Happy Friday Bayside!
Our staff had a productive professional learning day today where we focused on priorities from our School Development plan (SDP), based on the needs of students. We spent time learning together and planning for some key strategies to support the learning and wellbeing of students.
For learning, our focus this year is on improving reading achievement for students. Today, we spent some time learning about strategic intervention routines for the classroom as well as how incorporating fluency routines into daily instruction can help improve students’ reading fluency and, in turn, comprehension. Teachers also dabbled in the use of some AI tools to help create grade-level appropriate instructional materials.
For well-being, our focus is to improve student self-regulation in the school setting. Since returning from Winter break, we have noticed a rise in student aggression during less structured times in the school day, such as lunch recess. As a staff, we are taking a school-wide, strategic approach to improving our students’ abilities to manage “big emotions” so they can respond to problems in a positive way. Our key strategies (developed in collaboration with our Area Strategist, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, and Speech Language Pathologist) are:
- Refining our classroom movement breaks to ensure they are focused on helping students to calm their bodies and focus on learning. This means that all classes will engage in short (less that 5 min), “heavy work” body breaks, followed with a breathing exercise. Teachers will decide when to incorporate these body breaks into the day, based on the needs of their students and the flow of their day. The goal is to increase student self- awareness and ability to use calming strategies. Practice makes perfect!
- Intentional daily mini-lessons on win-win conflict resolution, right before lunchtime, with a reflection and celebration of using positive strategies after the lunch break. Instead of reacting in a physical way, we are working to help students choose more positive and productive strategies to ensure everyone involved feels safe and cared for. In a community, there will always be disagreements and challenges… they are unavoidable. The purpose of these mini-lessons is to teach students to respond to conflict in ways that help, rather than hurt others.
Parents can be a big support! Even though you are not at school with your child, the conversations you have at home really matter. Helping your child to think of ways to solve problems and conflicts in positive ways can go a long way to help them to be successful at school and in the community.
REMINDERS and UPDATES:
We Need Your Voice! Calgary Board of Education is seeking feedback on the 2024-2027 Education Plan. The survey takes just 5 minutes and all parents are invited to participate. Click Here to take the survey.
Alberta Education and Childcare Assurance Survey: Grade 4 parents have another opportunity to share your feedback on Bayside School and the opportunities we provide. The results are used by schools, school authorities and the government to see what’s working and what needs to be improved; and shared with the whole community. Grade 4 parents will have received an email invitation with a participation code. More information about the Alberta Assurance Survey can be found here: https://bayside.cbe.ab.ca/news/your-voice-matters-share-your-thoughts-on-alberta-schools
Lakeshore and Mahogany Overflow Updates: Both Lakeshore and Mahogany Schools use the CBE Lottery Process to determine student enrolment. The Lottery at both schools took place on February 11, 2026 and families are receiving confirmation of whether their children will attend the community school (Lakeshore for gr. 6-9 or Mahogany for K-gr.5) or the overflow school (Bayside for K-gr.5, Nickle for gr. 6-9) for the 2026-27 school year.
At this time, the lottery process is ongoing and schools are working to process transfers and registrations. It will take some time before the overflow schools (Bayside and Nickle) are able to communicate with families. We know this is an uncertain time for families and understand it can be difficult. We are working as quickly as we can to process registrations and will reach out to our new and Kindergarten families via email in the spring, likely at the end of March or beginning of April.
Spring Concerts: Our K-3 students are getting ready to dazzle you with their performance of “Pop Goes the Nursery Rhyme” on March 13. See our News Story for more details!
The Bayside Snack Shack is back! Our grade 5 classes are raising money for the grade 5 farewell at the end of the year. To ensure there is enough time for all classes to visit, the Snack Shack will be open to certain grades on certain days:
Friday March 6- AM Kindergarten, grades 2 & 4
Friday March 13- PM Kindergarten, grades 1, 3, & 5
All sales will be cash only. Students will be limited to purchasing a maximum of 2 items and we ask that parents send a small amount of cash with your child (no more than $5) to ensure we are able to make change easily and also to minimize the risk of loss. Click here for more details.
SCHOOL COUNCIL & BSFA NEWS:
📚🔥 Bayside Read-A-Thon is BACK! 🔥📚
Bayside’s 2nd Annual Read-A-Thon runs February 23 – March 13, and we’re making it bigger and better than ever! With celebrity readers, a special author visit, weekly draws, and so many exciting surprises, we can’t wait to spark a love of reading in every student ❤️
The prizes are next-level—think Principal for a Day, Vice-Principal for a Day, pizza parties, gift cards, and more!
So grab those books, get comfy, and let’s make this our most exciting Read-A-Thon yet! 📖
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
Book Fair
Book Fair is coming up in March and we would LOVE your help…
Sign up here if you can help out! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4BACAA29A3FFC61-62299267-book
Snack Shack
This one’s for you Grade 5 parents! Snack Shack is starting in March too! Our Grade 5 students will be managing the snack shack during School hours and would love your help. Please sign up here! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4BACAA29A3FFC61-62311378-snack
COMING UP:
March 3: Techsperts after school, Orff at lunch
March 4: Basketball club at lunch
March 5: Every Child Matters club, Orff at lunch
March 8: Daylight Savings, turn your clocks forward 1 hour!
March 9: Iafolla Grade 4 Field Trip to the Confluence, Orff at lunch
March 10: Gartner Grade 4 Field Trip to the Confluence, Basketball at lunch, School Council & BSFA meeting, 6:00 PM
March 11: McNabb, grade 2 field trip to Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
March 12: Spring Concert (AM Kindergarten and Grade 1), Healthy Hunger (Opa), Orff at lunch, Fernandez and MacKenzie grade 2 field trip to Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
March 13: Spring Concert (PM K and Grades 1-3)
March 16: Morden, grade 4 field trip to the Confluence, Basketball Club at lunch
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day, van Runt & Mumford, grade 2 field trip to Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Techsperts after school, Orff Lunch rehearsal
March 19: Every Child Matters club, Orff Lunch Rehearsal,
March 19 & 20: Parent Teacher Conferences
March 21-29: Spring Break, No School
Have a terrific weekend😊
Darby and Vanessa