Book Review | Chapter 11 Summary – The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Chapter 11 argues that schools can significantly improve student mental health by focusing on two simple structural changes: fully removing smartphones during the school day and increasing opportunities for unstructured, in-person play. Haidt contends that many current school responses—such as counseling programs or social-emotional learning—address symptoms rather than root causes, while phones continue to drive distraction, social comparison, and isolation. He advocates for strict, all-day phone bans because partial restrictions are ineffective, and points to evidence that phone-free environments improve attention, relationships, and academic outcomes. Alongside this, he emphasizes the importance of free play and informal interaction in building resilience, social skills, and independence, arguing that schools have a unique opportunity to counteract the harms of a “phone-based childhood” by reshaping the daily environment students experience.

Staffing Update | Ms. Hansen

Ms. Hansen has accepted a position as Assistant Principal at Huntington Hills School, beginning in August 2026. While we are excited for her as she takes on this new leadership opportunity, she will be deeply missed here at Beddington Heights.

Over the past three years as a Learning Leader, Ms. Hansen has been instrumental in shaping our learning community. Her commitment to student success, support for staff, and thoughtful leadership have had a lasting impact on our school.

Please join me in congratulating Ms. Hansen on this well-deserved next step in her career. We wish her all the best in her new role.

Library Book Returns

As we approach the end of the school year, we are beginning to collect all library books from students. We ask that you please take a moment to check at home and return any library books your child may still have. Returning books helps us ensure our collection is ready for students again next year. Thank you for your support.

Keep Valuables at Home Please!

We have recently had a few items go missing at school, including cell phones. We want to remind families that students should not bring valuables to school, as items can be misplaced or taken.

In alignment with provincial regulations regarding cell phone use in schools, phones cannot be stored on a student during the school day. If a cell phone does need to come to school, we strongly recommend that it be handed into the office for safekeeping, as this is the most secure place to store it.

Please note that the school is not responsible for replacing items that are lost, misplaced, or stolen.

Parent Council Flower Fundraiser

As part of the Growing Smiles fundraiser, we ordered a few extra plants. We have some left over after the orders were picked earlier this week.  If you are interested in any plants, please send us an email at beddingtonpca@gmail.com. We have available marigolds, geraniums, and petunias ($4 per plant) and roses (white or red, $48 per plant). Thanks for your support.

Key Dates

 Recurring Messages

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Fun Lunch | Mucho Burrito

Our next Fun Lunch will be Subway on May 28^th. The ordering deadline is May 23^rd. Orders can be placed at HealthyHunger.ca. This month we have been able to provide 10 students with a free fun lunch thanks to generous donations from BHS families!

If your child is absent on Fun Lunch day, their lunch will be kept in the office until 3:00 p.m. for pick-up. After that time, it will be discarded to meet health and safety guidelines and due to limited storage space.

Popcorn Sales | Delivered Every Thursday

Parent Association sells popcorn for students, which will be distributed each Thursday. All proceeds will support BHS families in need during the Winter Break/Christmas season. Popcorn orders will be made through HealthyHunger.ca. The ordering deadline for each week is Saturday. May 28^th is the final day for Popcorn deliveries.

FlipGive Fundraiser

Support Beddington Heights School all year long through FlipGive — an easy, free way to raise money just by shopping for things you already buy!

Our school earns cash back whenever families shop for groceries, gas, dining out, or online purchases from hundreds of popular retailers.

Join our team here: Beddington Heights FlipGive

Every purchase helps support our school families.

Bottle Drive to support Gr. 6 Farewell

The grade 6 Farewell Committee from School Council will be hosting a bottle drive on Saturday June 13 from 10am-2pm. You can drop off recyclables at the school parking lot during this window of time to contribute to this fundraiser. All funds raised will support activities related to the Grade 6 Farewell on June 25^th.

Dates of Significance

May 27^th - Eid al-Adha, or the “Festival of Sacrifice,” is one of Islam’s most important holidays, commemorating Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God, and is marked by prayer, generosity, and sharing with others, especially those in need.