Dear BHS Students and Families,
After just over a week of having our new cell phone policy in place, I am very happy with how it has been adopted by students and staff. I have yet to see a cell phone out in a class, which is a complete turnaround from previous years! I have also witnessed more interactions and conversations in classes, which I believe is directly related to this shift. I know that there was some skepticism as to whether this policy would be workable, and so I am really grateful to everyone for going all in to make this work. I have been taking informal feedback from students and staff, and I am hearing good feedback about the impact on learning. We will collect some formal feedback in October, so I would encourage everyone to think about how the policy is working and where the challenges lie, so that we can review the implementation.
Back to school night will be on Thursday September 19, 2024 from 5:45pm-8:30pm. We are looking for 25 volunteers for Back 2 School Night, please read the form and sign up if you’re interested here. This is a community service opportunity.
The Schedule for the evening: You will see all of your student’s classes on this night. This does not follow a particular day of the week, so please take time ahead of the event to review your child’s schedule with them. Most students will be able to tell you which class is their A block, B block, C Block, etc.
Using Plus Portals: If you want to fill in the form (below) by using PlusPortals, you can look at your student's schedule and you will see which class is listed as “A” “B” “C” etc in the column that says “time.” We have paper copies of the blank schedules in the main office. Please encourage your child to bring one home, or print the blank schedule below. If you and your student are having issues understanding the schedule, please feel free to reach out to your student’s guidance counselor or AP before the event next week. The link to the form can be found here.
Parking is very limited, both at the school and on the street. Please allow plenty of extra time if you are planning to drive.
Belmont Wellness Coalition Presentation (5:45 PM):
Are you concerned about teen drinking/vaping/cannabis use? Wondering how to talk with your teens about these issues? Curious about ways to delay/minimize substance use? Want to know your own liability in these matters? Lisa Gibalerio of the Belmont Wellness Coalition (belmontwellness.org) will present a brief, but detail-packed presentation, regarding these issues from 5:45-6:10 pm. Please come early to Back-to-School Night, get a good parking space, and learn about these important topics.
I have reminded all students about school safety at our opening day assemblies. It is very important that students and visitors are using only the front door during the school day, and at no time should anyone be opening a door to let people into the building. For parents and visitors coming into the BMHS campus, a reminder that you should bring an ID with you for the check in process. As you may know, we use Raptor visitor management software to check visitors against publicly available offender databases, and to keep track of visitors. Please enter the high school entrance if you are here on high school business, and the middle school entrance for middle school business. Finally, we encourage students and families to say something if you see or hear something. Students are encouraged to speak to guidance, administration, or a trusted adult where they have safety concerns. If a concern comes to light after hours, you can call the Belmont police department 24 hours a day at 617-484-1212 The Belmont police have been posting police details around the BMHS campus this year, and that practice will continue for the remainder of the month. This is a proactive presence, and not a response to a threat or concern.
As you know, Anti-semitic graffiti- a swastika- was found in a BMHS bathroom, and reported to administration after school on Friday. This is unacceptable. This hateful graffiti harms everyone in our community, but is particularly harmful and othering to our Jewish students and faculty. The ADL has reported a significant rise in antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and assault in 2023, both in Massachusetts and across the country. Supporting diversity and inclusion includes combating antisemitism and acts against our Jewish community. At X block on Monday, teachers shared information with students, and provided an opportunity for them to engage. As a reminder, for anyone who would like to speak in private, please feel free to come to the guidance or the main office.
A reminder for those attending tonight’s football game that bags and drinks are not allowed inside the venue.
Isaac Taylor he/him
Principal
