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Penning a Project for the Ages
BVG News, Home page, Lower School, Newsletters and Publications, Prep School
The project concept was carefully crafted, spanned ages, grades and curriculum, and featured a timeless question at its core – what makes you happy?
“In Grade seven, we covered a whole unit on happiness,” says Rita Iafrate, Teacher at Bayview Glen School (BVG). “What does happiness look like? What does it feel like? What does it sound like?”
It was the basis for the Pen Pal Happiness Project pairing more than 75 Grade 7 students with Junior Kindergarten students.
Following their first meeting just before March Break, the two age groups met on multiple occasions over a three-month period to get to know each other and delve more deeply into the question of their individual happiness.
Students from each grade would also share letters written to their younger and older pen pal partner, along the way.
“It was amazing to see how caring and gentle the Grade 7s were with their pen pals,” says Andrew Moore, Teacher at BVG. “They were so excited every time we announced that we would be seeing them in person, and they took such care with the letters they sent to the JKs; decorating the envelopes, drawing pictures in the letters.”
Students in each of the four Grade 7 classes were also able to share the gift of reading with their new reading buddies, while nurturing new friendships.
The project process also yielded new learnings for teachers involved.
“I learned that what really bonds people together is that shared experience, something that is relatable,” continues Iafrate, who has been teaching at BVG for 30 years. “For the Grade 7s and JKs, it’s that concept of play and giving them that positive message. It doesn’t matter what age you are; it’s what makes you happy that counts. It’s that feeling of positivity and purpose,” she says.
As friendships blossomed over weeks and months during their brief visits, so, too, did the appetite for more. In this case, a culminating storybook written and illustrated by each Grade 7 student for their younger buddy, with their JK pen pal featured as the protagonist of the story.
“They’ve really gotten to know their pen pal,” says Iafrate, of the Grade 7 students. “What is their favorite colour? What’s their favourite animal, or sport? They’ve incorporated all of those personal concepts or facts into each book. They’ve been so engaged and so excited about writing this book for their pen pal. And it also gives them the opportunity to feel like they’re authoring a book. It really gives them that confidence as writers.”
Further evidence of the students’ engagement and the impact of the project came in feedback teacher Andrew Moore received from several of his students, including — “can we see them again next year? My buddy gave me a hug! Can I adopt mine?”
A successful project completion, bringing with it a new source of happiness!
The Writers Block June 2023 Student Magazine – Available Now
BVG News, Home page, Lower School, Newsletters and Publications, Parent Association, Prep School, Preschool, Upper School
The final issue of The Writers Block School Year 2022-2023 is here!
Follow this link to read the June 2023 edition:
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 School
The 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.
Spring Concerts Showcase a Varied Musical Menu
BVG News, Events, Home page, Lower School, Parent Association, Prep School, Upper School
The halls are alive with the sound of music at Bayview Glen School (BVG), once again. Actually, they are rarely ever silent!
Months of early morning and after-school practices, dress rehearsals and painstaking preparation by students and music teachers resulted in a series of memorable recent performances.
BVG’s annual tradition of Spring Concerts in the Upper School, Prep School and Lower School showcased the musical talents of students, bands, ensembles, soloists, vocalists and others while featuring a breadth of musical genre.
The Upper School Spring Concert featured more than a dozen pieces, including a few popular tunes like Skyfall, the Pink Panther Theme song,and Bohemian Rhapsody, a classic from the band, Queen.
It marked the last performance for many performers who will be graduating in 2023.
The concert, which was held in the J.T.M. Guest Theatre before a full-house, was also the finale for Diane Drysdale, music teacher who has been filling in this school year and delayed her retirement to support BVG’s music program.
Another highlight saw Michael Bellissimo, music teacher, Upper School feted by students, many of whom he has taught for the last four years.
The Prep School Spring Concert featured a mixed musical menu as well, with something for everyone! Songs from Disney, the Jurassic Park theme and even some Irish music with a Celtic focus, highlighted the 70-minute concert.
Under the direction of Chris Hunsberger, music teacher in the Prep School and Ms. Drysdale, the evening included performances by the Grade 7 and Grade 8 Bands, and the self-directed Upper School Woodwind Ensemble.
The evening marked the last performance for many students, who will graduate to the Upper School in September and continue to their musical careers at BVG as high school students.
The Prep School Spring Concert came on the heels of Grade 6 Music Night in early April where students provided their parents with a teaching, learning and performing twist.
Learn more:
Flying High: BVG Student Accomplishes Rare Feat
BVG News, Home page, Upper School
To say the sky’s the limit for Rohaan Vasa might be an understatement.
The Grade 12 student is fresh off qualifying for the FIRST Robotics World Championships — along with his teammates on Team 7558 ALT-F4 — one of several robotics teams at Bayview Glen School.
It was a second feat of note for Rohaan in recent months. The first came a few weeks earlier — several thousand feet above the ground.
“I have been fascinated by aviation my entire life,” says the 17-year-old. “My initial interest in flying stemmed from my interest in how things work.”
That curiosity has been further fuelled by his co-curricular activities including robotics at BVG and Air Cadets outside of school.
“When I was young, I would frequently find myself glaring up into the sky at massive jets and thinking how does something that heavy fly so fast. My experiences through cadets exponentially increased my interest in planes,” he says.
So, on his 17th birthday in early December, Rohaan literally took his hobby to new heights.
“Becoming a pilot is not easy, there is a lot to learn both in physical skill as well as theory,” says fight instructor Thomas Stevens. “Rohaan worked hard to achieve his goal of becoming a licensed recreational pilot on the day he turned 16, and then a licensed private pilot on the day he turned 17,” he says.
“Until recently I believed becoming a pilot was an unachievable goal which took years to do,” adds Rohaan. “My involvement in the Air Cadets program for the past six years only strengthened my desire to become a pilot. Through the program I lived on Air Force bases and was exposed to many people in the industry. My interactions with them solidified my choices and proved to me that I wanted to get my license.”
All this while managing a heavy course load in his graduating year, along with robotics team responsibilities that run an additional 15 to 20 hours per week, and other activities.
“When I got my Recreational license, I was the youngest pilot in Canada and one of the youngest in the world,” shares Rohaan. “Most other countries allow people to get pilots’ licenses at 17 or 18.”
Earning the Canadian Private Pilots’ License means Rohaan can “can fly a Canadian registered plane pretty much anywhere in the world. There is no limit to the number of passengers I can carry, and I can be certified on larger aircraft,” he says.
The process since day one has been, naturally, rigorous.
“I had gone through ground school at my cadets’ squadron twice and had a basic understanding of the physics behind flying,” continues Rohaan. “I had to apply for my aviation medical and pass the ROC-A (radio license) exam. Once the training started, I had to complete 300+ hours of online ground school which culminated in a three-hour, 100 question multiple choice exam. The requirements for a Recreational permit are 45 hours of flight time, 15 hours of solo time, and one dual cross country,” he says.
His flight instructor has been working with Rohaan for more than 18 months. “This process required careful planning and high degree of performance on his part during training,” says Stevens. “His achievement is certainly impressive!”
And even as he imagines travelling to even greater heights, Rohaan remembers that first experience in the sky by himself, in explicit detail.
“My first solo was the most magical experience of my life so far,” he says. “I soloed after only 17 hours of flight experience. The day of my first solo I went up with my instructor for a few practice circuits to make sure I was safe. My instructor hopped out of the plane and with a fist bump, left me alone in the plane for the first time. I taxied out to runway 26 at Billy Bishop airport and holding short of the runway I felt my body go into autopilot. I had done the same procedures countless times. As I took off. I felt a total sense of freedom. It was just me, the plane, and the sky!”
Little wonder that Rohaan is considering an undergraduate degree in engineering and a career in the aerospace industry.
“My dream job, at the moment, is to work for a space company like Space X or Blue Origin, designing spacecraft,” he says.
Between now and then, who knows what else may inspire Rohaan.
There’s the upcoming first space mission to the moon in more than 50 years.
Scheduled for November 2024.
The history-making Artemis II mission.
With a Canadian astronaut, trained as a CF-18 pilot, aboard.
Just sayin!
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.
BVG Student-Scientists Shine at Regional Competition
BVG News, Home page, Parent Association, Prep School
It is one for the school record books!
“Compared to previous years, this is the highest percentage of medal winners, and the most ‘awards’ as well,” says Andrew Vivian, Science teacher at Bayview Glen School (BVG), describing this year’s results at the Toronto Science Fair.
A contingent of five BVG Prep School students — all in Grade 8 — earned two gold, one silver and one bronze medal during the competition held in early April.
“The results are thrilling, but we didn’t ask these students to go in the hopes that they would win medals and earn awards, but rather because we thought it would be a great experience for them,” adds Vivian, who has been a teacher at BVG for more than 25 years. “The winning of stuff is just a bonus!”
Participants and results include:
Riya Varia: Gold medal, Ontario Water Environment Association Award, and the University of Toronto Department of Earth Sciences Mathew Shawn McConville Award (each $150).
Stefano Edwards: Gold medal, Young Scientist Award ($100)
Cindy (Xin Yu) Yan: Silver medal
Mikaela MacKinnon: Bronze medal
Armaan Chandarana: Participant
“When they called my name as one of the gold medal recipients, I was overjoyed,” says Riya Varia, Grade 8 student. “I really appreciate that my project was recognized and found interesting by not only me but by others as well!”
Riya began working on her project in October and was informed in late February that she would be participating in the competition.
“The students chosen to participate in the Toronto Science Fair all find science fascinating,” continues Vivian. “They all have that curiosity about how things work, and ‘why does this result in that’. They are also highly self-disciplined about being organized and detail-oriented. Additionally, their projects all had a novel practical application in today’s world.”
Project themes ranged from Filtering Heavy Metals from Water using Natural Materials to examining Wind Turbine Spin Speeds.
“My science project examined natural ways to filter heavy metals from water, specifically using seashells and cilantro,” says Riya. I’ve always been interested in the global water crisis especially since my mom is originally from Bangladesh and mentioned that many parts of her home country still lack access to clean water,” says Varia. “I learned that seashells and cilantro are natural ways to reduce heavy metal contaminants (specifically lead and iron) from lake water. Additionally, seashells were more effective than cilantro in filtration. I also learned the importance of following the scientific process, and I especially enjoyed diving deeper into the chemistry behind seashell filtration!”
After cancellation of the 2020 Toronto Science Fair due to the global pandemic, and experiencing an entirely virtual event in 2021, the in-person event held at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, was a welcome learning opportunity.
“What was also striking was the strong presentation skills of the students,” says Vivian, who also teaches French. “Due to circumstances these past few years, the presentation component of the Science Fair has become a more integral part of the unit. So, it isn’t just about knowing your science, it is also about developing the skills to clearly present your work to an audience.”
The organization behind the Toronto Science Fair is a combination of four different science fairs, each with a history of more than 30 years. The regional event brings together students and potential future scientists, divided by age group — from JK to Grade 12.
Adds Vivian, “I am proud of how they were all thrilled to be able to participate, found the workshops fascinating, and handled themselves so well with no parent or teacher presence allowed!”
Parents Face the Music During Grade 6 Music Night
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Darren Kennedy was looking forward to a spring evening filled with music, courtesy of his daughter and other Grade 6 students at Bayview Glen (BVG).
“I was expecting to file into the auditorium, sit down and listen to a few songs the students had learned, then leave,” says Kennedy.
He had no idea what would follow.
“I wasn’t the only parent surprised — the entire parent audience went silent,” he says.
About 20 minutes into the evening at the J.T.M. Guest Theatre at Moatfield Campus, the tables turned.
Prep School music teachers, Chris Hunsburger and Diane Drysdale made an announcement that suddenly thrust the parent audience into action.
For Kennedy, that meant a whole new experience, on a few fronts.
“My daughter was very excited to teach me how to play her instrument, the clarinet, knowing I had zero exposure to musical instruments,” he says.
Grade 6 Music Night featured a role reversal. Students became teachers for 15 minutes, tasked with teaching their parents a song on the students’ instrument.
“She taught me how to put the clarinet together, hold it, where to put my fingers for the three notes we learned, what a half and whole note were and how to read them on the music sheet,” says Kennedy referring to his daughter’s instruction. “She then taught me how to play Hot Cross Buns!”
Each parent-student pairing was dismissed to one of four nearby locations where mini, impromptu music lessons took place.
“I was very proud of how knowledgeable she was and her patience with me,” continues Kennedy. “She got the chance to make me do something I had never done before and call me by my first name, while I had to refer to her as Ms. Kennedy — transitioned to hilarity — as she watched me get red-faced as I couldn’t even get air into the instrument for the first five minutes, she sorted me out!”
The experiential learning evening for parents, however, was far from over. Another twist was on the way!
The student-teachers filed into the theatre seats, while their parents – more than 75 in all — assembled themselves on the stage for their debut performance.
“We NAILED it (at least in my head we did!),” says Kennedy.
And, as importantly, the performance met with his teacher’s approval.
“She was very proud that I ended up learning to play Hot Cross Buns with no squeaks and perfect timing, and that I was willing to go on stage and perform with the other parents.”
The evening also included other lessons learned for Darren Kennedy.
“It is obvious that the Bayview Glen instrumental music teachers take pride in having an exceptional music program that students enjoy participating in,” he says.
“Just to have the idea to have students teach their parents how to play their instrument AND have the parents come up to play what they learned, shows they are confident, fun, and not afraid to challenge those they teach — brilliant!”
And one more thing he says, “I also learned first-hand that playing the clarinet is not as easy as I thought it would be!”
Portrait of an Artist and Alumnae
Alumni, BVG News, Home page, Parent Association
The 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.”
New Bayview Glen Day Camp Offering — A Slam Dunk!
BVG News, Home page, Lower School
The Prep School gymnasium at Bayview Glen (BVG) School will be buzzing with loud thumps and thuds over the next 10 weeks.
It’s all thanks to a new after-school offering being presented by Bayview Glen Day Camp, called The Gryphon Basketball Academy.
“Two important factors led to the creation of this camp,” says Daniel Garfinkel, Director of the Bayview Glen Day Camp,” describing the new, weekly basketball programme.
“The first is an opportunity to create more synergies between the Bayview Glen Camp program & Bayview Glen Lower and Upper Schools,” he says. “The second is to provide the BVG school community with more opportunities to build specific skills they are most interested in advancing, within a no-pressure recreational environment that camp programs organically create.”
Open to children from Grades 1 to 8, The Gryphon Basketball Academy is divided into four age groups of participants who take part in 45-minute sessions.
“Basketball was identified as an activity that many Lower School students were excited to participate in and build their skill sets,” continues Garfinkel. “Many Upper School students were interested in enhancing their chances at making one of the school basketball teams next year!”
With a staff to camper ratio of 1:3, the camp is open to the BVG community and beyond and runs Tuesday evenings until May 30th.
The camp debuted with 50 participants at the end of March and is facilitated by third-party supplier — TenTen Kids Sports, described on their website as, “Canada’s leading indoor and outdoor kids sports program provider.”
Garfinkel adds, “TenTen facilitate sports activities for our youngest campers as well as our basketball specialty camp for older campers in the summertime.”
And there is more to come, he says.
“This is just the first of many afterschool programs that Camp will be offering to the BVG school community in the future. Keep your eyes peeled for more exciting opportunities in the near future!”
Related links:
Bayview Glen Camp