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Dear Baker Families,
As we head into spring conferences for the end of this week, I am excited to share with you my perspective and thoughts on our conferences as well as how they position our students and families to move on to the next educational step of high school. Both conferences and transitioning to high school are crucial aspects of our academic program that extend beyond the curricular work our students do in the classrooms. They provide opportunities for our students to reflect on and showcase their learning. In the case of our younger students, this is shared with families through portfolio examples of student learning and reflection on student engagement in the hands-on experiences that shape so much of our academic work. As our students continue to grow as learners, they assume the lead role in their conferences selecting and justifying the work for their portfolio and reflecting on their strengths in each area of learning as well as their challenges. Students frame their self-led conference around growth and goals and reflective practices based on how their teachers commented on their learning experiences throughout the year so far. This practice engages our learners in developing skills around metacognition and future approach to maximize their strengths as learners and building their skills and habits of mind. Taking ownership of how their growth and learning is presented to their families enables our students to feel proud of their development and to cultivate their sense of self as a life-long learner over their years at Baker.
So how does this connect to students leaving our school for the next step of high school? I have the distinct pleasure of working with each of our eighth grade students and their families as they choose their path for both school and courses. It is amazing to see how something that seems as separate as our spring conferences helps our students develop the skills they need to evaluate what they prioritize in a learning environment and what courses will help them to reach their academic goals. Through meetings with each student about their goals for high school, I see how they reflect back on the work they centered and goals they set for their student-led conferences and think about their current work and goals. In the end, they almost always reflect on their time at Baker, pointing to their confidence in their ability to advocate for their future learning. They know what they need to thrive in their educational future.
With an eye to the amazing growth that will be showcased in conferences over the next two days, I leave you with the thought that a Baker Learner is truly a reflective learner and tenacious risk-taker, who is “inspired by a sense of self-knowledge and support from their community” and as a result can speak confidently and competently about themselves and where they are in life-long journey as learners.
Please never hesitate to reach out,
Sarah Mohr
Dean of Academics
She/Her/Hers
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"The Baker Learner" - Video Debut | |
We debuted a new video at the Baker Benefit showcasing our Baker Learners! Please enjoy this recording that shares the characteristics of The Baker Learner. | |
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March 15
Parent Teacher Conferences 8:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m. / No School - BASE Available
March 21
Dine & Donate at Clucker's - See details below
March 22
Baker Talent Show 8:30 a.m. - See details below
March 25 - 29
Spring Break—No School / No BASE
April 3
BPO Meeting 2:00 p.m. - See details below
April 5
Alumni Event 4:00 p.m. - See details below
April 14
Human Library 1:30 p.m. - See details below
Now Available: The 2024-2025 major dates calendar is here.
Baker's public calendar at bakerdemschool.org/calendar
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Registration for BASE Spring Packages and Enrichments is now open! Please take a moment to review options in the 2024 Spring Program Guide before completing your registration.
Enrichment classes are first come, first serve and spots are limited!
BASE Registration Page
BASE care AND Enrichments will begin on Monday, April 1st.
Questions? Please contact Erin at esteiner@bakerdemschool.org or at ext. 5823.
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Dine & Dontate - Clucker's | |
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Grab Dinner & Support Baker
Thursday, March 21, 2024
15% of sales go to supporting Baker.
Say "BAKER" at checkout. Order online at cluckerscharcoalchicken.com and place "BAKER" next to your name.
Valid at Clucker's
1515 Sheridan Road in Plaza Del Lago
11AM - 8PM
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Thank you so much to everyone who attended, participated in the auction, and donated during our lightning round! It was an amazing event and we are going to keep things open for just a little longer to see how we can maximize our impact to benefit the school's Tuition Assistance Program.
At the Baker Benefit, when we hit $10,000 in donations during the Lightning Round, a generous donor offered to match the next $15,000! We are so close to maximizing the impact of that match. If we hit $25,000 in total donations, we unlock the whole match and effectively raise $40,000... and that's just in donations! We are less than $5,000 away! Please help us get there. Match will be available until Sunday, March 17 at 11:59 p.m.
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Each $100 donation is an entry to win the raffle below. Donations must be made by Sunday, March 17 at 11:59pm to be matched and included in raffle entry. Drawing will be Fri. 3/22.
The raffle prize includes:
- 2 Weekend Passes to Winnetka Music Fest
- $50 Gift Certificate to Cluckers Chicken
- VIP Baker Parking Package
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Auction Items & Buy-In Parties - LAST CHANCE | |
LAST CHANCE! There are great items and buy-in parties still available! Auction items without bids and buy-in parties with unsold seats will be available as instant items for purchase through Sunday, March 17, or until they are sold out. | |
Thank You to Our Sponsors | |
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Who's Got Talent?!? The Middle School Student Leadership Team is excited to be once again hosting the Baker Talent Show on Friday, March 22nd.
Families are invited to attend.
2024 Baker Talent Show
Friday, March 22nd
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Questions contact Mark McLennan at mmclennan@bakerdemschool.org.
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Donation Nation Club Bracelet Sale | |
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Donation Nation Club Bracelet Sale
March 21 and March 22
3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Baker - near the front office
Our Middle School "Swifties" have been hard at work crafting Baker-themed bracelets for you to wear on your Spring Break! All proceeds will be donated to Felines & Canines.
Questions contact Rebecca DeSalvo at rdesalvo@bakerdemschool.org.
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BPO Community Service Spotlight - The Night Ministry | |
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As you can imagine Connections for the Homeless isn’t the only organization dedicated to providing care to the homeless.
The Night Ministry is a Chicago-based organization whose mission is to provide human connection, housing support, and health care to members of our community who are unhoused or experiencing poverty.
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With an open heart, they compassionately accept each individual as they are and work alongside them to advocate for their immediate physical, emotional, and social needs while affirming our shared humanity.
How can we help?
Visit The Night Ministry’s website and click on the Get Involved link. Here you can find many opportunities to help. You can volunteer your time and/or give a donation.
How can Baker help?
There is a need for Hygiene Kits at the Night Ministry. We are holding a Hygiene Kit Items Drive during the month of March. Please bring any of the listed items below to Baker. There is a bin in the front where you can just drop them off.
All items should be travel-sized unless otherwise noted. Items in bold are typically included as the basics and everything else is considered special.
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• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Body wash or bar soap
• Body lotion
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush (full-sized)
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• Deodorant
• Mouthwash
• Lip balm
• Comb or brush
• Disposable razor
• Shaving cream
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• Wash cloth
• Tissue pack
• Bath wipes
• Rain poncho
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This is a chance to socialize with other parents and hear short updates from the BPO Teams. No RSVP is needed, just drop in. We would love for you to
attend. Thank you to the 1st grade room parents for hosting!
April PM BPO Meeting
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Baker Cafeteria
Questions contact bpo@bakerdemschool.org.
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Friday, April 5
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Baker Library
We look forward to welcoming ALL Alumni and their Parents to our Alumni Event on April 5th from 4 - 6pm in the Baker Library. There will be plenty of time to connect with past classmates, teachers and spaces. Enter chances to win prizes and eat some delicious Soul and Smoke! We look forward to seeing you there! Link to RSVP.
Questions? Email Rachael Ross rross@bakerdemschool.org
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Human Library at Baker - Save the Date | |
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Join a worldwide movement for social change---right here at Baker!
SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, April 14
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Baker Library
On Sunday, April 14th, The Human Library® will be returning to Baker, with a shelf of human “books” who are ready to enter into conversation with Baker students and their families. Each book represents a group in our society that is often subjected to prejudice, stigmatization or discrimination because of their lifestyle, diagnosis, belief, disability, social status, ethnic origin, etc. Human “books” are volunteers who are on loan to readers to share their personal experiences and identities. The Human Library® creates a safe space for dialogue where topics are discussed openly between the human books and their readers, creating a positive framework for conversations that can challenge stereotypes and prejudices. Difficult questions are expected, appreciated and answered, and a discussion space will be available for Baker folks to share their learning with each other.
This event is sponsored by Baker Faculty & Parent EqAT Teams.
Questions? Contact Theresa Volpe at theresa.volpe.content@gmail.com or Kirsten D'Aurelio at kisuna@earthlink.net.
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The 2024 Annual Baker 5K event is coming up on Friday, May 24, 2024 at Gillson Park. We are so grateful to have volunteers every year to help make this wonderful all school event happen!
We are looking for volunteers for:
- Setup
- Chef/Food Prep
- Post Race Fuel Station
- Water Station
- Take Down
Please Signup Now for one of the available volunteer shifts.
Questions? Contact Rachael Ross at rross@bakerdemschool.org.
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Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls
March 20, 2024
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
ON ZOOM
KARA ALAIMO, PH.D.
Communication professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University and CNN Opinion contributor
LAURA APPERSON
Nonfiction editor at Alcove Press
In Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls – And How We Can Take It Back, communication professor and CNN Opinion contributor Kara Alaimo, Ph.D. reveals how social media is affecting every aspect of the lives of women, girls, and nonbinary people —from our relationships and our parenting to our physical and mental wellbeing. Over the Influence is a book about what it means to live in the world social media has wrought – whether you’re constantly connected or have deleted your accounts forever. Alaimo shows why you’re likely to get fewer followers if you’re a woman. She demonstrates how fake news is crafted to prey on women’s vulnerabilities. She reveals why so much of the content we find in our feeds is specifically designed to hold us back. And she explains how social media has made the offline world an uglier place for women.
Alaimo offers up brilliant advice for how to get over the influence—how to handle our daughters’ use of social media, use dating apps to find who we’re looking for, use social networks to bolster our careers, and protect ourselves from sextortionists, catfishers, and trolls. She also explains what we need to demand from lawmakers and tech companies to solve these problems.
Alaimo will be in conversation with Laura Apperson, an editor who specializes in innovative nonfiction who is spearheading the new nonfiction program at Alcove Press. Previously, Apperson was an editor at St. Martin’s Press and Rockridge Press.
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