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Belmont High School (Belmont, Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
Belmont High School is a four-year public high school
in Belmont, Massachusetts
. It was built in 1970 at a cost of $9 million. The school had 1,170 students enrolled and a student/teacher ratio of 16:1 in the 2004-05 school year.
The school is built on an old landfill and is situated next to Clay Pit Pond
. The town's high school used to be located on Orchard Street, but was badly damaged by fire in the late 1960s. A new school was eventually built at the current location on Concord Ave. The previous high school re-opened as the Roger Wellington elementary school in 1972, and was entirely demolished in February–March 2010 for reconstruction.
In 2009, US News gave Belmont High School a gold medal and named it the 100th best non-private high school in the United States and the second best in the state of Massachusetts.
In June 2004, the school's long-time principal, Foster Wright, decided to retire. Jonathan Landman was hired to replace him, but the school department did not renew Landman's contract for the 2006-2007 school year. Michael Harvey, who had been among the candidates for principal in 2004, was selected as an "interim principal" for the 2006-07 school year, and, on 10 January 2007, was approved by the town as principal. He had been the Director of Social Studies during the previous school-year. In addition, one of the school's two assistant principals has left the system in June 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
The school has eight academic departments: Mathematics, English, Foreign Language, Social Studies, Science, Fine and Performing Arts, and Athletics. Each department consists of a department head, along with the teachers of the courses the department offers. The Guidance Department is responsible for the mental well-being of students, schedule composition, and college planning. Each student is assigned to a guidance counselor.
Belmont High School operates on a non-traditional module-based schedule. There are 15 modules ("mods") each day, each of which is approximately 25 minutes long. There are also blocks of "pass time" between most mods, which are usually 3 minutes in length, and are meant to give students time to walk from one class to another.
Each mod is named with a letter and a number. The letter corresponds the time of the mod (A is the earliest and spans 7:35-7:59. O is the latest, and spans 2:00-2:25). The number corresponds to the day, with Monday being 1 and Friday being 5. Thus, for example, C3 is the time period 8:27-8:52 on Wednesdays.
Most classes meet four times per week for three 2-mod sessions (a "double") and one 3-mod session (a "triple"). The day that the class does not meet is called a "drop". Science classes are an exception, meeting for two doubles and two triples each week. On Fridays, school is dismissed at 2:00 for most students, meaning that only 14 mods are held. Occasionally a class will be scheduled at the end of the day that runs until 2:25. This usually occurs because one or more of the students in the class have been determined to need a free before the class for their "lunch mod". However the students in the class can vote to push the class up and with consent of the teacher their schedules are changed.
As a result of this mod schedule, each student's schedule is unique to the classes he or she is taking. Students who do not have a class assigned during a mod are "free". Seniors are permitted, by school policy, to leave campus during this time. While no classes are scheduled for only one mod, it is possible to have only one mod free. A student who takes six classes (including one science class) will have 20 free mods per week, while those who take Wellness I or II will have 16 free mods per week.
A student's schedule is based on a master schedule, which states when certain mods have triples, drops, etc. As a result, it is fairly easy to describe one's schedule using a list of variations from the master schedule.
A number of Advanced Placement (AP), or college-level class are offered to prepare the students for the AP exams in May. Based on the results of its AP exams,Belmont High School is, as of December 2008, on the US News & World Report list of the top 100 high schools in the United States. It occupies the lofty #100 position on that list, and holds the second-highest ranking of any Massachusetts school on the list, behind the Boston Latin School
, the oldest public school in the nation, and the highest ranking of any Massachusetts school that does not require an entrance exam.
In the past, Belmont High School has, instead of English 12H, offered two humanities classes:
In addition, electives such as Creative Writing and Public Speaking are offered for interested students.
, and can also replace American Studies with AP United States History
. Electives such as AP Economics, You and the Law, and Facing History are also offered to interested students. In addition, the Social Studies department also offers AP Psychology, which is a "double class". Students who take AP Psychology are required to take an honors level Neurobiology course as well.
In addition, the Mathematics Department also offers several electives, such as Finance and Business and AP Statistics
.
Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-calculus are offered at either a college preparatory (CP) or honors (H) level. Algebra I and all electives are only offered as CP classes. Calculus is offered at three levels: one CP class and two classes to prepare students for either the AP Calculus AB exam or the AP Calculus BC exam.
, Chemistry
, and Biology
, all of which are offered as CP and honors courses, and, in the case of Biology, AP in the first year. In addition, students must take at least one elective. Potential electives include AP Chemistry
, AP Biology
, AP Physics
, Physics 2, Astronomy
, Design and Technology, and AP Psychology
/ Neurobiology.
, French
, or Latin
. Independent studies may also be offered in German
. Exchange programs exist to Argentina
, France
, and Italy
.
.
The school colors are maroon and blue. The school mascot is the Marauder.
The high school's athletic department offers 28 sports with 57 levels of competition:
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Belmont, Massachusetts
Belmont, Massachusetts
Belmont is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census.- History :Belmont was founded on March 18, 1859 by former citizens of, and land from the bordering towns of Watertown, to the south; Waltham, to the west; and Arlington, then...
. It was built in 1970 at a cost of $9 million. The school had 1,170 students enrolled and a student/teacher ratio of 16:1 in the 2004-05 school year.
The school is built on an old landfill and is situated next to Clay Pit Pond
Clay Pit Pond (Belmont, Massachusetts)
Clay Pit Pond, also known as Claypit Pond, lies between Concord Avenue and Belmont High School. Its waters are notoriously unclean and incidents of students swimming in the pond have resulted in infection. It was used in the past as a source of clay for making bricks. The large pit was flooded with...
. The town's high school used to be located on Orchard Street, but was badly damaged by fire in the late 1960s. A new school was eventually built at the current location on Concord Ave. The previous high school re-opened as the Roger Wellington elementary school in 1972, and was entirely demolished in February–March 2010 for reconstruction.
In 2009, US News gave Belmont High School a gold medal and named it the 100th best non-private high school in the United States and the second best in the state of Massachusetts.
Administration and faculty
The school administration consists of the principal, Dr. Michael Harvey, and two assistant principals, Dan Richards and Carol Cohen. In recent years, the school administration has experienced frequent changes.In June 2004, the school's long-time principal, Foster Wright, decided to retire. Jonathan Landman was hired to replace him, but the school department did not renew Landman's contract for the 2006-2007 school year. Michael Harvey, who had been among the candidates for principal in 2004, was selected as an "interim principal" for the 2006-07 school year, and, on 10 January 2007, was approved by the town as principal. He had been the Director of Social Studies during the previous school-year. In addition, one of the school's two assistant principals has left the system in June 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
The school has eight academic departments: Mathematics, English, Foreign Language, Social Studies, Science, Fine and Performing Arts, and Athletics. Each department consists of a department head, along with the teachers of the courses the department offers. The Guidance Department is responsible for the mental well-being of students, schedule composition, and college planning. Each student is assigned to a guidance counselor.
School hours and schedule
School is in session each day between 7:35 am and 2:25 pm.Belmont High School operates on a non-traditional module-based schedule. There are 15 modules ("mods") each day, each of which is approximately 25 minutes long. There are also blocks of "pass time" between most mods, which are usually 3 minutes in length, and are meant to give students time to walk from one class to another.
Each mod is named with a letter and a number. The letter corresponds the time of the mod (A is the earliest and spans 7:35-7:59. O is the latest, and spans 2:00-2:25). The number corresponds to the day, with Monday being 1 and Friday being 5. Thus, for example, C3 is the time period 8:27-8:52 on Wednesdays.
Most classes meet four times per week for three 2-mod sessions (a "double") and one 3-mod session (a "triple"). The day that the class does not meet is called a "drop". Science classes are an exception, meeting for two doubles and two triples each week. On Fridays, school is dismissed at 2:00 for most students, meaning that only 14 mods are held. Occasionally a class will be scheduled at the end of the day that runs until 2:25. This usually occurs because one or more of the students in the class have been determined to need a free before the class for their "lunch mod". However the students in the class can vote to push the class up and with consent of the teacher their schedules are changed.
As a result of this mod schedule, each student's schedule is unique to the classes he or she is taking. Students who do not have a class assigned during a mod are "free". Seniors are permitted, by school policy, to leave campus during this time. While no classes are scheduled for only one mod, it is possible to have only one mod free. A student who takes six classes (including one science class) will have 20 free mods per week, while those who take Wellness I or II will have 16 free mods per week.
A student's schedule is based on a master schedule, which states when certain mods have triples, drops, etc. As a result, it is fairly easy to describe one's schedule using a list of variations from the master schedule.
Courses and graduation requirements
The school requires that all students complete:- 4 years of English
- 4 years of Mathematics
- 4 years of Science
- 3 years of Social Studies
- 2 years of Foreign Language
- 1 year of Fine and Performing Art
- 4 years of Physical Education and Health
A number of Advanced Placement (AP), or college-level class are offered to prepare the students for the AP exams in May. Based on the results of its AP exams,Belmont High School is, as of December 2008, on the US News & World Report list of the top 100 high schools in the United States. It occupies the lofty #100 position on that list, and holds the second-highest ranking of any Massachusetts school on the list, behind the Boston Latin School
Boston Latin School
The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is both the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States....
, the oldest public school in the nation, and the highest ranking of any Massachusetts school that does not require an entrance exam.
English
As of 2007-08, all students are required to take an English course each year. Based on grade, the student may take English 9, English 10, English 11, and either English 12 or AP English Literature. English 9-12 are offered at college preparatory (CP) or honors (H) levels.In the past, Belmont High School has, instead of English 12H, offered two humanities classes:
- Humanities, a course taught cooperatively by the English and Social Studies departments.
- Humanities Honors, unlike Humanities, was taught as a regular class by the English Department
In addition, electives such as Creative Writing and Public Speaking are offered for interested students.
Social Studies
All students are required to take World History, Modern World History, and American Studies, all of which are offered at either a college preparatory (CP) or honors (H) level. Students can replace Modern World History with AP European HistoryAP European History
Advanced Placement European History is a course and examination offered by the College Board through the Advanced Placement Program...
, and can also replace American Studies with AP United States History
AP United States History
Advanced Placement United States History is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program...
. Electives such as AP Economics, You and the Law, and Facing History are also offered to interested students. In addition, the Social Studies department also offers AP Psychology, which is a "double class". Students who take AP Psychology are required to take an honors level Neurobiology course as well.
Mathematics
All students are required to take 4 math courses. Most students take, in order, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-calculus, and Calculus, though some students elect other options including:- Retaking Algebra I during their first year and ending with Pre-calculus.
- Studying Geometry during middle school, Calculus during the junior year of high school, and participating in an independent study (typically a course at the Harvard Extension SchoolHarvard Extension SchoolHarvard University Extension School, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of the thirteen degree-granting schools of Harvard University and is part of the Division of Continuing Education.-Origins:...
) during their senior year. - Substituting either Calculus or Pre-calculus with Finance and Business or Advance Topics in Mathematics.
In addition, the Mathematics Department also offers several electives, such as Finance and Business and AP Statistics
AP Statistics
Advanced Placement Statistics is a college-level high school statistics course offered in the United States through the College Board's Advanced Placement program...
.
Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-calculus are offered at either a college preparatory (CP) or honors (H) level. Algebra I and all electives are only offered as CP classes. Calculus is offered at three levels: one CP class and two classes to prepare students for either the AP Calculus AB exam or the AP Calculus BC exam.
Science
All students are required to take, in order, PhysicsPhysics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, and Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, all of which are offered as CP and honors courses, and, in the case of Biology, AP in the first year. In addition, students must take at least one elective. Potential electives include AP Chemistry
AP Chemistry
Advanced Placement Chemistry is a course and examination offered by the College Board as a part of the Advanced Placement Program to give American and Canadian high school students the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and earn college-level credit.-The course:AP Chemistry is a course...
, AP Biology
AP Biology
In the United States, Advanced Placement Biology , is a course and examination offered by the College Board to high school students as an opportunity to earn placement credit for a college-level biology course....
, AP Physics
AP Physics
AP Physics defines three categories of high school physics courses: A, B, and C. Category A refers to general introductory physics courses that are not mathematically rigorous...
, Physics 2, Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, Design and Technology, and AP Psychology
AP Psychology
The Advanced Placement Psychology course and corresponding exam is part of the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. This course is tailored for students interested in the field of psychology and as an opportunity to earn placement credit or exemption from a college-level psychology course...
/ Neurobiology.
Foreign Language
Two years of foreign language are required. Students may take courses in Mandarin Chinese, SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, or Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. Independent studies may also be offered in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. Exchange programs exist to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Fine and Performing Arts
Belmont High School offers many performing art courses in both theater and music. This includes the PAC (performing arts company), many choirs, the wind ensemble, the symphonic band, string orchestra, the chamber orchestra, the jazz band, and the marching band. Many of the members of these ensembles are nationally recognized musicians, and the ensembles themselves have won extensive state and country-wide competitions. It is known as one of the top 100 public school music programs in the country. In addition, a vigorous AP Art program gives student artists an opportunity to develop their talents and study new techniques. There are also fine art courses including Drawing and Painting, Sculpture, Photo, and Ceramics.Physical Education
All students are required to take Wellness during their freshman year, which is both a traditional PE class and a health/sex-ed class (parents can exclude their children from the sex-ed classes if they so chose). During their remaining years at school, students are required to fulfill two semesters of PE, which they can obtain either by playing a school-offered sport, joining certain clubs, taking Wellness II, or doing PE outside of school. All non-school-offered PE activities require a "contract" with the Athletics Department.Sports
Belmont High School is part of the Middlesex League and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic AssociationMassachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association , comprising 365 high schools in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, is an organization that sponsors activities in more than thirty sports. The MIAA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations , which writes the rules...
.
The school colors are maroon and blue. The school mascot is the Marauder.
The high school's athletic department offers 28 sports with 57 levels of competition:
Fall sports
- Cheerleading (V)
- Cross country - boys, girls (V, JV)
- Field hockey (V, JV, F)
- Football (V, JV, F)
- Golf (V)
- Soccer—boys, girls (V, JV, F)
- Swimming—girls (V, JV)
- Volleyball—girls (V, JV)
Winter sports
- Basketball - boys, girls (V, JV, F)
- Ice hockey - boys, girls (V, JV)
- Skiing - boys, girls (V, JV)
- Swimming - boys (V, JV)
- Indoor track - boys, girls (V, JV)
- Wrestling (V, JV)
Spring sports
- Baseball (V, JV, F)
- Lacrosse - boys, girls (V, JV)
- Softball (V, JV, F)
- Spring track - boys, girls (V, JV)
- Tennis - boys, girls (V, JV)
Clubs
The clubs range from various science clubs to theatrical organizations and civil rights groups, as well as various hobby enthusiasts http://www.belmont.k12.ma.us/bhs/clubs/. Clubs are usually started (or at least led) by students, with a staff member serving as an advisor.Luau scandal
During a Hawaiian themed dance in the spring of 2005, several severely intoxicated students were transported to local hospitals as a result of alcohol poisoning. The dance was prematurely ended and ignited a heated debate amongst school officials and students about future policies regarding school functions. Since the Luau scandal, the Belmont High School administration, spearheaded by then-principal Dr. Jonathan Landman, made a concerted effort to crack down on student drug and alcohol use at school events. In May 2008, students attending prom were made to walk the aisle of an auditorium with their respective dates while the Belmont public looked on, a procession known as promenade. As a continuation of this crackdown, all school dances, with the exception of the semi-formal and prom, were canceled by administration for the 2008-2009 school year.Notable alumni
- Masako Owada, Crown Princess of JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(class of 1981). - Wilbur WoodWilbur WoodWilbur Forrester Wood, Jr. is a former knuckleball pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and most notably the Chicago White Sox, where he got 163 of his 164 wins...
, MLB pitcher. - Robbie GuertinRobbie GuertinRobbie Guertin is a keyboardist/guitarist/backup vocalist for the indie rock band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.He grew up in Belmont, Massachusetts and went to Belmont High School. He attended college at Connecticut College along with the other members of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah prior to the group's...
, guitarist, tamborinist, Clap Your Hands Say YeahClap Your Hands Say YeahClap Your Hands Say Yeah is an American indie rock group based in Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, was self-released in 2005.-History:...
. - Patty SheaPatty SheaPatricia Ann Shea is a former field hockey goalkeeper from the United States, who was a member of the US women's team that finished fifth at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia...
, champion field hockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
player and coach, member of the US OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
team in 1988 and 1996. (class of 1980) - Emily CookEmily Cook (skier)Emily Cook is an American freestyle skier who has competed since 1995. Her first World Cup victory was in an aerials event in Russia in 2008...
, U.S. Olympian - 2002, 2006, and 2010.