Category: Alumni
Join Us for Parent Association Merry Market 2024
Alumni, BVG News, Events, Home page, Lower School, Parent Association, Prep School, Preschool, Upper SchoolParent Association Merry Market 2024
Date: Thursday, November 21, 2024
Time: 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: J.T.M. Guest Theatre, Bayview Glen Moatfield Campus
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The Bayview Glen Parent Association is very pleased to invite you to our annual Merry Market!
Come and join us in celebrating the holiday season with a great shopping selection featuring local vendors and Bayview Glen community members, as well as our talented student entrepreneurs.
Don’t forget to bid on our famous class basket auction, filled with thoughtfully curated items from our families.
There will be lots of fun for everyone with music, crafts, hot chocolate station, and our yummy bake sale (cash preferred).
We are bringing magic back again this year with the opportunity to take free photos with Santa, available from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please register online (click here) if you and your family are planning on attending.
The PA Shop will be open during this event.
All members of the Bayview Glen community are invited.
For more information on the PA Merry Market vendors, please check out the list available on the PA Events webpage. Be sure to bring some cash, as some vendors may not accept credit or debit card payments.
We are looking for parent volunteers to help make this event a success. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the online signup form (click here), or contact pavolunteer@bayviewglen.ca for any questions.
Please follow us on school social media and the Bayview Glen website at bayviewglen.ca/pa-events, where all our PA events are listed.
We look forward to seeing you and your family there!
If you have any questions, please contact the PA Merry Market Co-ordinators at merrymarket@bayviewglen.ca.
Parent Association Halloween Fun 2024
Alumni, BVG News, Events, Home page, Lower School, Parent Association, Prep School, Preschool, Upper SchoolAlumni Reunion May 2024
AlumniJoin us on Thursday, May 2, 2024 for Bayview Glen Parent Book Club and Parent Association Speaker Series with Dr. Alex Russell
Alumni, Athletics, BVG News, Events, Home page, Lower School, Newsletters and Publications, Parent Association, Prep School, Preschool, Upper SchoolBayview Glen Student Well-Being and the Bayview Glen Parent Association warmly invite our parent community to come together for an inspiring evening of learning and connection at our Parent Book Club and Parent Association Speaker Series on Thursday, May 2, 2024.
Register online: bayviewglen.ca/pa-events
Bayview Glen Parent Book Club
Book: “Drop The Worry Ball” by Dr. Alex Russell and Tim Falconer
Date: Thursday, May 2, 2024
Time: 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Moatfield Campus Learning Commons and Microsoft Teams
Format: In Person and Virtual (Online link will be sent via Edsby message and available for access via Edsby news river). Meeting will not be recorded.
More info: bayviewglen.ca/parent-book-club
Bayview Glen Parent Association Speaker Series
Speaker: Dr. Alex Russell
Date: Thursday, May 2, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: J.T.M. Guest Theatre, Moatfield Campus
Format: In Person (This is a complimentary, parents/alumni-only event for the Bayview Glen community). This event will not be live-streamed or recorded.
More info: bayviewglen.ca/speakerseries
Join us for the Bayview Glen Parent Book Club from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the cozy surroundings of the Moatfield Campus Learning Commons. In conversation facilitated by our Director of Student Well-Being, Antoinette Morgan, we will delve into the pages of “Drop The Worry Ball” by Dr. Alex Russell and Tim Falconer. It is not solely about the book but also about the valuable and engaging conversations and connections fostered when we come together as parents and caregivers.
Following the Parent Book Club, we are honoured to host the renowned Dr. Alex Russell for our Parent Association Speaker Series in the J.T.M. Guest Theatre. As a clinical psychologist, consultant, researcher, and trainer with a profound understanding of child development, Dr. Russell brings a fresh perspective on parenting that empowers parents to navigate the challenges with confidence. His insights into the importance of embracing failure as part of the growth process are invaluable.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with our vibrant Bayview Glen parent community.
Seating is limited. Please register online for both events if you are planning to attend. We can’t wait to see you!
If you have any questions, please contact Antoinette Morgan, Director of Student Well-Being, at amorgan@bayviewglen.ca.
Founder’s Day 2024
Alumni, BVG News, Lower School, Parent Association, Prep School, Preschool, Upper SchoolCelebrate with us as Bayview Glen marks its 62nd Founder’s Day on February 4, 2024! Watch the video below to journey through the inspiring history of Bayview Glen, from its humble beginnings to the thriving institution it is today. Founder’s Day marks not just a celebration of the past, but a commitment to shaping the future. Happy Founder’s Day, Bayview Glen!
Introducing…Viewpoint 2023
Alumni, BVG News, Home page, Newsletters and PublicationsViewpoint — our annual showcase celebrating notable Bayview Glen (BVG) alumni is hot off the print and digital press!
The 2023 edition of the magazine focuses on the theme of transitions, delving into how each featured alumnus has navigated change throughout their academic and professional paths, after graduating from BVG.
And new this year, digital extras — in the interactive version!
Click on the green icons sprinkled throughout the digital edition of the magazine to view additional content.
The sixth edition of Viewpoint features:
Alumni profiles
Staff and faculty perspectives
Class of 2023 features
Honoured Classes spanning 25 years
Each feature story explores the specific role BVG played in preparing these former graduates for their journey and examines how they have used that knowledge and insight in their pursuits.
The 32-page magazine also takes a glimpse into the world of six graduates from the Class of 2023, peering into their contributions while students at BVG and what’s next for them.
Related links:
Viewpoint 2023 (Digital, interactive version)
Viewpoint Archives
The Glen May/June 2023 School Newsletter – Available Now
Alumni, Athletics, BVG News, Home page, Lower School, Newsletters and Publications, Parent Association, Prep School, Preschool, Upper SchoolThe May/June 2023 edition of The Glen school newsletter is now available!
Read it online and watch for a printed copy sent home with your child or in the mail.
Online Safety and Responsibility: Speaker Series Focus
Alumni, BVG News, Events, Home page, Lower School, Parent Association, Prep School, Upper School(Source: Pexels)
In the more than 10 years he has been speaking to students, parents, educators and corporations about online safety, the core of Paul Davis’ message has not wavered — resonating even more so now.
“The internet never forgets,” says Davis, in advance of his upcoming visit to Bayview Glen School (BVG), as part of the Bayview Glen Parent Association Speaker Series.
Research and evidence on the potential harmful effects of the digital world on youth continue to mount. These include impacts on mental health, sleep and self-esteem.
“Understand HOW we got here and taking responsibility for what was given to children at such a young age,” says Davis, is part of what he hopes to convey to parents through his presentation.
With more than 30 years of expertise as an IT professional, along with the lived experience of speaking to more than 700,000 young people, teachers and families in Canada and the United States, Davis believes much more education is still required across the board, with parents having a critical role to play.
“Developing open and transparent relationships with kids on technological use moving forward, while not being afraid to say NO when they have to,” he says is key for parents in helping their kids cultivate a healthy and responsible relationship with technology.
During his return visit to BVG on Friday April 28th, Davis will address different grades during the day, and parents, separately, during an evening presentation.
Davis, a father of two himself, says he often hears, “Never my child. I trust my child,” from parents. His response? “Technology is not a babysitting tool and there must be an investment of time and knowledge before giving a child a device.”
For parents, that also means clearly understanding what ownership of a mobile device entails and the responsibilities that accompany it before that device is handed to a child.
When it comes to young users of technology, Davis hopes to drive home one central message, “understanding that choices are permanent and ‘I didn’t mean to’ will not be accepted.”
The Spring 2023 Bayview Glen Parent Association Speaker Series with Paul Davis takes place Friday April 28, 2023, at 6:30 p.m.
This is a complimentary, parents/alumni-only event for the Bayview Glen community.
Seating is limited.
Learn more and register here.
Portrait of an Artist and Alumnae
Alumni, BVG News, Home page, Parent AssociationThe journey from concept to canvas featured many strokes. And a few twists and turns.
Doris Rose likely wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
“Creating this painting has reconnected me with the BVG community,” says the Class of 2009 graduate. “Collaborating with staff and the alumni team has been a wonderful experience!”
An accomplished figurative oil painter, Doris was chosen to paint a portrait of Eileen Daunt, former Head of School at Bayview Glen, who retired in August 2022, after more than 45 years at the school, as a teacher and administrator.
“My goal was to put the viewer in the shoes of a student meeting Mrs. Daunt in the stairwell – something I experienced myself as a student – capturing that warm smile and direct gaze,” says Doris. “Looking down on the subject is unusual, especially a leader, but in many ways, I think this suits her character and the way she puts students first. She is so interwoven with the fabric and growth of the school that it made sense to paint her in it — in the Crystal Staircase,” she says, referring to the main staircase in the Lower School building.
As an artist, whose style ranges from expressionism to realism, Doris had to navigate several obstacles from conception through the creation process.
“One of the main challenges was working from a low-resolution photo with backlit lighting,” she says. “Mrs. Daunt’s face was lit from behind, so I had to lighten the face and add detail using my imagination and knowledge of Mrs. Daunt.”
That deeper understanding of her subject was an added dimension that Doris relied on repeatedly throughout the creative process.
“As an artist, it’s rare to receive a commission to paint someone who means so much to you personally,” continues Doris. “Mrs. Daunt has truly been one of the most important influences in my life. Creating this painting gave me a way to express some of my love and respect for her and contribute to the celebration of her retirement.”
Doris’ ‘labour of love’ would stretch her even further.
“Once ready to paint, I first tested the composition and the surface material by painting a mini 9×12 version,” she says. “Then I started on the main painting with a charcoal under-drawing, followed by the first pass of paint to block everything in. The next few months were spent building layers of colour and refining details.”
Painstaking precision against a backdrop of multiple timelines.
“There were a few moments when I worried that I wouldn’t be able to work through these challenges for the deadline, so I’m glad I trusted that I’d eventually resolve the issues and capture the essence I was striving for in Mrs. Daunt’s expression.”
The portrait was turned into a photo in April 2022, before gracing the cover of ‘A Heartfelt Journey’, a commemorative magazine highlighting Mrs. Daunt’s history at Bayview Glen — in August 2022.
For Doris, whose hallmark is the use of classical techniques in her art, the work was still far from complete.
It would take several more months — until March 2023 — for the final artistic touch to leave its mark.
“Oil paintings take six months to dry completely as they cure through a chemical process when exposed to oxygen, unlike other paints that dry through evaporation,” explains Doris. “I had to wait another six months for it to fully dry before varnishing and delivering it!”
All told, painting Mrs. Daunt’s portrait was an 18-month journey for the artist, who personally delivered the final product to her alma mater in March.
“Bayview Glen has had a huge impact on me,” she says. “The school’s focus on individual mentorship and support meant I learned to take charge of my own learning and work ethic to get the best out of future environments. BVG’s emphasis on empathy, creativity, critical thinking, and community-building has helped me develop strong relationships with others and a deep understanding of different perspectives which are invaluable skills for me as an artist.”
The portrait will grace the walls of the school in the coming months, as a permanent, tangible tribute to Mrs. Daunt’s legacy.
And for the artist, the personal impact of her subject will continue to remain firmly etched.
“My own memories of Mrs. Daunt are ones where she removed barriers around me, making room so that I could get to where I wanted to go, and encouraging me to develop the confidence needed to get there,” recounts Doris. “School can be tough, but Mrs. Daunt was a supportive force for good in my life, and I will always be thankful for that.”
Charting Their Own Course: Final Career Breakfast Highlights Innovation
Alumni, BVG News, Home page, Parent Association, Prep School, Upper SchoolEach of their career pathways has been filled with multiple twists and turns — and one constant — key lessons learned during their time as students at Bayview Glen School (BVG).
“It is always great to have the chance to contribute back to the community that I benefited from when I was young,” says Daniel Mak ‘05, one of three invited BVG alumni to present at the final Career Breakfast of the school year. “It was an honour to be a guest speaker and thank you for your trust to deliver a note or two that might benefit the students.”
Daniel began at BVG as a Grade 8 student in 2000, recalling how he felt empowered to try new things during his time at the school, including creating an investment club when one didn’t exist.
“I was trusted by many teachers and especially Ms. [Dina] Astrella,” shared Daniel. “She gave me a lot of flexibility in leading extra-curricular activities that were not offered by the school back then. It also made me realize that I could do new things that are not part of the standard offerings and allowed me to have my own journey,” he says.
All of which has served him time and again in various professional experiences, including, helping run a family business selling carpet and wallpaper to casinos and hotels in his homeland of Macau, working in cybersecurity, deep tech and quantum computing, to his current role as General Partner, Strategic Growth at Awz Ventures, a multi-stage venture capital firm headquartered in Toronto.
“Fail early, fail fast and just try not to make the same mistake again,” Daniel told the packed audience of more than 100 students, faculty and staff who gathered in the Moatfield Campus Learning Commons for the event.
Reflecting on the high school version of himself, Daniel says he would offer today’s student this simple advice:
“Everyone’s path is different, hard skills on paper are only one part of qualifications and get you to the table/job interview, but soft skills, the human element, is what will actually land you the job or provide you with opportunity to lead. Be smart and not always right,” he says.
Saba Ketabchi Haghighat was the youngest BVG alum on the panel — having graduated in 2016. She was also the only one to join virtually — from California — where she is a hardware engineer who works on the Apple watch.
“I believe representation in every field matters, especially as a woman in engineering, and I would love to see more women in our field,” she says. “The Career Breakfast is a great opportunity to encourage more BVG students to pursue a similar career path if they’re interested and aren’t sure how they can get started.”
Following BVG and a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Waterloo,
Saba has worked in Canada, France and the U.S. as a software developer, among other roles, in industries including healthcare and technology.
“Joining STEM-related clubs in high school allowed me to learn about some engineering-related concepts through hands-on projects and math/programming contests,” she says. “So when it came to looking into universities and applying for various programs, I had an idea of which engineering disciplines I liked more than others.”
Her advice to students stems in part from her own career trajectory, during which she has had to be resilient often.
“Don’t be afraid of failing or bad experiences,” says Saba. “They’re all experiences that lead you on the right path, and learning about what you don’t like is just as important as knowing what you’re passionate about.”
As a student at BVG, Konstantine Tsotsos says he “liked spaceships. I thought they were really cool!”
That passion has propelled him to a variety of experiences centered on cutting-edge technology, since graduating from BVG in 2007.
“I’ve been very lucky in having the right mentors and sponsors at the right times in my life, but not everyone has that,” he says. “If I can play that role for even one student [who is] unsure of how to tackle their future, then I consider that a huge success. That’s why it was important for me to join this event, to try to give back and support the growth of the next generation of engineers.”
Konstantine’s academic and career journey has included an internship at NASA, a PhD in Computer Science and his current role at Google in San Francisco, as a Staff Software Engineer and Manager, a role that involves working collaboratively to develop real-time 3D perception and sensor fusion technologies.
“STEM is an amazing path,” he says.
When it comes to offering words of wisdom to students, Konstantine says: “Keep working both harder and smarter. If you can’t figure out how, look for new people to learn from who are more successful than you. If you want to keep growing, avoid situations where you feel like you’re the smartest person in the room.”
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Pathways to Professional Life: Career Breakfast Spotlights Media