Dear BHS Students and Families,

Thank you everyone for a very successful first week of school! Please see below for a few updates and announcements.

Isaac Taylor

Principal

Consistent with Massachusetts regulations, 603 CMR 26.05(1), the Belmont Public Schools, through its curricula and materials, encourages respect for the human and civil rights of all individuals, regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.  In accordance with district guidelines, families may request information from the building principal on available accommodations related to curriculum content. We want to ensure that all schools are communicating this consistently.

Bikes

A lot of students arrived on bikes today, which is really great! I noticed that there were a significant number of bikes without locks. Every year, we have bikes stolen from school during the school day, and in all instances the bikes that are stolen are left unlocked. Please bring a lock if you are biking!

Important Follow-Up: Using TalkingPoints for School Communication

Now that the school year is underway, families are beginning to receive messages through our new family communication platform, TalkingPoints. As mentioned in the Superintendent’s back-to-school message, this tool is designed to make communication between home and school easier and more effective.

If you receive a message from TalkingPoints, please know it is coming directly from a staff member at your child’s school. These messages are official school communications—not spam or a scam.

The simplest way to view and respond to these messages is by using the TalkingPoints app, which you can download using the links on this page. If you do not have the app, the teacher’s communication will come to you as SMS text messages.

To help you get started, here are some general guidelines for accessing and using TalkingPoints

Lunch codes & Lockers

A reminder that each student receives a free breakfast and lunch everyday. Students will need their pin code in order to access meals (and to sign in if they are late in the morning). This pin code can be found in Plus Portals under the demographics tab (you can also see your locker number information if you requested one).

Picture day

Picture day is on Monday, September 8th, 2025. Students will have their picture taken during their math class. If they do not have a math class on the day, they can go during lunch or a free period. Pictures are taken outside- students should come and go out of the front door.

PSAT Signups for Juniors:  PSAT testing will be done digitally.  All students will need to test on their chromebooks.  The PSAT date is October 18, 2025 at 8 am at BHS for JUNIORS ONLY.   This is the only date the PSAT is offered.  The fee to take the PSAT is $40.  Payment is by cash or check ONLY.  All checks are made payable to Belmont High School.  Students should bring their cash/checks to Mr. Brown in Room A113 or Mrs. Sceppa in Room A106.  Students need to hand the checks to Mr. Brown or Mrs. Sceppa; do not leave the cash/checks on their desks if they are not there.  Registration will take place from September 8, 2024 through September 23, 2025. Please email Mr. Brown at jmbrown@belmonthschools.net if you have questions about a fee waiver.   Please fill out the PSAT form  here .  Students must use their Belmont Public Schools email to fill out this form.  You must provide payment to get a seat to test.   Sophomores will have an opportunity to take the PSAT test in the spring.  More information will be provided at a later date.

The Belmont Voice is seeking enthusiastic students to join our team! We're looking for one or two individuals to help with our coverage of high school sports. 

The work will likely include compiling team summaries and previews, and may involve reporting on individual games. We hope that interested students will bring a love of sports and an interest in relating stories of the games and participants. We expect our aspiring sports writers to contribute regularly, generate compelling ideas, meet deadlines, and welcome close editing and critique of their work. 

If this sounds like something you'd like to pursue, please fill out this form: If chosen, your work will be published online and in our weekly, print newspaper which is delivered to every home and business in Belmont! 

This volunteer position runs from September 2025 - June 2026. It will likely entail approximately 2 - 3 hours per week during the sports seasons (perhaps more in the initial weeks). A professional editor at The Belmont Voice will edit your articles and work with you to improve your journalism skills.

Project 351

Since the anniversary for 9/11 is coming up, Project 351 is looking for ways to support both veterans and deployed troops. One of these ways is by a wishlist collection in partnership with HomeBase. We are looking to collect different items for veteran care packages, Home Base mental health kits, and deployed troops. Items can be purchased using this Amazon 9/11 Wishlist link. Items can be shipped directly to HomeBase or brought into the school and left in bins at the entrances of both the Middle and High School. We will be collecting items in the school from Wednesday September 3-September 17. Items can still be purchased online after the date if shipped to HomeBase. If it is more convenient, you make a donation of any amount to fund the creation of care packages for deployed troops at this link: Online Donations. Send any questions to agourley29@belmontschools.net

Belmont Wellness Coalition’s Monthly Parenting Group

BWC’s Parenting Group meets monthly during the school year, usually on the last Wednesday of the month, from 7:00-8:00 PM, over Zoom. The Parenting Group allows for honest discussions; parents share what is working well, what has been a challenge, and offer strategies to each other based on their experiences.  Parent Group topics cover a wide range (e.g., managing screen time, bullying, substance misuse, mental health, dating, autonomy, overwhelming stress, etc.) and are chosen by the parent members. All are welcome to attend!

BWC’s Parenting Group is facilitated by Lisa Gibalerio, MPH, with occasional guest facilitators. Join BWC’s Parenting Group by emailing: Lisa_Gibalerio@WaysideYouth.org.

Upcoming Fall Meeting Dates – on Wednesday at 7:00 PM over Zoom:

o    September 24, 2025

o    October 29, 2025

o    November 19, 2025

o    December 17, 2025

ACL TRAINING WITH ATHLETIC TRAINER MORGAN WAGNER