A pair of stairwells at Belmont Hills Elementary School recently received a meaningful makeover, thanks to the efforts of the Bulldogs’ Home & School Association (HSA) and a mini-grant from the Interschool Council (ISC).

One stairwell, now known as the "WELCOME" stairs, features the word "WELCOME" in the 15 different languages spoken by students, symbolizing the diverse backgrounds of Belmont Hills families. These uplifting stair stickers reflect the school’s multilingual community and celebrate diversity in a simple yet powerful way. They also represent the ongoing equity work of both the District and Belmont Hills, with the overarching goal of “building belonging.” Visual representations like these help foster a deeper sense of inclusivity and cultivate greater respect for each other’s cultural differences. The languages represented include English, Hebrew, Spanish, Chinese, French, Hindi, Italian, Farsi, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Arabic, German and Korean.

The second stairwell, known as the “Positive Affirmation” stairs, is adorned with encouraging words and phrases that promote positive thinking, kindness, and a growth mindset. These affirmations align with the Bulldogs’ work in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a research-based framework that supports students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional and mental well-being.

The "Welcome" stairs were funded by the Belmont Hills HSA, while the "Positive Affirmation" stairs were made possible through the ISC's Mini-Grants Program.

The Belmont Hills Bulldogs are all about building belonging! #LMSDBuildingBelonging