May 30, 2022
Dear CMS Community,
I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend. We can almost taste summer!
Last week was a truly challenging one in many ways. I look forward to a week ahead with routines in place, learning happening, and our students, faculty and families enjoying the many end of year activities and celebrations.
This week we have our last CMS Learns lessons. Our final lesson will focus on why using racist, ethnic or other dehumanizing slurs is not okay and how we can grow as human beings to better support each other. Using a Lower School framework and an Upper School framework, teachers have developed grade appropriate lessons to support this discussion. Each is different and seeks to support the diversity and needs of the students in their classrooms.
I wish us all a calm and wonderful week ahead.
Respectfully,
Karla B. Koza, Principal
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
|
June 1st
|
CMS Learns: Last Lesson (Community Day Schedule)
Discovery Museum for 5th Grade
|
|
June 2nd
|
5th & 6th Grade Band Concert @ 7pm
|
|
June 3rd
|
5th Grade Chorus Concert (In-School 9-10am)
|
|
June 8th
|
BHS PTSO Parent Social in the High School Courtyard (6:00pm) all 8th grade parents are welcome
|
|
June 9th
|
7th & 8th Grade Band Concert @ 7pm
|
|
June 10th
|
5th Grade Orchestra Concert (In-School, 9-10am)
|
|
June 13th
|
LABBB Graduation in Auditorium (followed by reception in LCR) 12:30 - 3pm
|
|
June 13-17
|
Grade 8 Spirit Week
|
|
June 21
|
Grade 8 Class Competition Last Block
Grade 6 Field Day
|
|
June 22
|
Last Day of School - 11:00am Dismissal
Grade 8 Move Up Day
Grade 7 Field Day
|
GRADE 8 UPCOMING EVENTS
It’s time to celebrate our grade 8 students as they close out their time at CMS. Please see a list of dates and events below. More information is coming soon!
|
Date
|
Event
|
Details
|
|
June 13-17
|
Grade 8 Spirit Week
|
Students will vote on themes for each day. Service element will be tied to final scores. Class competitions on June 21. Winning team will be awarded the Class Cup for 2022.
|
|
June 16
|
Grade 8 Party/Class Night sponsored by CMS PTO
6:00-8:30 pm
|
Beach Party Theme - Games, music, and more.
|
|
June 22
Last Day of School
|
Class Day - Grade 8 Move Up
|
Teams will each have an event to celebrate moving on to grade 9. Parents (2 per household) will be invited. More details coming soon.
|
SHOUT OUT FOR BASKETBALL COURT AND FOUR SQUARE
Thank you to Leon Dyer, Carla Hawkins and the community service club for transforming our courts! Look how fantastic it looks! Thank you to the CMS PTO for sponsoring.
REOCCURRING NEWS & RESOURCES
2022-22 School Supply Starter Boxes - Deadline to order is this Friday, June 3rd
Want to avoid the rush for school supplies? The Chenery Student Council organizes over 500 school supply boxes for Chenery students. This is a great way to save time and money by purchasing a starter box of supplies through us today! The box of supplies aligns with the regular starter supply list all students should receive over the summer and is currently available on the Chenery MS Website (under For Families>School Supply List). All supply starter boxes will be in the students homeroom on the 1st day of school. See links below for details. The deadline to pre-order a box is Friday, June 3, 2022.
Grades 5-6: Lower School Supply Starter Box Flyer | _ORDER NOW_ MySchool Bucks Website
Grades 7-8: Upper School Supply Starter Box Flyer | _ORDER NOW_ MySchool Bucks Website
If you have any questions, please email Mr. Dyer at ldyer@belmontschools.net
STUDENT COUNCIL UPDATE
Click here for CMS Student Council Calendar of Events 21-22
CHENERY COOKS! - A MULTICULTURAL COLLECTION OF RECIPES FROM THE CHENERY COMMUNITY
We invite all students and their families to join us as we celebrate diversity and culture in the new digital version of a cookbook started years ago at CMS. In the first edition, thirty-six countries were represented, and each recipe was submitted by a Chenery family or staff member and was representative of their cultural heritage. We will be replicating this approach in the second edition. Please click HERE for more information and directions on how to share YOUR loved recipes as we celebrate the many cultures represented at our school. Please direct all questions to chenerycooks@belmontschools.net managed by our wonderful librarian, Karen Duff.
BIAS INCIDENT REPORTING FORM NOW LIVE
The Belmont Public Schools Bias Incident Report Form can be accessed from the Bias Incident Reporting page on the BPS DEI website. Some important notes:
- Submitted forms are routed to the Director of DEI Chon'tel Washington and the school's principal, who will assess the report and undertake an immediate investigation.
- While the form may be completed anonymously, we encourage you to provide your contact information. This will enable the district to conduct a more thorough investigation and resolution. Anonymous reports may be essentially impossible to investigate.
- More information, including definitions of "what a bias-motivated incident is" and what happens after a report is submitted, may be found on the Bias Incident Reporting page.
We encourage all members of the Belmont Public Schools community - including students, staff, parents/caregivers, volunteers, and town residents - to use this form to report any incidents of racism, bias, discrimination, harassment, or retaliation that you have experienced or witnessed, which involves a member of the Belmont Public Schools or takes place on or near school property.
In his 5/17/2022 message to the BPS community, Superintendent John Phelan spoke of "our resolve to continue our important conversations about racism, hate, and bias toward any one group of our fellow human beings."
These are the types of discussions we must remain dedicated to, in an effort to better our community. Our goal, especially for our students, is to openly discuss these issues, learn from each other, and enlighten and embrace one another with grace and understanding. The work on diversity, equity, and inclusion in our schools and community is essential and has value for both the adults and children we serve. All students need and deserve to feel safe and valued in order to fully engage in their learning. Learning For Justice, an educational resource for schools defines a bias incident as conduct, speech, or expression motivated in whole or in part by bias or prejudice. To learn more or read examples of bias incidents, please see "Tips for Identifying Bias Incidents."
The district's investigation processes, including restorative and disciplinary consequences, will be tailored to each incident. While student privacy concerns will always prevent public disclosure of specific investigation details, we will publish periodic reports to keep the community informed of the number of reports made, noticeable patterns regarding the nature of the bias incidents, and conclusions of investigations when applicable.
Please contact Chon'tel Washington, Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion, at cwashington@belmontschools.net with feedback, suggestions, or concerns.
BELMONT SUMMER ENRICHMENT
Are you looking for fun, educational opportunities for your children this summer? If so, Belmont Summer Enrichment is a great choice for you! BSE offers a variety of different classes for incoming Pre-K through incoming grade 7.
Some of our courses include Engineering, Coding, Collaborative Sports, Improv, Graphic Design, and Growing Gardeners, which will be taking place in the Chenery Courtyard. Many classes are taught by our own BPS teachers. This is a great way to keep curious minds thinking over the summer and maintaining good learning habits so your child will be ready and excited to learn in the fall.
See a full list of courses and registration details on our BPS Website:
http://www.belmont.k12.ma.us/bps/Home/Partners/Summer-Programs And, you can like us on Facebook or Instagram!
This year’s dates are:
Session 1
Tuesday-Friday: July 5 - 8
Monday-Thursday: July 11-14
Session 2
Monday-Thursday: July 18-21
Monday-Thursday: July 25-28
CHEETAH SPOT
Does your child ride a school bus or can’t make it to the store when it is open? If so, they can pick up a green order form outside of the school store and follow the directions on the form. Students can use the order form to place and receive an order so they don’t miss the bus.
How to Sign Up For CMS Email
To receive the communications sent out on the Chenery Middle School listserv, click HERE.
COMMUNITY NEWS
From The Belmont LGBTQ+ Alliance
Announcing GBPFLAG Newton/Belmont Parent Group
The GBPFLAG Newton/virtual parent group meeting will officially now become the GBPFLAG Newton/Belmont group. This group is open to all members of the LGBTQ+ community and family members.
When: Fourth Wednesday of the month from 6:30 pm - 8 pm
Where: Virtual on April 27, July 27, and August 24. In person on May 25, June 22, and again in September for the fall at First Church in Belmont, 404 Concord Avenue.
Parents who are interested in joining this group are asked to contact: newtonsupport@gbpflag.org or Athena Edmonds at athena@edmonds.com. Athena and Carol Caravana are co-facilitators of this group.
Helpful District and School Documents
HOW TO CONTACT CMS SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
PRINCIPAL KARLA B. KOZA
@KarlaBKoza
Please contact me in any of the ways below.
Chenery Middle School
95 Washington Street
Belmont, MA 02748
Lower School (5 & 6) Assistant Principal Nicolette Foundas email: nfoundas@belmont.k12.ma.us and voice mail: 617-993-5820
Upper School (7 & 8) Assistant Principal Mark DiStefano email: mdistefano@belmont.k12.ma.us and voice mail: 617-993-5831
ENCORE & Student Programming Assistant Principal Ryan Holland email: rholland@belmont.k12.ma.us and voice mail: 617-993-5801
Lisa Hurtubise, ELA Reading Director email: lhurtubise@belmont.k12.ma.us and voice mail: 617 993-5945
Elizabeth Baker, Director of Science email: ebaker@belmont.k12.ma.us and voice mail: 617-993-5970
Jonathan Golden, Director of Mathematics email: jgolden@belmont.k12.ma.us and voice mail: 617-993-5805
Deborah McDevitt, Director of Social Studies email: DMcDevitt@belmont.k12.ma.us and voice mail: 617-993-5980
Vicky D'Annunzio, Interim Director of World Language email: vdunnuzio@belmont.k12.ma.us and voice mail: 617-993-5950
Arto Asadoorian, Director of Fine and Performing Arts email: aasadoorian@belmont.k12.ma.us and voice mail: 617-993-5990
Lindsey Rinder, Director of English Language Education email: lrinder@belmont.k12.ma.us and voice mail: 617-993-1044
Jonathan Libby, Assistant Director of Student Services email: jlibby@belmont.k12.ma.us
Rosa Inniss, METCO Director email: rinniss@belmontschools.net