.

But for a young Belmont High School Boys’ Lacrosse team, the outcome was less than ideal. After playing visiting Watertown High School to a 2-2 draw in the first quarter, “the game got away a little quickly” in the second quarter, according to Belmont’s new Head Coach Josh Streit.

And while the Marauders got back to playing the scheme in the second half they had been practicing, Watertown was able to expose Belmont’s new defensive back line – three of the four are new to the top level – and headed down Common Street with the win, 15-8, in the season and home opener for the Marauders.

“Were a very young team almost exclusively sophomores and juniors with 11 new to varsity but there was a lot of real positives to be had,” he said.

Leading the Marauders on offense was sophomore midfield Trey Butler who tallied five goals including a underhanded improvisational goal in close that caught the eyes of the crowd.

“There will be growing pains so there will be a learning curve in the season,” said Streit.

“But there were moments of great lacrosse and great hard work. Even down by nine late, we never gave up.”

Belmont Rabies Clinic This Saturday

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The Belmont Health Department is holding its annual dog and cat rabies clinic on Saturday, April 5 at the Chenery Middle School’s Community Room which is located just off the parking lot off of Oakley Road.

The cost is $10 per animal.

Each animal is given their own time period; the department doesn’t want them to be fighting like cats and dogs.

Residents with cats only should come between 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Citizens with dogs and cats can come between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.

And dogs owners will be arriving between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Micro-chipping your pets will also be available at the clinic at an additional cost.

Baghdady Pins Selectman’s Post; Pool Passes Swimmingly

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The Baghdady’s knows a bit about being tough on the wrestling circle – two from the extended Belmont family fought their ways to state wrestling championships – and on Tuesday night, April 1, Sami Baghdady took to the political mat and battled his way to the close victory to succeed the retiring Ralph Jones on Belmont’s Board of Selectmen at yesterday’s annual Town Election.

At 8:30 p.m., Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman announced that Baghdady, who is a member of the Planning Board and Warrant Committee, beat Energy Committee Co-Chair Roger Colton, 3,033 to 2,784, as nearly 6,000 voters, or about 32.9 percent, took out ballots on a beautiful, sunny spring day.

Baghdady joins his former Planning Board colleague Andy Rojas and current Selectmen’s chair Mark Paolillo on the board. Tonight, Wednesday, April 2, the board will vote on this year’s chair and committee representatives.

In the co-main event of the night, the $2.9 million debt exclusion to pay for the majority of the $5.2 million new Underwood Pool proved to be extremely popular, approved overwhelmingly by Belmont voters, 3,377 to 2,093, as taxpayers decided to pay an extra $43 (for a house valued at $777,000) in the first of the 15 years of the bond, falling a dollar a year over the term of the loan.

In the other competitive race, newcomers Kathleen Keohane and Gail Mann beat out incumbent Matt Sullivan for the two open seats on the Board of Library Trustees in a close race: 35.6 percent for Keohane (2,908 votes), 34 percent for Mann (2,787 votes) and 30.3 percent (2,475 votes). But each of the candidates were “beaten” by the 3,718 voters who didn’t mark their ballot for either of the three challengers.

New Harris Field Price Tag Discounted

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Want some good news, Belmont taxpayers?

The price to renovate Harris Field, the turf and track athletic facility used by Belmont High School and youth teams, will likely to be cheaper than first thought.

Maybe lots cheaper.

Action during Belmont High School's Grils' Lacrosse's 2014 season opener with Newton North.

Action during Belmont High School’s Grils’ Lacrosse’s 2014 season opener with Newton North.

David Kale, Belmont’s town administrator, announced at Monday’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting, March 31, that Quirk Construction of Georgetown, Mass. submitted the win bid of $815,300 for replacing the artificial turf field, refurbishing the track, repairing cement walkways and putting up new fencing at the major sports facility in town.

The amount is far below the $960,000 the special fall Town Meeting in November, 2013, set aside for the job.

Kale said the town received three bids for the project which Quirk – which has done work at schools in Weston, Newton and Marblehead – “gave the town a very favorable rate.” Kale added that the price tag does not include a contingency that could increase the cost of the project.

Because the town is accepting the bid now, the work on the field and track will start on June 16 with an expected finish date of August 15, a week before fall sports practices begin.

“This is a good deal for the town,” said Selectman Andy Rojas.