“This remarkable new film shines a light on the price our kids pay for this “race to nowhere.” Cheating is commonplace, stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant, and ironically, young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired. Featuring the heartbreaking stories of young people who have been pushed to the brink and educators who are burned out and worried that students arenʼt developing the skills needed for the global economy, RACE TO NOWHERE points to the silent epidemic running rampant in our schools.”

The film screens in Belmont on May 5

Read more details about the event below.

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The Belmont PTA/PTO’s are proud to present a special screening of the critically acclaimed documentary film:

RACE TO NOWHERE

(Directed by Vicki Abeles)

Thursday, May 5th at 7:00pm at Belmont Studio Cinema

Film will be followed by a discussion with author Alfie Kohn and student success expert Cal Newport.

Tickets are available for $10 online at http://rtnbelmontstudiocinemas55.eventbrite.com/
Or $15 at the door.

Half the price of each ticket sold will be donated to Belmont’s Public Schools.PTO/PTA’s.

Event Information:

There has been a groundswell of interest in this film across the country. 800 people attended the screening at Belmont High School and a recent screening at the Belmont Studio Cinema sold out.  This special one-night event hosted by all the Belmont PTA/PTO’s is a fundraiser for our schools, which are facing dire budget cuts.   The evening includes a post-screening discussion led by noted local authors Alfie Kohn and Cal Newport.  Alfie Kohn is the author of twelve books, including NO GRADES + NO HOMEWORK =BETTER LEARNING.

Cal Newport created Study Hacks, the Internet’s most visited student advice blog and is the author of three books of student advice. His latest, HOW TO BE A HIGH SCHOOL SUPERSTAR, argues that it’s possible to do well in the college process without becoming overloaded or over-stressed.
Film Synopsis:

A concerned mother turned filmmaker aims her camera at the high-stakes, high-pressure culture that has invaded our schools and our children’s lives.  Race to Nowhere points to the silent epidemic in our schools: cheating has become commonplace; students are disengaged; stress-related illness and depression are rampant; and many young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired. Race to Nowhere is a call to action for families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens.

For questions about the May 5th Belmont event, contact Benita Gold at benita@benitagoldpr.com or Argelis Roman at roman.argelis@gmail.com.

We hope to see you on May 5th!  This is a great way to come together to support our schools and to join in the national dialogue on student stress and wellbeing.

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Like all of us who live or work in Belmont, I’m sure you’ve noticed that our Town is facing difficult times: a budget shortfall, a fragmentation of our civil discourse and a waning of trust in local government.  This isn’t the first time this has happened, of course, but in many ways the challenges are new. So, just as New England towns have done for centuries, Belmont is convening a meeting in October to begin to sort out, together, how we can best address those challenges. And we invite you to attend.

MAKING TOUGH CHOICES: A community conversation about Belmont’s future

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2010. 1:00PM – 4:00PM

BEECH STREET CENTER, BELMONT

QUESTIONS, MORE INFO, RSVP: www.envision-belmont.org

While many of our challenges are elements of larger trends, Belmont has a long history of coming together to take responsibility for its own solutions. If there are local solutions to be found, we need to find them, and we want to find them together. Our Selectmen, School Committee and town government are eager to consider responsible recommendations from the public in their efforts to make the tough choices ahead.

THE MEETING

Its goals are simple: engage in a constructive, non-partisan, solution-oriented conversation about the challenges facing our town, and inform our town leaders about what is most important to us. The meeting will be open to the public, and all of Belmont’s stakeholders – and points-of-view – are welcome to attend.

More details on the meeting format are on our website at http://envision-belmont.org/makingtoughchoices.

WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND

In a small town like ours, everyone and everything is interconnected. You and your organization play a crucial role in this dialogue, and your absence would leave a void in the conversation.

I truly hope you or someone from your organization will be able to attend – all are invited. Please RSVP by responding to this message or by filling out the signup form at http://envision-belmont.org/makingtoughchoices. Please pass the word on to your members and staff, and feel free to help us get the word out through Facebook and Twitter.

We know that true solutions will take time and that consensus will be hard-won. But we believe that by taking this step we can embark on a new phase of constructive civic dialogue in Belmont.

Kind regards,

Belmont Board of Selectmen

Belmont Vision 21 Implementation Committee

The Brendan Grant 5K Walk/Run is this Sunday

Just a reminder to all the (many) runners (and sprinters) in town that the annual Brendan Grant Foundation “Brendan’s Home Run” 5K walk/run is happening this Sunday, father’s day. The race kicks off at the High School Field and festivities start at 9:30 am with the 5k Charity Walk. The race starts at 10:00 AM and there are 400m and 800m races for kids age 6-8 and 9-12 starting at 10:05 AM, right at the starting line.

There’s more information on the event Web site. Download a registration form here. Register today and the cost is $15. As of tomorrow, it goes up to $20. All proceeds benefit The Brendan Grant Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization) that honors the memory of Belmont’s own Brendan Peter Anthony Grant and is dedicated to enhancing youth development, representing the best in spirit of the child-parent relationship.

Please donate a couple hours of your time to do something very worthwhile for the Foundation for Belmont Education and our Public Schools.  We have never faced a bigger budget crisis in Belmont so fundraisers like these are essential to keep the learning up to the standard we’ve come to love.

Megan Pickette and Susan Black are in the process of recruiting both adult and student volunteers for the upcoming spelling bee on February 6.  They need volunteers in the cafe from 3:30-5:30 and 5:15-7:15.  Middle and High School students can get some Community Service points for helping hold “quiet” signs this year while the kids on stage are hearing the words to spell. If you have some that are interested in holding the signs in the auditorium, we have openings.

If you’re interested, contact Megan Pickette | 617-489-1647 | mfpickette(at)msn(dot)com

Remember, the Spelling Bee goes on Belmont Cable over and over and the kids really do enjoy seeing themselves.  I’m one of the judges and there is no pressure – just friendship and a love of vocabulary.

More info can be found here.

But now the bill’s come due: a local election looms with lots of open TM slots to fill. A good way to send a message that Belmont likes Town Meeting the way it is, and is ready to do what it takes to keep this venerable New England institution going strong is to stand for election.

Town Meeting Wants You!

I’m up for re-election in Precinct 8 for my second, three year term this year. I can honestly say that Town Meeting is a great way to get engaged in town politics and make a difference. For working folks or parents with young children, its also a VERY manageable time commitment. A couple evenings a year – that’s about it.  Now the League of Women Voters is sponsoring an orientation session where you can learn more about Town Meeting and what you need to do to run.

Here’s the information:

Are You Concerned about

Belmont’s Roads, Schools, Taxes?

Then run for Town Meeting!

Learn about Town Government and How You Can Become a Town Meeting Member

Thursday, January 14, 2010, 7:30 pm.

All Saints’ Church (Brewster Hall)

17 Clark St., Belmont, MA

A Panel of Current Town Meeting Members will Discuss the Importance of Town Meeting, what it Means to Be a Town Meeting Member, and Provide Tips on Running.

Town Clerk Delores Keefe will provide election information.

For more information on Elections and Local Government go to:

http://belmont.ma.lwvnet.org/elections.html

Sponsored by the Belmont League of Women Voters

Education Fund

Hey all. Apologies for a long hiatus on posting to B2. I wanted to write this evening to inform the B2 readership about two important events to put on your calendars. The first is a very important opportunity to discuss (and help shape) the future of our public schools at a community dialog hosted by the Belmont Public Schools on October 27 at the Field House at Belmont High School. The entire community is invited to participate in this: parents, school administration and staff, civic and business leaders and elected officials. There’s a great presentation from Superintendent Entwistle  available on the BPS Web site that explains the program. In short: participants will take part in both some directed “big topic” discussions on issues important to the future of our public schools, and then in short (50 minute) self-directed dialogs on educational and organizational topics suggested by participants themselves. This isn’t some empty “team building” exercise — the output of these sessions will be operationalized by the BPS leadership team and will help inform an 18 month improvement plan adopted by the School Department.

Take part in a Community Dialog on the future of the Public Schools

The dialog runs from 4:30 to 8:30 pm on the 27th, with a short break for dinner at around 5:00pm. The first Session begins at 5:35 pm.  and the second at 6:30 pm.  You must RSVP for the Dialog to attend. Call 617-993-5401 or by sending an e-mail to Cathy Grant - CGrant (at) belmont.k12.ma.us!!

The second event is an opportunity to speak with Massachusetts House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Murphy. He’ll be dropping in to Belmont on October 13 for a conversation with residents at 7:00pm in the Selectmen’s room in Belmont Town Hall. Murphy will be accompanied by State Representative Will Brownsberger. The Belmont Citizen Herald and Brownsberger are co-sponsoring the discussion, which is sure to hit on the State’s precarious finances and the impact that will likely have on local aide to Belmont and other towns.

Beginning in Seattle in 1998, One Book, One Read programs seek to connect readers across entire communities by reading the same book. Since then One Book, One Read programs have stretched across the United States, from Alabama through Wyoming. Different communities can also read the same book, and this year just in Massachusetts, Groton, Northampton, and Williamstown have also selected Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.

The One Book, One Belmont program follows the goals of other One Book, One Read programs to build community and to promote reading. In 2009, the One Book, One Belmont program also celebrates the town’s 150th anniversary with a book reflecting Belmont’s agricultural history. “From 1859 to the mid-twentieth century,” the Belmont Public Library writes, “Belmont was a town of farms, dotted with greenhouses full of flowers, fields bursting with fruits and vegetables, and pastures grazed by the first Holstein cattle imported to the United States.”

Continuing until October 8^th, One Book, One Belmont has featured an array of events with more to come:  a composting workshop on Sept. 30 at the Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary at 3:00, 3:45 and 4:30 (ages 5 and up), a screening of  HomeGrown, a documentary presented by Belmont World Film on October 5, and a One Book One Belmont Day at the Farmer’s Market on October 8 with guest chef appearances at 2:00 PM, 3:00PM and 4:00PM.  More details about One Book, One Belmont—including event details—are available on the One Book, One Belmont Web site.

When the blue Belmont Public Library One Book, One Belmont banners come down around town after October 8^th, you will know that the planning committee will soon be meeting again once a month to review titles for next year’s book.

I hope you’ll take the time to come out to tomorrow night’s meeting at the Community Room at CMS and/or tune in and watch!  I hope to see you tomorrow evening.

Now – Oct. 2 “From the Garden to the Kitchen to the Table:” Belmont Gallery of Art, 3rd floor Homer Municipal Building, 19 Moore St.: Thirty-two Belmont artists exhibit work that addresses food-related themes. See www.belmontgallery.org for hours. Closing reception: Fri. Sept. 25, 6-8 PM.

Sept. 9 Frances Moore Lappé on “Food Choices for a Small Planet:” 7:00 PM Wed., Town Hall Auditorium, 455 Concord Ave.:   Author of the bestselling Diet for a Small Planet, Frances Moore Lappé explores which food choices are best for our bodies, the earth, and the people who tend it.

Sept. 11  Book Discussion Group -  11:00 AM Fri., Flett Room, Belmont Public Library - Everyone is Welcome

Sept. 12-19   Food for Fines- to benefit the Belmont Food Pantry. Bring nonperishable foods to the library in place of overdue fines.

Sept. 15   When Belmont was a Town of Farms- 7 PM Tues., Assembly Room, Belmont Public Library: Writer Jane Sherwin gives a multi-media presentation on the history of Belmont farms and farming families. Co-sponsored by the Belmont Historical Society.

Sept. 16  Book Discussion Group- 3:00 PM Wed., Flett Room, Belmont Public Library

Sept. 21-25 (KIDS EVENT) Belmont Public Schools to serve locally grown food – part of statewide Mass. Harvest for Students Week by purchasing, serving and highlighting locally grown food.

Sept. 22   Farming in Belmont Today- 7 PM Tuesday, Assembly Room, Belmont Public Library Panel discussion with Nathan L’Etoile, Assistant Commissioner of the Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources; Henry Ogilby and Sal Sergi of Belmont’s last working farm, also known as Sergi Farms; and Joan Teebagy, an avid gardener who keeps bees and chickens.

Sept. 24 (KIDS EVENT) Herbal Soap Workshop for Teens- for grade 5 and up: 3 PM Thurs, Chenery Middle School Teachers’ Dining Room – Make soap with Phyl Solomon of the Haitat Intergenerational Program (HIP) using herbs grown at Chenery. Registration required; call 617 993-2880.

Sept. 30 (KIDS EVENT) Composting Workshop ages 5 and up: 3:00, 3:45 and 4:30, Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary, 50 Juniper Road. Lisa Becker of Mass Audobon’s Habitat will lead 30 minute, hands-on programs on composting. Registration required; call Children’s Room at 617 993-2880.

Oct. 5 HomeGrown, a documentary presented by Belmont World Film- 7 PM Mon., Belmont Studio Cinema, 376 Trapelo Rd.  See how the Dervaes family goes “off the grid” and harvests 6,000 lbs. of produce yearly on a quarter-acre property in Pasadena. Preceded by two short films, “Viva La Food” and “Hot Bread Kitchen.” Ticket prices at www.belmontworldfilm.org.

Oct. 7 Book Discussion Group- 7:30 PM Wed., Flett Room, Library. Co-sponsored by Sustainable Belmont.

Oct. 8  One Book One Belmont Afternoon at the Farmers’ Market- Market opens 1:30 PM, Municipal parking lot in Belmont Center  – Come see the wide variety of fresh and freshly prepared foods at the market, and watch Belmont’s own chefs prepare locally grown foods! Cooking demonstrations by:

• 2 PM Michael Ehlenfeldt, chef/general manager, Stone Hearth Pizza
• 3 PM Joh Kokubo, chef/owner, Kitchen on Common
• 4 PM Dante de Magistris, chef/owner, il Casale