Latest from the Superintendent

Welcome from the Superintendent

To: Parents and Guardians

From: Mark McQueen, Superintendent

Date: April 25, 2025

Beyond the Bell: Celebrating Our Bay Base Champions

I'd like to take a moment this week to shine a well-deserved spotlight on a group of incredible people who are making a significant impact in our district — our Bay Base after-school professionals.

This week, we celebrated After School Professionals Week, and I can't think of a better time to recognize the fantastic work happening across our 18 Bay Base sites. That’s right — we serve 21 elementary schools at 18 locations, with over 70 team members showing up every day to support around 1,200 students after the final bell rings.

Bay Base isn’t just about keeping kids busy after school. It’s about providing them with a space where they feel safe, supported, and excited to continue learning and having fun. Whether it's crafts, STEM challenges, games, or just some well-earned downtime, the kids are at the center of everything. Our team listens to them, learns from them, and allows their interests to shape the program's design. That student-first approach is something really special — and it’s working.

We’ve also got some logistical magic happening behind the scenes. Lucille Moore students are bused to Northside, Patterson students to Cedar Grove, and St. Andrews students are brought back to their home site — all to ensure every student has a place to belong at Bay Base. That kind of commitment requires coordination, creativity, and a great deal of heart.

And speaking of heart, let me tell you what drives this team. I asked, and the answer was simple and powerful: the kids and the community. Bay Base enables our parents to work and support their families, knowing their children are in a safe and caring environment. That’s not a small thing. That’s life-changing for many families. And it’s a huge part of why this work matters so much.

I know we don’t always see the full scope of what happens after hours, but make no mistake — the impact is real. These are relationships that stick. These are experiences that build confidence and connection. This is where a lot of our students feel most at home.

So to our Bay Base team: thank you. For your energy, your flexibility, your creativity, and your huge hearts. You are an essential part of our “Team of Teams,” and I hope you felt the love and appreciation this week — and every week.

And to everyone else: if you haven’t had the chance, take a moment to say thank you to these fine folks. Drop by a site, send an email, or perhaps write a note. Our Bay Base team deserves it.

Let’s keep supporting each other and lifting each other up — because when we do, everybody wins.

Keep putting that A Back in Bay!