Administration

BCS Families,

We are truly in the heart of the 2022-2023 school year at Bayshore Christian School. We had an
amazing first quarter welcoming many new faces and families. We quickly settled into what has
been and is going to continue to be an amazing 2022-2023 school year. The week before school
started, the newly renovated third grade classrooms, Home School Plus classroom, and restrooms
were ready for use. Teachers moved in just a few days prior to welcoming students. Just this past
month, the renovated office opened its doors once again to welcome friends and families to
campus.

Some of our first visitors in the office were the Florida Council of Independent School
accreditation and Association of Christian Schools International team members. These 13 guests
were on campus to review all aspects of our school, holding Bayshore Christian School to a high
standard of excellence on all levels. From governance to campus security, and curriculum to
student activities, Bayshore Christian School was examined according to all elements of
successful independent schools. One of the recurring themes in the exit interview was, “It is
evident the faculty, staff and administration are truly living out the mission of Bayshore
Christian School.” The mission to challenge, develop, and empower students for leadership by
following the example of Jesus to “grow in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man.”
Luke 2:52

These past few months have been full of opportunities to develop Scholars, Leaders and Faith
Warriors. Our middle division students experienced an overnight stay at the Nature’s Classroom
Institute. The 8th grade students traveled to Washington DC the week of November 14th and the
Upper Division Mission Team traveled to Indiana during SET Week: Service, Enrichment and
Travel. The younger students participated in a brand new year-long STEAM program, and they
too, participated in SET Week: Service, Enrichment and Thankfulness.

The Annual Fund, which started during the first week of school, was a great success. We are
grateful for our committed donors which include faculty, staff, families past and present, alumni
and many Faith Warrior community friends. It’s with these dollars that we were able to enclose
the campus area on MacDill Avenue, purchase new security cameras, and continue to make
needed improvements to the campus.

Prior to the 2020-2021 school year, the BCS Board of Directors shared with our families the plan
for tuition increases over the subsequent three years. Tuition was to increase each school year by
5%, 7% and 10% through the 2024-2025 school year. As no one individual or business is
immune to the inflation taking place not only in our nation but also in our city, it was determined
Bayshore Christian School would not quite hit the 7% as intended, in order to help our Faith
Warrior families. The increase will instead range from 3.5% - 6.5% by various divisions.

As we prepare to enter the reenrollment season for the 2023-2024 school year, we look forward
to meeting our goal of 90% reenrollment. Ms. Matti Valdivia will soon be communicating the
necessary steps to secure your child’s seat for the following year. Reenrollment starts in
December and is FREE for returning families through December 31st. Shortly thereafter, we will
open enrollment for new families. This year we’ve had a waiting list for many grade levels, and
we want to encourage you NOT to WAIT! Take advantage of the FREE reenrollment offer
through December 31st and of course, your child will certainly want to wear their “reenrollment
t-shirt" on any school day of the week for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year.

We are thankful for each of our BCS families! We wish you a blessed holiday season and we
look forward to an outstanding reenrollment season!

Sincerely,
Melanie Humenansky

Welcome to the 2022-2023 School Year,

The start of the school year is upon us, and we’re grateful you have chosen to be a part of the Faith Warrior family. We look forward to welcoming all of our families on campus for our annual “Open Campus” on Monday, August 8th from 3:00 - 7:00 pm in preparation for our first day of school on Wednesday, August 10th. Mr. C’s Grilled Cheese food truck will be here for Open Campus. This is a fabulous time to meet and greet classroom teachers, drop off school supplies, and fellowship with both new and returning BCS families.

We’ve had a fabulous summer preparing our campus to welcome our faculty, staff, and students back to school. The new digital marquee has arrived thanks to your generous donations to the 2021-2022 Annual Fund. The new sign will greet our families with a bright LED message. BenQ digital display boards are being installed in most classrooms, Kindergarten through 12th grade. Teachers are excited to receive training on the use of this new technology. Select classrooms have been renovated, buildings have been painted and landscaping has been enhanced. Radiant Church and South Tampa Fellowship volunteered over the summer and provided a great boost to our maintenance department. On Saturday, August 6th from 9:00 am - noon, we will host our first campus beautification of the year. Please sign up on the volunteer page of our website.

This year we are implementing a new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) enrichment program for our students in Kindergarten through seventh grade. We will begin a leadership course for our 5th through 8th grade students. Our high school students will have the opportunity to once again travel out of state for their mission trip, and we’re grateful to have dual enrollment college courses on campus.

The Bible verse for the school year is Ephesians 5:1-2. “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” We are excited to continue sharing the love of Jesus with all of our students and BCS families.

This fall we will host the Florida Council of Independent School’s (FCIS) accreditation team for our five-year reaccreditation. At the same time, we will welcome the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) accreditation team to earn an additional accreditation. Please subscribe to our school calendar and this will help you stay in tune with all that is happening at BCS.

We look forward to pursuing our mission to challenge, develop, and empower your children for leadership by following the example of Jesus to grow in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man. We will partner with each of you as we strive to shape young people in Christ to make an impact in the world. We are Bayshore!

Welcome to Bayshore Christian School!

Sincerely,

Melanie Humenansky
Head of School

To the Bayshore Christian School Faith Warrior Community:

The school Bible verse for the 2021-2022 school year is Psalms 100:5, “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” As we find our students and ourselves in the final academic quarter of our 50th school year, we reflect on this verse and can truly identify God’s faithfulness throughout our students’ lives and here on campus.  Our seniors are in the final phases of making their college and career decisions, and God’s faithfulness has been evident time and time again. Preparations are being made for our summer Camp Bayshore and for the 2022-2023 school year. God’s faithfulness presents itself day in and day out, as decisions are made for the advancement of our school.

Coming out of a two-year pandemic, Bayshore has truly seen God’s faithfulness in student enrollment; student academic, emotional, and spiritual growth; and campus improvements. The generosity of our Faith Warrior community has been a blessing.  The flexibility and kindness of our families, understanding that we, too, as a school, were making decisions that have never had to be made for the safety and security of our school family. While wanting to please all, God’s faithfulness prevailed, and our families understood the changes that needed to be made and were supportive.

The anticipation of A Golden Evening, Bayshore Christian School’s 50th Anniversary Spring Gala was nothing less than spectacular. The silent auction offered many great items and the teacher services were a sure hit. Thank you to the many supporters for your faithfulness to our school.  

As we close out the 2021-2022 school year, we are thankful for your commitment to Bayshore Christian School. The value we place on shaping young people in Christ to make an impact in the world is priceless. Thank you for sharing the good news of Bayshore Christian School with your friends and family. As we continue to grow and meet the needs of the Greater Tampa Bay area, it is our desire to share the love of Jesus with our students and their families.

Thank you for your loyalty and thank you for trusting us with your child/ren. It is our mission to challenge, develop, and empower students for leadership by following the example of Jesus to “grow in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:52. 

Sincerely,
Melanie Humenansky
Head of School

To the Bayshore Christian School Faith Warrior Community:

We continue to see God’s blessing on Bayshore Christian School as we “Celebrate 50 years of Legacy,” shaping young people in Christ to make an impact in the world.  The start of the 2021-2022 school year was successful with Open Campus, Parent Facts and Microsoft Teams Training, and multiple athletic team events, all while transitioning students into their daily academic routines and modeling expectations in the classrooms. With the growth in our lower division, an increase in technology was needed and 8th Generation iPads were ordered and recently received. As a result, now ALL of our students in K-12th grade are once again equipped with 1:1 iPads to facilitate the learning process. Our computer lab used by 8th-12th grade students also received a complete upgrade with 14 new desktops (to be installed this week) with the software needed to accompany our students in their learning endeavors as we prepare students to impact the world.

We were excited to announce that, with your help, the school met the goal of The Annual Fund and the brand new digital marquee is now being ordered, with permitting from the City of Tampa being the first step. In addition, brand new playground equipment is being purchased for our three and four-year-old students. We are excited to see these enhancements taking place on campus!

The second quarter has begun and we find ourselves quickly approaching the holiday season. PTFW hosted a coffee social on a beautiful fall morning. It was wonderful to see so many new and returning families. We are grateful to once again host Grandparents Day, and to bring back our fall musical production after a year off from these fall activities due to COVID-19. This year, our students in 3rd - 7th grade are performing Beauty and the Beast, Jr, a Disney Broadway musical. It’s sure to be a wonderful performance.

Currently, our administrative team continues to prepare for the upcoming accreditation visit from FCIS (Florida Council of Independent Schools) and ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International). For the past few years, the Board of Trustees has been working with our Strategic Planning Committee to revisit the school’s vision and mission statement, as well as update the strategic plan for the school.

The school’s vision was updated to “Shaping young people in Christ to make an impact in the World.” While our mission statement was also slightly modified, it still carries with it the legacy of Bayshore Christian School and encompasses the original mission of the school: “Bayshore Christian School challenges, develops and empowers students for leadership by following the example of Jesus to ‘grow in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man.’ Luke 2:52”

The annual week of Service, Enrichment, and Travel, otherwise known as SET Week, begins the week of November 15th. It is during this week we often see our upper division mission team travel to spread the Word of God and love of Jesus both domestically and internationally. This year, the trip has been postponed until the spring. However, students in 6th-12th grade will be involved in learning activities, exploration, enrichment and service opportunities both on and off campus. The 6th and 7th graders will participate in an overnight science camp here in the Tampa Bay area. Our 8th-12th grade students will participate in various service projects and enrichment activities throughout the Tampa Bay area and our K-5th grade students will participate in activities on campus that prepare them for their upcoming opportunities in 6th-12th grades.

Our faculty and staff are blessed to have the opportunity to challenge, develop, and empower your child/children. Our teachers are working diligently in an ever-changing world to meet the needs of our students, while teaching them the love of Jesus. Please join me during this season of gratitude and thank those who affect our students daily: their teachers. Each of our teachers serve at Bayshore Christian School with the understanding that, first and foremost, the ministry of our school is to shape young people in Christ. Embedding this Biblical worldview into the academic curriculum is what makes Bayshore Christian School the school we strive to be—one which prepares our students for their future while teaching them to follow Jesus with all of their heart, soul, and mind.

Have a blessed holiday season.

Sincerely,

Melanie Humenansky
Head of School

It’s great to be back on campus with our Faith Warrior family. We had an amazing summer of Camp Bayshore and we’re ready for the 2021-2022 school year.

It’s always great to communicate with our constituents and we want each of you to know we are honored to serve your family through the education of your child/ren. We have many new families in addition to our amazing returning families. We welcome each of you to the 50th Anniversary of Bayshore Christian School and we look forward to working and building relationships with each of you. 

As we were planning for the school year and hoping to resume normalcy, we once again encountered COVID-19 - the Delta Variant. We will continue to work diligently to keep our campus safe for our faculty, staff and students. We appreciate your help in following the COVID guidelines. The Board of Trustees is committed to reviewing the COVID policies every 30 days, particularly regarding the current mask mandate. We consult with our health care partners, local physicians, and our accrediting agencies in making decisions for our school community. Decisions are made with a great deal of research, thought, care and most importantly, prayer.

Our scripture verse for the year is Psalms 100:5, “For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”  We consider it a blessing that God has provided the opportunity for us to celebrate 50 years as an independent, Christian school. We pray for another 50 years to come to achieve our mission of challenging, developing and empowering students for leadership by following the example of Jesus to “grow in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:52 

We want to do our best to communicate in the most effective and efficient manner. Please subscribe to the school calendar.  Subscribe to our YouTube channel and make certain you have signed up for Parent Alert in your Family Portal, which is the school’s method of text messaging. Of course, we also want you to review your emails as weekly newsletters and updates are sent from your child’s homeroom teacher and/or division coordinators.   

Our goal is to provide an outstanding education in a loving and nurturing Christian environment. We welcome suggestions and are always discovering ways to reach new families, and communicate with our existing constituents. If you have suggestions or ideas, please join our PTFW and feel free to share your ideas with our administrative team. We all welcome the opportunity to improve and grow to meet our students’ needs. 

Have a blessed year and Happy 50th Anniversary to Bayshore Christian School! 

Sincerely, 
Melanie V Humenansky
Head of School

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12 

It’s re-enrollment/enrollment season!! We are excited to celebrate our 50th Anniversary during the 2021-2022 school year with our Faith Warrior Family.  God has certainly blessed our school, and we are honored you have chosen Bayshore Christian School for your family.

Bayshore Christian School continues to weather and work through the Covid-19 pandemic as we continue to learn how we can keep our students safe. We were Covid-free for nine months from March until December, and we give God the glory. Many other schools have not fared as well, and we are grateful we have experienced far fewer cases than other organizations. We’re working hard to keep our campus Covid-free. It remains our focus to keep our students, faculty, and staff safe so our school can remain open for in-person learning. We believe in-person learning is the best method of instruction. However, we’re also prepared to move to virtual learning if the need arises or if a child/family is required to quarantine.

Bayshore Christian School was founded in 1971 as a middle school, and quickly grew to include both an elementary and high school program. The preschool program was later developed. Students who have graduated from BCS have attended Ivy League universities, in-state and out-of-state public and private universities, as well as local community colleges. Additionally, we are proud of our graduates who are serving our country in the armed forces. The portrait of a Bayshore Christian School graduate is an individual who is prepared for the next chapter in life with a Biblical worldview. A Bayshore Christian School graduate is a productive citizen in the workplace and in the community.

I encourage you to share your family’s positive Bayshore Christian School experience with your friends, family, and work community. Share our website with them and allow us to communicate our school’s mission with them. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and share our page! You, our current Faith Warrior families, are our greatest marketing tool. We look forward to welcoming new families to the 2021-2022 school year with your support. 

Re-enroll now and take advantage of this amazing FREE opportunity ($300 value) and, of course, receive the FREE commemorative 50th anniversary t-shirt for your child/ren.  

Sincerely, 

Melanie Humenansky 

Head of School  

We are officially in the second quarter of the first semester. I wanted to take a moment and inform our Faith Warrior community how the school is progressing through the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful for your patience and flexibility with the new procedures and protocols. Our campus is still COVID-FREE! We’ve had students and families who have quarantined due to exposures; however, our families have been gracious in their communication, and we are taking the necessary precautions to keep our students safe.

As we progress into the cold/flu season, we recognize students will experience cold/flu-like and even allergy symptoms that mimic those of COVID-19; however, we will continue to follow the strict protocol listed in our Re-entry Plan. Students displaying symptoms of COVID-19 may only return to school with a doctor's note.

Blended learning is set up and intended for COVID-19 and necessary quarantining purposes. This learning platform is not intended for unexcused absences or family vacations. The regular school attendance policy and unexcused absence policy will apply in those cases, and they may be recorded as unexcused absences. Teachers work incredibly hard for online learning to be effective for those who really need it; please respect their efforts to make this work as well as it has without adding additional work for them. Students with a short-term absence will complete assessments upon their return to campus.

In order for the school to accurately track attendance, a parent/guardian must call the office 813-839-4297 to speak directly with Sarah Lockhart.  If an absence is due to symptoms of COVID-19 or awaiting testing, please communicate as quickly as possible to allow the teachers time to make the necessary adjustments to their instruction. Any students attending remotely for blended learning must be prepared for class by situating themselves in a good workspace, utilizing their cameras during instruction, and connecting to Microsoft Teams using their school provided iPad.

We continue to revisit our COVID-19 procedures bi-weekly and will communicate any updates as they occur.  As you know, our state is in Phase 3 of the reopening plan; however, Hillsborough County is still under a mask mandate. We continue to wash and sanitize hands frequently, eat lunch outdoors as weather permits, and wear our masks in the classrooms, with mask breaks as deemed necessary. Please continue to lift up our school, students, faculty, and staff in prayer as we continue to challenge, develop, and empower our students for future leadership with a Biblical worldview.

Sincerely, 

Melanie Humenansky 

Head of School  
 

Previous Messages From Ms. Humenansky

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."  Romans 12:12

As the Head of School for Bayshore Christian School, I am grateful to share the Bible verse selected to encourage us daily through the 2020-2021 school year: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

The administrative team continues to work diligently to guide our Faith Warrior community amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We are following the CDC recommended guidelines, and we have partnered with AdventHealth to guide our steps in maintaining a safe and healthy school environment. We have learned a great deal of improved techniques, both in and out of the classroom, which we will continue to pursue post-pandemic in order to keep our students safe.

The faculty and staff at Bayshore Christian School are outstanding educators committed to serving our students daily in pursuing excellence in the classroom, on the court, on the field, and/or on the stage. Our faculty is committed to providing a first class education for our students even with the new precautions in place. Teachers are expanding their skills in order to meet the needs of our students, even in the case of blended/virtual learning should the need arise.

By mid-September, all students in kindergarten through twelfth grade have individual iPads to support instruction, as we most recently transitioned from Google Chromebooks to iPads for all faculty, staff and students. From reading software to Microsoft Teams, students and teachers have the ability to incorporate technology to develop and enhance the curriculum with the use of twenty-first century technology and learning expectations.

As scholars, our students are challenged daily. From hands-on activities through the Advanced Placement College Board instruction, students are encouraged to think outside the box to expand their problem solving capability and express themselves in a variety of outlets.

As leaders, students are developing skill sets using a Biblical foundation. They are learning to lead and love as they follow God’s word in guiding their decisions. Students are learning Biblical concepts throughout all subject and curriculum and are learning how to take their faith beyond the walls of our campus.

As Faith Warriors, students are learning to recognize the importance of their school community and the meaning behind what it means to be a Faith Warrior at Bayshore Christian School. School spirit is alive and well at BCS!

We are honored the Faith Warrior community has entrusted Bayshore Christian School faculty, staff, and administration with the safety and educational development of their children. Please take a moment to view the video below, which provides an introduction to our entire administrative team.

Melanie Humenansky
Head of School

The spring season is quickly approaching, per Punxsutawney Phil, and we now have the pleasure of observing the gala committee dropping off items for the upcoming Annual Spring Gala USO 40’s Flair. Each year at this time, I’m reminded how very grateful I am to be a part of a giving and loving community who seeks to touch the lives and hearts of school aged children.  We want to spread the word of Bayshore Christian School in the greater Tampa Bay Area. This event is the perfect opportunity to share the Academic Excellence, Christian Values, and Small Class Sizes of Bayshore Christian School. It’s also a great opportunity to give back to our students.

This year alone, Bayshore Christian School initiated a brand new iPad program with our 7th - 12th grade students. The technology infrastructure was upgraded, and faculty and staff have updated and current devices for use in age appropriate classrooms. A new playground is scheduled to be installed in February after permitting. New padding was installed in the gymnasium, and almost 20% of our students were blessed to be a part of the BCS family due to financial aid resources provided by generous donors.

Bayshore Christian School continues to excel in academics. Our upper division students have many opportunities to take Dual Enrollment courses through Hillsborough Community College while here at BCS in the safety of a known and comfortable environment. Our athletes excel on the courts and fields as well as in the classrooms. Students in all grades have explored learning opportunities outside the classroom walls in Washington, D.C.; St. Simons Island, Georgia; Portland, Oregon; and around Tampa Bay.

We are excited to announce we are joining the TBCAL (Tampa Bay Christian Athletic League) to enhance our middle division sports program! Bayshore Christian is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association; however, we have captured the opportunity to compete with other local Christian schools for our younger student athletes. This will commence in the 2020-2021 school year for our 4th - 8th grade students in the following sports: girls volleyball, boys and girls basketball, co-ed football, co-ed soccer, and co-ed golf.  

Most recently, we celebrated our 10th annual Spiritual Enrichment Week. Students’ lives were changed and seeds were planted.  We are unashamedly Christian and teach our students the inerrant and infallible word of God. We love and respect each of our students as we guide them through God’s grace to living in truth.

I look forward to sharing a wonderful evening with each of you on Friday, March 27th, at the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club.  A live swing band is expected to entertain us throughout the evening, and you certainly don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to bid on AMAZING teacher services and administrative services such as Head of School for the Day. Please join me! It’s going to be an amazing evening of celebrating Bayshore Christian School.

Sincerely,

Melanie Humenansky
Head of School