The Belmont Public Schools is a high achieving school system as documented by test scores, college acceptances, parent and community support, and other measures of performance and quality.
The school system includes 17 Advanced Placement courses at Belmont High School, extensive community service programs at every level of the system, a wide array of athletic and extracurricular activities, nationally recognized music programs, and a high level of communication among students, parents, and teachers. The Belmont Public Schools focuses on high achievement and positive socialization for all students at every level.
Students at Belmont High School are native speakers in 21 languages other than English. English Language Education (ELE) tutorial assistance is offered to students for whom English is not the native language. Services are designed to enable students to acquire spoken and written fluency so that they may be successful with their regular classroom work. Placement in the program is a mutual decision involving teachers and parents.
Community Service
The Belmont Public Schools have a rich tradition of community service. Individual elementary schools provide numerous opportunities for children to participate in service projects. Activities range from a yearlong fourth grade Intergenerational Project to food drives, clothing collections, and fundraising for relief work.
Middle school students are involved in a wide variety of community service activities coordinated by teachers, parents, and volunteers. Grade six students participate in several school sponsored events after school as well as independent events outside of school such as volunteering at Habitat, at the elementary schools’ after school programs, and at the Belmont Food Pantry. Many students in grades seven and eight join an after school Community Service Club, led by a school advisor who coordinates student participation in one event per month. All middle school students who participate are expected to reflect on and write papers about their experiences.
At Belmont High School, which has a community service requirement for graduation, the Community Service Program offers many service opportunities in Belmont and beyond. Each fall, freshmen and their upper class “Connectors” participate in an afternoon of local service. This “Connecting with Belmont” program involves teens providing service at several work sites in the Belmont community. An active Belmontian Community Service Club implements projects monthly, and a senior elective course in community service provides opportunities for sustained placements throughout the year. We are proud of the large number of students who perform service regularly, including those who have earned a Presidential Student Service Challenge Award for performing over 100 hours in a twelve-month period.
In the 2012-2013 school year, about 1200 Belmont High School students collectively performed 36,500 hours of Community Service. There were about 100 students who earned the President's Volunteer Service Award for at least 100 hours of service. And about 50 Chenery Middle School students earned the President's Volunteer Service Award for at least 50 hours of service.
Statement of Policy of Non-Discrimination
It is the policy of the Belmont Public Schools to maintain a school environment free of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability in admission to, access to, and treatment in its programs and activities or in employment. Discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, by administrators, certified and support personnel, students, vendors and other individuals at school or school-sponsored events based on these legally protected characteristics are unlawful and will not be tolerated.