Bel Ayr Elementary School

Dear families,

As the school year comes to a close, I would like to sincerely thank all of our families for the support, encouragement, and kindness you have shown our staff throughout the year. We are grateful for the strong partnership we share and for the value you place on education in your homes. Your support, involvement, and positive communication have helped create a wonderful learning environment for our students and a supportive community for our staff.

Sincerely,

Shawn Marsh

Principal

JUNE - PRIDE Month and National Indigenous Heritage Month

3: Mount Edward Gr 6s Visit Bel Ayr Grade 6s

5: 4/5 Francis and 5 Roberts Trip to Shubie Park

6: Spring Fair (Saturday) - 11AM-1PM

9: Field Day

10: Grade 8s Coming to Talk to our Grade 6s

11: Field Day (Rain Date)

12: Wear Team Canada Colours to Support our FIFA World Cup Team!

17: 2/3 and 1/2 Trip to the Cole Harbour Heritage Farm

17: Grade 6 Orientation at Eric Graves Junior High

18: Grade 6 Trip to the Emera Oval

19: Wear Rainbow Colours in Support of PRIDE Month

21: National Indigenous Peoples Day - Wear Orange

22: Wear Orange

23: Halifax Library Visits - Summer Reading Program Presentations

24: Grade 6 Closing - 1:30 p.m.

25: 3/4 Allan Trip to the Museum of Natural History

29: Assessment & Evaluation Day - no classes all schools

30: Last day of school - Reports cards emailed to families after 10 a.m. (Early Dismissal info to come later)

We are anticipating reopening in September with eight Primary–Grade 6 homerooms and one Pre-Primary classroom. The expected school configuration for the 2026–27 school year is outlined below; however, this may change if there are significant enrollment fluctuations between now and September.

Please note that we are no longer able to accommodate requests for placement in straight-grade versus combined-grade classes, as only two straight-grade classes are planned for next year. Prior to September, teams of teachers will carefully consider a variety of academic, social, and developmental factors when creating class lists to ensure placements best support the needs of all students.

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June is a meaningful month across Canada as we recognize both Pride Month and National Indigenous Heritage Month. Pride Month celebrates the diversity, resilience, and contributions of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and communities while reinforcing the importance of creating spaces where everyone feels safe, respected, and valued. National Indigenous History Month provides an opportunity to learn about and honour the histories, cultures, languages, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. Throughout the month, our school community will continue to foster understanding, respect, and belonging as we celebrate the rich diversity that strengthens our school.

All are welcome to attend our Spring Fair this Saturday, June 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please note that while volunteers will be running various stations, there will be no staff supervision on site. Students must be accompanied by a responsible family member from home at all times.

We are still seeking a few additional volunteers. If you are interested, please contact Ms. MacLeod in the main office to ensure your volunteer checks are complete and up to date.

We also have opportunities for family members without completed volunteer checks to assist our Home and School Committee with set-up between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. and with clean-up following the event at 1:00 p.m. Thank you to all SAC memebrs for their continued service and support to Bel Ayr.

Bel Ayr Field Day will be held on Tuesday, June 9. Activities will be held throughout the day, both indoors and out and all students will participate. Students will follow their regular lunch procedure.

All students should come to school wearing sunscreen and should bring extra to re-apply at lunch time (non-aerosol please). Recommended dress for the day should include sneakers (no sandals, boots or Crocs), shorts or loose pants (no skirts or dresses), a t-shirt and sweatshirt or light jacket. This is a very active day, so proper dress is important for safety and comfort.

Students should bring a healthy recess snack and drink. Any reusable containers should be labelled. A water bottle the student can carry with them for the day is also recommended (please label with the student’s name)

In the event of rain, field day will be postponed until Thursday June 11.

Parents and guardians of grade 6 students are invited to Bel Ayr on Wednesday, June 24th at 1:30PM. Doors will open at 1::20 PM for seating. This is a special event to honour our grade 6s who are moving on to Eric Graves Junior High in the fall. We will miss you!

Bel Ayr would like to extend sincere appreciation to Nakita Strowbridge-Ford for her vision, thoughtful guidance, and ongoing support of our school. Her three-year term on our committee will conclude at the end of June, and we are grateful for her many contributions during this time.

We also congratulate Lordwin Kumar on his recent appointment as School Advisory Council Chair. In addition, we are pleased to welcome new Parent/Guardian member Rachel Merrick to our SAC.

The Bel Ayr staff would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Home and School Committee for their outstanding support throughout the year. Under the leadership of President S. Ryan, the committee raised more than $2,000 for school supplies and continues to support our school through fundraising initiatives, including this weekend’s Spring Fair, which will help provide classroom start-up funds for September.

Throughout the year, the committee organized and supported many successful events, including the Halloween Dance, Holiday Shopping Day, Family Bingo, school clothing sales, and the Spring Fair. We also thank the many volunteers who generously contributed their time to support these events, as well as classroom activities and field trips. Your efforts help make Bel Ayr a stronger school community.

If you are interested in becoming a Home and School member or regular volunteer we can support you with the completion of two volunteer checks. Volunteers who work directly with student must have a Criminal Records check and NS Child Abuse Registry Check completed and submitted to Ms. MacLeod. We currently have a list of 32 active volunteers on file and would like to grow our capacity. Please contact the main office so you can learn more about volunteering at Bel Ayr. Thank you!

This fall, we will host our Curriculum Night on Wednesday, September 2, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. This event will provide families and students with an opportunity to meet their new teachers the evening before the first day of school.

Our hope is that this early connection will help ease any first-day anxieties and allow everyone to begin the school year feeling informed, prepared, and welcomed before we get underway the following day.

On behalf of the entire Bel Ayr school community, we would like to extend our warmest congratulations and best wishes to Ms. McKenna on her retirement.

We have been incredibly fortunate to have Ms. McKenna as part of our school family. Throughout her service in the HRCE, her passion for teaching, genuine love for children, and unwavering commitment to student well-being have positively impacted countless lives. She has inspired students to develop healthy, active lifestyles while fostering confidence, teamwork, and a sense of belonging.

It feels especially fitting that Ms. McKenna has chosen to conclude her career at Bel Ayr, where she also served as our Physical Education teacher in the past before moving away briefly to share her knowledge and expertise in other schools. Having her return to our school community has been a gift, and we are grateful for this!

We thank Ms. McKenna for her years of dedicated service and wish her a retirement filled with happiness, good health, new adventures, and many opportunities to enjoy time with family and friends.

Thanks to your generous support of our fundraising initiatives, donations, provincial grants (SAC and Student Support), and the many hours contributed by our dedicated volunteers, we were able to purchase a substantial portion of next year's school supplies.

Upper and lower elementary supply lists will be posted on our website before the last day of school and will include any remaining items families are asked to provide. These lists will primarily consist of personal items such as message bags and indoor sneakers, as well as a small number of additional supplies that could not be covered through our fundraising efforts and available funding.

Information about student transportation for the 2026-27 school year will be available to view online through the BusPlanner Parent Portal later in July.

Families eligible for transportation will receive an email to access the Parent Portal to view their child’s bus information once it is available.

Once you receive the email, you must follow the instructions to activate your new Parent Portal account and create a password. Using previous Parent Portal login information will not work.

If you can't find the email, please contact transportation@hrce.ca or 902-431-4723 for assistance.

Over the summer, the HRCE Student Transportation team will also reach out to new HRCE families and those families who may require special needs transportation for their children with more information about busing.

Reminder: The Student Transportation team is available to assist you and answer questions about busing all summer at transportation@hrce.ca or 902-431-4723. When contacting the team, please ensure you have your child’s name, grade, school name and student ID number ready. Your child’s student ID number can be found in PowerSchool or on the top of your child’s report card.

in our catchment area.

Listen to Lead, HRCE's annual consultation, is more than just a survey. It is an ongoing commitment to partnership, continuous improvement, and ensuring our schools reflect the voices and experiences of the communities they serve.

Please take the opportunity to share your thoughts, feedback and vision for HRCE anonymously through ThoughtExchange: Participate here

The consultation will be open until June 4.

Once again this year, students across the province will receive a $10 Nova Scotia Loyal voucher to use at participating farmers’ markets. The program encourages young people and families to explore local markets, support Nova Scotian growers and producers, and learn more about where their food comes from. From fresh produce and baked goods to locally made products, the initiative helps connect students with their communities while supporting small businesses and strengthening the local economy. Families are encouraged to visit participating markets over the summer months and discover all that Nova Scotia has to offer through the Nova Scotia Loyal program. Watch for these vouchers coming home soon!

A special thank you goes to our School Advisory Council (SAC) members and our STEM team for their dedication and hard work in bringing this project to life. Their vision, commitment, and collaboration have helped create meaningful learning opportunities for our students.

We are currently using the remaining grant funds to purchase materials and supplies that will support STEM challenges and learning experiences throughout the coming school year. As SAC Innovation Grant funding has now been discontinued across the province, we are especially grateful to have received this support over the past two years. These grants have had a lasting impact on the learning opportunities available to our students.

Our school will post items for purchase and assign school fees relevant to your child. You can make all purchases and payments from your phone, tablet or computer.

We would like families to register as soon as possible.

To get started, please register for SchoolCash Online. It’s free and takes less than two minutes. You will receive an email once items are posted for purchase.

Visit https://hrce.schoolcashonline.com/ and click Register to get started.

Need support? Connect with the SchoolCash Online help desk at schoolcashonline.com/Home/Support

We hope that SchoolCash Online makes paying school-related fees more convenient!

Paper Newsletters - If you wish to receive paper copies of our newsletter, please contact Ms. MacLeod in the main office (902-435-8353)

School Insurance Program (SIP) - Your child is automatically covered for accidents and injuries that happen during the school day. If you want to have 24/7 coverage including the summer months it only costs $14.00/year for a gold plan.

Email: bla@hrce.ca
Website: bla.hrce.ca
Location: 4 Bell Street, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
Phone: 902-435-8353
X(Twitter): @belayrschool