Summer 23: Celebrate, Elevate

Celebrate, Elevate

Sarah Olson, Bayless’s Teacher of the Year p. 4

Graduation Awards, Speeches and Cap Art p. 10-13

An update on our summer facilities work p. 15

Bayless is distributed to alumni, parents, friends and neighbors. Its mission is to maintain ties among the District, its alumni and all of our friends and neighbors.

Board of Education

Woody Babb, President

Shannon Kohler, Vice President

Jeff Preisack ’83, Member

Sarah Reece, Member

Amy Ruzicka

Michelle Padgett, Member

Laura Van Zale ’83, Member

Stephanie McCreary, Member

District Administration

Superintendent of Schools

(314) 256-8601

Michael Hawkins

Assistant Superintendent

(314) 373-0506

Dr. Chel’Lee Whitten

Chief Academic Officer

(314) 256-8658

Anna Barton

Director of Instructional Effectiveness

(314) 256-8601 ext. 8088

Preston Sterett

Director of Business & Finance

(314) 256-8687

Kim Arnold

Director of Human Resources

(314)-256-8605

VICC Transportation

(314) 721-8657

Early Childhood Center

314-256-8630

Christina Ly ’99, Principal

Amra Hadzic, Secretary

Stephen Terrill

Marketing and Communications Coordinator

(314) 256-8115

Kelly Stahlhuth

District Activities Director

(314)-256-8664

Barbara Shetley

District Registrar

(314) 256-8100

Kari Wolford ‘03

Transportation Supervisor (314) 256-8601

Fadil Hamidovic

Director of Technology

(314) 256-8611

Dr. Monika Hasanbasic, ELD Director

(314) 256-8600 ext. 2304

Bayless Schools

Dr. Andrew Mertens, Assistant Principal

Sanela Jugovic, Administrative Assistant

Cantrece Novak, Administrative Assistant

School Hours: 8:15 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.

Office Hours: 7:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Elementary

314-256-8620

Aaron Kohler, Principal

Dr. Amanda Middendorf, Assistant Principal

Amber Callahan, Assistant Principal

Mirsada Becarevic, Administrative Assistant

Kimberly Moreau, Administrative Assistant

Christine Kohl, Administrative Assistant

School Hours: 8:15 a.m. - 3:21 p.m.

Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Junior High

314-256-8690

Daniel Bieser, Principal

School Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 2:36 p.m.

Office Hours: 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

High School

314-256-8660

Eric Lawrence, Principal

Dr. Alyssa Stock, Assistant Principal

Alex Johnson, Assistant Principal/Athletic Director

Sandra Schacht, Administrative Assistant

Lauren Champion ’07, Administrative Assistant

Melissa Godat, Registrar

School Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 2:36 p.m.

Office Hours: 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Alumni Association

314-256-8660 x8617

Sally Wear ’58

Bayless is published multiple times a year to inform the public about what is occurring at the Bayless Schools - including student achievements, happenings in the classroom, involvement in the community and more. Please submit any questions, comments or letters to Stephen Terrill, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, 4950 Heege Road, St. Louis, MO, 63123, 314-256-8115 or at: sterrill@bayless.k12.mo.us

Bayless School District does not discriminate in its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, socioeconomic status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other characteristic protected by law. Inquiries related to District programs may be directed to Director of Human Resources and Title IX Coordinator Mrs. Kim Arnold at 314-256-8605, 4950 Heege Road, St. Louis, MO, 63123. The Bayless School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Sarah Olson: Teacher of the Year

BHS Senior Ikran Ali in the gym before the Class of 2023’s graduation ceremony began.

From the Superintendent

Amy Ruzicka baylessk12.org

Dear Bayless Community,

This issue of is dedicated to celebrating our many accomplishments from the 20222023 school year. Our students, staff, and community have worked tirelessly to ensure the district continues to thrive and provide the best possible education for our students.

Bayless has seen strong growth in student achievement, rapid expansion of after school activities, and continued improvements in our facilities through strong governance and resource stewardship. Our district was also recently named a National District of Character and a Top Workplace by St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

These accomplishments are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, staff, and community. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, and I am excited to see what we can accomplish in the coming year.

As we look ahead to the 2023-2024 school year, we are committed to elevating our goals and continuing to challenge ourselves to achieve even greater success. We will focus on providing more opportunities for our students to engage in rich learning experiences, improving the spaces students learn in (see the Building a Better Bayless page to see updates on flooring, windows and more), and strengthening our partnerships with local businesses and organizations.

As a distinguished Missouri Healthy School, we will also continue to prioritize the health, safety and wellbeing of our students and staff, ensuring our schools remain a safe and welcoming environment for all.

I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued support and dedication to our district. Together, we can achieve great things and provide the best possible educational experiences for all of our students.

In celebration,

Amelia A. Ruzicka Superintendent of Schools

As teachers, we have a positive impact on our students — we get to be mentors, leaders, and sometimes parent-figures.

Growing up, I watched my mother work as a teacher. She was my role model, and I recognized the importance of her work and the difference she made in the lives of her students. Those values are one of the reasons I chose to become a teacher, along with my desire to make a difference in my students’ lives and share my passion for learning.

One of the core parts of my work is taking students in, making them feel welcome and safe in my classroom, encouraging them to learn and make mistakes, and believing in them.

A former student, Nate Griffin (Class of 2022), told me, “I wasn’t always the best kid when I came into high school and didn’t even really think I would graduate, but Mrs. Olson always believed in me and was the first person that made me believe in myself.”

Part of instilling my love of learning is doing it myself. When I shared with my students that I joined the Mathematics Specialist Program at Bayless through the University of Central Missouri, many told me they were proud of me for returning to school to continue my education. My goal is to become a better math teacher and use the skills I am learning in my role as the 6-12 Math Curriculum Chair. As I learn and strengthen my teaching strategies, I bring these lessons back to my team to improve math education for all Bayless students.

One of my students and I’s biggest accomplishments was a year ago during state testing. Working together, we raised the Algebra I End of Course Advanced and Proficient Scores from 30% in 2021 to 62% in 2022,

which was 20% over the state average.

This year, I worked hard to rewrite my Algebra I curriculum to make it more rigorous and engaging for students, which I hope will produce even better scores next year. I also continued to give students plenty of opportunities to learn outside of normal school hours.

During my first year at Bayless (which was 11 years ago), I helped create an after-school tutoring program. I have helped this program grow into what is now called Level Up. This past year, I became the district Level Up Coordinator for the Junior High and High School. Through my and many other teachers’ passion for teaching, we offer more subjects than ever.

My students love attending Level Up. I originally started tutoring three days a week, but students quickly began asking for five days a week. Level Up is a quiet, safe place for students to get help on their assignments. Each day I would have anywhere from five to over 20 of my Algebra 1 students staying to get help on the concepts we were working on.

This year, during the last eight weeks leading up to the End of Course Exams, I did EOC Prep during Level Up where I created new lessons, activities, games, etc. to help students review the standards we covered all year. I had anywhere from five to 20 students each day.

I am very proud of my students for pushing themselves to be the best version of themselves. I can’t wait to see how my students did on their EOC this year, but I already can see the growth each student made this past year by all the hard work and dedication they put in every day.

As Amira, a 2015 graduate, told me, “You always put your students first and our success was your success.”

“My success is their success.”

Sarah Olson, BHS math teacher, BSD & St. Louis Regional Teacher of the Year

BSD is a National School District of Character

Recently, Bayless was named a National School District of Character. The designation comes from Character.org, which reviews schools’ and districts’ processes for teaching character education, ethical decision making and more. All three primary Bayless schools (Elementary, Junior High and High School) are State and National Schools of Character.

A St. Louis Post-Dispatch Top work place

Every year, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch sends anonymous surveys to employees of companies across the region to see which places have the best culture and work environment. Bayless is among those named in 2023. The Board of Education and district leadership are

Safe Sports, Safe Athletes

Sports are an important part of the educational experience, giving students the opportunity to learn teamwork, leadership, physical fitness and more.

While students are participating, Bayless ensures they are taught how to play safely and looked after by administrators. Bayless’ Athletic Trainer, Caleb Love, helped Bayless receive the Safe Sports School designation by the National Athletic Trainer’s Association this past school year.

committed to creating a Premier Workforce, and that work starts with having a place where staff feel supported in their professional goals and day-to-day duties. In turn, staff can help students become Smart, Good and Strong.

This designation helps show Bayless has the protocols in place to ensure Bronchos are playing sports in a safe, fun environment.

Bayless Early Childhood

Looking forward to their future

The Bayless ECC staff said farewell and good luck to the 41 students of the Class of 2023 who are headed to kindergarten. These students and over 200 staff, families, friends, and loved ones celebrated during “Sliding into Kindergarten” on May 23, 2023. Throughout this school year, the teachers and staff worked hard to prepare these children for the future ahead of them. As we envisioned a portrait of what these Itty Bitty Bronchos would be when they graduate high school, we have been striving to guide them through opportunities where they can be Problem Solvers, Critical and Creative Thinkers, Collaborative Communicators, and Global Citizens. Each additional phase of their educational journey will build upon the foundation we have helped lay through their preschool years. Enrollment for preschool is ongoing throughout the summer, and many half-day spots remain available. If you are interested in attending the Bayless ECC program, more information and a link to our enrollment waitlist can be found on our website at ecc.baylessk12.org.

Bayless Elementary

Running with your BROs Award-Winner

Fifth grade teacher Bob Cornell leads our Boys Running Organization (BRO’s) where 4th & 5th grade students learn about perseverance and character through running. Each student sets a goal of how many laps they want to complete at the final running event in May. Students practice after school for four weeks and also seek out monetary pledges to raise money for Care to Learn, a philanthropic organization that focuses on providing help to families with health, hunger and hygiene. In May, BROs was distinguished as a Character.org Promising Practice. Promising Practices are unique, effective, and replicable initiatives that inspire “goodness in action” and contribute to the field of character development. Each Promising Practice aligns with one or more of the principles articulated in Character.org’s 11 Principles Framework.

Bayless Elementary is one of 139 schools in the state that achieved the Missouri SW-PBS Recognition Award of Excellence for implementation of schoolwide positive behavior support (SWPBS) during the 20222023 school year.

Bayless Awards: The Best of Bayless

Christina Ernst, Staff Person of the Year

“Tina has been on our custodial staff for just over five years now. She started out as a part-time evening custodian, and is now a fulltime evening custodian. It’s not always an easy task, but Tina has strong attention to detail. She is not afraid to get dirty and is always willing to do whatever is asked. She is a key person for to go to in times of need. It’s no wonder to me that she was nominated, then won Staff Person of the Year! Go Tina!”

-Bob Reeves, Custodial Supervisor

“As a graduate of Bayless (Class of 2015), Sam Hoegemann is a Broncho through and through! She is a kind-hearted, dedicated, teacher who works tirelessly to meet her students’ needs. Sam’s drive to provide engaging, meaningful lessons and build supportive relationships with students is clear daily. As our Elementary Special Olympics Coach, Sam has ensured students have opportunities outside of Bayless as well. Sam has quickly become a vital member of our team, and we could not be happier to have her on the Bayless Special Education Team.”

-Maureen Neslon, Director of Special Education

“Kristen has always been a Broncho. She graduated from Bayless High School in 2002. She has worked as a substitute for the past 11 years, while also being the president of the Bayless Educational Support team (BEST) and a part of Cub Scout Pack 66 and Boy Scout Troop 66. Her commitment to Bayless helps all of us, and it’s great to see her win the Broncho Award.”

-Aaron Kohler, Bayless Elementary Principal

“As President of the Music Boosters, Laurie continually raises the bar for what we are able to accomplish and we are so thankful she is part of it. Her willingness to lend a hand and help out does not go unnoticed. From volunteering her time at meetings, competitions, concerts, trips, and fundraisers, Laurie is always smiling and happy to help.”

-Stephen Elford, Jeff Martini, and Tamara Simmons, Music Directors

Sam Hoegemann, Rising Star

Laurie Maus, Volunteer of the Year

Kristen Hargett, Broncho Award

A group of BHS Seniors highfive Bayless Elementary students during the Senior Walkthrough on May 17.

Congratulations to the Class of 2023!

Scholarships and Awards:

Class of 1976 Scholarship ....................................................................................

Thanh Lung

Eirich Brothers Scholarship ...................................................................... Suhaylla Nazary

Alma Goggin Medical Scholarship .......................................................

Mackenzie Martinez

Mary (Adkins) Halbrook Scholarship ................................................ Cole Schniedermeyer

Kerley Scholarship .............................................................................. Cole Schniedermeyer

Key Scholarship .................................................................................................. Shapool Adel

Lillian/James Newsom Memorial Scholarship ................................................. Thao Nguyen

Nicholas Rousseau Scholarship .............................................................................. Noe Oliva

Uthoff Scholarship ................................................................................... Amina Bajramovic

Anna Wear Scholarship ................................................................................

Mariyam Rahimi

Sally Wear Award/Scholarship ............................................................................. Razia Azizi

Frieda Wohlschlaeger Scholarship .......................................................... Almedina Hozdic

#ForeverBronchos

Class of 1960-1969 Scholarships

Elma Ademovic

Fatima Al-Abudy

Emina Badic

Selma Becarevic

Emir Bosnic

Sara Brooks

Ella Follen

Kyle Maus

Ajdin Muratovic

Suzan Mustafa

Farahnaz Nazary

Eldina Smajic

Marilyn (Massman)

Chryst Scholarship

Pierre Bilima

Jett Bono

Madison Grabian

Tyler Schuetz

Alumni Scholarships

Irmin Beganovic

Ahmed Bektic

Thanh Lung

Leo Schrader

Missouri Bright Flight

Ahmed Bektic

Jett Bono

Cole Schniedermeyer

Leo Schrader

VICC Excellence Award

Greg Martin

Power of 15

Emina Badic

Maria Petrovic

Almedina Hozdic

Kyle Maus

Power of 30

Ahmed Bektic

Sarah Hoock

Quin Winkles-Reinsch Associates Degree

Linh Nguyen

Leo Schrader

Harry S. Truman Award

Cole Schniedermeyer

MSHSAA

Sportsmanship Award

Greg Martin

Ella Follen

GRADUATION SPEAKER: LEO SCHRADER

Before I start, I would like to thank those who supported me throughout all of the years. To my family, to the educators here at Bayless, the coaches, administrators, and vending machines, thank you for serving the Class of 2023 through an incredibly socially and economically unstable four years. I would also like to apologize for not having Subway Surfers gameplay under the podium to hold everyone’s attention.

But regardless — to begin, I would like to ask you all a few questions: what do you remember? Will you remember your graduation? Will you remember me, or what about this speech? When you leave this place, how will that grade you regretfully received in one of your old classes affect you beyond this moment? At the end of the day, after I have stepped down from this podium, will you ever think about these words again?

I stand before you under the title of class rank one. When we all entered freshman year, even the thought of saying those words would motivate me to exceed my own expectations. But, it’s easy to think about the future — to idealize a life of your own based on what you imagine will leave you eternally happy. Year after year, you may grow closer to those dreams, you may fall away from them, you may develop new aspirations after realizing that, no, you can’t be Batman as a career. Ideas and values shift and mold newer wants and desires. And so, you chase them. You run a marathon to become closer to this ideal. Your feet hurt, your lungs tighten, your face turns red-hot, and you do it all because, well, you know in your heart that this dream will be your glass of water, your final break, your gold medal. But somewhere along the way, it becomes clear that these goals and aspirations aren’t just some isolated race. Sometimes, the ground becomes sticky, your shoes crumble, the audience kicks mud and throws rocks at you. Sometimes, you break your leg, or maybe those who supported you in your race aren’t on the sidelines anymore.

The moment you cross the finish line, do you even know how good it’s supposed to feel; how long this self-fulfillment will truly last? How many rocks can you withstand and still appreciate your achievement in its idealized entirety? After four years, 48 months, 1460 days of stepping one leg after the other to reach this goal of becoming “class rank one,” what do I truly have to feel for it? Twenty years from now, many of our aspirations may simply become an offhand comment at the dinner table; a single sentence that brings a fraction of the joy a younger version of you expected. So then, what is there to glean from all of this? If there is always this gut feeling of ‘I’m happy, but I could be happier;’ ‘I appreciate what I have done, but I could feel more joy;’ ‘if I had just worked harder, it would all feel more worth it,’ then what are we really fighting for? ‘I did what I set out to do, so why do I still feel this numbness?’ The most important thing to understand, and the only natural conclusion to this, is that maybe some everlasting joy isn’t really the end goal. When all is said and done, contentment in your actions will

long outlive any dopamine your brain can produce. Your life is not bound by labels, nor by expectation. You simply are. It’s only when you rid yourself of these labels you’ve been given since birth that you can truly be. When you begin to treat what’s around you — your present — with mindfulness, care, love, you can find it in your heart to love yourself as well. The marathon you ran, the bruisings and difficulty you endured, doesn’t go to waste. Take a breath. Seriously. Acknowledge your awareness of this moment. Acknowledge the ground at your feet, the sound hitting your ears, the breath slowly entering and escaping your lungs. You want freedom? Use the rocks thrown at you to shield others. Push those with weak legs to go beyond themselves. At the finish line, you will realize that the gold medal was simply a by-product of seeking what truly mattered. It’s easy to think of the future — to plan for certainty in the uncertainty. Although you may not remember me, take these words interpolated from Marcus Aurelius to heart: “even if you live three hundred years, or even thirty thousand, remember that no person loses any other life than the one they live now. In turn, the person who lives the longest and the person who leaves the soonest lose just the same, as it is only the present, the now, of which you can truly be deprived.”

We have all trudged through the awkwardness of a freshman, the uncertainty of a sophomore, the difficulty of junior year, and the finality of senior year. And here we are, at the end of the road looking into a near-but-distant future. As you continue forward, understand where your values lie. Sit with yourself, and acknowledge what you feel, what you need, what you desire. And then, when you love your life not out of idealized happiness but instead out of tranquillity and contentment, act. Continue your march of growth and continue to learn and be mindful of the world around you. Live in your presence, and fight for your life, because you deserve it.

With this in mind, understand that you will fall asleep tonight, and you will wake up tomorrow. Our graduation is not so much a final reward for four years of achievement and strain, but rather an open gateway into the next stages of our personal and social growth. The world continues to spin, the sun rises and sets, the moon repeats its phases; so, whether it is a year from now, or a week, or a day, or even tonight, it is always the perfect time to do something great. So please, try not to keep the future you, waiting. And in case I don’t see you: good afternoon, good evening, and good night. Congratulations everyone.

GRADUATION SPEAKER: AMINA BAJRAMOVIC

Dear fellow graduates, teachers, guests, and families, as I stand here in front of you all tonight, surrounded by the people I have spent 13 years of my life with, I feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. We have worked hard for the past four years, and we have finally reached this significant milestone — our high school graduation.

These moments are not just for and about us however. It is about the people who have supported and helped us along the way — our teachers, families, and friends. Without their unwavering support, none of us would be here today. I would like to take a moment and thank each and every one of them for their endless support, love, guidance, and encouragement. Thank you for putting up with us and believing in us when we would not.

As we stand here on the brink of a new chapter in our lives, I want to share with you some thoughts I have had throughout the last couple of weeks of my grade school career. We grew up.

That is all we have ever been waiting for. We grew up laughing alongside each other and sharing inside jokes within the school’s four brick walls since 2010. We craved to be taller, older, smarter, stronger; old enough to get our licenses and drive on our own with our closest friends while singing along to the same couple of songs. The cupcakes and Sky Zone invitations we would pass out to our classmates soon turned into texts saying “come pick me up” and inviting them to parties. We have always wanted to grow up.

We went through each grade impatiently waiting for each class’s bell to ring at the end of each hour and singing “Schools Out for Summer” at the end of every school year. The Junie B. Jones and Harry Potter books soon transitioned into The Great Gatsby and The Odyssey. Now, we are here starting a new page of our second chapter and wrapping up the first.

We grew up going to sleep at 2 a.m. after studying for the big biology exam we had the next day. We went through hundreds of note cards and loose leaf sheets of papers covered in vocabulary words and definitions hoping that they would somehow be engraved in our brains for the next school day. We grew up with blowing eraser shreds off our desks and stressing out after filling in the “A” bubble on a scantron five times in a row.

We grew up learning information and gaining intelligence from the teachers we have had for 13 years. They wanted us to be our best selves. We watched our favorite teachers retire, complaining and saying “Already?” Not realizing that they were also getting older and not just us. I’ll never forget my two band directors, Mr. Martini and Mr. Elford, who amusingly taught us not only how to play instruments, but gave me advice that I will hold on to for the rest of my life.

We grew up with everything at our fingertips. We had the power to change everything in the world as we touched it. From chromebooks warning you that you only have five minutes left of battery, to writing in math answers on the teachers boards, we had technology alongside us. We have seen numerous changes in fashion and social media, not realizing that we were changing right alongside it.

We grew up complaining about tests that would influence

our future careers. From taking the MAP test in elementary and middle school, to the ACT and EOCs in high school, we complained about the things that would have the biggest impact on us.

As the senioritis started to kick in, we slowly started realizing how fast we have grown up. We crammed in late work and assignments, emailing teachers to extend deadlines in hopes of ending the class with a good grade. Somehow 13 years have already flown by. Years of waiting for a paper and handshake turned into months, and those months slowly turned into days and then hours. Those hours have now come to an end, but the growing up we did was beautiful.

We grew up dreaming and waiting for this day and the start of our new adventure. The jokes about not being able to wait for graduation faded as we started getting closer and reality started to hit us. We got accepted into colleges and applied for scholarships hoping to make our parents and guardians proud. This moment is the first step we take into our varying passages.

We grew up overcoming difficulties, adjusting to them through trial and error. There have been all sorts of ups and downs, from experiencing and battling through COVID-19 and personal troubles, everyone has had their fair share of difficulties. (I am still sorry for getting most of the grade quarantined by the way) but we still made it to this special day and I am proud of each and every one of us.

We grew up making memories together that we will hold on for a lifetime. We laughed together until way past our childhood bedtimes, cheered along the student sections at every game, and played our very best at all competitions and games. We came together at Mock Olympics, cheering on freshmen as they dominated some events and scolding the juniors as they slowly started catching up to us. We made friendships with people we never thought we would and got close with teachers that all the upperclassmen always complained about.

Even though it is all we ever wanted to do, we grew up through tears and sweat, dreams and disappointments, successes and failures, laughter and unhappiness, we are thankful for every moment we went through to bring us here.

I leave you here with a quote from Andy Bernard in The Office, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the ‘good old days,’ before you’ve actually left them.”

Congratulations Bayless High School class of 2023. We finally grew up.

Decorating

graduation caps has become a new tradition for seniors across the country. Here are some of the best ones from the Class of 2023.

GRADUATION SPEAKER: FARAHNAZ NAZARY

Good evening. I would first like to welcome all of the parents, friends and family of the Class of 2023. I would like to say special thanks and welcome to the Board of Education, high school administration, faculty, alumni and distinguished guests. I would like to thank all my wonderful teachers who inspired me to believe in myself and be good, smart and strong. My beloved family, especially my mother, for joining us on this special night. Thank you for your unconditional love and unwavering support, countless sacrifices that have opened many doors for me to grow and succeed, and for all the little things you’ve taught me along the way. Now to my fellow graduates. Congratulations my friends, we made it! This is a proud night for all of us.

Tonight I have the honor of addressing all of you about how the Bayless School District shows us how to be good through their teachers, staff, administrators, and students, especially the class of 2023. To share my personal story, I immigrated to the United States two years ago after my country, Afghanistan, collapsed in the hands of the Taliban. Panic was everywhere. We were no longer safe, we no longer had the right to study and work. We lost all our valuables. My family and I left Afghanistan to be safe, to have access to education and to have a better life.

When my sister and I came to Bayless, we were nervous, scared, and curious because everything was a new experience for us. At that time, I didn’t even know a single word in English. However, at Bayless I have had many kind teachers. They all helped

me and inspired me to be a dreamer, a hard worker, helpful, respectful, and confident. They all helped me to determine a specific path through learning and education to reach my goals. In just one year, I became capable of learning, writing, and reading in English. I have realized it doesn’t matter what your background is as long as you put in hard work and dedication. The gates to the American Dream open wide for you at Bayless. During this short time, and with the cooperation of my teachers Mrs. Maloney and Mrs. Hoggatt, I was able to not only learn English, but write this speech and present it to you as the best version of myself.

These are some of my accomplishments, but as a class our accomplishments are far more impressive and wide-ranging. We, the Class of 2023, have shown just how good we are and how good we can make the future. Now we prepare to leave here tonight and begin the next phase of our journey. I wish each and every one of you all the success and happiness in the world. Wherever we go, we will never forget where we came from, and no matter how distant we are, we can always call Bayless home. Thank you.

BUILDING A BETTER BAYLESS: Elevating the student &

Community experience

Over the past two years, the Bayless campus has been transformed with the new Junior High School addition. While that is the most obvious of the changes, many other upgrades and improvements are occurring district-wide. This summer, Bayless High School is receiving new flooring throughout common areas like hallways and cafeteria spaces. The focus of this project is the removal of the original flooring from the late 1950s and 1960s.

In addition to flooring, several new spaces are being created to meet the needs of our students and families. Renovations to old restrooms continue in the original Junior High building. Bayless is on target to complete a new functional classroom for students learning life and functional living skills needed to be successful adults. A newcomer center will be opened on campus to assist in welcoming and transitioning new students to our schools. The High School library will also receive a long-overdue renovation. Finally, new flooring and instrument cabinetry will welcome our High School band students back to school.

Repairing a wastewater line in the lower level of the High School.

Two very noticeable exterior improvements on campus will be new pavement and a new turf for Bayless Field. With the tremendous amount of construction at the High School and Junior High over the past two years, the pavement has taken a beating. The new surface will be a welcome improvement for our staff, students and visitors to campus. We are also replacing the turf on Bayless Field nearly a decade of service on the original turf.

These improvements are made possible by the tremendous support of our community, and in some cases, excellent insurance coverage offered to public schools. Bayless High School has suffered three separate flooding losses since August of 2022. Just as many Bayless residents experienced, the worst flooding was on Mother’s Day, May 14, 2023. Our High School cafeteria, gymnasium and several

rooms were flooded and required remediation. Much of the flooring requires replacement as a result of the flood. During that event, the force and quantity of water that flooded Bayless Field damaged the rock base of the field and created unevenness on the surface. Our insurance provider is funding repair of the flood damaged areas, including Bayless Field.

July: Bayless Field after removal of the old turf. Crews will laser grade the surface and replace the turf.

May 14: Bayless Field during the flood. The flood waters stretched the turf seams and shifted the rock base of the field.

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Where’s Joe Broncho?

Joe was hiding on two pages in the last issue of . In that issue, Joe was hiding out on page 10 in the BHS Band photo, and on page 18 in the bottom left photo. Can you find Joe the ONE time he appears in this issue?