Category: Lower School
Parent Association Welcome and Networking Breakfast 2023
Bayview Glen News, Events, Lower School, Parent Association, Prep School, Preschool, Upper School
Thank you to all the parents for joining the Parent Association Welcome and Networking Breakfast on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. The event recording is available for viewing via our post under Edsby news river.
To keep up-to-date with PA events, please visit the PA Events webpage, and check your email and Edsby news river for more details on each event.
We look forward to seeing everyone again at the PA Coffee Socials in October.
Penning a Project for the Ages
Bayview Glen 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
Bayview Glen 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, Bayview Glen 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
Bayview Glen 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:
Online Safety and Responsibility: Speaker Series Focus
Alumni, Bayview Glen 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.
New Bayview Glen Day Camp Offering — A Slam Dunk!
Bayview Glen 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
BVG Players present ‘The Play That Goes Wrong (High School Edition)’
Alumni, Events, Home page, Lower School, Newsletters and Publications, Parent Association, Prep School, Preschool, Upper School
We are excited to invite you to in-person performances of The Play That Goes Wrong (High School Edition) running in the J.T.M Guest Theatre for two nights only. Our Upper School students have had a lot of fun working on this production and are really looking forward to sharing it with you!
- Thursday, February 23 at 6:00 p.m.
- Friday, February 24 at 6:00 p.m.
Legacy of Learning: Founder’s Day 2023
Alumni, Bayview Glen News, Home page, Lower School, Newsletters and Publications, Parent Association, Prep School, Preschool, Upper School
When L. Doreen Hopkins began teaching young children in her home in the early 1960’s, little could she have imagined that the seed she planted is still growing — more than six decades later.
On February 4, 2023, Hopkins’ bold vision and enduring legacy will be remembered as part of Founder’s Day when Bayview Glen (BVG), the school she founded, marks its 61st anniversary.
Persevering through her own learning challenge (dyslexia), Hopkins took what has been described as her “enormous compassion for students who had developmental issues,” and started up a school that “is open to all children.”
The trail she blazed sprouted a nursery school and day camp in 1962, focused on teaching the whole child.
BVG has operated from a private residence and later a farmhouse in the valley, to permanent locations on Duncan Mill Road and later Moatfield Drive — over more than half a century — growing and evolving each passing year.
From a handful of students in Mrs. Hopkins’ first in-home class, to more than 1,000 students currently on two campuses, BVG remains rooted in the pioneering vision of its founder.
The school’s mission of Whole Child: Whole World: Whole Life is embedded in teaching, learning and school life across all grades.
And as with Hopkins’ own education blueprint, fresh chapters are being written on a storied history.
The tiny seed that could has cultivated a generation of learners, with more to come.
Full STEAM Ahead: Shaping 21st Century Learners at BVG
Bayview Glen News, Home page, Lower School, Newsletters and Publications, Parent Association, Prep School, Preschool, Upper School
The threads of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) are woven through every grade at Bayview Glen School (BVG), inside and outside the classroom, starting in Junior Kindergarten.
Focused five-year-olds, hunched over laptops in the Lower School Library is a common sight.
It’s part of STEM Learning class, foundational to 21st century learning skills development.
“The idea with STEM learning is to create engaged users of technology,” says Jason Meingarten ‘08, STEM and Health and Physical Education Teacher who has been a BVG faculty member since 2015. He teaches 16 classes in the Lower School.
“We start by building a foundation of computer skills, coding and robotics skills — not so much specific coding languages — but the basic concepts required to be successful in programming,” he says. “From Grade 1 through 5, it’s just building on that year after year. The projects become more complex.”
At the same time, students learn other critical skills like problem-solving, making predictions, taking risks, using technology responsibly – and how they, as individuals, think.
“As part of the Visual Art course as early as Grade 1, students use creative thinking, flexibility and grit to create, revise, design and produce artwork and inventions,” says Robin Elliott ‘91, Visual Arts teacher, citing projects including building a water filtration system (Grade 2), an endangered animal project (Grade 4), and bridge design (Grade 7) as current examples of “intentional connections” teachers across grade levels strive to make to integrate STEAM learning.
An alumna, Elliott has taught at BVG for more than 25 years. She believes the school has a novel approach to STEAM education. “Students are provided the tools to facilitate innovation through parent volunteers, guest speakers, and professional collaborators,” she says, sharing another current example — Grade 7’s liaising with staff from the Canadian Space Agency.
Inquiry-based thinking is further nurtured in SK when Problem-Based Learning (PBL), a teaching method where students are given real-world problems to solve, begins.
Learning to code enters the curriculum in Grade 1 through to 3, setting the stage for 3D design exploration, creating websites, building and programming robots by the end of Grade 5.
During the first year of Prep School (Grade 6), STEAM instruction dives deeper, in part, via Information and Communication Technology (ICT) class.
“Before 2014, there was no designated technology class or program for Grades 6 to 8,” says Laura Gleeson, Technology Integration Specialist, ICT and Geography teacher. “I had the pleasure of both designing this by creating cross-curricular connections to other subjects and developing technology-based curriculum such as design thinking, 3D printing, coding and digital citizenship.”
Photography, photoshop, engineering, graphic design and animation elements are taught in ICT in Grade 7, paving the way for even greater discovery. “Students create their own start-up companies and explore entrepreneurialism,” continues Gleeson, who has a Master’s in Education specializing in Educational Technology. “They create and build a product and pitch it to the class with a business model.”
Throughout the Preschool, Lower School and Prep School years, music and visual arts are curriculum mainstays. These, coupled with varied Clubs and Activities opportunities, reinforce and complement classroom learning.
Robotics clubs are one such example.
Mehernosh (Nosh) Pestonji is Robotics Co-ordinator in the Upper School. He, along with Noeen Kashif, a First Robotics Competition (FRC) Specialist, co-moderate senior robotics clubs, guiding students through practice and competitions.
“Essentially, they have to build and design a robot from scratch, fabricate, go through all the engineering processes in about four to six weeks. Then there’s the competition,” he says.
Pestonji was hired at BVG in 2017 to offer students in the Upper School specific instruction in FRC robotics. “They have to not only imagine a part, they have to design and manufacture it. And then that part has to fit on the robot, and there are hundreds of parts.”
Prior to joining BVG, Pestonji taught in public and private schools for more than 30 years.
“The robots are much larger, 125 pounds, made out of aluminum,” he continues, adding most kids who sign up for the club are new to the experience. “We started with a team of 60, now we’ve cut it down to about 40. There are no tryouts per se, they self- select. We teach them everything. They cross-pollinate and learn from each other, so self-mentoring.”
He says robotics exemplifies the importance of interdisciplinary learning.
“They are bringing all their theoretical knowledge and learnings to apply them in a practical way,” he says. “The key is it’s not just coding, because physics plays a big part, chemistry too. Then you have kids who are just really good with their hands. There are kids who don’t know the tools — how to use a hammer, a screwdriver, how to use pliers. There is a real learning curve there.”
Collaboration and building skills, additional by-products of STEAM, are tested rigorously in the upper high school years.
“Grade 12 Computer Science allows students to obtain real experience they can use on their resume if they wanted to obtain a job in the summer or for Co-op,” says Kevin Deslauriers, Computer Science and Physics teacher in the Upper School. “They learn how to become more independent in their learning as the course focuses on developing web applications along with HTML, CSS, JavaScript as well as other technologies in order to reach their final goal of building a web application that can be hosted in the cloud.”
Deslauriers draws on the example of Jacqueline Fung, a 2022 BVG graduate he previously taught, to illustrate impact.
Fung secured a summer placement at RBC while still a BVG student.
“There were 1300+ applicants for 21 spots, and I was lucky enough to be one of the chosen candidates,” Fung shared in a letter about her journey. “My programming experience is primarily all from Bayview Glen’s ICS [Introduction to Computer Science] courses. When applying, I had to submit my GitHub link, which is essentially an online profile with a programmer’s past projects. On my GitHub, I had my past projects from my ICS courses. [These] allowed me to build my portfolio and prepared me to have the skills to be a full-stack developer,” says Fung, who is currently a student in the University of Waterloo in Systems Design Engineering. “I still have much to learn, but it was very valuable to me especially as I am currently in a co-op program at university. These courses allowed me to kick-start my career.”
Back in the Lower School, faculty across various disciplines like Jason Meingarten, are mindful of continually evolving STEAM instruction, in the younger years, to align with trends and to serve as a strong foundation.
“With 21st century learners, which is how we classify this cohort of kids, they come in with a lot of technology skills,” says Meingarten. “A lot of them at younger ages really have exposure on tablets, so PC skills, which is something we need them to have heading into the Prep School, aren’t necessarily strong. I have noticed, specifically in the past three years, that the skills that they’re coming in with — having been in front of computers so much more than in the past — they are certainly at a higher level.”
Full STEAM ahead indeed.
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