January 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.

February 7th

National Signing Day

Seniors Blakeley Robbins and Graham Uter are continuing their athletic careers at the next level. Blakeley will sign to play volleyball at the University of Montevallo, and Graham will be playing football at Southern Methodist University.

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." More details to come.

What's Happening on Campus? A Lot!

The Athletic Complex at 64 is ready for spring sports. A new practice field has been added, the roof on the baseball indoor facility has been repegged, a new outfield fence is in place, and we have expanded our school data system to this facility.

The Early Childhood Center has had a renovation which allowed for the addition of two new classrooms. We now have two PK3 classes, three PK4 classes, and three kindergarten classes. The additions allow us to meet admissions demands without sacrificing class size.

The Pilot Center is up and running after undergoing significate flooding in the stage and backstage areas as a result of a malfunction in in the HVAC system.

Renovations to the TFJ Family Library have provided a new, temporary home to the 6th grade. The renovation was thoughtfully carried out, with plumbing and electrical rough-ins in place for the building to house Lower School specials in the future. The library stacks and student commons have moved to the center of the building.

And demolition and site preparation are underway for a new Middle School building!

The demolition of the U-shape portion of Mitchell Hall.

The current view from Dryer Avenue looking toward the gym.

Alumni Enjoy On-Campus Celebrations

Baysiders of all grades gathered on the field to honor America's veterans on Veterans Day. Jason Halbert '95 is one of the veterans who attended; he is joined by sons Owen and Jay.

Bayside grandfather and veteran Joe Shell is joined by grandsons John Thomas and Sammy Giattina; their mom is Bayside alum Leah Shell Giattina '99.

The Bluff was full of Baysiders new and old for the Lighting of the Trees. New this year was a partnership with FOX10 TV to collect toys for those in need. A van-load of toys was collected by attendees!

Pine Mountain has earned a new set of believers, and the Junior Class returned to school with a true sense of community. And Homecoming filled the stands with students and alumni alike.

Lighting the Family Candle at Christmas Together was the family of Jan and the late Mark Reed. Joining Mrs. Reed are her son Anderson '09 and his wife, Sarah, and daughter Jillian Wallace and her husband, Jake, with their daughters. Daughter Kersten Reed Bowman '07 who lives in Fort Walton joined in spirit.

Bayside's past and present was represented by candle lighters at Christmas Together: Tucker Watkins '24, Laura Mac Sheffield '29, Conner Barton '34 and Vivi Vines '38 represented each of the school's divisions while Harry D'Olive '76 stood for those who graduated in the 70's, Brenda Sirmon Allen '82 for those who graduated in the 80's, Scott Clemens '96 for the 90's graduates, Megg Dyson Edgar '00 for the 00 graduates, and Blai Cebrian-Claramunt '23 for those who graduated in the 2020's.

Let's Help Others

Thanksgiving Meal Boxes

Partnering again with Catholic Social Services, Bayside families filled and delivered more than five hundred boxes of Thanksgiving meals.

A total sell-out at the box office, the Upper School's fall play, Les Miserables, showcased the talents of its cast.

Once again, the Upper School and Middle School chess teams won their individual divisions of the Mobile-Baldwin Chess League. We hosted more than 200 players on Bayside's campus.

There will be a showing of the documentary featuring the Bayside chess team, "The Pawn Who Would Be Queen: the Story of Alabama's First National Champions", at the Fairhope Public Library at 6:00 p.m. on February 29. We hope you can come watch!

For more news from around campus, CLICK HERE!

Aloha, Libby!

In spite of the unfortunate circumstances, we are delighted to welcome Libby Craft Erickson '01 and her husband Cavin as new Bayside parents; their son Taj is in the second grade and younger son Jett is set to join Bayside in the near future. The Eriksons left their home in Maui in August because of the devastating wildfire. We're glad to have them safely home.

In Memoriam

Bayside graduate Blaise Ledet '12 passed away unexpectedly on November 16th. An avid outdoorsman, Blaise's infectious smile and caring nature will surely be missed. Our sympathies to his family and friends. Blaise's brother Peter is a member of Bayside's class of 2012.

Our sympathies also

• to the family of Mr. Billy Brazil who passed away in November. Mr. Brazil taught and coached at Bayside for many years. His son Blake is a member of Bayside's class of 2004.
• to former Bayside teacher Mrs. Sally Wilson on the death of her husband, Howard, and to their daughters Audrey '10 and Helen '14.
• to former Bayside IT staff member Mrs. Michelle Shelley and her children Rice and Madison '16 on the death of their husband and father, Mr. Jon Shelley.
• to former Bayside Headmaster Mr. Tom Johnson on the passing of his wife, Lee.
• to Mr. Russell Atkinson and daughters Emma '24 and Allie '22 on the passing of their wife and mother, Bayside parent Mrs. Elizabeth Atkinson.

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

Bo Nichols' 97

Daphne, Alabama



As a 1997 graduate of Bayside Academy, I’m blessed to continue to call Olde Towne Daphne home, and that Bayside continues to be the place 2 of my 5 children attend school. Aside from leaving for College of Charleston, I’ve lived in Olde Towne Daphne my entire life. My wife and I raise our family in the home I grew up in. Although it looks different, after several renovations, it is still the footprint of my childhood. 

I was asked to share one of my favorite memories of my days at Bayside. There are so many it was hard to narrow it down. It was such a safe and nurturing environment to learn, but also tons of fun. The one that comes to mind, immediately, is that we only had boys in our class in 4th grade. Before Sharla Berry came to Bayside in 5th grade, all the moms of our class had a “Meeting” with us to explain that a “girl was coming” and we were to “be nice to her”. Little did we know, in the first two weeks of her starting school she would beat us all at arm wrestling. I’m not sure whose idea the arm-wrestling tournament was, but we were all taught a lesson in equality that year. She also would only arm wrestle left handed, which was her strong side! Well played Sharla!

I think of Bayside Academy as the nucleus of Olde Towne Daphne and a major pillar of Baldwin County. From very humble beginnings Bayside has grown to become a cornerstone of so many aspects of our community. The faculty and staff, the parents, the alumni, and the community, who pour themselves into success and continued improvement are all the reasons Bayside is held in such high regard. The campus is an incredible setting, and the vision of the New Master Plan will make it even more revered! I couldn’t be prouder to be an Admiral!

Tricia Sirmon Santarelli '08

Milan, Italy

Around nine years ago, I had just graduated from college and was in this in-between stage of school and real life, doubting what I had chosen to study and not knowing what my next step would be, whether to go to grad school or start a career. I also had, as my mom called it, the travel bug. I needed one more adventure before settling down and taking on that decision. I didn’t want to just travel, I wanted to experience another culture and know the people, and the easiest way to get my parents on board was to au pair. I got in touch with a family from Milan who was looking for someone to spend the summer with them in Forte dei Marmi. Those three summer months turned into six that turned into another eight months. Everyone was looking for an English teacher, and I quickly found a job in a preschool. And in that time, I also met a boy who a few years later asked me to marry him.

Living in Italy is just what you’d imagine it’d be. Aperitivo in the piazza, carb heaven, rides on the back of a vespa through cobblestone roads, surrounded by art and history, the romance of it all is real. Life revolves around food, wine, culture, and, can’t forget, soccer! It really is “la dolce vita” and I could have never imagined all the adventures that this country has shown me. But more importantly, Italians have shown me to see the beauty in simplicity, something I took for granted, but is something I love coming home to Alabama.

It may seem like a dream, but living abroad has its downsides. Learning a new language hasn’t been the easiest and navigating Italian bureaucracy even less. But the hardest has been the distance and seeing my family once or twice a year. And if you know my family, you can understand why it’s so difficult.

The roots that are planted in your hometown are irreplaceable, and Bayside played a massive part in that. I have memories there from losing my first tooth on the “big" playground next to the ECC, my first spend-the-night field trip at the Exploreum, dissecting frogs in Mrs. Dyson’s class, being exposed to a new culture in Mrs. Claramunt’s class, winning volleyball state championships, to more recently, our wedding reception where I got to bring my Italian friends and family to join my American ones. The Italians were amazed… “You went to school here??”. It’s a unique place!

As I’m writing this, I’m at home on my five-month mandatory maternity leave (put that on the list of pros!) as my husband and I wait on our biggest adventure yet, a baby girl coming in March. We can’t wait to grow as a family and lay down new roots! But even though we live in a beautiful country like Italy, we can’t wait to show our children just how special our Alabama home is and the love and things you learn just being there!