Students have an opportunity to write, illustrate and publish their own books through this creative writing program, sponsored by the PTO.

The PTO's annual Carnival provides family fun for the entire community. Classrooms are transformed into carnival booths and food is available for purchase. Opportunities to have lunch with members of the Braeside Professional Family are raffled. The Carnival is planned by a PTO Committee and staffed by parent volunteers and Braeside graduates.

Character Crusaders is a group of student leaders from the fourth and fifth grade classrooms. Students who serve on this group help carry out the goals of our schools Keys to Character Program. Students plan service projects, make announcements regarding good character, serve as role models for the younger students, and maintain our Character Education bulletin board current. The group changes membership throughout the year so many students have the opportunity to serve.

All Braeside students are eligible to participate in the PTO sponsored Chess Club, which meets weekly during the evening under the supervision of volunteer mentors.

The entire school participates in athletic events (including relay races, tug-of-war contests and sack races) outdoors at the end of each school year. Students of all grades are represented on each team. Parents and younger siblings are invited to attend as spectators.

The successful end of fifth grade is considered "promotion" rather than "graduation" from Braeside. No special ceremony is held, although a class promotion picture is taken in the spring. With the help of parent volunteers, the PTO sponsors a celebratory lunch for fifth grade students and the Braeside Professional Family.

The PTO organizes optional Food Days for students on special Fridays throughout the year (approximately twice each month). The food offered (one choice each Food Day) includes pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers and a bagel. Signups are taken at the end of the previous school year. Room mothers and parent volunteers help set the tables, provide ice, serve the food and supervise the lunchroom. Volunteers are asked to sign-up on Open House Night in the fall. Students who choose not to purchase Food Day lunches may bring their own lunch and eat with everyone else. Food Days is a fund-raising activity of the PTO. Calendar of this year's Food Days.

North Shore School District 112 provides classroom foreign language instruction for students in grades 1 through 5 for 30 minutes each week. The goal of this program is exposure to another language, not fluency. Top of page.

Braeside's traditional Halloween costume parade is held outdoors after the lunch hour. Children may go home for lunch to change into their costumes and return by the end of the lunch period. The weather is frequently cool, so consider the temperature along with the nature of your child's costume. Safe costumes (with adequate visibility) are encouraged; no weapons are allowed.

New kindergartners and their parents are officially welcomed to Braeside during this special program, held in the spring prior to enrollment. Children spend a brief time in the kindergarten room and parents join Braeside's Principal, Social Worker, Nurse and PTO President for an introductory meeting.

Every June, our students present a musical program of songs and dances, under the direction of the music teacher. Check the calendar to see when this year's program will be.

Each year the PTO and the District 112 Education Foundation provide for at least one visiting author, an event organized by the IMC. The author makes several presentations and signs books which are available for purchase. For information about this year's visiting author, visit the IMC webpage.

Each year in Winter, the students present a musical program of songs and dances, under the direction of the music teacher.

Students in grades 4 and 5 submit manuscripts to our IMC teacher who distributes them for review by group leaders, many of whom are local authors and editors. Students meet in small groups with their group leader over lunch to receive individual feedback. The Conference takes place in May. Here is information about this year's Writing Conference.

Braeside memories are represented in pictures and text in the school yearbook. The yearbook is sponsored by the PTO and created by fifth grade student volunteers under the supervision of parent volunteers. Interested fifth grade students meet weekly to work on the yearbook.