February 2024

March 16th

Egg Hunt on the Bluff!

Alumni children and grandchildren are invited to have their faces painted, hold some real bunnies, have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny, and scramble for eggs on Bayside's Bluff beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Bring your own basket to hold your finds as the hunt begins at 10:00!

May 5th

Something New!

Join us for the inaugural Bayside Alumni Pickleball Tournament! Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 5, and watch your email for registration details.

March 14th-17th

Peter Pan, Jr.

The show features the largest cast to date for a Middle School production. It's a guaranteed delight for all ages.

March 23rd

The Bay Affair

We hope you will make plans to join us for a fun, disco-themed evening at "Studio 24."

What's Happening on Campus?

Final Approval is In!

Final approval of the site plan for Bayside's new middle school has been granted by the City of Daphne. The building is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2025. Alumni Association President Jay Broughton '08 is the engineer of record.

Wrestling

"The Bayside wrestling team totaled an individual match record of 272-191. We competed in 27 Team Duals scoring 64.2% of all team points and outscoring 23 of the 27 teams in matches wrestled resulting in a win 85% of the time. We also had two state qualifiers (Ben Swindle and Noah Breeland) with one 4^th place finish (Noah Breeland) at the AHSAA State Championships." -- Coach Caleb Hall

Boys Basketball

"As I reflect on the growth of our boys basketball program, I am filled with gratitude for the way our young men have embraced a relentless pursuit of excellence. While we are greatly encouraged by the successes these student-athletes have garnered on the basketball court, I have been blessed beyond measure to witness the ways in which our boys lead our Bayside community, strive for greatness in the classroom, and serve one another as teammates and brothers. It is an honor to lead these young men of character, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Admiral Basketball. 

With an overall record of 17-9, this group secured the first true winning-season for Bayside boys basketball since the 2015-16 campaign; achieved the third highest win-percentage in all of Baldwin County (.654); secured a playoff berth for the first time since 2018 and were ranked as high as fifth in the Class 4A Alabama Association of Basketball Coaches poll. 

All credit goes to a remarkable group of seniors: Thomas Hearin, Torin Malone, Finn Nebrig, Wills Norton, Noel Turner, and Graham Uter. I am eternally grateful for the sacrifices of these senior families, the coachability of these young men, and their pursuit of a higher STANDARD." --Coach Jonathan Vines

Girls Basketball

"The Bayside girls basketball team has created a spark on campus that is sure to ignite in the following seasons. This group of girls embarked on a new adventure of a first year head coach and increased their win total by 200%. A huge part of our success this year is credited to the younger players competing in practice with our older players. With a large number of younger players, our seniors (Blakeley Robbins, Mia Bindon, and Georgia McInnis) and juniors (Misty Kate Smith, Presley Putnam, Abby McDonald, Molly Hagan) did an amazing job of showing patience and kindness towards our middle school players. Freshman Eliana Blossom had a breakout season and her ceiling to continue to develop is high. Our three seniors laid a foundation in our program that will continue to blossom for years to come. 

We defeated two teams that advanced to sub-regional play (Cottage Hill & Orange Beach.); defeated a Final Four team at home (Cottage Hill); and went from 2 wins a year ago to 6 wins this year. 

It has been an amazing experience in my first year as head coach of our girls program. The girls have started a culture that other girls want to be a part of and our community can take pride in. The future for our "SHOOPERS" (She-Hoopers) is bright, and I am eager to get into chapter two." --Coach Sam Miller

Indoor Track and Field

"Our Indoor Track & Field program concluded our season at the AHSAA 6A State Meet on Friday, February 2.  Competing at the 6A classification for the second consecutive year because of the AHSAA’s competitive balance factor towards private schools only, our young women pulled off our highest finish yet at this level, placing seventh against schools that are four times our size. Junior Madeline Dudley led the way as our top individual, scoring 15 points by placing second in long jump and tying for second in high jump. Our women’s 4x800 meter relay placed second as well – relay members included juniors Annie Midyett, Catherine Doyle, Grace Dawson, and 7th grader Avery Therrell. Our women’s 4x400 meter relay placed 8th with relay members Annie Midyett, junior Kate Huey, 8th grader Stella Parks, and Avery Therrell. Annie Midyett placed 8th in the 1600 meter run.

Our young men's team is small this year and did not qualify any individuals for the AHSAA 6A State meet." -- Coach Joe Swagart

YDL

"Our Youth Development League (YDL) program continues to boom and grow each year. We added a second semester for our golf program. We added another field at our 64 Sports Complex to host YDL soccer and football events. On average, close to 85% of students per grade participated in athletics through our YDL programming. 

Our participation numbers for athletes are below:

• Football - 1st-6th grade: 100
• Cheerleading - 1st-6th grade: 93 
• Volleyball - 3rd-6th grade: 46
• Cross Country - 1st-6th grade: 57
• Wrestling - 1st-6th grade: 15
• Basketball - 3rd -6th grade: 103
• Soccer - 3rd-6th grade: 92
• Track & Field - 1st-6th grade: 60
• Golf - 3rd-6th grade: 38

Our programming would not be possible without the help of parent and staff volunteer coaches. We have close to 30 volunteer coaches that help our athletes each year. The Bayside community is grateful to have such willing role models to help shape our student athletes on and off the playing surface." -- Youth Sports Director Sam Miller

Chess

"This year, we started the season with an exhibition match against the University of Mobile and defeated them by a perfect score of 4-0.

Then the local Mobile-Baldwin County League began play from September-January. Bayside's varsity posted a record of 6-0-1, defeating UMS-Wright in dramatic final round showdown at Bayside to claim the league title for the 3rd straight year and 16 out of the last 20. Co-Senior Captain Rhett Montgomery won his third Paul Morphy Award as the league MVP, playing first board. Michael Klimjack, his fellow Co-Senior Captain, has set the record for most wins in the history of Bayside chess with over 90. 

Not to be outdone, the middle school team finished the regular season with a perfect 7-0-0 record and won the league title in their division. In those matches, they played a combined 27 games and had an overall undefeated record of 25-0-2. Don Chen was named to the All-Star team.

The JV team also went undefeated on the season, with a record of 5-0-2, but had to settle for second place in their division.

In December, the team traveled to Orlando for Grade Nationals. This is a tournament where you only play opponents in your grade, regardless of rating. Bayside fielded a teams in 12th, 10th, 8th, and 7th grades and a couple of players were matched against chess masters in the first round! As usual, Bayside students beat players from multiple states, to include Texas, Florida, Arkansas, North Carolina, Ohio, and New York, and netted rating points for the tournament.

Up next is the state tournament on March 23 in Pike Road, Alabama where Bayside will be competing in the high school U1300 and middle school U1100 divisions." -- Coach Eric Nager

Alumni Celebrate Mardi Gras Bayside Style

Thanks to Jenna Hill Rachal '07 for partnering with us to let this fun event happen!

For more news from around campus, CLICK HERE!

Way to Go, Admirals Log Staff!

The 2023 Edition of the Admirals Log has been awarded a First Class Honor Rating with a Mark of Distinction for Design from the National Scholastic Press Association

 Yearbook sponsor Gene Montgomery credits the "small but industrious staff with the honor" and goes on to praise the staff for their high level of creativity, professionalism and attention to detail. Co-editors were Amelia Cunningham and Taylor Goodrich '23. Other members of the class of 2023 were Josie Head, Sadie Postle, Sarah Higginbotham, Sam Beall and Beverly Milteer.

In Memoriam

Our sympathy to Faculty Emeritus Marie O'Connor on the loss of her son, Danny Gonzalez. Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.

Pictures, Please!

We are hard at work on Bayside's Off the Bluff magazine, and one of the best sections is the photo collection of alumni weddings and babies.

If you got married in 2022 or 2023, we ask that you send us your favorite wedding picture. Please include your spouse's name and the date and location of your wedding.

If you added to your family during '22 or '23, please send your favorite picture of your new addition and include the baby's name and date of birth and, if applicable, any siblings.

Pictures should be submitted to Alumni Director Mary Dumas at mdumas@baysideacademy.org

Michael Sirmon '08

Fairhope, Alabama



After graduating from Bayside, I went on to pursue a career in the construction industry. Currently, I am happily working as a project manager for Thomas Construction here in Fairhope. It is a challenging yet rewarding job, and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the creation of various structures in our community.

Alongside my professional journey, I am blessed to have a loving family. I have a beautiful wife named Sarah, who has been my biggest supporter throughout my career. Together, we have been blessed with a little bundle of joy, our daughter Lilly Grace. Being a father has brought an abundance of happiness and purpose into my life, and I am grateful for every moment spent with my family.

Looking back on my time at Bayside, there is one particular person who left a lasting impact on me: Coach Leffard. While he was tough on the field, pushing us to give our best, he also played a significant role in bringing our team together. His dedication, passion, and guidance not only improved our skills but taught us valuable life lessons such as discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. I am truly grateful for his guidance and the special bond our team formed under his leadership.

One valuable lesson I learned during my time at Bayside is that success is not solely dependent on individual talent but also on collaboration and support from others. The synergy created by a united team can truly lead to extraordinary achievements. This lesson has stuck with me throughout my professional life, reminding me of the importance of teamwork in achieving our goals. In reflecting on my journey from Bayside to where I am now, I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today. Bayside will always hold a special place in my heart, and I cherish the memories and relationships forged during my time there!

Lexi Wendt '10

Charleston, South Carolina

At the start of the year, I moved to Charleston, South Carolina after six years in NYC (and a few in Atlanta). As much as I loved New York, it was time to move back south to the warm weather and beaches. I am loving the ability to drive a car to the grocery store again! It's the little things, right? 

Since graduating the University of Alabama, I've been working in consumer insights - most recently, with a strong focus on the alcohol industry. When I'm not at my desk, you can find me travelling, on the water (obviously), running, drinking/learning about wine, and spending as much time with my 3-year-old dachshund, Sugar, as possible. Currently, I'm most excited about a long trip to Germany and the Netherlands this summer... and yes, I will be seeing Taylor Swift while I'm there. 

I frequently talk about how much I value the friends I have from Bayside. We've remained incredibly close, even after 14 years. When we come together from our various cities, it's like no time has passed - which might lead us to some trouble every now and then. Libby Nelson's husband, David Kelly, recently told me our 'high school friends have a really special bond that you don't see often'.. I could not agree more and I am forever grateful!