Clear your calendars, Belmont Day has plans for you this spring.
We are in the latter half of the decision-making month for newly accepted families. They have until April 10 to choose a school for their child. As you might expect—and as many of the readers here once did when they were prospective parents—these folks have questions. The choice of where to send a child for their formative educational years is consequential, so the questions are certainly warranted.
One question that many families ask stands out: “How involved are parents at BDS?”
At a prospective parent event, the answer provided by a current parent whose family has been at Belmont Day for several years was, “If you’re not careful, Belmont Day could set your entire social calendar for you.” Parent engagement opportunities abound and play a critical role in fostering the community Belmont Day is known for.
Fostering community at BDS includes learning, celebration, and appreciation. Last week, we gathered for Iftar to celebrate Ramadan and hosted an appreciation evening for donors and volunteers. Over this past weekend, the parents’ association hosted a screening of Inside Out 2 at the Capitol Theater in Arlington for BDS families, with more than 80 folks in attendance.
While our primary purpose is your child’s education, we are also committed to parent education, with a particular focus this spring on the influences that impact the world in which your children grow up. It is a commitment encoded into the DNA of our founding by parents who sought something more for their children’s education, and the school has honored that partnership ever since.
Before April break is upon us, we have several opportunities to bring parents together.
On Tuesday, April 1, an evening presentation for parents by SafeBAE will focus on healthy boundaries, consent, and safe relationships for middle and high school students. On Wednesday, seventh grade parents will gather for an introduction to high school placement. On Thursday, all parents are invited to a panel discussion with our mental health team, and on Saturday night, the Barn will be transformed for The Baash.
Not bad for the first week of April, and we’re just getting started. The following week brings Ruth Whippman, author of BoyMom, to campus. BoyMom is a deep dive into the complexities of raising boys in our fraught political moment. And before we know it, our eighth graders will take the stage in the Palandjian Arts Center to share their expertise on a wide range of compelling Capstone topics.
Opportunity abounds! I know that not all of you can make it to campus for every event, but I hope you will take advantage of some of them before the year is done.
Happy spring, everyone!
