You're invited to attend our Back to School Night at Belmont Middle School, 6:30-8:30 pm on Wednesday, September 25. This is an opportunity to hear team presentations, see classrooms, meet out teachers, and learn about key curricular areas like World Language, Art, Music, ELA, Social Studies, Physical Education, Engineering, Mathematics, Health, and Science. This is not a conference to discuss individual students, so questions should be limited to course content and expectations. Please note the Back to School Night is an event for families only, and students are not expected to attend.
Back to School Night 2024 Agenda
We are requesting that all families RSVP to attend. This will allow us to plan accurately for seating and arranging each of the venues. RSVP Here!
Also, we are offering a Cell Phone and Mental Health session for families from 5:30 - 6:30 pm. As some of you may know, there is growing research surrounding children's use of cell phones and its profound impact on mental health and learning. As educators, we see this every day, Jonathan Haidt's new book, The Anxious Generation does a great job looking into this phenomenon, outlines the research and suggests important action steps to educators and parents. We are please to announce that the PTO will be hosting a book club this fall surrounding this topic for those who are interested.
Session description:
Increasingly, data suggests that exposing youth to large amounts of time in front of screens (TV, computer, tablet, smartphone, or watches) can have negative effects on physical and mental development including issues with memory, attention, and language skills. This workshop is designed to provide the tools and vocabulary needed for parents to take back to their students to assist them in making wise choices about balancing daily screen use while focusing more attention on education and real-life experiences.
Speaker bio:
Cory Mashburn, M.Ed., has over 20 years expertise in the field of prevention services and more than 25 years' experience working with youth and people with disabilities. He has overseen the planning and implementation of prevention programs within communities and schools in the New England Region, including substance use and abuse, bullying, cyber safety, and human rights. In addition, Cory has developed multiple health and wellness curricula in schools across the state of Massachusetts. He holds master's degrees in educational leadership, project management and criminal justice, in addition to his bachelor's degree in recreational management. As the father of two young children, he understands the importance of equipping youth, their parents, and their communities with the knowledge and skills to enable young people to become the best version of themselves.