Baycrest Public School is a small, dynamic community school with dedicated staff, great students, and supportive parents. As a Model School in Learning Centre 1, Learning Network 1, we are fully committed to providing each child with a rich and varied program, focused upon innovative curriculum initiatives and founded upon the principles of equity, with a focus on high student achievement, heightened student well-being, delivered in a safe and welcoming learning environment. Children and Youth initiatives in integrating music, drama, and the visual arts throughout the curriculum.
Be Your Best at Baycrest
"Be Your Best at Baycrest" is a student recognition award, created by former Baycrest students. Children chosen for this monthly award will receive a RAP certificate. Look for the children's pictures on our recognition bulletin board just outside the main office.
R - Respect everyone in your environment including yourself.
A - Always try your best at any task.
P - Play, learn, and share co-operatively
More Information About Baycrest Public School
Character Matters
Character Education certificates are distributed each month to one Primary Division student and one Junior Division student. Each month addresses one attribute from the following list: Respect, Responsibility, Empathy, Kindness and Caring, Teamwork, Fairness, Honesty, Co-operation, Integrity, and Perseverance.
Reading and Writing
Baycrest will refine literacy programs in all our classrooms. These include Read-Alouds to Guided/Independent Reading, Write-Alouds to Independent Writing via Graphic Organizers and the First Steps-Writing approach to sequence ideas. Students will use portfolios and are encouraged to plan, peer-edit and self-evaluate of written work.
Mathematics
In response to our students' assessment results in numeracy, as well as to parent observations, our teachers have planned, with the FOS Math Coach, to improve our students' mathematics performance. We focus on such strategies as the Three-Part Lesson, Co-Teaching, Descriptive Feedback, and the continued use of Math word walls and math manipulatives.
Science and Technology
Computers and Smartboards are used as tools for improving student achievement, especially in literacy and numeracy as applied to Science and Technology.
Equity
In our culturally diverse community, we appreciate the importance of addressing equity. This year, the Equity Team will be implementing a Culturally Responsive and Reflective Pedagogy in our school, as evidenced in text resources and teacher assignments. A multicultural Parent Engagement Evening has been planned with the assistance of the MSIC and School Council.
Additional Features
● Tutors In The Classroom Program
● Remembrance Day Ceremony
● Partnership with Adventure Place
● Improve Literacy Program
● Twinning with John Wanless PS
● Welcome To Kindergarten Orientation
Student Life - Where You Belong
As a Model Cluster D5 School, Baycrest Public School offers an increasing variety of co-curricular activities from its arts programs (Learning Through The Arts as well as Arts For Children and Youth), co-educational athletic teams (flag rugby, basketball, and soccer), clubs (St. Alban's Boys and Girls Club, and Storytelling) to leadership opportunities (Ambassadors, PALs, and the Peer Mediation Program). All these programs and initiatives are available to all our students. There is something for everyone at Baycrest - home of the "Baycrest Bobcats"! Students at Baycrest Public School will be instructed using the Ontario Curriculum and are offered extra assistance via after school tutoring with Frontier College personnel to further their understanding of key concepts. Baycrest students are encouraged to practise consistently their reading fluency and comprehension. "Reading Angels-Volunteers" devote their time and talents to read with our students one-on-one. We encourage parents, via the Borrow-A-Book Program, to read at home with their child (ren). Students will be regularly assessed as, for, and of their reading skills and are grouped in Guided Reading activities.
What Sets Us Apart
Baycrest Public School and its reflective staff remain focused on improving literacy and numeracy results for all of our students. We are implementing the Ontario Curriculum Policy documents and utilizing Professional Learning Communities to enhance collaboratively our achievement levels in literacy and numeracy. We will continue the Ontario Focused Intervention Partnership to improve EQAO Grade 3 results. Furthermore, we will concentrate on student evidence as we disaggregate DRA, CASI, and EQAO results and plan reading and numeracy initiatives with the Literacy Coach, MSIC Teaching Learning Coach, the FOS Math Coach, and our Student Achievement Officer. Descriptive Feedback best practices will be honed. The Schools on the Move Program partnership will continue in ensuring a balance of nutrition and daily physical activity opportunities for students and parents (e.g., Snack Program). As well, Baycrest P.S. will continue to provide a wide variety of extracurricular activities, after-school programs, and curriculum-related excursions to consolidate learning.
Parent and Community Engagement
Parent volunteers support Baycrest Public School in a number of ways: as classroom assistants, as "Reading Angels, in the Snack Program, during Hot Dog / Pizza Lunches, on excursions, during Parent Engagement Evenings and in special school events. Parents are important partners in supporting student and parent learning (e.g., Homework, Parent/ Teacher Conferences, Model Cluster School initiatives, "Morning Meet and Greet" sessions, as well as Parent Afternoon / Evening Workshops.
The Baycrest School Council continues to work diligently to support both students and their parents in planning a variety of events (Holiday Sing Along, Bake Sales, Fundraising initiatives, Community Nights/Multicultural Evenings) throughout the year. Often, social and health community services are incorporated during Parent Engagement Nights to provide current information of these invaluable services.
