Belmont Hill School

Belmont Hill School

Providentia, Studium, Fidelitas
(Foresight, Zeal, Loyalty)
Address
350 Prospect Street, Belmont MA 02478
Massachusetts
United States
Information
Type Private
Established 1923
Headmaster Dr. Richard Melvoin
Faculty 77
Enrollment 443
Student to teacher ratio 6:1
Campus Suburban, 32 acres (130,000 m2)
Athletics 16 sports
57 teams
Athletics conference Independent School League (ISL), NEPSAC, NEIRA
Rivals

St. Sebastian's (main), Roxbury Latin

colors = Maroon, Blue & White             
Website belmonthill.org

Belmont Hill School is an independent boys school located on a 32-acre (130,000 m2) campus in Belmont, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. The school enrolls approximately 440 students in grades 7-12, separated into the Middle School (grades 7-9) and the Upper School (grades 10-12), and refers to these grades as "Forms" with a Roman Numeral I through VI. While the majority of attending students are day students, there are some who enroll in the school's five-day boarding program, which becomes an option for students in their 9th grade year. In addition to the school's history of academic prestige, the school exhibits a rich athletic tradition as a participant in the competitive Independent School League. Members of the Class of 2010 were accepted at 42 colleges and universities.[1] Belmont Hill is also a founding member of the International Boys' Schools Coalition.

History

The school was founded in 1923 by a group of seven incorporators seeking a non-boarding institution for their sons that would allow for small classes and personal accountability. At the time of its incorporation, the location atop Belmont Hill was not yet developed and belonged to the Belmont Hill Trust. With the help of Robert Atkins, an incorporator and member of the Trust, 19 acres (77,000 m2) of undeveloped, rough, and swampy land was purchased in March 1923[2] and Belmont Hill’s first Headmaster, Reginald Heber Howe, was appointed.

Howe, a member of the faculty at the Middlesex School for 20 years, raised money for the necessary facilities. By the fall, renovations to the Headmaster’s house had taken place, along with the construction of an athletic field, a dormitory, and a single academic building, later named the Howe Building. The school finally opened its doors in the fall of 1923 to 43 boys (grades 3-9) and four faculty.[3]

Athletics

Jordan Athletic Center

Belmont Hill's athletics program offers 16 interscholastic sports, 57 teams, and over 700 athletic contests each year.[4] Almost all Belmont Hill coaches are members of the teaching faculty. Belmont Hill competes in the Independent School League.[5]

Belmont Hill constructed its Jordan Athletic Center in 2000 and later installed two new turf fields used for football, lacrosse, and soccer. "The JAC" also contains two basketball courts, a wrestling room, seven squash courts, a free weights and workout facility, and an Olympic-size hockey rink that is converted into four full tennis courts during the non-winter months. Sports offered for middle school and upper school students at Belmont Hill include:

Fall
Winter
Spring

Visual and performing arts

Arts center

Belmont Hill offers both curricular and extracurricular tuition in visual arts, music and theater. Students engage in class-related and independent projects in drawing, painting, digital photography, ceramics, mechanical drawing (architecture) print development, music composition, and theatre productions. Student work is displayed throughout the year in the school's Landau Gallery alongside independent professional artists.

The music program at Belmont Hill is carried out in the school's Prenatt Music Center. Students may join a number of performance groups including Jazz Ensemble, Rock Ensemble, Orchestra, Chamber Group, Glee Club, and the B Flats (an a cappella group). The school has close ties with the Berklee College of Music in Boston, allowing the boys to take individual lessons on campus during the week. Serious musicians often enroll in the program’s advanced courses.

Theatre productions are held regularly in the school's small Kraft Theatre. Belmont Hill puts on a total of seven productions over the course of the school year including three middle school productions, three upper school productions, and a senior-directed production each spring. These performances are put on in collaboration with the Winsor School and/or Dana Hall School, Belmont Hill's sister schools. Performances during the 2009-10 school year included The Bridge to Terabithia, The Curious Savage, The Foreigner, The Music Man, and Rent.

Extracurricular activities

Campus view

Students' schedules include a variety of different extracurricular activities. These are broken up into Middle School and Upper School organizations, with leadership positions filled by middle or upper school students accordingly.

Belmont Hill has student-run organizations including a student senate, debate team, school newspaper (The Bell for the middle school, The Panel for the upper school), yearbook (The Sundial), and social sciences journal (The Podium). New student clubs and organizations are founded every semester based on interest level. Other clubs include:

The Panel, Belmont Hill's student newspaper, now has a website. You can reach it at bhpanel.org. Every other edition is made together with students from the Winsor School.

Over 70% of the student body participates in voluntary clubs and service trips for community service. Groups include SAFE (Students Actively Fostering Equality), Peer Leaders, Reading Buddies in Mattapan, Meadowbrook Retirement Home, and PRIDE. An extension of the community service program includes an annual week-long spring break trip to different regions throughout the United States. Groups have travelled to New Orleans, Appalachia, and Guadalupe, AZ participating in several service projects.[6]

Global education

Belmont Hill has various programs to study and travel abroad. Typically, students who choose to do so will spend a semester or the entire year during their Junior (Form V) year in these programs which range from:

Enrollment and admission

The application process begins early in the fall, a full year prior to the intended fall of enrollment. Belmont Hill enrolls approximately 50 new students in the 7th grade (Form I) every year, 10-12 in the 8th grade (Form II), and 15-25 in the 9th grade (Form III). On occasion, a few boys may join the school in the 10th grade as well. Graduating classes tend to fluctuate from 60-90 boys, depending on the year, however the school functions with an enrollment of approximately 445 students.

The average AP Exam Score is varies above a 4.0 (2010). In 2010, the average AP exam score for students taking the AP Latin exam was a 4.85.[7]

The application requires ISEE scores (grades 7-8) or SSAT scores (grade 8-10) along with a student and parent application. In addition, applicants are required to visit the school for a campus tour and interview. The deadline for applications has historically been February 1.[8]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ http://www.belmont-hill.org/podium/default.aspx?t=104296
  2. ↑ Duncan, Roger F., The Story of Belmont Hill School, Howard Kirshen Printing Corp., Boston, MA, 1985
  3. ↑ Duncan, Roger F., The Story of Belmont Hill School, Howard Kirshen Printing Corp., Boston, MA, 1985
  4. ↑ http://www.belmont-hill.org/podium/default.aspx?t=104307
  5. ↑ "Independent School League". Milton Academy. Archived from the original on 2006-09-03. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
  6. ↑ http://www.belmonthill.org/podium/default.aspx?t=118894&rc=0
  7. ↑ http://www.belmonthill.org/podium/default.aspx?t=104292
  8. ↑ http://www.belmonthill.org/podium/default.aspx?t=104288

External links

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Coordinates: 42°24′26″N 71°10′47″W / 42.4073°N 71.1798°W / 42.4073; -71.1798

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