Celebrations and a Remembrance

Celebrating Excellence

At the Tuesday, November 12th, School Committee meeting, we took time to recognize Joseph Brozek, of the Class of 2015, for his participation in the All-National Concert Band at the National Association for Music Education Conference in October. The conference was held in Memphis, TN. This is a first for Belchertown! In order to be accepted in All-National ensembles, students audition and are judged against their peers from across the country. Joe was one of nine participants in the concert band from Massachusetts. We are proud to recognize Joe for his musical excellence!

Joseph Brozek, second from right, surrounded by his parents, Margaret and Paul Brozek,
holding his Certificate of Excellence. Congratulations!

Sports Honors this Weekend

Congratulations to the Girls' Volleyball Team for being recognized by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) with Sportsmanship Award at the state finals this past weekend! The MIAA recognized them for their hosting of a Spike It for Life event for the second year in a row. These events help raise money for cancer research and support for patients. A job well done, Lady Orioles!

Congratulations also go to our Boys' Varsity Soccer Team, who won the Division III championship in overtime against Medway on Saturday! Read all the details from masslive.com's website. All of our fall athletic teams had a great season and we are proud of all of them!

In Memoriam

Belchertown High School lost a member of the Class of 2014 on November 10th. Nathan Curran died of injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Granby on November 9th. Nate came to BHS from New Hampshire as a freshman and was a quiet, gentle young man. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, the students who were his friends, and staff who knew Nate as a student. I attended Nate's funeral, along with Mrs. Vigneux, BHS principal, several staff members, and a large group of students. Our students did our school district proud with the respect they showed to Nate's family. I want to thank Mrs. Vigneux, her staff, and the students who welcomed Nate with open arms and supported him during his time with us. He will be missed, but their kindness will live on as a legacy to Nate.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to call me at 413.323.0423 or send an email to superintendent@belchertown.org.

Best regards, Dr. Judith Houle, Superintendent of Schools