As the halls fill this afternoon for the first of our three parent conferencing opportunities this term, I am struck by the critical role that parents play in an educational community and the premium we place on that involvement here at BDS. Belmont Day has long prided itself on the strength of our parent-student-teacher investment in one another that ensures the strength of our community as a whole. As I have mentioned many times throughout these early days, there are not many schools that proudly recognize parents in their statement of purpose, but here, parents are included in our statement’s opening line:
“Belmont Day School was founded in 1927 by a group of parents committed to providing children with a strong academic foundation and many opportunities for creative expression.”
From the very start, this school has relied on parents as a foundational part of the effort to provide students with the best in education. Today that effort, and the energy that attends it, still rings through our halls: our parents’ association is one of the strongest in the business. Our parents are involved, active, and fully dedicated to aligning with the school’s values and with each of the school’s initiatives for the future. Anyone who found the perfect pumpkin at the PA Pumpkin Patch this month, who has attended a PA meeting, or who plans on enjoying Novemberfest on November 3 can certainly see that. Belmont Day prides itself on strong representation in the Parents’ Independent School Network (PIN), a group dedicated to keeping pace with the latest trends in independent education. This year we have the good fortune of hosting a PIN meeting, open to all of our parents, on November 9.
We are also lucky to engage our parents in curricular endeavors throughout the school year. At every opportunity we seek to engage with parentswhether it is at the upcoming screening of “Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age” for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade parents and students, or by discussing “How to Talk to Your Child About Complicated Current Events” with Rosetta Lee, the 2016 Ko Family and Wellesley Toyota Speaker.
So, if I don’t have the good fortune of bumping into you during these busy conference days, please know how much I value your engagement and investment in your child’s BDS education. It makes a critical difference for our children. Have a great weekend.
